KEF Q550 Floorstanding Speakers (Each, Walnut)

Advertising: - These speakers look exactly as advertised. They are sleek and very attractive. They have a nice black matte finish and the UniQ driver array gives theme a space-aged look and feel. - They do come with the speaker spikes for carpet (which I use). - WARNING: Read carefully as the price advertised is for only 1 speaker, not 2. I feel that giving a negative review for not paying attention to your purchases is bad practice. I was fully aware that they are advertised as "each" and therefore was not surprised when they arrived as such. - WARNING 2: The speaker does not come with a speaker grill. This appears to be because Kef is so proud of the look of these speakers, they feel you would not want them covered and therefore sell them separately (and I agree with them). If you have kids or are worried about damaging the cones, you will need to pay for them separately. Price: - $420 each - Price paid before taxes. I waited a long while until they went on sale and scored a good deal. They normally go for $600. Kef frequently does large discounts on their entire line (or so it seems), so if you are willing to wait, it is definitely worth it. Compared to the competition, when they are on sale, they are very competitively priced. When they are not on sale, I would say they are about par for the course. There are other brands which would give you more bang for your buck. Build Quality/Durability: - These are top-of-the-line quality. They look and feel sturdy and heavy. I have had them for 1/2 a year now and have no durability issues. - They were very well packaged and had no damage upon arrival. Performance: - This is where these speakers shine. I went from a home-theater-in-a-box setup from Insignia that had tiny bookshelf speakers to these two towers and the difference in quality and sheer volume was staggering. When playing stereo content (e.g., music or youtube), spoken dialog is extremely clear and is not overwhelmed by the rest of my setup. I do have a Denon X3400h and used Audessey to properly calibrate the settings, so keep that in mind if you feel that they do not sound up-to-par. - Because of their size and range, I have been needing to turn my volume down to a lower setting (which is a good thing). For reference, my current room these are in is about 2000 cu ft. If you have 3000 cu ft room or larger, I would consider going for the Q750s or even the Q950s as they have bigger drivers. For 2000 cu ft or less, however, they provide more than enough output. - For music, they are fantastic. I don't listen to a lot of music, and I am not an audiophile, but to me they make everything sound crisp and clear. I am hearing lyrics and instruments better than I ever did previously. - For movies & games, they fit perfectly in my 5.1 setup. They added some great mid-range bass, but if you do not have a dedicated subwoofer, you may be disappointed. Low-end bass is lacking, but considering these are their smaller tower speakers, it is understandable. If you are looking for better low-end bass perfomance, I would consider the larger Kef Q750s/Q950s. Design/Features: - As I already mentioned, they are very pretty to look at. The UniQ driver is very unique and are the statement piece. The towers somehow stand out, but blend in to the system at the same time. When I put on a movie, I can be engrossed in what I am watching without being distracted by the overly flashy gold or silver cones that other brands have. - The spikes are very high quality and keep my towers in place. They haven't budged a bit. They needed assembly when they arrived but it was easy enough to do on my own. - The rear of the speaker has high quality spade/banana plug terminals. They do not feel flimsy at all and made a good connection the first time I set them up. - If I do opt for the speaker grills some day, they snap on magnetically, which is a big plus. I like that without the grills, I cannot see any holes or pegs where they would normally attach. It keeps them looking clean. Overall: I give these speakers 5 stars due to their overall fit and finish, quality, performance, and appearance. They are very sleek, sound fantastic, and will blend seamlessly into any home theater setup you may have.

I replaced an old pair of Kef 104.1 floor speakers with a pair of these q550 speakers I bought in the spring. I already had a Klipsch 10” subwoofer I bought a few years ago and they pair up well. I’m guessing that you would want a subwoofer to get a good bass response. The stereo image and separation is fantastic on these speakers, there’s a real depth to the sound, actually much better than the older KEF’s, which surprised me. I’m hearing much more of the subtleties of the mixes on albums I’ve had for years and know really well.

Sound Quality and Sleek Design ★★★★★ The KEF Q550 speakers are simply outstanding! The sound clarity and detail they deliver are phenomenal. Whether you’re listening to music or watching movies, the audio is crisp, balanced, and immersive. The bass is punchy without being overwhelming, and the mids and highs are incredibly clear. What I love most is the Uni-Q driver array, which creates a wide soundstage that fills the room. Even at higher volumes, the sound remains distortion-free and smooth. These speakers have truly elevated my home audio experience. On top of their performance, the Q550s have a sleek and modern design that fits beautifully in any room. They’re solidly built and feel premium in every way. If you’re an audiophile or just someone who appreciates high-quality sound, the KEF Q550 is worth every penny. Highly recommended!

I compared these to Elac Debut 2.0 F5.2 speakers. I found the Q550s to be superior in every way except for bass. Since I will have a powerful subwoofer, these speakers will work out great. However I would not recommended for a system without a stand alone sub — you would need to go up to at least the Q750s or find another brand. Also noteworthy, the included plinths make the speakers very stable.

Quality speaker. Sound and look great. Happy with KEF. Purchase was a nightmare. Amazon left me double billed and overdrawn, 5-8 days. Disappointing and uncaring Amazon support.

Great sound and amazing separation! Running the towers with a lower end receiver (Denon 760H) for now. They sound great not loud but fantastic sound. Had Polk RTA A7 with a larger Denon receiver before. The old set up was louder. But, just loud and didn’t really enjoy it as much as the new set up. Again, not as loud but amazing sound quality!

One speakers tweeter set up is pushed into cabinet too far .what can I do about it?dnt care for the way it looks shouldn’t look this way brand new and a premium product.

I have these in a small apartment (650 sq ft) with a Marantz receiver. The sound is simply fantastic and plenty for such a small space. They are a little picky with placement, but once you find that sweet spot you'll hear things you didn't know were even there. Also, the stereo separation is amazing. At CD-quality levels and hi-res, the speakers simply disappear and you end up with nothing but music in front of you (as opposed to sound perceived as coming "from" the speakers). I am a KEF first-time buyer and I am impressed. I'll definitely add some other KEF speakers in this line as soon as I am ready to build a home theater system.