KEF Announces Black Friday Deals
As a Canadian, I am often very jealous of the great sales offered to my American friends during Black Friday. Well, don’t colour me green with envy this year! KEF has announced their Black Friday deals on the Q350 bookshelf speakers in both Canada and the US. But act fast if you’re going to snap up a set of $499 (USD) Q350s. They are on sale from November 19-29, 2021. Just note, grills sell separately.
If you are in the market for their higher-end R Series, rejoice. KEF is offering a discount on their entire line of R Series until January 08, 2022. Expect discounts of $400-600 (USD), depending on the model.
KEF Q350 Black Friday Deal
The KEF Q350’s are the large bookshelf speakers from their popular entry-level Q Series and utilize KEF’s Uni-Q concentric driver system. This design places the 1″ driver and waveguide in the center of the 6.5″ aluminum woofer and allows for a more compact design without compromising performance. They are rated +/- 3dB from 63Hz to 28kHz. More than low enough to match well with a subwoofer. They are 87dB sensitive at 8 ohms, so you won’t need anything crazy to drive these. Available in black, white, and walnut, there is a colour match for any decor.
| Model | Q350 Bookshelf Speaker |
| Design | Two-way bass reflex |
| Drive Units | Uni-Q driver array: HF: 25mm (1in.) vented aluminium dome LF/MF: 165mm (6.50in.) aluminium Uni-Q |
| Frequency Range Free Field (-6dB) | 42Hz |
| Frequency Response (±3dB) | 63Hz – 28kHz |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.5kHz |
| Amplifier Requirements | 15-120W |
| Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) | 87dB |
| Maximum Output | 110dB |
| Nominal Impedance | 8Ω (min.3.7Ω) |
| Weight | 7.6kg (16.8 lbs) |
| Dimension (H X W X D) | 358mm (14.09 inches) x 210mm (8.26 inches) x 306mm (12.04 inches) |
| Dimension (H X W X D) *with Rubber Feet | 362mm (14.25 inches) x 210mm (8.26 inches) x 306mm (12.04 inches) |
R Series Deals
The KEF R Series speakers are the brand’s flagship offering. While not on Black Friday sale, the KEF R Series is offering some serious deals right now. Offered with the same Uni-Q concentric driver system, the KEF R Series R3 bookshelf ($1699/pr – down from $2200) mates the tweeter and waveguide to a 5″ mid-bass driver and adds a 6.5″ woofer, making the R Series an actual 3-way design. It offers a rated frequency response from 58Hz to 28kHz. They are also 87dB sensitive, so still no need for an external amplifier!
KEF R Series Lineup 
KEF Uni-Q Design
| Model | R3 |
| Design | Three-way bass reflex |
| Drive Units | Uni-Q Driver Array: HF: 25mm (1in.) vented aluminum dome MF: 125mm (5in.) aluminum cone Bass Driver: LF: 165mm (6.5in.) hybrid aluminium |
| Crossover frequency | 400Hz, 2.9kHz |
| Frequency range (-6dB) Typical in-room bass response (-6dB) | 38Hz – 50kHz 30Hz |
| Frequency response (±3dB) | 52Hz – 28kHz |
| Harmonic distortion (90dB, 1m) | <0.3% 130Hz – 20kHz |
| Maximum output | 110dB |
| Amplifier power (recommended) | 15 – 180W |
| Nominal Impedance | 8Ω (min.3.2Ω) |
| Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) | 87dB |
| Weight * | 13.5 kg (29.8 lbs.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal * | 422.2 x 199.6 x 335.5 mm (16.6 x 7.9 x 13.2 in.) |
| Finishes | Black Gloss / White Gloss / Walnut |
Need moar bass? The KEF R Series towers have got you covered. The R5 tower ($1299/ea down from $1650) keeps the same tweeter/mid-bass combo and adds two 5.25″ woofers. The R7 ($1799/ea from $2250) moves to two 6.5″ woofers, and the top of the line R11 ($2399/ea from $3000) adds four 6.5″ woofers.
