KEF Q250c: a new smaller centre speaker for the Award-winning Q series

KEF Q Series new Q250c centre speaker
(Image credit: KEF)

We're big fans of KEF's Award-winning Q Series here. Typically comprising three floorstanders, two standmounters and a centre speaker, we've awarded five stars to the Q350s as both a stereo pair and as part of a 5.1 surround sound package.

As of today, there's a new speaker in the range - the Q250c centre. A smaller, more compact alternative to the original Q650c centre speaker that comes as part of the Q350 AV 5.1 system we previously reviewed, KEF says it means increased versatility and offers new placement options.

Available in three finishes (black, white and walnut), the Q250c definitely looks the part and is complete with KEF’s innovative Uni-Q driver. With the removal of the rear port, it's now a sealed enclosure, too, making placement less fussy – being close to a wall is no problem, apparently, nor is positioning in a cabinet or AV rack.

It's not just a smaller version of the Q650c, either – KEF's updates for the Q250c include a Uni-Q enhancement: a new damped tweeter loading tube. There's also a new low-distortion inductor on the crossover, plus improvements to the bass drivers that apparently result in a cleaner, punchier bass performance, even at high volumes. 

Available from October, the KEF Q250c will set you back £450 in the UK and $600 in the US.

Becky has been a full-time staff writer at What Hi-Fi? since March 2019. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, she freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 20-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo, This is Cabaret and The Stage. When not writing, she dances, spins in the air, drinks coffee, watches football or surfs in Cornwall with her other half – a football writer whose talent knows no bounds.