KEF Q150B Q150 Review

Nekdo je nekoč rekel, da preden dosežeš inovacijo, najprej potrebuješ predvidevanje. Če želite izdelati odlične zvočnike, morate verjeti, da lahko to storite bolje. Vendar morate tudi verjeti, da veste, kako zmorete.

Najboljše zvočnike izdelujejo najboljša podjetja. Vemo, da je KEF proizvajalec z velikim ugledom. Toda ali zvočniki KEF Q150B ustrezajo temu ugledu? Ali so ti zvočniki tisti, ki veljajo za "high-end"? Ali pa so le še en komplet zvočnikov z nekoliko nadpovprečnim zvokom?

Izvedeli boste ...

Preden pa se potopimo v naš pregled KEF Q150B Q150, poglejmo nekaj več o KEF?

Kdo je KEF?

KEF je bil plod britanskega inženirja Raymonda Cooka. Začelo se je na zemljišču, ki ga je imel Robert Pearch v bližini Chathama v Kentu. Skupaj sta leta 1961 ustanovila podjetje, poimenovano po Kent Engineering Foundry. Zato KEF.

Čeprav je bil Pearch pomemben član ekipe, je bil Cooke tisti, ki je bil genij. Za zvočniki in drugimi sistemi, ki so jih oblikovali, so bile njegove zamisli.

Cooke je bil inženir oblikovanja pri BBC. In spoznal je, da se da v produkciji zvoka doseči veliko več. Po ustanovitvi podjetja je bilo veliko njihovega zgodnjega oblikovalskega dela za BBC. Kakovost je bila dobra, zelo dobra in njihov sloves se je tako kot izdelki razširil na druga področja.

Ustvarjanje vodje ...

Do 70. let so si pridobili sloves proizvajalcev vrhunskih zvočnikov in monitorjev. Leta 1979 je Cooku druga kraljica Elizabeta podelila OBE, oni pa so prejeli nagrado Queen's Award to Industry.

Recesija v Združenem kraljestvu v 90-ih jih je močno prizadela, kot je to storila za toliko drugih v drugih delih sveta. Povzročil je finančne stiske, najprej pa je trpelo luksuzno blago višjega cenovnega razreda. Končno so bili prodani hongkonškemu podjetju GP Acoustics.

Inovativen dizajn…

Zdaj so priznani kot vodilni na področju inovacij za zvočnike za vse discipline in aplikacije. Sami izdelujejo celotno paleto in zagotavljajo mini zvočnike za Applov iPod.

Nekateri sistemi zvočnikov so zdaj izdelani v tujini na Kitajskem. Vrhunske sisteme še vedno proizvajajo na njihovi lokaciji v Maidstonu v Kentu. Ponudba je obsežna in serija 'Q' je v sredini.

Kako dobri so torej?

Pregled

Obstaja izraz. "Dobre stvari so v majhnih paketih." Ta komplet KEF-ovih zvočnikov za knjižne police lahko dokaže to. Ti zvočniki močno presežejo svojo težo. In verjemite nam, tehtajo kar nekaj, kot bomo videli.

Serija zvočnikov Q150 je eden najnovejših primerov serije 'Q' podjetja KEF. Bilo je nekaj izboljšav. Omarica z veliko stila in modernim "šik" videzom nam daje vizualne izboljšave. Toda KEF tega ni pustil tam. Niz gonilnikov Uni-Q je postal še bolj impresiven, kot bomo izvedeli pozneje.

Mala elektrarna ...

Kot bomo videli, je ta novi niz gonilnikov podprt z novo zasnovo vrat za bas. To ustvari visoko ločljivost in ogromen zvok. Ta močan zvok je še posebej opazen v manjših prostorih ali kjer je vaš prostor precej omejen.

Serija 'Q' je bila nekoliko prenovljena in Q150B je najmanjša, poleg tega pa bi lahko dodali tudi stroškovno najučinkovitejšo v seriji.

Ste si vedno želeli imeti par odličnih zvočnikov za knjižne police, a so se vedno zdeli predragi za vaš proračun? Ponovno premisli. Morda so pravkar prispeli.

Pa si poglejmo pobližje ...

Zgradba

Everything about the design and the build is understated. A conscious design to let the sound do the talking rather than flashy graphics or colors. Even the KEF logo on the front is the same black as the rest of the cabinet. You have to look twice to see it.

We mentioned earlier about them punching above their weight. Indeed, they are quite heavy, weighing more than twelve pounds each. They measure 12 by 7 by 11 inches making them almost as deep as they are high.

The feel when you pick them up is of a speaker that is well-made and very robust. The ample vinyl covering on the exterior adds to the design pluses. These speakers are manufactured in China.

