Have them, love them! For me they have ended what feels like a lifetime search, having owned and auditioned speakers with a cost stretching from 1.000-10.000 dollars. And I am by no means new to hifi. Personally, I believe it is a bit harsh calling them the golden standard of pretty good, but I get where you come from in terms of your experience with them. Should also be stated that I auditioned the KEF Reference 1, since I had the opportunity, and have I had the money I would have bought them. They are something special.
@kazzzer4876Ай бұрын
I'm a big fan of kef. I had ls50 og. I meta, then r3 meta and since two months I have reference 1 meta. And I know what you are talking about this is my end game, I don't want other speakers. I wish you to buy them for yourself someday Greetings
@Mladen-Nedic21 күн бұрын
This is probably the best and most complete Kef R series review i have seen so far. Your sound impressions mirror mine to the absolute details. Thank you for this.
@Newrecordday201321 күн бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@mc4bАй бұрын
This man is the embodiment of age related hearing loss. As someone who is 50+, when I was in my teens/20s almost all audiophile speakers were too bright. I preferred "darker" speakers back then. 30 years later, I prefer neutral to brighter speakers to compensate for all of the high frequencies I can no longer hear.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
It’s possible.
@DMS3TVАй бұрын
Ron you nailed it! KEF as a whole for me has always been a "yep thats a speaker". Good across the board and nothing to complain about but never was able to "wow" or immerse me.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
My man!
@ralex3697Ай бұрын
Same here, some of the older models made in the UK were very musical. The new stuff is just too clinical for me, like the new B&Ws. I can’t get behind these newer offerings. Guess I’m old school. For my musical tastes it’s Spendor’s Classic. They just are very musical and resolve vocals very well. Excellent midrange. Tight bass. Smooth highs. Still manufactured n the UK.
@foldspacenavigator6011Ай бұрын
Good to see you on the non HP lane and, hope to try out your cans at SoCalCanJam.
@dicmccoyАй бұрын
I complain about their slow bass. All Kefs have a timing issue with the bass. I'll never Kef again.
@foldspacenavigator6011Ай бұрын
Thanks Ron. Though I understand why some reviewers choose not to, I value your doing comparison vids and via the process & manner that you do them. Cheers♠️🎸
@davidrivera2165Ай бұрын
Excellent observations, Ron. I've owned these speakers since August of last year. To gain more body, I upgraded my amp to a Hegel h190, and the top extension opened up when I added a Gustard a26 dac. Lastly, a quality sub is a must, especially if the speakers are placed two feet or more away from the walls. For the reasons you stated regarding bass, I do a low and high pass crossover on the speakers and subs at 110 hz. This minimizes the load on the amp and the fact that the aluminum cone bass drivers Can't go much above 95 dbs before serious distortion. Thanks always Ron for your much valued work on behalf of our community.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Really appreciate your comment!
@mikehuntington4440Ай бұрын
This review couldn't have come out at a more perfect time. I was getting serious at pulling the trigger on these very soon, just because they are 3-way designs, they measure decently.... And subjectively people seem to like them. But i own a pair of Buchardt s400 mk2 and i love them. Needed your review to pour some water on my curiosity fire. You saved me some money Ron....my wife thanks you very much. 😜
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
I think the s400 mk2 is superior in every way.
@twixyfingers6588Ай бұрын
@@Newrecordday2013 im trying to decide between the two, i'm coming from an SVS ultra bookshelf which i find too bright and somewhat shouty with female vocals. which of these would be a "musical" and "fun" upgrade? i mostly listen to rock, rap and pop, not audiophile music... Thanks!
@nick_yt23Ай бұрын
A direct comparison between the two would have been much more informative than a comparison with a “reference” that imho is faulty .
@user-xg6zz8qs3q18 күн бұрын
@@twixyfingers6588The Dynaudio Evoke series sounds great with metal. But you could go with Buchardt S400 mk2 as well.
@alkebulansanАй бұрын
Here's my 10cents. Love these things. 3d imaging: deep, accuracy: crisp, vocals and guitars: beautiful, instrument separation: immensely detailed. When listening to Dominique Fils-Aimé "Nameless" her voice is present, her breath caught. Bass from contemporary artists such as Nala Sinephro "Live at Real World Studios", Rosalia "El Mal Querer" or Nitin Sawhney "Beyond Skin" is full fat and thick. Had these beauties for a year now, they grab me, make me smile every time I play music, mostly jazz from early 60's Blue Note monos to present day; let's also include some prog and soul in the mix. Music format is vinyl played on a Music Hall Ikura with an Ortofon 2M blue cartridge through an Accuphase E211amplifier. Every single listen these Kef R3 Meta just make me smile, smile more and constantly surprise me. 10 cents. 😉 Oh, and Saturday Night In San Francisco, the Impex version sounds absolutely mad!
