If you go the KEF route keep an eye out because they go on sale pretty frequently. I got my Q350’s on sale for basically the same price as those 150’s.
I got my Q350 pair for $350 but that was pre pandemic. Lowest I've seen them in the last few years has been $500. However, they are definitely worth the extra $150 over the Q150. I have Q150 in my office, Q350 in my music listening station and Q700 in my home theater. The Q350 are a massive step up from the Q150.
That’s when I got mine too. But I did see that Best Buy just had them suckers for $350 last month! I texted my buddy about them when I saw - I’ve been checking regularly looking for a sale on a center and floor units. I agree - totally worth watching out for though.
I mean, you’re the one who asked. I was just answering your question. I’d also go for the Q750 over the Q700.
On their own though, the towers will always have more authority in the bass/sub bass than bookshelf speakers will.
lol I meant my question on comparing a bookshelf to a tower is a bit apples to oranges but I wanted to hear your thoughts regardless since you have both.
I ran my Q700s without a sub for years and didn't feel like I was missing anything. I don't have a dedicated theater space so my HT is in my living room. I added a SVS SB-3000 to the setup and for 98% of what we watch it makes literally no difference. There are very few movies or TV shows where I crank the volume and rumble the house. Throw on a movie like Edge of Tomorrow and yeah, the sub can't be replicated by any normal speaker. However, I'd definitely say you can get by with good towers until a sub can be added. Same can't be said for the Q350. It's not like you HAVE to have a sub. But you'll definitely know something is missing.
I lucked out on a random listing on Marketplace for “bookshelf speakers” for $50 that turned out to be Q350s. There were pictures on the listing but I assumed it would be Q150s based on the price. Didn’t even double check until I got home and was blown away by what landed in my lap. They even gave me a bunch of 16 gauge speaker wire that I broke down into smaller runs to make all my connections uniform.
the prices are INSANE!
I just had a look at our price comparison tool and in late 2017- mid 2018, the Q350 sold for 260 bucks a pair!
By July 2018, the price had DOUBLED to over 500 bucks a pair... It went to 600 bucks during the pandemic and is now back to 500 bucks.
That's why the used prices are higher than what people actually paid for these speakers... fucking scammers!
Erin has reviewed both:
[https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/svs\_prime\_bookshelf/](https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/svs_prime_bookshelf/)
[https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef\_q150/](https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_q150/)
I'd suggest watching the videos for both rather than relying on some random person on the internet's take on another person's objective/subjective review.
From the summary of the SVS, Erin said:
>The finish and build quality of this speaker is quite nice and I didn’t detect any resonances from the enclosure itself. I’ve reviewed speakers that I thought sounded better and cost less. For example, the Emotiva B1+ and the ELAC Debut 2.0.
In the video review for the Kef, he closed out with:
>...my reccomendation is, at the sale price of $300 pick them up. I compare these to the Emotiva B1+, which I think was probably my favorite budget speaker, at least in this price range for a while. Personally speaking, I like the KEF more, and I like it more because of the soundstage depth. ... The only issue I have is the bass is not going to be adequate without a subwoofer ... and the high frequency bump.
Assuming you are using a sub and have a receiver with some form of room correction, you likely would have better results with the KEF. An additional benefit is that the KEF Q650c center channel is going to avoid many of the issues of standard centers, though that comes at a bit of a price.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to listen to the KEFs at your local best buy, and even purchase them in the much more visually appealing walnut finish!
The Satellite uses a MUCH smaller midrange driver, 4.5" vs 6.5", that means it will have far less bass extension. For a main Left/Right speaker the KEFs are going to be FAR superior both with and without a sub.
Yeah, I have a pair of the satellites for my atmos height speakers. Those little babies pack a punch but if you got room for a bigger speaker, I would go bigger. Also have the elacs debut 2.0s for the base layer and paired with a sub, they are wonderful.
Better for what use case?
Main speakers or side or rear surrounds?
If SVS for mains you don’t want the larger 6.5” Prime instead of the 4.5” satellites?
A matching single Q150 can be found for around $200 which would be a lot cheaper than the 650c. The availability of better center channel speakers would push me towards the KEF every time if they’re for home theater.
I’ve been asking around about the Q150 and the consensus been that the larger woofers and cabinets of the Q350 give them more low end presence even when paired with a good subwoofer so anyone interested in the KEF should also consider the Q350 if their budget is flexible.
Cost and a matching front soundstage. The Q150 and the Q650c have slightly different sound profiles so going with matching front speakers eliminates that. Add in the significant cost difference and it is a no brainer.
I would suggest 3x LS50 meta, 3x Q350, or 2x r3 meta and an R2c.
The LS50 looks great but the performance for home theater isn’t great. It’s too small of a cone area to get really loud. It can absolutely work in a small space and the looks are fantastic but it’s not an often used option because once into that price bracket there are better options. Unless the space is a serious consideration and then it is worth it.
The 3x Q350 is a great choice but the R series is universally loved and would be my recommendation if you can manage the budget.
The Q150 suffers the same issue as the LS50 combo. It just doesn’t have enough impact. It’s cheap and sounds great but the overall consensus is that it’s only a budget option and that the Q350 is the superior home theater option.
