KEF Q50 (1993)
A magnetically shielded floorstanding speaker from KEF’s Q series, featuring a Uni-Q coaxial driver and a 16 cm bass unit in a tall boy cabinet.
Overview
The KEF Q50 is a floorstanding loudspeaker introduced in 1993 as part of KEF’s Q series. Built around the company’s Uni-Q coaxial driver technology, it combines a 16 cm polypropylene cone woofer and a 1.9 cm soft dome tweeter in a single point-source configuration, designed to align phase and improve imaging. A separate 16 cm cone woofer handles low frequencies in a bass reflex enclosure, making the system a 3-way design despite using only two speaker units. The cabinet is magnetically shielded, intended to reduce interference with CRT displays, and finished in ash black. With a sensitivity of 90 dB and a 6 Ω impedance, the Q50 pairs well with amplifiers rated between 10 and 125 watts.
Specifications
| Type | 3-way, 2-speaker, bass reflex system, tall boy type, magnetic protection design |
| Low frequency driver | 16 cm cone type |
| Mid/High frequency driver | 16 cm Coaxial Type (16 cm Cone + 1.9 cm Dome) |
| Frequency response | 45 Hz to 20 kHz ± 3 dB, 40 Hz -6 dB |
| Impedance | 6 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 90 dB |
| Amplifier power match | 10W ~ 125W |
| Enclosure volume | UNI-Q Driver Part: 11.3 liters, Woofer: 17.1 liters |
| Dimensions | Width 190 x Height 800 x Depth 302 mm + Spike (audio-database.com); 301 mm (retrotechaudio.co.uk) |
| Weight | 12.0 kg |
| Finish | Ash black |
Design
The KEF Q50 uses a Uni-Q coaxial driver for mid and high frequencies, where the 1.9 cm soft dome tweeter is positioned at the acoustic center of the 16 cm polypropylene cone, ensuring phase alignment and coherent wavefronts. The tweeter’s magnetic circuit employs neodymium iron boron, enabling a compact design with high magnetic energy. A separate 16 cm polypropylene cone woofer handles bass frequencies. Both drivers are magnetically shielded to minimize interference with nearby CRT monitors. The enclosure is a tall boy design, optimized as a bass reflex system with distinct internal volumes for the woofer and Uni-Q sections.
Product Family
The KEF Q50 is part of the Q series tall boy type speaker system, a line of floorstanding speakers from KEF emphasizing compact width and full-range performance.
Market
The KEF Q50 was priced at ¥55,000 per unit around 1994. A classified listing from January 1997 shows a used pair available for £300, indicating early secondary market presence.
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- Akai AM-2850 (1975)
- Akai AP-206 (1975)
- Nakamichi BX-1 (1985)
- Acoustic Research research-ar-17 (1978)
- Acoustic Research AR-19 (1994)