@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120Ай бұрын
Dam good review !! I tested R3-meta at Barney Miller's and You nailed this review Makes me feel like my Ears are still on track ' Thanks Ron '
@jamesl.9552Ай бұрын
Listened to these for the first time today at Best Buy Magnolia Room. Sounded nice but nothing to make me want to upgrade my Elac UniFi Reference UBR62's. Thank you for the review!
@feelgeorgeАй бұрын
Another excellent review. I would love to see a review on the sonus faber lumina II Amator.
@robertendsley8312Ай бұрын
Have owned mine for six months. Absolutely LOVE them! Went from my Rega Elex-R to the Rega Elicit MK5 for the more POWER. Have a SVS SB 1000 Pro perfectly dialed in and it helps.
@crisjr6478Ай бұрын
That’s a nice setup. Rega is a good combo for kef. Rega adds a little soul to them something I think most kef speakers lack.
@3811eric26 күн бұрын
REL subs would match perfectly as well.
@robertendsley831226 күн бұрын
@@crisjr6478 I agree. Everything has passed my "Toe Tapping Test". If the music can "Stand Up" and make me start tapping my toe. HARD. It has passed the test!!!
@robertendsley831226 күн бұрын
@@3811eric I agree. Love REL subs. I just Love the SVS app a little more. Just made the dialing in that much easier. I am in a small room. Do not need thunderous bass nor would I ever want that. Especially with my musical tastes. Just need to get down to 22hz. Mission accomplished!!
@AudiophileTodayАй бұрын
"The Gold Standard Of 'Pretty Good.'" Classic! They sound as though they are missing a little air and a little damp on resolution. Darker would be a good single word description I think.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Completely agree
@KukkemaАй бұрын
Said it before. You are the man and we need more reviews from you. Second to none ✌🏼
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Much appreciated
@_masteryodaАй бұрын
Subscribing here was a good decision. Superbly clear straightforward analysis. Thank you!
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Welcome aboard!
@glen7589Ай бұрын
Ron’s the man for cutting thru the BS fanboy reviews ✌️
@barrymiller3385Ай бұрын
I've had mine for about four months now and I love them. They replaced a pair of LS50s I'd had for more than ten years. They seem to me to be a small but worthwhile step up across the board. Whilst you might expect an improvement in treble and bass it is actually the midrange which has shown the greatest improvement. Perhaps because the UniQ driver has been freed from bass duties.
@christopherminjootАй бұрын
I too replaced my LS50s (non-Meta) for the R3 Metas. I found the LS50 to to be better in the mid bass (more prominent than the R3 Metas) and the soundstaging (wider). Did you experience that? The R3 Metas on the other hand are better in the mids as you have found, and sounds smoother overall (less distortion). I have not sold my LS50s cos I still enjoy it.
@barrymiller3385Ай бұрын
@@christopherminjoot Hi Christopher. Yes, I broadly agree with your findings. The LS50s are a little more prominent in the midbass - but I wouldn't necessarily agree that this is better. And, yes, there probably is a slightly wider soundstage when directly compared but, in day-to-day use I'm not sure this is really noticeable. And finally, like you, I have kept my LS50s "just in case". They are, after all, still great speakers.
@CButti-x1sАй бұрын
Great review Ron. You're definitely top-shelf when it comes to reviewers! Keep up the good work!
@deanfisher1656Ай бұрын
The beauty of KEF speakers is that they are on the warm side of neutral and allow one to taylor them (tune) through components and wires. I have always run a Nordost speaker cable, as they are fast tilted up just a little. Use a solid state amp and they gave me great results…..and love that midrange voicing. Solid review. Thanks.
@KASmonkeysАй бұрын
Lovely review! I purchased Kef Meta all round for cinema exactly for their neutrality. Do keep in mind folks that Kef's can change a little with better or different gear, better than a lot of speakers. The review confirmed (appreciated) that I really should have a 2nd stereo pair of somink else too :)
@JulioCSolar6 күн бұрын
Since I have the Mofi 888 and I can hear the differences. I don't need headphones. Amazing! The reference tracks sound quite a bit better as If I were looking through a viewfinder using a sharper prime lens as opposed to a zoom one. Sorry... I am a photographer. Thanks Ron. I'm a fan!