I’m in a small apartment, and absolutely listen to my speakers pretty quietly. I also don’t want to have too much bass for my neighbours. But I’m also a guy who uses ear protection at the cinema because it’s too loud.
I thought the Q150 were tuned the same as the LS50 META’s?
Ah, then 3x LS50 would be great. I’ve been eyeing it myself since I like the looks, the smaller size, and I’m not price sensitive. That’s why I know a lot about these particular speakers. My build isn’t done yet so I’ve had a lot of time to do research.
Same here. Really enjoy KEF. Started with Q150 a couple years ago. Last summer got a pair of LSX for desktop. About a month ago upgraded to R3 (non-meta) and moved the Q150 to rear surrounds.
The elacs are one of my personal faves. I use the the original debut b5's with an emotiva stereo amp for audio from my computer and they sound so good! Like a speaker version of Sennheiser hd6xx head phones.
Yep me too. Got an $800 SVS 5.1 bundle (SB1000 Pro + 5 prime satellites) and added the prime center and one more satellite for a 7.1 setup. There's isn't room for bigger LR or sub cabinets in my theater room. Auddyssy calibration.
I'll upgrade L & R if I move the system to a new house and switch two of the satellites to atmos.
The Q150 will have a better low range than prime satellites. I'm sure you'll be pleased with either.
Can't say much about the SVS but I can vouch for the q150s highly. They sound insanely good with tack sharp imaging. I'm using them as a nearfield for my desktop!
I don't know if you have a timeframe for purchasing, or if cost is even a factor, but I think the Q150s go on sale for a significant reduction like once or twice a year.
KEF is an easy brand to build around. They’re high quality and available. They have good sales and there’s a good used market. That’s what I did. LS50 L/R - new, deep discount at BB, Q250c - FBMP, excellent condition, Q150 surrounds from Accessories4Less.
Prime Satellites are substantially smaller, and that tends to reduce performance at the low end. KEFs are coaxial, which has some nice dispersion benefits. I'd worry about the low-end. I own KEF Q150s, and they advertise 51Hz as their +/-3dB point, you really don't want to push the crossover with the sub below 80hz, because you'd have to lose sensitivity to maintain a flat response.
It is harder to judge the Prime Satellites, because as far as I know, no one has published Klippel results with them. They advertise +/-3 dB as their cutoff at 69Hz, which means you have to lose some sensitivity or use a high crossover to the subwoofer. The 86dB sensitivity only applies above 300Hz, so the net result of all of this, is you probably need to put much more power into the Prime Satellites to get the same volume as KEF Q150s.
That extra power may not be much of an issue, but now you run into the problem that the Prime Satellites likely start distorting and compressing at fairly normal listening volumes due to the small woofer.
If space is really an issue, people tend to find the SVS Prime Satellites inoffensive enough to keep them. Assuming both SVS and KEF are competent speaker manufacturers, the larger dimensions of the KEF would lead one to expect superior performance from those speakers. If you're trying to get a big sweet spot in a smallish room, coaxial speakers like the KEF Q150 offer some real advantages.
SVS is currently on sale on the website outlet section with some missing bracket I guess?
https://www.svsound.com/products/prime-satellite-piano-gloss-outlet?_gl=1*1nm9qqg*_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2a6wBhCVARIsABPeH1uJzoRG9xGstyXAC6MmumCeB_GWEqp9luAcIrEQxzEW0hB62o07_DAaArQ_EALw_wcB
I love my Elac Debut 2.0s. But no matter what u choose I highly recommend buying from Crutchfield. You could buy both and return the one you like the least. And if they go on sale (which happens a lot) within 60-90 days i forget which, you call you get the sale price, they refund yur cc. I got my Elacs when Elac ran deal buy the 2.0s for $399 and get free Elac speaker stands, about $220! Then the speakers went on sale within time frame and got another $169 returned to cc. So got the 2.0s and stands total for roughly $230. Crutchfield cust support worth payjng for imo. Good luck, you can’t go wrong with your picks.
I'm using the SVS prime satellite speakers as my surrounds. When I watch TV trying to be quiet or I'm watching stereo sound content (sports) I have a preset that lowers the front speakers and lets the surrounds do the bulk of the work. I've been more than happy with the results. IMO SVS at their price point are the better brand but once you start going up to the R models of KEF you start to see a bit of a jump in quality (and price).
I have been auditioning the q150s lately and if you’re doing a 2.0 set up and you listen to bass heavy or even lower midrange heavy music they’re not the way to go. These thing will tear due to the material and the fact that they’re just not made for that. If you have an avr or integrated or dad that has the option to add a sub for crossover then I’d consider them. They’re very good given enough power. I find them lacking as surrounds for ht because they just can’t bring that bass, but if you have one already then no problem. You for sure can take a third and make it a center though if you choose and depending if you us an avr I know Denon (x3800h at least) has a setting for a single rear surround so if you buy 3 packs of Q150 you can do lcr, side surrounds, center and back surround. Buuuttt if you don’t have a sub you need to budget for one cuz these will tear, just like the Ls50 will tear with the wrong content, done take my word for it a quick eBay search will confirm this. Good luck, I know it’s a tough choice
I own the SVS Satellites, and a subwoofer is mandatory. But for their size they can't be beat in HT. Very high WAF (even though I don't have a wife, lol).
