Review on KEF Q550 Floorstanding Speakers (Each by Adam Matthews

Advertisement :- These speakers look exactly as advertised. They are graceful and very attractive. They have a beautiful black matte finish and the UniQ speaker array gives the theme a cosmic feel. They come with carpet speaker spikes (which I use). 1 speaker, not 2. I think it's a bad habit to leave negative feedback for inattention to your purchases. I was fully aware that they were advertised as 'Anyone' so wasn't surprised when they came across as such. WARNING 2: The speaker does not come with a speaker grille. This seems to be because Kef takes so much pride in the look of these speakers that they feel like you don't want to cover them up, and that's why they sell them separately (and I agree with them). If you have children or are afraid of damaging the cones, you will have to pay for them separately. Price: - $420 each - price paid before taxes. I waited a long time for the sale and got a good price. They usually cost $600. Kef often does big discounts on their entire line (or so it seems), so if you're willing to wait, it's definitely worth it. They are very reasonably priced compared to competitors. If they're not on sale I'd say they're ok. There are other brands that will give you more bang for your buck. Build Quality/Durability: - This is premium quality. They look and feel strong and heavy. I've had it for a year and a half now and I haven't had any durability issues. They were packaged very well and had no damage upon arrival. Performance: This is where these speakers shine. I went from an Insignia home theater with tiny bookshelf speakers to these two towers and the difference in quality and volume was stunning. When playing back stereo content (e.g. music or YouTube videos), the voice dialogs are very clear and not overloaded with other settings. I have a Denon X3400h and I used Audessey to calibrate the settings properly. So keep that in mind if you feel like they don't sound right. Because of their size and range, I had to turn up the volume. to lower settings (which is good). For reference, my current space that they are in is about 2000 cubic feet. If you have a 3000 cubic foot room or larger I would consider the Q750 or even the Q950 as they have larger drivers. However, for 2000 cubic feet or less, they deliver more than enough power. For music they are fantastic. I don't listen to much music and I'm not a music lover, but everything sounds crisp and clear to me. I hear lyrics and instruments better than ever. For movies and games, they're perfect for my 5.1 setup. They added great mid-range bass, but unless you have a separate subwoofer you might be disappointed. It lacks deep bass, but considering these are their smaller tower speakers, that's understandable. If you are looking for better bass performance I would consider the larger Kef Q750s / Q950s. Design/Equipment: As I said, they are very nice to look at. The UniQ driver is very unique and part of the application. The towers somehow stand out, but at the same time merge with the system. When I turn on a movie, I can focus on what I'm watching without being distracted by other brands' overly flashy gold or silver cones. The spikes are very high quality and keep my towers in place. They didn't move a bit. They had to be assembled when they arrived, but it was easy enough to do yourself. There are high-quality flat plugs or banana plugs on the back of the speaker. They don't feel flimsy at all and connected well when first installed. If I ever decide on the speaker grilles, they snap into place with a magnet, which is a huge plus. I love that without the bars, I don't see any of the holes or pins they usually attach to. This makes them look clean. Overall: I give these speakers 5 stars for their overall fit and finish, quality, performance and looks. They are very stylish, sound fantastic and blend seamlessly into any home theater.