@larryh9525Ай бұрын
I like the title of the review. I heard the non-Meta version and thought they sounded "larger" than my LS50 Meta's. What complicates the R3s (for me) is the requirement of the KEF stands, which makes them double the cost of the LS50s. I gave up listening critically years ago, so the small bumps you found wouldn't be a deal breaker. The smartest thing I did concerning speakers was I picked up a couple of Paradigm PW-Link room correction modules as they were being closed out. The Link runs Anthem's Room Correction software which makes setup issues painless. The only phrase you could have added is they are the safe choice and likely have a high spouse approval rating. 🙂
@RickPfeisterАй бұрын
KEF R3 (non-Meta) owner and your review is very relatable to my experience. The first thing I noticed coming from Martin Logan bookshelf speakers (w AMT tweeters) was the "recessed" treble. The ML sound came out into the room, where the KEF sound was behind the speaker. Initially, I was slightly disappointed by that difference, but the other positive characteristics of the R3s far outweighed that nit. I'm fairly new to HiFi, passed the 1-year mark a little bit ago, so you were correct in these being a great "starter" set of speakers. I've had the ich for a bigger, livelier sound with more instrument separation, but know I need to address my room before spending enough to hear a noticeable upgrade over the R3s. Could these speakers be someone's forever speakers, absolutely. They really are great speakers. But I think this review is pretty accurate b/c I've never had that "emotional" reaction to my music from these speakers, which I've read about and heard about in reviews of other speakers. I'll continue to enjoy these R3s until I can save up enough for a noticeable upgrade. Also, the WAF is high with these speakers...I've received numerous compliments on both their looks and sound from guests.
@willmac5642Ай бұрын
Loving your channel atm. Great content and also you look alot healthier - take that the right way.
@stephenmeckleyАй бұрын
Fantastic review! Covered the important parts, concise analysis along with your style, love it! Could we get a list of the sound clips you used? Seemed like a good selection to highlight the speaker qualities.
@newardthelman6871Ай бұрын
Thanks for the best, most insightful and informative review of the R3 Meta's - anywhere. Since you indicated that they don't have the best layering in their imaging, would you kindly tell us which speakers do a superior job in that respect? I ask, because the R3's are on my purchase list, and pinpoint imaging and sound staging are a numero uno priority for my buying decision. Thanks in advance.
@dajikbatarang1Ай бұрын
I think for bookshelf speakers Ron likes the XLS encores.
@newardthelman687125 күн бұрын
@@dajikbatarang1 Thanks.
@johnrobertson4718Ай бұрын
Spot on with your review. Owned a pair and yes they were good in many facets and nothing really negative about them. They just didn’t excell in anything or get me excited.
@joekool567626 күн бұрын
Hello, nice review. 2 questions. First what high current high power amplifiers do you recommend. Also what is specific make and model of your subwoofers. Thx
@neps4thАй бұрын
Back in the day, my double pair of Infinity Electrostatics satiated my quest for detail and holographic soundscape. However, Vandersteens were the closest in dynamic speakers to my ear. Never owned a pair but I heard them often at my friends place. PLEASE try to get a pair of VANDERSTEENS for review. ( I currently have KEF R3, LS50M, Q350, Heco 700s and Elac)
@themastroiannisАй бұрын
fantastic speakers... sound better than the reference track every single time. WOW!
@user-xg6zz8qs3q18 күн бұрын
Judging by the sound clips listening on my phone, these KEF speakers are great!
@audio_acoustic_engineeringАй бұрын
I could hear the difference between the reference and recordings, ref being slightly favourable to me. I also liked the stock recordings of your GR research youtube clips 😳😮 great work Ron. Shout out to seeing The Giles McCoy thumb.
@mrpositroniaАй бұрын
I have an original pair of 50th Anniversary LS50s and they wowed me for the price and considering my amplification. I've heard Kef bookshelfs and floorstanders and they've always impressed me. The only other brand that compares, in my opinion, are GoldenEars. Not that they sound the same, more that they just consistently impress me. Having said that, I opted for a pair of Tannoy XT6f floorstanders for my larger living room and for their deeper bass response, plus coaxial speaker arrangement. The LS50 provided a deeper and wider soundstage, however. The comparison recordings show that the speakers are very faithful to the recordings, albeit slightly softer in the midrange. Which I think is what you mentioned.