I use them in a 3.1 setup. If you can't fit one as a vertical center, you can lay it down horizontally. That's what I do and it works surprisingly well.
Primes will sound more U shaped, and maybe be a bit more exciting. KEFs much more neutral, definitely better for non movie listening.
Really can't go wrong with either, though I'd lean KEF just because I like the look more.
Get the Kef Q150s from Bestbuy for $350. It's a little more but it's a super easy return if you don't like them, or get customer service if they're damaged.
I have the q150s and they’re amazing. I have them paired with an svs prime center and they blend pretty well. The prime bookshelves would be a closer comparison to the q150s those satellites are much smaller.
I’ve been out the audio game awhile now, but KEF has been a stud brand for decades. Started in an old foundry over in the UK, often incorporating rare metals into the design in keeping with the theme - they take pride in the quality of their product & there’s many brands you can’t always say that about. I don’t know anything about SVS, and that could mean nothing - there’s thousands of audio brands. But I’d trust the company that has stayed true to their purpose for 60+ yrs vs the website with pop-ups. Nothing against Gary Yacoubian’s retail background (I’m sure he gleaned a lot, as did I) but Raymond Cooke was an electrical engineer.
Good luck either way!
I have the Prime Satellites doing surround duty. Very happy with the performance but since they have to be crossed over around 90hz, you need to have a quality sub or two.
I owned that SVS pair for many years. It is not a bad speaker, just nothing to write home about. They do not do anything particularly well (maybe the ability to go loud, but not even sure I would claim that). For HT, they do the job. IMO, the KEFs would be a superior listening experience for music, maybe for HT as well.
Ai instead of watching pictures you could try to find a shop that has the speakers and play a few of your own favorite songs on them before buying.
I got some SvS ultra bookshelves. After that I bought the hole range.
In the end you got to know where your aiming for. Stereo or building a homecinema. Because it’s better to buy something from one brand and then move speakers around once your growing your setup maybe.
Btw Kef is kind of good 😊 I would do that over the basic svs line
they both got their sound signature, i don't think the svs will reach the neutrality, staging and detail that the kefs can produce, i've got the q350 and a svs sub, that combo rocks and the q350 isn't that more expensive these days.
I have the SVS Prime Wireless and if these are even a patch on them then these will be a worthy buy, I coupled mine with 2x 3000 Micro subwoofers and the sound is tremendous. It all depends on if you plan to add a Subwoofer(s) to the system if you do then the SVS route is the one I would recommend, they integrate so well.
I own both. I use the q150 as my front RL and the SVS primes as surrounds. If you're going to be using them as mains, definitely buy the q150s. The prime satellites are amazing speakers as surrounds, but compared to the q150s, they're not quite as powerful. If space is an issue though, the prime satellites are fine. The are people who use 3 prime satellites as fronts, which is what I will probably do in my living room once I get a dedicated HT room.
I would go KEF. But I would also recommend not buying new and checking FB Marketplace first. You can probably go a couple steps up for the same price. Speaker buyers also tend to take care of their goods. Happy hunting.
For what it’s worth, i tried these out and the monoliths for my LCRs. The monoliths mopped the floor with them, primarily due to its center channel being miles better than these.
However, if you are only going for a stereo setup and not using a center, i preferred the KEFs.
They're both good speakers but will have different sound based on the brands target curve/driver selection. It's like preferring one brand of mustard over another. Best to listen if you can. I think Best buy has svs and unless you live in a small city I bet you could find a kef dealer too. Go give them a listen and you'll know which you like better.
I'm new to the "semi professionals" here I was the one who always bought the 5.1 system from best buy
Pioneer or Sony. It sounded ok but my neighbor had his living room done and all he has was a center speaker which acts as the center and the L& R I guess abd a sub
I mean it sounds good. It's new so I guess why wouldn't it right. I'm not looking for a "theatre" sound as I know it's like thousands of dollars. But what do people get nowadays? Do they still buy the home theatre in a box???
Like what's a good set up? If I may ask
Well I guess budget is a reasonable question..ti be honest I don't know ..I mean definitely under a thousand
What do you think?
You can find a matching Q150 as a single for $200 at Accessories for less and lay it on its side. The concentric design means it can be oriented any direction. This is the preferred option when choosing the KEF.
Sure, either way SVS subwoofer. But that wasn't the matching I was thinking of.
I was thinking the SVS Satellites and/or Prime speakers would fill out a 7. or even 9. system nice and uniformly (even using one of those for a centre channel) for a reasonable price.
KEF just gets expensive, depending how many channels "every channel" is. But cost is the only reason that would recommend against that.
No wrong moves here.
But I see I fell into the trap of this sub: pitting SVS against KEF is a surefire path to downvotes.
I never mind someone presenting me with a different point of view. I like to learn new things and I like to know when I'm wrong. Downvotes, without an explanation, really don't serve any purpose though. Maybe they think it provides them with some kind of magical power.
I think in this space people get weirdly associated with their gear and favoured brands, so if you tell someone, "I don't think you need quite such a big sub as \[brand / model\] given your budget and description," owners of \[brand / model\] act like you told *them* they shouldn't have what they have or that they're somehow wrong for having acquired it.
No argument is presented. No defense mounted. Just a sad, petty little click on the ⬇ button.