Design with a difference…

KEF normally create a talking point with their designs, and here’s the first, these speakers do not come with speaker grilles.

We are not sure you actually need them as the totally black finish creates a great look. But for those who prefer them, they are available at a small extra cost.

They have a two-way bass-reflex oblikovanje. And a few interesting design features are going to make a big difference to the performance.

Better sound quality…

First, the rear of the tweeter dampens down any overspill or leakage. This is to avoid any sound spillage and give greater accuracy.

Second, the bass port has been moved to the rear of the cabinet. And it has been mounted centrally in the cabinet, which is also an interesting, although not wholly original, idea. The design of the internal structure has also helped to reduce unwanted resonance from the inside of the cabinet.

The removal of any leakage of sound from the tweeter and these internal design changes ensures sonic clarity. Below the bass port are gold-plated binding posts.

Quality throughout the construction…

All good with the design then. Quality construction with good materials and a stunning look. But more important to most will be the sound and how they perform. How will they do? Read on…

Zvok

They certainly have enough power at 200 watts to make sure that the neighbors stay awake. But it is the quality of that sound that is the really important thing. So let’s take a look at the Uni-Q driver array.

This is a KEF innovation. They have designed it so that there is a one-inch, vented tweeter. Nothing surprising there. But this tweeter is at the center of the aluminum 5.25-inch mid-range driver.

So, what are the benefits?

First, it will smooth out any perceived rough edges to the higher frequencies. Working with the dampening effect on the tweeter design, it brings a cleaner top-end performance. The crossover between the tweeter and the driver is redesigned to operate at 2.5kHz.

This arrangement moves us closer to the optimum single point-source design for speaker arrays. This design gives a very detailed and accurate image to the sound. The sound is then dispersed on a much more even basis in the listening area.

The low frequencies, assisted by removing any tweeter overspill from inside the cabinet, are clear and accurate. Part of KEFs design architecture includes what they call CFD or Computational Fluid Dynamics .

What does that mean?

CFD is the study of airflow through and around objects. The application of these principles ensures that the flow of air through the cabinet delivers a better sound, rather than hindering it.

KEFs so-called ‘Tangerine ’ waveguide further enhances the centrally positioned driver and tweeter and rear-facing port. All adding to the wider dispersion of sound.

This is very noticeable with the bass frequencies. Considering their relatively small size, they certainly knock out an impressive and tight bass sound.

Balanced, bright, and clear…

The frequency range is 51Hz – 28kHz, giving a bright top end and a prominent mid-range with that extra warm bass. An altogether sonically attractive mix of the frequencies and with great detail in the sound.

Even across a range of different genres, the varying sonic colors of the music are drawn out. This is high-level audiophile performance where you can hear every detail.

Nit-picking?

Some critics have pointed to their perceived lack of presence in the higher mid-range frequencies. This might be true, and they produce graphs and mathematical models to back up their observations.

If you really train your ears, you can hear their point to an extent. And maybe the presence is slightly lacking. But for those who are going to buy these speakers, we doubt there will be too many performing such analysis.

The final question is, do they sound good? And the answer to that is they sound superb.

What do we think?

These are an exceptional pair of Bookshelf speakers. They have a strong design and a very visual attraction. They tick all the boxes as far as we are concerned with regards to the build and design.

The internal architecture of the cabinet is innovative and forward-looking. Important elements in the design of anything. This is a good example of a company thinking, ‘we can do it better.’

KEF Q150B Q150 Review Pros and Cons

Prednosti

• Higher frequencies are clear and sharp without ever becoming overwhelming.
• Bass is rich and warm and very present, again without swallowing the other frequencies.
• Mids are clear and not over-projected.
• The rear bass port and its design add the luxury of great depth to the sound.
• Impressive dispersion of sound courtesy of the centrally placed tweeter and driver.
• A wide soundstage with great width and dimension.

Slabosti

• Some might prefer a higher level of presence in the upper mids.
• Does not include speaker screens.

Looking for more excellent speaker choices?

If so, then check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Sonos Speaker, the Best Computer Speakers Under $100, the Best Wireless TV Speakers, the Best Solar Powered Bluetooth Speakers, and the Best Tailgate Speakers currently on the market.

Or how about our comprehensive reviews of the Best Budget Studio Monitors Under $200, the Best Powered Speakers, the Best Bookshelf Speakers Under $500, the Loudest Portable Bluetooth Speakers, and the Best Floor Standing Speakers you can buy in 2022.

KEF Q150B Q150 Review Final Thoughts

It appears that good things can come in small packages. Do you remember that pair of speakers that produced stunning sounds that were always out of reach?

Ne več. At this price point, these speakers have broken through the price barrier.

So, let us introduce you to the KEF Q150B. The time is for high-quality audio at an affordable price is now.

Prijetno poslušanje!