@richh650Ай бұрын
Wasn't able to listen via headphones but did use my smaller Linn speakers at my desk area. I know that isn't as accurate of a way to test but wanted to listen anyway. One of the main differences I immediately noticed was a subtle difference of presence between the recording and the speaker playing the recording. The KEFs were good but they had a slightly lesser degree of what I perceived as presence that seemed to change the staging and immediacy of the music. The difference was noticeable all through the tracks using my bookshelf speakers to listen, which I know is not a great way to listen to the differences.
@hamidrezahabibi8111Ай бұрын
I have enjoyed KEF + GRYPHON AUDIO combos. It’s magical. Most of the shortcomings you mentioned will be remedied. KEF is very sensitive to their matching amplifier systems. I got magnificent results with Accuphase as well.
@leonardleichnitz5867Ай бұрын
I thought the comparison tracks were very interesting. Compared to the reference tracks, I thought the KEF's lacked a certain richness, depth. They reproduced the sounds, but without the joy that I heard before them. But without knowing more about the reference (similar cabinet size, price range, etc), hard to fault KEF. Just hard to absolutely love them either.
@rickjohnston5106Ай бұрын
Hey Ron - thanks for the great review! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Epos ES14N. I know they’re a bit more money than the R3s, but having heard them myself, I was truly shocked by them. I’d love to contrast your opinion.
@JohnSchepplerАй бұрын
Great review, Ron, but if I pulled them 9 feet out from my wall, I'd have set them up in my neighbors house.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Some of us do the minimums.
@lostintechnology185115 күн бұрын
you should not have them free standing those speakers need to be closer to the wall to utilize the roomgain in order to fill out those lower frequencies like all passive speakers with 6.5" woofers
@mw9020Ай бұрын
What is the reference speaker? Would be fair to know to what speaker we are comparing R3s.
@GamingRevenant15 күн бұрын
I think the reference track is just the file 'uncompressed' as you would play it from your PC. It's not a speaker playing first unless I'm misunderstanding the test.
@lovehometheater14 күн бұрын
I’m buying my first ever bookshelf speakers.. do you really really feel I should consider these?
@richardramorino3319Ай бұрын
I've had a few KEF speakers and they are very good. They are designed to be devoid of quirks. If you want quirks buy them. I buy Sonus Faber and my current Rosso Fiorentino floorstanders because I chose quirks.
@Mishael_Agyei-BoamahАй бұрын
you choose uselessness
@joebeckham8352Ай бұрын
Good video! They don’t have the”air” band that a lot of most modern speakers have, but for the right music or listener it’s really a hard speaker to beat at the price, especially considering how big they play. The soundstage is really immerse and detailed. The last and most important thing with these, they aren’t very efficient speakers, is the front end makes much more of difference than with most other speakers I have. Not my faves with tubes at all, they like big amps, high capacitance and damping factor. This is really a speaker, just like the Ls50m, that can benefit from more expensive/capable electronics. It’s almost like if you’re building a system with these you have to spend double the on front end. Where most the time it’s almost the opposite. Hegel h390 is amazing with them.
@maciejmironowicz2501Ай бұрын
Awsome job Bro! ❤❤❤ What speakers have better depth and 3d imaging?
@808lublabs48 күн бұрын
I’ve heard these and I think I hear the same thing you did. Top end just doesn’t have the amount of air and shimmer that zi like to hear. There was a mention about electric guitars not sounding forward but electric guitars are supposed to be forward and in your face. That’s what a real electric guitar sounds like.
@stephenschmitt863026 күн бұрын
Hey Ron, I have not seen you review or try out the GR Research NX Studios in your Shed, what’s up with that? They will definitely beat any bookshelf speaker at any price! Yes they need a sub or 2. They will definitely beat out most floor standers also for depth, soundstage and imaging. That open baffle Neo 3 tweeter does it!!
@JohnSmith-qi6co19 күн бұрын
Good video. One thing to improve would be to always show the degree of smoothing in frequency response graphs. Thanks
@Newrecordday201319 күн бұрын
Sure - no problem
@mw3640Ай бұрын
Also, did I miss the equipment used? Since it is a neutral speaker it makes a lot of difference. I tried mine with four different amplifiers and depending on the amps own voicing the experience was different each time.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Zenith - May Dac - Gallion TS120
@mw3640Ай бұрын
@@Newrecordday2013Got it, thanks!