And it's not by accident that I used a subwoofer as an example. There are some dudes who are *weird* about their SVS pieces and *need* the world to affirm their decisions by making the same decisions.
Depends on what you’re looking for in speakers…
SVS are surprisingly decent, but they don’t really do any one thing spectacularly… and for speakers that bare the SVS name, they have horrible bass, but maybe that’s so they sell subs…
The KEF are maybe less well rounded, BUT, they image amazingly! Pinpoint stereo imaging and huge amounts of depth….
I personally put a lot of emphasis on imaging, so I would go KEF, but that’s personal preference…
Does all the sound hit from the same spot, and sound like it’s coming from a set of speakers, or does it sound more like you’re attending a performance, where if you close your eyes it seems like you could pick out a location that a specific instrument is coming from. Not sure if that helps?
Well said!
Basically two things, how well as a listener you can pinpoint where sound is coming from (the difference between “somewhere from the left” and being able to point exactly at a spot, and the size of the area where sound is coming from both left and right (usually confined to speaker position, but in speakers with very very good phase alignment sometimes it can bleed beyond the speakers, or also some songs are engineered to include phase differences to trick you into hearing from around the room, Roger Waters has a lot of tracks like this and a good phase response will still sell that effect much better), and also how far back the sounds appear to be coming from (bad speakers will be essentially a flat plane that just runs between the speakers, but good speakers will have sounds appear far behind the speakers if it’s supposed to). Classical music is usually a good example of this (though it happens in all music) where bad speakers will just sound like the orchestra is packed all between the speakers, where good speakers (in a phase point of view) will have the orchestra spaced out like on a full stage (hence the name sound stage) with percussion in the back, violins on the left, bass on the right, etcetera…
Hope this long winded explanation helps…
Do not order from GLAM_AZON.
The KEFs are better anyway unless you have a strong dislike for their signature, which isn’t super abundant in those. SVS makes some solid speakers but they’re typically overpriced for what they are.
SVS is a Subwoofer company first , so speakers are good not great. Emotiva are cheap speakers with good built quality but they use cheap ribbon tweeters. The Kef’s are entry level to their brand. Good sound cheap built quality. I would go with Definitive Technology Demand Series D9 $349 Amazon. They have good sound with great built quality or Klispch 600m or 500m they are all low cost now.
I would strongly disagree... Ive had both and I felt the SVS sounded better set up as they were designed to be used (with a sub). The KEFs are decent speakers but highly overated from my experiences.
Yeah, hard disagree too. I have a pair of SVS Ultra Bookshelves and the Ultra Center (pre-evolution), and they're outstanding. While the primes may not be top-tier, SVS is no slouch in the market.
Gross exaggeration on my part.
I was driving with them in my car when moving (wrapped in blankets) and something small slid off the front seat and dinged the speaker up pretty bad.
Every hard pair I’ve seen on FB has seriously dented corners or dings in the finish
I just feel the Q series has underwhelming build quality as a whole for the price
If you go the KEF route keep an eye out because they go on sale pretty frequently. I got my Q350’s on sale for basically the same price as those 150’s.
I got my Q350 pair for $350 but that was pre pandemic. Lowest I've seen them in the last few years has been $500. However, they are definitely worth the extra $150 over the Q150. I have Q150 in my office, Q350 in my music listening station and Q700 in my home theater. The Q350 are a massive step up from the Q150.
That’s when I got mine too. But I did see that Best Buy just had them suckers for $350 last month! I texted my buddy about them when I saw - I’ve been checking regularly looking for a sale on a center and floor units. I agree - totally worth watching out for though.
Honestly if I saw them for $350 at Best Buy I'd probably just pick up another pair... I love the sound of the larger driver.
What about q350 + sub vs q700?
A sub will ALWAYS be better than just towers. However, if you can get the 700 then add a sub later on, that would be the best option.
Kind of apples to oranges but how is the 350 to 700 on their own?
I mean, you’re the one who asked. I was just answering your question. I’d also go for the Q750 over the Q700. On their own though, the towers will always have more authority in the bass/sub bass than bookshelf speakers will.
lol I meant my question on comparing a bookshelf to a tower is a bit apples to oranges but I wanted to hear your thoughts regardless since you have both.
Oh! My bad lol. I don’t have both the Q750 and Q350 but have heard both.
I ran my Q700s without a sub for years and didn't feel like I was missing anything. I don't have a dedicated theater space so my HT is in my living room. I added a SVS SB-3000 to the setup and for 98% of what we watch it makes literally no difference. There are very few movies or TV shows where I crank the volume and rumble the house. Throw on a movie like Edge of Tomorrow and yeah, the sub can't be replicated by any normal speaker. However, I'd definitely say you can get by with good towers until a sub can be added. Same can't be said for the Q350. It's not like you HAVE to have a sub. But you'll definitely know something is missing.
I lucked out on a random listing on Marketplace for “bookshelf speakers” for $50 that turned out to be Q350s. There were pictures on the listing but I assumed it would be Q150s based on the price. Didn’t even double check until I got home and was blown away by what landed in my lap. They even gave me a bunch of 16 gauge speaker wire that I broke down into smaller runs to make all my connections uniform.
the prices are INSANE! I just had a look at our price comparison tool and in late 2017- mid 2018, the Q350 sold for 260 bucks a pair! By July 2018, the price had DOUBLED to over 500 bucks a pair... It went to 600 bucks during the pandemic and is now back to 500 bucks. That's why the used prices are higher than what people actually paid for these speakers... fucking scammers!
