Short answer: the March Audio Sointuva AWG for better sound quality, the KEF Q Concerto Meta for the lower price. The March Audio Sointuva AWG ranks #5 of 84 bookshelf speakers at $4150. The KEF Q Concerto Meta ranks #11 at $1399.99, $2750.01 cheaper.
What the KEF Q Concerto Meta offers: Really good in-room neutrality with consistent horizontal directivity from seat to seat. Watch for: Radiation pattern measures about ±50°, narrower than the reviewer’s preferred ±60° for a stronger sense of envelopment.
What the March Audio Sointuva AWG offers: Purifi drivers deliver exceptionally low midrange distortion - the reviewer calls them “world class” - paired with bass extension unusually deep for a bookshelf (F3 40Hz, F10 30Hz), reaching down to about 30Hz in-room with some… Watch for: Correct listening axis sits about 7° above the tweeter line, which means shorter stands (around 24”) than typical bookshelf stands are sold at - get the height wrong and the sound scoops out in the mid/high frequencies.
Buy the KEF Q Concerto Meta if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the March Audio Sointuva AWG if sound quality matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF Q Concerto Meta | March Audio Sointuva AWG | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,399.99 | $4150 |
| Ranked | #11 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #5 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 30Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.3"H x 8.3"W x 12.4"D (414 x 210.8 x 315 mm) | 17.7"H x 9.4"W x 8.7"D (449.6 x 238.8 x 221 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms |
| Drivers | 165 mm (6.5 in.) hybrid aluminium cone woofer, 100 mm (4 in.) aluminium cone midrange, 19 mm (0.75 in.) vented aluminium dome with MAT tweeter | 6.5" Purifi PTT-OEM Midwoofer, Satori TW29BNWG-4 Beryllium Dome Tweeter with Waveguide |
| Sensitivity | 84.2dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 82.4dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 20.9 lbs / 9.5 kg each | 11 lbs / 5 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | passive radiator |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- KEF R3 Meta vs Wharfedale Super Linton
- KEF R3 Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint 10
- KEF R3 Meta vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- GR-Research NX-Bravo vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- AsciLab C6B vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
The Two Speakers In Full
KEF Q Concerto Meta: $1,399.99 Amazon Crutchfield
Pros: Really good in-room neutrality with consistent horizontal directivity from seat to seat. Directivity holds remarkably steady from lower treble into upper treble, where many similarly-priced speakers narrow sharply as frequency rises - one of the reviewer’s top 10 picks under $1,500.
Cons: Radiation pattern measures about ±50°, narrower than the reviewer’s preferred ±60° for a stronger sense of envelopment. Needs to be pointed closer to on-axis rather than heavily toed out - combined with its rolled-off, shelved-down top end, too much toe-out makes it sound noticeably dark.
Full KEF Q Concerto Meta review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.3"H x 8.3"W x 12.4"D (414 x 210.8 x 315 mm) |
| Drivers | 165 mm (6.5 in.) hybrid aluminium cone woofer, 100 mm (4 in.) aluminium cone midrange, 19 mm (0.75 in.) vented aluminium dome with MAT tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.2dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 20.9 lbs / 9.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: HiFi Perfection? KEF CONCERTO META Delivers!
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website KEF Q Concerto Meta
- Erin’s Audio Corner: I Tested 250 Speakers So You Don’t Have To!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: HiFi Perfection? KEF CONCERTO META Delivers!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Absolute Favorite Products of 2024 Revealed
- Reddit Search for KEF Q Concerto Meta Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs KEF R3 Meta
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs Wharfedale Aura 2
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs AsciLab C6B
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint 8
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs Wharfedale Super Linton
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs GR-Research NX-Bravo
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint 10
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs Wharfedale Linton 85
- See all 14 comparisons
March Audio Sointuva AWG: $4150 Marchaudio
Pros: Purifi drivers deliver exceptionally low midrange distortion - the reviewer calls them “world class” - paired with bass extension unusually deep for a bookshelf (F3 40Hz, F10 30Hz), reaching down to about 30Hz in-room with some boundary reinforcement. Sensitivity tolerance band measured extremely tight at 1.6-1.73dB, indicating excellent build consistency. Estimated in-room response is exceptionally smooth and neutral - one of the flattest the reviewer has measured, with none of the usual coloration descriptors (bright, boomy, nasal, shouty) needed to describe it. Distortion stays so low even at loud volumes that there’s no audible warning cue before you’re playing dangerously loud - a backhanded compliment to how clean it sounds. At $4,150/pair, ranked among the reviewer’s top three bookshelf speakers in that price range.
Cons: Correct listening axis sits about 7° above the tweeter line, which means shorter stands (around 24”) than typical bookshelf stands are sold at - get the height wrong and the sound scoops out in the mid/high frequencies. Moderate-low sensitivity (~82dB) is roughly 3dB below a typical bookshelf speaker, meaning close to double the amplifier power is needed for the same output; low impedance also calls for a 4-ohm capable amp. Horizontal radiation holds a wide ±60° only up to about 3kHz before narrowing - tighter top-end dispersion than the reviewer’s preferred ±60-70° through the treble, and the reason he left the previous generation off his all-time top-five list. Multitone distortion rises above the reviewer’s personal 3% threshold in the 1-2kHz region, though it wasn’t audible in his listening. Not intended to be crossed over with a subwoofer at 80Hz - designed to play full-range down to 40-50Hz, so pairing it with a sub and cutting it off early wastes its bass capability. Best positioned about 3 feet from the rear wall, requiring more floor space than many bookshelf speakers.
Full March Audio Sointuva AWG review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 30Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 17.7"H x 9.4"W x 8.7"D (449.6 x 238.8 x 221 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Purifi PTT-OEM Midwoofer, Satori TW29BNWG-4 Beryllium Dome Tweeter with Waveguide |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 82.4dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 11 lbs / 5 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs AsciLab C6B
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs KEF R3 Meta
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs Wharfedale Aura 2
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs MoFi SourcePoint 8
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs GR-Research NX-Bravo
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs Wharfedale Linton 85