KEF Q30 (1994)

A medium-sized speaker system from KEF’s Q series, featuring a Uni-Q coaxial driver and anti-magnetic design for accurate, space-saving audio reproduction.

Overview

The KEF Q30 is a tall boy type speaker system produced around 1994 as part of KEF’s Q series. Built in England, it was designed for listeners seeking a compact yet full-range solution with minimal visual footprint and reduced magnetic interference—making it suitable for placement near CRT displays. The Q30 centers on KEF’s Uni-Q technology, which integrates a 16 cm polypropylene cone woofer and a 1.9 cm soft dome tweeter into a single coaxial point source, aligning the acoustic centers to improve phase coherence and dispersion. With a bass reflex enclosure of 16 liters and an ash black finish, the Q30 delivers extended low-end response down to 50 Hz (±3 dB) and 40 Hz (-6 dB), offering balanced performance across genres.

Specifications

Type	2-Way, 1-Speaker, Bass Reflex System, Tall Boy Type, Anti-magnetic Design
Driver	16 cm Coaxial Type (16 cm cone + 1.9 cm dome)
Frequency Response	50 Hz - 20 kHz ±3 dB; 40 Hz -6 dB
Impedance	6 Ω
Sensitivity	88 dB
Amplifier Compatibility	10W – 125W
Enclosure Volume	16 liters
Dimensions	190 mm (W) × 700 mm (H) × 302 mm (D) + Spike
Weight	9.5 kg
Original Price	¥39,000 (circa 1994)

Design

The KEF Q30 features a Uni-Q coaxial driver where the 16 cm polypropylene cone woofer and 1.9 cm soft dome tweeter are aligned at the same acoustic point in depth, ensuring phase coherence and wide, consistent dispersion. The tweeter uses a neodymium iron boron magnet—ten times more powerful than ferrite—allowing for a compact design and improved efficiency. The crossover network is mounted on the rear terminal board using independent wiring to balance frequency response and support faithful playback. The speaker includes magnetic shielding to minimize interference with nearby CRT devices and is finished in ash black.

Context

The KEF Q30 is described as a medium-sized speaker within the Q series, a line designed to deliver KEF’s core technologies in accessible, compact forms. Its anti-magnetic design and tall boy profile suggest targeting space-conscious users, possibly for near-field or multimedia setups in environments with video monitors.