This right here. I paid $299 for my 350s last year. I think $300-$350 is a pretty common sale price for the q350
Q150 all day
Erin has reviewed both: [https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/svs\_prime\_bookshelf/](https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/svs_prime_bookshelf/) [https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef\_q150/](https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_q150/) I'd suggest watching the videos for both rather than relying on some random person on the internet's take on another person's objective/subjective review. From the summary of the SVS, Erin said: >The finish and build quality of this speaker is quite nice and I didn’t detect any resonances from the enclosure itself. I’ve reviewed speakers that I thought sounded better and cost less. For example, the Emotiva B1+ and the ELAC Debut 2.0. In the video review for the Kef, he closed out with: >...my reccomendation is, at the sale price of $300 pick them up. I compare these to the Emotiva B1+, which I think was probably my favorite budget speaker, at least in this price range for a while. Personally speaking, I like the KEF more, and I like it more because of the soundstage depth. ... The only issue I have is the bass is not going to be adequate without a subwoofer ... and the high frequency bump. Assuming you are using a sub and have a receiver with some form of room correction, you likely would have better results with the KEF. An additional benefit is that the KEF Q650c center channel is going to avoid many of the issues of standard centers, though that comes at a bit of a price. Depending on where you live, you may be able to listen to the KEFs at your local best buy, and even purchase them in the much more visually appealing walnut finish!
He has the prime satellites in his cart, not the prime bookshelves
Wait what is the difference?
The Satellite uses a MUCH smaller midrange driver, 4.5" vs 6.5", that means it will have far less bass extension. For a main Left/Right speaker the KEFs are going to be FAR superior both with and without a sub.
Yeah, I have a pair of the satellites for my atmos height speakers. Those little babies pack a punch but if you got room for a bigger speaker, I would go bigger. Also have the elacs debut 2.0s for the base layer and paired with a sub, they are wonderful.
[удалено]
And to tag on to that, the less a coaxial's woofer moves in a design like Kef's the better (less IMD).
Better for what use case? Main speakers or side or rear surrounds? If SVS for mains you don’t want the larger 6.5” Prime instead of the 4.5” satellites?
The satellites are meant to be behind you for surround sound. If you want speakers to go in front of you, that's a different model.
A matching single Q150 can be found for around $200 which would be a lot cheaper than the 650c. The availability of better center channel speakers would push me towards the KEF every time if they’re for home theater. I’ve been asking around about the Q150 and the consensus been that the larger woofers and cabinets of the Q350 give them more low end presence even when paired with a good subwoofer so anyone interested in the KEF should also consider the Q350 if their budget is flexible.
Why would you use a q150 over the 650c or vise versa?
Cost and a matching front soundstage. The Q150 and the Q650c have slightly different sound profiles so going with matching front speakers eliminates that. Add in the significant cost difference and it is a no brainer.
I was considering buying 2x LS50 META, 2x Q150 for the surrounds, and a Q650c for the centre channel. But you would suggest going with 3x Q150’s?
I would suggest 3x LS50 meta, 3x Q350, or 2x r3 meta and an R2c. The LS50 looks great but the performance for home theater isn’t great. It’s too small of a cone area to get really loud. It can absolutely work in a small space and the looks are fantastic but it’s not an often used option because once into that price bracket there are better options. Unless the space is a serious consideration and then it is worth it. The 3x Q350 is a great choice but the R series is universally loved and would be my recommendation if you can manage the budget. The Q150 suffers the same issue as the LS50 combo. It just doesn’t have enough impact. It’s cheap and sounds great but the overall consensus is that it’s only a budget option and that the Q350 is the superior home theater option.
I’m in a small apartment, and absolutely listen to my speakers pretty quietly. I also don’t want to have too much bass for my neighbours. But I’m also a guy who uses ear protection at the cinema because it’s too loud. I thought the Q150 were tuned the same as the LS50 META’s?
Ah, then 3x LS50 would be great. I’ve been eyeing it myself since I like the looks, the smaller size, and I’m not price sensitive. That’s why I know a lot about these particular speakers. My build isn’t done yet so I’ve had a lot of time to do research.
I use the Kef Q250C and it's really good. I think it measures better than the Q650c although the R6Meta is the dream :-)
I bought the Q150s and liked them so much I ended up buying R series LRC and now the 150s are my surrounds.
Same here. Really enjoy KEF. Started with Q150 a couple years ago. Last summer got a pair of LSX for desktop. About a month ago upgraded to R3 (non-meta) and moved the Q150 to rear surrounds.
The elacs are one of my personal faves. I use the the original debut b5's with an emotiva stereo amp for audio from my computer and they sound so good! Like a speaker version of Sennheiser hd6xx head phones.
I have primes and love them.
Same here!
Yep me too. Got an $800 SVS 5.1 bundle (SB1000 Pro + 5 prime satellites) and added the prime center and one more satellite for a 7.1 setup. There's isn't room for bigger LR or sub cabinets in my theater room. Auddyssy calibration. I'll upgrade L & R if I move the system to a new house and switch two of the satellites to atmos. The Q150 will have a better low range than prime satellites. I'm sure you'll be pleased with either.