| Model | R5 |
| Design | Three-way bass reflex |
| Drive Units | Uni-Q Driver Array: HF: 25mm (1in.) vented aluminum dome MF: 125mm (5in.) aluminum cone Bass Driver: LF: 2 x 130mm (5.25in.) hybrid aluminium |
| Crossover frequency | 400Hz, 2.9kHz |
| Frequency range (-6dB) Typical in-room bass response (-6dB) | 38Hz – 50kHz 29Hz |
| Frequency response (±3dB) | 58Hz – 28kHz |
| Harmonic distortion (90dB, 1m) | < |
| Maximum output | 110dB |
| Amplifier power (recommended) | 15 – 200W |
| Nominal Impedance | 8Ω (min.3.2Ω) |
| Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) | 87dB |
| Weight * | 27.3 kg (60.2 lbs.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal * | 1025 x 175 x 343.5 mm (40.4 x 6.9 x 13.5 in.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal with Plinth * | 1071.4 x 271.6 x 343.5 mm (42.2 x 10.7 x 13.5 in.) |
| Finishes | Black Gloss / White Gloss / Walnut |
| Model | R7 |
| Design | Three-way bass reflex |
| Drive Units | Uni-Q Driver Array: HF: 25mm (1in.) vented aluminium dome MF: 125mm (5in.) aluminium cone Bass Driver: LF: 2 x 165mm (6.5in.) hybrid aluminium |
| Crossover frequency | 400Hz, 2.9kHz |
| Frequency range (-6dB) Typical in-room bass response (-6dB) | 33Hz – 50kHz 27Hz |
| Frequency response (±3dB) | 48Hz – 28kHz |
| Harmonic distortion (90dB, 1m) | <0.3% 100Hz – 20kHz |
| Maximum output | 110dB |
| Amplifier power (recommended) | 15 – 250W |
| Nominal Impedance | 8Ω (min.3.2Ω) |
| Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) | 88dB |
| Weight * | 31.4 kg (69.2 lbs.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal * | 1062 x 200 x 383.5 mm (41.8 x 7.9 x 15.1 in.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal with Plinth * | 1108.9 x 310.6 x 383.5 mm (43.7 x 12.2 x 15.1 in.) |
| Finishes | Black Gloss / White Gloss / Walnut |
| Model | R11 |
| Design | Three-way bass reflex |
| Drive Units | Uni-Q Driver Array: HF: 25mm (1in.) vented aluminium dome MF: 125mm (5in.) aluminium cone Bass Driver: LF: 4 x 165mm (6.5in.) hybrid aluminium |
| Crossover frequency | 400Hz, 2.9kHz |
| Frequency range (-6dB) Typical in-room bass response (-6dB) | 30Hz – 50kHz 26Hz |
| Frequency response (±3dB) | 46Hz – 28kHz |
| Harmonic distortion (90dB, 1m) | <0.3% 0.3% 120Hz – 20kHz |
| Maximum output | 113dB |
| Amplifier power (recommended) | 15 – 300W |
| Nominal Impedance | 8Ω (min.3.2Ω) |
| Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) | 90dB |
| Weight * | 37.7 kg (83.1 lbs.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal * | 1249 x 200 x 383.5 mm (49.2 x 7.9 x 15.1 in.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal with Plinth * | 1295.5 x 310.6 x 383.5 mm (51 x 12.2 x 15.1 in.) |
| Finishes | Black Gloss / White Gloss / Walnut |
Need a center speaker? Well, the R2c center channel ($999 discounted from $1300) keeps the 1″ tweeter and waveguide mated to a 5″ mid-bass woofer, plus they add a pair of 5.25″ woofers.
| Model | R2c |
| Design | Three-way closed box |
| Drive Units | Uni-Q Driver Array: HF: 25mm (1in.) vented aluminium dome MF: 125mm (5in.) aluminium cone Bass Driver: LF: 2 x 130mm (5.25in.) hybrid aluminium |
| Crossover frequency | 400Hz, 2.9kHz |
| Frequency range (-6dB) Typical in-room bass response (-6dB) | 64Hz – 50kHz 49Hz |
| Frequency response (±3dB) | 74Hz – 28kHz |
| Harmonic distortion (90dB, 1m) | <0.3% 120Hz – 20kHz |
| Maximum output | 110dB |
| Amplifier power (recommended) | 15 – 200W |
| Nominal Impedance | 8Ω (min.3.2Ω) |
| Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) | 87dB |
| Weight * | 16.9 kg (37.3 lbs.) |
| Dimension (H x W x D) with terminal * | 175 x 550 x 308.5 mm (6.9 x 21.7 x 12.1 in.) |
| Finishes | Black Gloss / White Gloss / Walnut |
All speakers in the KEF R Series come in gloss white, gloss black, and walnut.
Performance
As I mentioned earlier, the KEF Q350’s and R Series speakers all have average sensitivity. So pretty much any AVR will power these well. While the KEF R Series tower speakers will dip reasonably low, you will want to add a solid subwoofer (or two) for home theater. KEF is known for its neutral and flat frequency response. This neutrality means that your music will sound great and your dialogue crisp. If you like a more treble-forward speaker, KEF is not for you.
Our Take
Black Friday is a great time to snag some fantastic deals on AV gear, and KEF makes some great gear! If you are in the market for a new pair of bookshelf speakers or are looking to upgrade to a more high-end setup, the Black Friday sale at KEF might be right down your alley. While the KEF R Series is not a budget choice, their Q Series is a solid choice for those looking to balance budget, appearance, and performance. Check out their Black Friday deals here.
