News

Originally introduced in 1991, KEF has announced the eighth generation of its Q Series loudspeakers, which now forms the entry-level range from the Kent-based company. With this considerable pedigree in mind, the company hasn’t set out to reinvent the wheel with the latest revamp but instead to integrate some of the  technologies and design experience developed for some of the maker's more sophisticated models and see them utilised at a new price point.    

The new technology is most apparent in the drivers. Like the rest of the KEF range, the Q Series uses a Uni-Q driver for upper and midrange frequency duties and mounts the tweeter in the throat of the mid/bass unit. The new series adds a Damped Tweeter Loading Tube that is intended to improve the reproduction of low treble frequencies and aid the crossover of the tweeter to the surrounding midrange driver for smoother frequency integration. A new, low-distortion inductor on the crossover also provides the new speakers with cleaner bass.

In the Q150 and Q350 standmount models, the bass port has been moved to the rear of the speaker to reduce the audibility of midrange leakage through the port and this has also allowed the Uni-Q driver to be moved to the centre of the front baffle for improved resonance control. The Q550, Q750 and Q950 (pictured) floorstanding models have a new bass driver with a larger roll surround for cleaner bass at higher volumes and a new pulped paper cone is intended to improve midrange clarity. The floorstanders also benefit from a new closed-box midrange cabinet with the aim of reducing the load on the Uni-Q midrange cone, increasing clarity and detail, as well as giving cleaner bass. 

The revamped series comprises six models, with the two-way Q150 and Q350 standmounts priced at £430 and £530, while the floorstanding two-and-a-half-way Q550, Q750 and Q950 are priced at £850, £1,150 and £1,430 respectively. There's also a centre speaker in the form of the Q650c, which is priced at £550. All models are available in a choice of black or white matte finishes with magnetic speaker grilles. Click here to find out more about KEF's new Q Series.