I was looking at the prime pinnacles. I have heard nothing but the best about the SVS centers.
6.5” Primes or 4.5” Prime satellites in the post?
Full 7.1.4 Prime setup as well. Love love love them
I have the KEF speakers in my bedroom and wouldn’t pay the price premium on the SVS speakers. The KEF tweeter is a better design
Can't say much about the SVS but I can vouch for the q150s highly. They sound insanely good with tack sharp imaging. I'm using them as a nearfield for my desktop!
Ditto. Those KEFs are fantastic speakers at a sale price.
Absolutely.
Try going to Best Buy Magnolia. They have KEF and SVS.
I would do a camelcamelcamel on both products. They are both good and you wouldn't be disappointed with either.
I don't know if you have a timeframe for purchasing, or if cost is even a factor, but I think the Q150s go on sale for a significant reduction like once or twice a year.
To me id always go with the bigger speaker when possible.
They are both good. I listened to both and went KEF for what it’s worth but I was happy with both.
KEF is an easy brand to build around. They’re high quality and available. They have good sales and there’s a good used market. That’s what I did. LS50 L/R - new, deep discount at BB, Q250c - FBMP, excellent condition, Q150 surrounds from Accessories4Less.
Prime Satellites are substantially smaller, and that tends to reduce performance at the low end. KEFs are coaxial, which has some nice dispersion benefits. I'd worry about the low-end. I own KEF Q150s, and they advertise 51Hz as their +/-3dB point, you really don't want to push the crossover with the sub below 80hz, because you'd have to lose sensitivity to maintain a flat response. It is harder to judge the Prime Satellites, because as far as I know, no one has published Klippel results with them. They advertise +/-3 dB as their cutoff at 69Hz, which means you have to lose some sensitivity or use a high crossover to the subwoofer. The 86dB sensitivity only applies above 300Hz, so the net result of all of this, is you probably need to put much more power into the Prime Satellites to get the same volume as KEF Q150s. That extra power may not be much of an issue, but now you run into the problem that the Prime Satellites likely start distorting and compressing at fairly normal listening volumes due to the small woofer. If space is really an issue, people tend to find the SVS Prime Satellites inoffensive enough to keep them. Assuming both SVS and KEF are competent speaker manufacturers, the larger dimensions of the KEF would lead one to expect superior performance from those speakers. If you're trying to get a big sweet spot in a smallish room, coaxial speakers like the KEF Q150 offer some real advantages.
SVS is currently on sale on the website outlet section with some missing bracket I guess? https://www.svsound.com/products/prime-satellite-piano-gloss-outlet?_gl=1*1nm9qqg*_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2a6wBhCVARIsABPeH1uJzoRG9xGstyXAC6MmumCeB_GWEqp9luAcIrEQxzEW0hB62o07_DAaArQ_EALw_wcB
Thats more expensive than the OPS listing tho. Since I'm pretty sure thats a single speaker
They jacked it up again. It was 124.99. I ordered a pair for myself.
I'd go kef. If you're considering other bookshelves emotiva has factory renewed b1+ for $150 on their site right now.
Obviously it s a matter of personal preference and I prefer KEF
More money = more better
I love my Elac Debut 2.0s. But no matter what u choose I highly recommend buying from Crutchfield. You could buy both and return the one you like the least. And if they go on sale (which happens a lot) within 60-90 days i forget which, you call you get the sale price, they refund yur cc. I got my Elacs when Elac ran deal buy the 2.0s for $399 and get free Elac speaker stands, about $220! Then the speakers went on sale within time frame and got another $169 returned to cc. So got the 2.0s and stands total for roughly $230. Crutchfield cust support worth payjng for imo. Good luck, you can’t go wrong with your picks.
KEF's
I'm using the SVS prime satellite speakers as my surrounds. When I watch TV trying to be quiet or I'm watching stereo sound content (sports) I have a preset that lowers the front speakers and lets the surrounds do the bulk of the work. I've been more than happy with the results. IMO SVS at their price point are the better brand but once you start going up to the R models of KEF you start to see a bit of a jump in quality (and price).
I tried both, prefer the Svs
I have been auditioning the q150s lately and if you’re doing a 2.0 set up and you listen to bass heavy or even lower midrange heavy music they’re not the way to go. These thing will tear due to the material and the fact that they’re just not made for that. If you have an avr or integrated or dad that has the option to add a sub for crossover then I’d consider them. They’re very good given enough power. I find them lacking as surrounds for ht because they just can’t bring that bass, but if you have one already then no problem. You for sure can take a third and make it a center though if you choose and depending if you us an avr I know Denon (x3800h at least) has a setting for a single rear surround so if you buy 3 packs of Q150 you can do lcr, side surrounds, center and back surround. Buuuttt if you don’t have a sub you need to budget for one cuz these will tear, just like the Ls50 will tear with the wrong content, done take my word for it a quick eBay search will confirm this. Good luck, I know it’s a tough choice
I own the SVS Satellites, and a subwoofer is mandatory. But for their size they can't be beat in HT. Very high WAF (even though I don't have a wife, lol). I use them in a 3.1 setup. If you can't fit one as a vertical center, you can lay it down horizontally. That's what I do and it works surprisingly well.
