Short answer: the KEF Q11 Meta if you can give it sidewall reflections; the Polk T50 is the budget bass option. The Polk reaches pretty deep bass for the price, but a 5dB peak at 1kHz and a 4dB bright top end from 11kHz up color it. The KEF’s three-way coaxial layout measures dark on-axis and needs sidewall reflections within about 6 feet/2 meters.
Buy the KEF Q11 Meta if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Polk T50 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF Q11 Meta | Polk T50 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,499.98 per pair | $498 per pair |
| Ranked | #44 of 74 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #54 of 74 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + dual 165mm drivers | 2x 6.5” bi-laminate paper cone woofers, 1x 1” Terylene dome tweeter + 2x 8” passive bass radiators |
| Weight | 106.9 lbs (48.5 kg) | 75.4 lbs (34.2 kg) |
| Sensitivity | 88.6dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.2 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 43.8”H x 12.5”W x 15”D (1112.8 x 317.5 x 381.0 mm) | 40.4”H x 9.3”W x 12.5”D (1026.2 x 235.0 x 317.5 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | passive radiator |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.72 | 4.14 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.03 | 6.15 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How KEF Q11 Meta compares with other leading options:
- KEF Q11 Meta vs KEF Blade Two Meta
- KEF Q11 Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint V10 Master Edition
- KEF Q11 Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint 888
- KEF Q11 Meta vs Revel F328Be
- Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 vs KEF Q11 Meta
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF Q11 Meta: $2,499.98 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Three-way tower design with a coaxial layout: a 3/4” aluminum dome tweeter (with KEF’s Metamaterial Absorption Technology behind it) mounted at the center of a 4” mid-range, plus three 6.5” bass drivers. Extremely linear estimated in-room response when placed correctly, thanks to a deliberately declining on-axis response paired with well-controlled directivity: a technically sound design philosophy, even though it reads as “dark” in raw anechoic on-axis measurements. In-room bass extension to about 40-50Hz when placed near a wall, thanks to extended bass-shelf tuning. Sounds excellent whether pointed directly at the listener or toed out a full 30° parallel to the back wall: unusually flexible placement. More vertical listening leeway than standard non-coaxial two-way designs, thanks to the coincident tweeter/midrange. Distortion looks good at both 86dB and 96dB, and multitone distortion holds up well too. Comes with a plinth/outrigger kit for stability given its floorstanding height (about 43-44”). Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 88.6dB.
Cons: Genuinely dark-sounding on raw on-axis measurement, and needs a typical room with sidewall reflections (within about 6 feet/2 meters) to sound properly neutral: in a large room with little sidewall interaction, it may sound too dull for some listeners. Must be placed close to a rear wall (about 1 foot) to get proper bass: pulling it out to the “standard” 3-foot audiophile recommendation causes bass output to drop off noticeably. Horizontal radiation of about ±50° is narrower than the reviewer’s preferred ±60°, giving a slightly less enveloping soundstage than some rivals. Notably darker than sibling KEF models in the same product family: measures 2-5dB less top-end energy than the R3 Meta and a few dB less than the Q Concerto Meta. Minor lingering resonances appear in burst decay measurements between 500Hz-1kHz. The tweeter shows some strain at very high output volumes, a limitation the reviewer notes is common even among more budget-friendly speakers generally.
Full KEF Q11 Meta review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 43.8”H x 12.5”W x 15”D (1112.8 x 317.5 x 381.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + dual 165mm drivers |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.2 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 88.6dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.72 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.03 |
| Weight | 106.9 lbs (48.5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Polk T50: $498 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the price. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is reasonably controlled outside a narrow spike around 250Hz. The reviewer notes performance is “not too bad for a budget speaker” once the two main tonal issues are addressed with EQ. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.3dB.
Cons: 5dB peak at 1kHz, 4dB bright top end from 11kHz on up. Just okay vertical off axis. Impedance and phase show several resonances between 200Hz-1kHz, with a minimum impedance of 4.2 ohms. Distortion rises substantially at 96dB SPL/1m across the midrange, with repeated peaks between 100Hz-2kHz.
Full Polk T50 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 40.4”H x 9.3”W x 12.5”D (1026.2 x 235.0 x 317.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5” bi-laminate paper cone woofers, 1x 1” Terylene dome tweeter + 2x 8” passive bass radiators |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 86.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.14 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.15 |
| Weight | 75.4 lbs (34.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons