Short answer: the Arendal 1961 Monitor for better sound quality, the KEF Q150 for the lower price. The Arendal 1961 Monitor ranks #5 of 34 bookshelf speakers at $1150. The KEF Q150 ranks #14 at $350, $800 cheaper.
What the KEF Q150 offers: Two-way coaxial (Uni-Q) design with a 1” dome tweeter and 5.25” mid-range time-aligned in a single driver assembly, available in ported or sealed configuration. Watch for: A high-frequency lift in the estimated in-room response makes it sound noticeably brighter in an untreated room than in a heavily acoustically-treated one - a real preference factor depending on your room’s furnishings.
What the Arendal 1961 Monitor offers: A physically robust build the reviewer calls “a little bit of a tank,” delivering low compression, low distortion, and overall really good neutrality - one of the reviewer’s top 10 picks under $1,500 across roughly 250 speakers… Watch for: Bass rolls off around 70-80Hz, so it cannot be used as full-range mains for music without a subwoofer, and a sub is recommended for home theater use as well.
Buy the KEF Q150 if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Arendal 1961 Monitor if sound quality matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF Q150 | Arendal 1961 Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $350 Discontinued | $1150 |
| Ranked | #14 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #5 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.9"H x 7.1"W x 10.9"D (303 x 180 x 278 mm) | 16.6"H x 6.4"W x 5.9"D (421.6 x 162.6 x 149.9 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, about 4.7 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | ~85dB (300Hz-3kHz on-axis, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85.9dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 130mm (5.25") aluminium Uni-Q woofer, 25mm (1") vented aluminium dome tweeter | 2 x 5.5" woofers, 28mm tweeter |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg each | 16 lbs / 7.25 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | sealed |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 1500Hz |
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF Q150: $350 Discontinued Amazon
Pros: Two-way coaxial (Uni-Q) design with a 1” dome tweeter and 5.25” mid-range time-aligned in a single driver assembly, available in ported or sealed configuration. Exceptional soundstage depth, a hallmark of KEF’s coaxial designs that the reviewer says few other speakers match. Bass extension reaches into kick-drum territory, respectable for a compact bookshelf speaker. Resonances present in measurements are consistent across on- and off-axis readings, meaning they can be effectively corrected with EQ. Distortion profile is essentially the same whether run sealed or ported, since a subwoofer crossover point sits above where the differences would matter anyway. At its sale price (around $300, sometimes seen at $400), the reviewer considers it a clear step up from his previous budget favorite in this range, the Emotiva B1+, mainly due to the superior soundstage depth.
Cons: A high-frequency lift in the estimated in-room response makes it sound noticeably brighter in an untreated room than in a heavily acoustically-treated one - a real preference factor depending on your room’s furnishings. A mild dip in the 1-2kHz region reduces vocal fullness somewhat. Unexplained resonances appear in measurements and persist in both sealed and ported configurations, pointing to enclosure or panel vibration rather than the port. Horizontal radiation is narrower than the reviewer generally prefers from KEF’s lineup, with directivity that widens somewhat around 1.2kHz (near a resonance) and again above about 5kHz. Compression testing at high output (102dB) shows significant nonlinearity, especially at lower frequencies - noticeably worse than a comparable Arendal bookshelf speaker costing over twice as much, which held up better until 80Hz. Not intended for loud listening without a subwoofer - the woofer will over-exert itself without a high-pass filter, and the reviewer recommends crossing over at 80-120Hz. At full retail price (around $600/pair), the value proposition is far less certain than at sale pricing. Discontinued.
Full KEF Q150 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.9"H x 7.1"W x 10.9"D (303 x 180 x 278 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 130mm (5.25") aluminium Uni-Q woofer, 25mm (1") vented aluminium dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, about 4.7 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | ~85dB (300Hz-3kHz on-axis, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Kef’s Cheapest Bookshelf. Is the Q150 worth your money?
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website KEF Q150
- GR-Research: KEF Q150… can it get any BETTER?
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 AWESOME SPEAKERS Under $1000 You Won’t Regret
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Budget Stereo Systems You Will Love
- Reddit Search for KEF Q150 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Arendal 1961 Monitor: $1150 Arendalsound
Pros: A physically robust build the reviewer calls “a little bit of a tank,” delivering low compression, low distortion, and overall really good neutrality - one of the reviewer’s top 10 picks under $1,500 across roughly 250 speakers tested. Works well both as home theater mains and as surrounds. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate the low-distortion finding: THD at 86dB SPL/1m stays well below the reviewer’s audibility threshold, and even at 96dB SPL/1m it stays “far better than most bookshelves” thanks to the built-in high-pass filter that protects the woofers.
Cons: Bass rolls off around 70-80Hz, so it cannot be used as full-range mains for music without a subwoofer, and a sub is recommended for home theater use as well. Vertical radiation window is narrow, typical of MTM (mid-tweeter-mid) layouts - tighter than a standard two-way’s roughly ±20° - so a second home theater row sitting above or below the tweeter axis will hear a noticeably different tonal balance. ASR’s CEA2034 measurements show the response is elevated above 2kHz with resonant peaks around 3kHz and 9kHz, leading the reviewer to predict it will “likely sound bright.” Those same resonances show up as lingering ridges in the cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) at 96dB SPL/1m.
Full Arendal 1961 Monitor review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 84Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1500Hz |
| Dimensions | 16.6"H x 6.4"W x 5.9"D (421.6 x 162.6 x 149.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 2 x 5.5" woofers, 28mm tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.9dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 16 lbs / 7.25 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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