Neither Kef Q350 nor Klipsch RP-500M were recommended by experts this month
On 7 Mar 2024 (21 days ago) we went through 80 Speakers expert endorsements , however neither Kef Q350 nor Klipsch RP-500M were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Speakers received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at Kef LS50 or other critically acclaimed Bookshelf Speakers of this month.
For reference, Kef LS50 received 5 endorsements this month, from ZD Net (13 Feb 2023), T3 (29 Feb 2024) Gear Patrol (5 Jan 2024) and 2 others.
Rank | Change | Price | Speakers | SoundGuys | ZD Net | Pitchfork | Wirecutter | T3 | Gear Patrol | Rolling Stone | The Master Switch | What Hi-Fi | hifioasis.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | - | $1600 | Kef LS50 The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments. | - | 4 | - | - | 7 | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | - |
N/A | N/A | $800 | Kef Q350 The KEF Q350 bookshelf speakers are highly praised for their exceptional sound quality, featuring Uni-Q driver technology and a sleek design, making them a great option for audiophiles and music lovers looking to upgrade their home stereo system. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
N/A | N/A | $299 | Klipsch RP-500M | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Bookshelf Speakers ranking? It's here
Customers like Klipsch RP-500M noticeably more
At ReviewFinder we prefer to focus on professional product reviews, because customer reviews can be disproportionately affected by unrelated factors such as delivery, specific seller listing problems, and, of course, fake reviews. With that said, below is the summary of consumer sentiment.
Klipsch RP-500M
CS of 10 is similar to a 4.8 star review, CS of 0 is similar to a 2 star review.
Klipsch RP-500M, the cheaper option, tends to get more favorable reviews than Kef Q350.
As can be seen in the chart above, median best-selling speakers receives a consumer score of 9.1 (great). Both Kef Q350 and Klipsch RP-500M receive customer reviews that average out above that median threshold.
Kef Q350 |
In comparison:
9.1 Great
|
Klipsch RP-500M |
In comparison:
10.0 Amazing
|
Median best-selling Speakers |
In comparison:
9.1 Great
|
Klipsch RP-500M is more popular than Kef Q350
It's fairly safe to say that Klipsch RP-500M are more popular speakers than Kef Q350, based on their 200+ reviews. Popularity is determined based on product sales. Note that older and cheaper products tend to sell more.
To consider
Table: Top compared alternatives for Kef Q350 and Klipsch RP-500M | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kef LS50 | $1600 |
In comparison:
9.3 Amazing
| 5 expert recommendations | More Popular | |
SVS Ultra Bookshelf | $800 |
In comparison:
9.2 Amazing
| 2 expert recommendations | ||
KEF LS50 Wireless II | $2500 | 3 expert recommendations | |||
Triangle Borea BR03 | $319 |
In comparison:
9.7 Amazing
| 2 expert recommendations | More Popular |
Rank | Change | Price | Speakers | SoundGuys | ZD Net | Pitchfork | Wirecutter | T3 | Gear Patrol | Rolling Stone | The Master Switch | What Hi-Fi | hifioasis.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | - | $1600 | Kef LS50 The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments. | - | 4 | - | - | 7 | 2 | - | 3
| 1 | - |
2 | +1 | $359 | Q Acoustics 3020i The Q Acoustics 3020i bookshelf speakers offer excellent sound quality, versatility, and a modern design, making them a great option for audiophiles who prioritize accuracy and transparency in their sound system. | - | - | 7 | 2 | - | 9 | - | 4 | - | 5 |
3 | New * | $700 | Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
4 | +1 | Check price | Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition bookshelf speaker delivers excellent sound performance across the frequency range, with punchy and dynamic bass, a wide frequency response, and a purposeful design, making it a great choice for music and home theater use. | - | 5 | - | - | 5 | 7 | - | 9 | - | - |
Show all rows |
Expert reviews [12]
- with a score: 6
- without a score: 6
Highest score by What Hi-Fi | 100 |
Average score based on 12 reviews | 88 |
Lowest score by Sound and Vision | 70 |
Score distribution:
80-100 | |
60-80 | |
40-60 | |
20-40 | |
0-20 |
Expert reviews [1]
- with a score: 0
- without a score: 1
- The KEF Q350 bookshelf speaker is the newest iteration of KEF award-winning Q Series. The Q350 features a New cabinet, sleek New finishes, and an improved 6.5” Unit-Q driver Array.
- The Q350 contains an enhanced Unit-Q driver Array designed to smooth out treble frequencies, and reimagined crossovers to provide cleaner and more accurate bass.
- Read more
- 1” Titanium LTS Vented Tweeter with Hybrid Tractrix Horn
- 5.25" Spun Copper Cerametallic Woofers
- Bass-Reflex via Rear-Firing Tractrix port
- Premium Scratch-Resistant Finish
- Strong, Flexible Removable Magnetic Grille
- Read more
Tweeters produce the highest frequencies in sound, typically anything above 2,000 Hz. Usually located at the top of the speaker, tweeters come in different shapes (detailed below) and sizes. Generally speaking, the size of the tweeter is not as important as the shape. But, for some guidance, consider that a larger tweeter (measured by diameter in inches or millimeters) will likely be louder and able to disperse sound over a larger area.
Speakers with midrange drivers (i.e., at least three-way speakers) have a distinct advantage over two-way speakers. Adding a midrange driver to the mix allows tweeters and woofers to focus on the sound waves they’re best equipped to produce—high tones and low tones respectively. More specific and focused drivers means more accurate, robust sound. Compared to the other drivers, midranges cover sounds, not surprisingly, in the middle of high/treble and low/bass tones. The human voice and most instruments fall into this range. For more sophisticated listeners, or for those who truly want the best sound reproduction, a midrange driver is crucial.
The woofer is the driver that is responsible for low frequency sounds and bass - crucial for well-rounded, booming sound. It is the biggest driver in size, and is usually shaped like a cone. When reviewing different bookshelf speakers, you will often see a measurement in the product name, starting as low as 4” and ranging to 6 ½” or more. This measurement refers to the diameter of the woofer. A general rule of thumb is a bigger woofer means louder, more powerful bass. But, as with any speaker metric, this number alone doesn’t describe the loudness of the speaker and should be taken into consideration with other measurements such as sensitivity, which describes the loudness of a speaker per watt.
Kef Q350 are a well-known option at the top of the price range. They're in the top 3 bestselling speakers and have dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Kanto TUK or SVS Ultra Bookshelf .
Kef Q350 were released in 2017. There are dozens of newer speakers on the market. Show newer Speakers
Kef Q350 are $520 more expensive than the average speakers ($279.99).
Klipsch RP-500M are a popular option in the middle of the speakers price range. They're in the top 3 bestselling speakers and have dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Kanto Audio YU4 or Sonos Play:1 .
Klipsch RP-500M are $69.01 more expensive than the average speakers ($279.99).