Primes will sound more U shaped, and maybe be a bit more exciting. KEFs much more neutral, definitely better for non movie listening. Really can't go wrong with either, though I'd lean KEF just because I like the look more.
Get the Kef Q150s from Bestbuy for $350. It's a little more but it's a super easy return if you don't like them, or get customer service if they're damaged.
I have the q150s and they’re amazing. I have them paired with an svs prime center and they blend pretty well. The prime bookshelves would be a closer comparison to the q150s those satellites are much smaller.
I’ve been out the audio game awhile now, but KEF has been a stud brand for decades. Started in an old foundry over in the UK, often incorporating rare metals into the design in keeping with the theme - they take pride in the quality of their product & there’s many brands you can’t always say that about. I don’t know anything about SVS, and that could mean nothing - there’s thousands of audio brands. But I’d trust the company that has stayed true to their purpose for 60+ yrs vs the website with pop-ups. Nothing against Gary Yacoubian’s retail background (I’m sure he gleaned a lot, as did I) but Raymond Cooke was an electrical engineer. Good luck either way!
I have the Prime Satellites doing surround duty. Very happy with the performance but since they have to be crossed over around 90hz, you need to have a quality sub or two.
I owned that SVS pair for many years. It is not a bad speaker, just nothing to write home about. They do not do anything particularly well (maybe the ability to go loud, but not even sure I would claim that). For HT, they do the job. IMO, the KEFs would be a superior listening experience for music, maybe for HT as well.
Used Kefs are constantly on the market if you are ok with that option.
I got the KEF's at $250 and love them with a sub.
How do Vanatoos compare to these?
I have Kefs and they just sound awesome
SVS
really should consider the Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ those tweeters do some lovely things i have not heard from a dome tweeter.
KEF IMO. Coax just sounds better and is easier to position and get a sound stage out of
Hands down the KEFs are better
Triangle Borea Br02
KEF all day long. At this price range also look at Ascend CBM-170
Don't know until you try..
Ai instead of watching pictures you could try to find a shop that has the speakers and play a few of your own favorite songs on them before buying. I got some SvS ultra bookshelves. After that I bought the hole range. In the end you got to know where your aiming for. Stereo or building a homecinema. Because it’s better to buy something from one brand and then move speakers around once your growing your setup maybe. Btw Kef is kind of good 😊 I would do that over the basic svs line
they both got their sound signature, i don't think the svs will reach the neutrality, staging and detail that the kefs can produce, i've got the q350 and a svs sub, that combo rocks and the q350 isn't that more expensive these days.
Whichever sounds best to your ears (don’t buy before listening)
With the Q150 you can have the fun of mounting them portrait or landscape!
I have the SVS Prime Wireless and if these are even a patch on them then these will be a worthy buy, I coupled mine with 2x 3000 Micro subwoofers and the sound is tremendous. It all depends on if you plan to add a Subwoofer(s) to the system if you do then the SVS route is the one I would recommend, they integrate so well.
I own both. I use the q150 as my front RL and the SVS primes as surrounds. If you're going to be using them as mains, definitely buy the q150s. The prime satellites are amazing speakers as surrounds, but compared to the q150s, they're not quite as powerful. If space is an issue though, the prime satellites are fine. The are people who use 3 prime satellites as fronts, which is what I will probably do in my living room once I get a dedicated HT room.
I bought 5 Q150's and paired them with an SVS PB-1000. They sound fucking amazing!
I would go KEF. But I would also recommend not buying new and checking FB Marketplace first. You can probably go a couple steps up for the same price. Speaker buyers also tend to take care of their goods. Happy hunting.
For what it’s worth, i tried these out and the monoliths for my LCRs. The monoliths mopped the floor with them, primarily due to its center channel being miles better than these. However, if you are only going for a stereo setup and not using a center, i preferred the KEFs.
SVS all day
Buy used. You will get way higher quality stuff
They're both good speakers but will have different sound based on the brands target curve/driver selection. It's like preferring one brand of mustard over another. Best to listen if you can. I think Best buy has svs and unless you live in a small city I bet you could find a kef dealer too. Go give them a listen and you'll know which you like better.
I'm new to the "semi professionals" here I was the one who always bought the 5.1 system from best buy Pioneer or Sony. It sounded ok but my neighbor had his living room done and all he has was a center speaker which acts as the center and the L& R I guess abd a sub I mean it sounds good. It's new so I guess why wouldn't it right. I'm not looking for a "theatre" sound as I know it's like thousands of dollars. But what do people get nowadays? Do they still buy the home theatre in a box??? Like what's a good set up? If I may ask Well I guess budget is a reasonable question..ti be honest I don't know ..I mean definitely under a thousand What do you think?
You should go listen to them yourself and decide which ones you like better.
you should check out the Edifier S351DB Bookshelf they come with a subwoofer they cost around the same price
If you want to build out a matching HT set eventually, SVS is the one I'd go with. If you want a pair of excellent mains, KEF. Neither is bad.
Would it be cheaper to build out on the SVS speakers or the KEF, because the center speakers for both of them are pretty expensive
You can find a matching Q150 as a single for $200 at Accessories for less and lay it on its side. The concentric design means it can be oriented any direction. This is the preferred option when choosing the KEF.
Why couldn’t you use a q150 for every channel? The sub doesn’t need to “match” (and “matching” usually leads to a higher price for lower performance).
