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Bookshelf Speaker

KEF Q150 vs Monoprice Monolith 12

Budget Pick

in Bookshelf Speaker

KEF Q150

119 reviews

View Product Details

Monoprice Monolith 12

Monoprice Monolith 12

66 reviews

View Product Details

Great sound quality with detail, full soundstage, and volume without distortion

Sharp and expensive-looking design

Recommended by many users, especially when purchased on sale

Compared favorably to other speakers, including the ELAC UB5 and Klipsch R51

Compatible with various amplifiers and streaming devices

Great performance for the price

Immersive sound and wonderful staging

Attractive design

Not enough bass for some users

Some users note disappointment with the build quality

Price may be too high for some users, but many recommend purchasing on sale

Not as durable as some other subwoofers

Customer service can be unresponsive

Paper cones may have break-up issues

Verdict

Overall, the KEF Q150 speakers receive positive reviews for their sound quality, with many users impressed by their detail, full soundstage, and volume without distortion. Some users note that the speakers lack bass, while others mention disappointment with the build quality. However, many users recommend the speakers, especially when purchased on sale. The KEF Q150 is compared favorably to other speakers, including the ELAC UB5 and Klipsch R51. Users also mention various amplifiers and streaming devices used to power the speakers.

Verdict

The Monoprice Monolith 12 subwoofer receives mixed reviews, with some praising its performance and value for the price, while others criticize its customer service and durability. Many reviewers recommend pairing it with isolation feet or a better amplifier for optimal performance. Some also suggest using Monoprice mounts for installation. Overall, the subwoofer seems to be a good option for those with smaller to medium-sized rooms and a budget for a high-performance sub.

Reviews by Topic

Our analysis shows how reviewers feel about different topics. Please note these are not full reviews.

Sound Quality

Build quality not impressive - prefer Klipsch rp-500m

This are very smooth sounding speakers - they will never sound shrill or fatiguing. The flip side of this is the treble is not as detailed and exciting as other speakers. I own the Klipsch RP-500M and I prefer those speakers overall, and I think a lot of people would. If you can find the Klipsch for a similar price, they sound more clear, exciting, and dynamic

youtube

Monolith 12" THX Ultra Subwoofer Review - YouTube

So who is this sub for? Well if you have a smaller to medium sized room and you want a high performance sub primarily for home theatre or gaming appli...

Positive

Connectivity

Nice value for $300

Bought these and the Elac Uni-Fi UB5 to compare them. Bought them both at discounts. Paid $300 during a sale for these. I think the overall the Elac sounds better but these aren't bad

My First Venture into HiFi with a College Student Budget

For those interested, an upgrade I would recommend is spending a bit more on the amplifier and subwoofer to get something with banana plug jacks all around. I didn't realize how annoying pin connectors were until I was forced to use them, as the monoprice 12 Guage wire (picked because wirecutter recommended) does not fit through these small pin connectors.

Negative

reddit.com/r/audiophile

Price

youtube

KEF Q-150 Bookshelf Speaker Review. Best for lovers of wide imaging.

It does seem to look a little bit like a five year old took a paintbrush to it when you get up close - and i wouldn't be the first person to say that ...

Positive

My headphone collection.

Koss Porta Pro X: I use these when out and about as a beater pair. They're a little hyped up IMO. Way too bassy for my ears. But for the price, they can't be beat

Positive

reddit.com/r/headphones

Design

youtube

Better than the LS50!? KEF Q150 Review

I like fake wood, it's nice, it's got some grain in it. It's well appointed. I like the little kef badging. It looks good uh anyway, uh five and a qua...

Positive

r/headphones Shopping and Setup Help Desk (2020-10-17)

Audio quality is not a focus/priority. I’m obviously not looking for garbage, but like the Monoprice ones I mentioned before for example, no one is gonna write home about its sound quality, but for my purposes it’s perfectly fine. That sort of average sound quality is 100% fine. Could be a little louder though

Positive

reddit.com/r/headphones

Bass

youtube

KEF Q150 Bookshelf Speakers - Hands On Review

The key 150 are a smoother sound in the mid-range and bass, delivering detail a bit on the sly with more body a little bit more resonance too. That ma...

Positive

I fixed all that and all I can say is this thing is a beast. It will introduce you to a different level of bass

Size

Great for Smaller Room

Would I recommend them? Yes, BUT - small room and with something to cover the bottom two octaves (subwoofer). My priorities for good sound, a decent soundstage, stable imaging, dynamic range, and lack of coloration were satisfied. And I would buy them again, or possibly - if She Who Must Be Obeyed (aka "the Finance Committee") was willing - the KEF LS50s.

Not what I thought it would be...

This thing is huge... I bet the M-215s are a beast! I like the tank look of the subwoofer but you can tell they cut corners to make it cheaper

Mids

Worth every penny

I have a small living room, it's about 20 L x 13 ft W and these fill the entire area plus the kitchen with amazing sound at normal listening levels. You really have to run these about 50 hours or more to open them up and give some space from the wall as advised by Kef. I won't mention brands but I did return two sets of speakers before deciding to keep these, the uni-q driver works it's special magic to broaden the soundstage and imaging. With the Powernode the mids are so clear and the highs are smooth never shrill or annoying

Shakes the house

Example: when someone has a deep voice opens their mouth and it pushes out sound. Overall, it is amazing for my midsized room. Con: The power is sometimes touchy. A power outage, unclean power, or putting the Sub on the wrong RCA cables can give you the Red/Green flashing issue

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