Short answer: the Boston Acoustics A25 for equalization-friendly directivity, the KEF Q150 for ported-or-sealed flexibility. The A25’s spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz, and its directivity is good enough to EQ; a crazy port resonance and a fast-rolling tweeter explain both flaws. The Q150’s Uni-Q keeps its 1” dome and 5.25” mid time-aligned, but a high-frequency lift makes it brighter in untreated rooms.
Buy the KEF Q150 only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, start with the Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE2 instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF Q150 | Boston Acoustics A25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $350 per pair Discontinued | $299.98 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #26 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #34 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 11.9”H x 7.1”W x 10.9”D (303 x 180 x 278 mm) | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, about 4.7 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | ~85dB (300Hz-3kHz on-axis, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 130mm (5.25”) aluminium Uni-Q woofer, 25mm (1”) vented aluminium dome tweeter | 1” Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25” ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs (5.6 kg) each | 10.1 lbs (4.58 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.86 | 3.53 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.06 | 6.19 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 10-150W recommended |
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF Q150: $350 per pair Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the KEF Q1 Meta, ranked lower, rated 3.6/5.
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. Measured bass extension of 51Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85dB.
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) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 11.9”H x 7.1”W x 10.9”D (303 x 180 x 278 mm) |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.86 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.06 |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs (5.6 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Kef’s Cheapest Bookshelf. Is the Q150 worth your money? More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website KEF Q150
- GR-Research: KEF Q150… can it get any BETTER? More from GR-Research →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 AWESOME SPEAKERS Under $1000 You Won’t Regret
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Budget Stereo Systems You Will Love
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Boston Acoustics A25: $299.98 per pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz: directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Cabinet fit and finish is well above its price class, and dynamics were strong with no distortion audible even at high volume on well-recorded material. Discontinued, but the reviewer suggests hunting for clearance pricing on remaining stock. Measured bass extension of 90Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85dB.
Cons: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip. The rear port itself measured audibly distorted up close, though it wasn’t noticeable from normal listening distance in the reviewer’s room. Discontinued.
Full Boston Acoustics A25 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Drivers | 1” Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25” ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.53 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.19 |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.58 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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