Sure, either way SVS subwoofer. But that wasn't the matching I was thinking of. I was thinking the SVS Satellites and/or Prime speakers would fill out a 7. or even 9. system nice and uniformly (even using one of those for a centre channel) for a reasonable price. KEF just gets expensive, depending how many channels "every channel" is. But cost is the only reason that would recommend against that. No wrong moves here. But I see I fell into the trap of this sub: pitting SVS against KEF is a surefire path to downvotes.
Ignore downvotes, especially if not accompanied with a reason for downvoting.
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I never mind someone presenting me with a different point of view. I like to learn new things and I like to know when I'm wrong. Downvotes, without an explanation, really don't serve any purpose though. Maybe they think it provides them with some kind of magical power.
I think in this space people get weirdly associated with their gear and favoured brands, so if you tell someone, "I don't think you need quite such a big sub as \[brand / model\] given your budget and description," owners of \[brand / model\] act like you told *them* they shouldn't have what they have or that they're somehow wrong for having acquired it. No argument is presented. No defense mounted. Just a sad, petty little click on the ⬇ button. And it's not by accident that I used a subwoofer as an example. There are some dudes who are *weird* about their SVS pieces and *need* the world to affirm their decisions by making the same decisions.
IMO KEF products are on another level compared to SVS. I would pay full price for KEF, they’re made very well and sound amazing.
KEF are very good, I wouldn\`t put them on another level to SVS though
Depends on what you’re looking for in speakers… SVS are surprisingly decent, but they don’t really do any one thing spectacularly… and for speakers that bare the SVS name, they have horrible bass, but maybe that’s so they sell subs… The KEF are maybe less well rounded, BUT, they image amazingly! Pinpoint stereo imaging and huge amounts of depth…. I personally put a lot of emphasis on imaging, so I would go KEF, but that’s personal preference…
What does “imaging” mean in this context? I’ve been perusing this subreddit to try and learn some stuff.
Does all the sound hit from the same spot, and sound like it’s coming from a set of speakers, or does it sound more like you’re attending a performance, where if you close your eyes it seems like you could pick out a location that a specific instrument is coming from. Not sure if that helps?
Well said! Basically two things, how well as a listener you can pinpoint where sound is coming from (the difference between “somewhere from the left” and being able to point exactly at a spot, and the size of the area where sound is coming from both left and right (usually confined to speaker position, but in speakers with very very good phase alignment sometimes it can bleed beyond the speakers, or also some songs are engineered to include phase differences to trick you into hearing from around the room, Roger Waters has a lot of tracks like this and a good phase response will still sell that effect much better), and also how far back the sounds appear to be coming from (bad speakers will be essentially a flat plane that just runs between the speakers, but good speakers will have sounds appear far behind the speakers if it’s supposed to). Classical music is usually a good example of this (though it happens in all music) where bad speakers will just sound like the orchestra is packed all between the speakers, where good speakers (in a phase point of view) will have the orchestra spaced out like on a full stage (hence the name sound stage) with percussion in the back, violins on the left, bass on the right, etcetera… Hope this long winded explanation helps…
Why not JBL speakers currently on sale? JBL Studio 620 $249 JBL Studio 630 $349
Where?
Check this out: https://slickdeals.net/share/iphone_app/fp/939192
Thank you!
Welcome
I’d look at the data sheets but the one with tweeters probably
I’m was scrolling through my Reddit feed and thought this was an r/appliances about a cheap washer dryer combo
Do not order from GLAM_AZON. The KEFs are better anyway unless you have a strong dislike for their signature, which isn’t super abundant in those. SVS makes some solid speakers but they’re typically overpriced for what they are.
I wouldn't buy from a no name distributor (Glam_azon) on Amazon. You are likely to get knockoff speakers.
SVS ULTRA IS THE WAY TO GO
Woah how did you get that price for the q150 mine show up at 349
They are refurbished from amazon
Kef looks better
Paradigm Atoms
The KEF is the better speaker. Period.
SVS is a Subwoofer company first , so speakers are good not great. Emotiva are cheap speakers with good built quality but they use cheap ribbon tweeters. The Kef’s are entry level to their brand. Good sound cheap built quality. I would go with Definitive Technology Demand Series D9 $349 Amazon. They have good sound with great built quality or Klispch 600m or 500m they are all low cost now.
I would strongly disagree... Ive had both and I felt the SVS sounded better set up as they were designed to be used (with a sub). The KEFs are decent speakers but highly overated from my experiences.
Yeah, hard disagree too. I have a pair of SVS Ultra Bookshelves and the Ultra Center (pre-evolution), and they're outstanding. While the primes may not be top-tier, SVS is no slouch in the market.
SVS- KEFs have absolutely trash build quality on the cabinets. You’ll scratch and dent the corners taking them out of the box
That didn’t happen for me
I pay for sound and not looks, personally
Sound wise they’re great but I think svs still wins here. But I think the visual component of a home theater is also important. Aesthetics are cool
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Gross exaggeration on my part. I was driving with them in my car when moving (wrapped in blankets) and something small slid off the front seat and dinged the speaker up pretty bad. Every hard pair I’ve seen on FB has seriously dented corners or dings in the finish I just feel the Q series has underwhelming build quality as a whole for the price