@jakubjantosik957919 күн бұрын
Are you considering reviewing Kef R7 Meta? I'd love to know how they compare to Mofi SourcePoint 888s.
@808lublabs48 күн бұрын
I’ve heard these and I think I hear the same thing you did. Top end just doesn’t have the amount of air and shimmer that zi like to hear. There was a mention about electric guitars not sounding forward but electric guitars are supposed to be forward and in your face.
@keithmitchell7877Ай бұрын
Love your reviews ,I have kef reference 207s hi from South Wales uk
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Thank you!
@liamporter1137Ай бұрын
With roughly the same money, which bookshelf speaker would you recommend that is better than this R3?
@tinnitusintxАй бұрын
I remember when rhe LS50 came out and sent ripples across the hifi universe. After about a year of getting awards for this and that and watching the membership of the fanboy army exceed the entire popultion of Iceland, I just had to see what all the fuss was about. After exhausting a fairly decent collection of tube and SS electronics, I gave up. Not a single issue tonally, but also not s single thing to get excited about. I havent had any desire to try the lastest greatest Kef product since. Fyne, however, is very much on my radar.
@slip6699Ай бұрын
R11 meta next? Seems like you liked the concept 500 more?
@agnelroshandsilva3929Ай бұрын
Hi Ron. A pretty non biased review of the kef R3 meta. If it was Your money and given a choice only between the kef R3 meta and the polk R600, which one Would you choose for a wide variety of musical genres?
@willmac564219 күн бұрын
Have their little brother thr Q150 - needs power to 'shine'. Also needs a bypass cap and cab treatment, which is being done asap.
@nick_yt23Ай бұрын
“Reference” vs room reproduction imo is faulty as method because different microphones and an amplifier are involved in the reproduction process. A sound clip comparing them with other bookshelves in their price range is the most informative for potential buyers imho but of course there are many interesting information in your subjective evaluation of the sound profile. Thanks for sharing.
@JamesWilliams-gf8gm5 күн бұрын
Your description of these is exactly how I feel about the Kef blade 2. I honestly feel like they lack detail at all frequencies. Masterfully tuned though. All in all Kef is a hard pass for me.
@mr.hitachi797Ай бұрын
Listening to this reminded me of my Kef R300. Even the sound clip reminded me of the sound i ultimately replaced with 40 years old Japanese speakers that are MUCH more engaging and transparent.
@themeatspot5020Ай бұрын
I've just bought a pair to match with a x3800h mainly for movies and gaming Are there any setting I should change or adjust when I set them up?
@scottchristopherwilkie1664Ай бұрын
For a bit more you can get open baffle Clayton Audio which are amazing 🎉
@stevenswallАй бұрын
I'd love to do a blind test In a very well treated room, with these, a genelec, and some comparable archaic box speaker with regular drivers.
@richardleong3427Ай бұрын
I wonder if compare kef with svs ultra evolution bookshelf which one you can recommend?
@artcameron790025 күн бұрын
.. one of the few company that really make their own speakers, 1 million in research for this line -better than pretty good
@1mctousАй бұрын
Since texture and tone are my priority, I'd give the R3 Meta a pass. As you know, my X-SLS Encores excel in that respect.
@larryhoffman7471Ай бұрын
Curious to know if they had been broken in or if they were brand new out of the box.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Broken in - they were a review sample that made the rounds.
@rekodo_intlАй бұрын
Thx Ron. Always been curious about the R3 Metas because of the rave reviews and I think they look gorgeous. I won’t buy them now as I already own the Buchardt S400 mk2 and in the comments you say the S400 mk2 are “superior in every way.”
@jzenone28 күн бұрын
Any thoughts on these vs Martin Logan xt b100. For movies and sub added
@teknolojigundemiАй бұрын
Thank you, wish to see your friend Dannies inspection of R3 Meta , maybe he can add better quality components.
@matytinmanАй бұрын
Every time I have listened to demos on KZbin of the KEF R3 Meta I have been disappointed by the sound. Now, too. I agree with your assessments regarding the sound. I also agree that part of the problem is the complexity of the crossover and the insufficient quality of the components used. In my sound memory, the GR-Research X-LS Encore sound better, more faithful. Note that I have done the test with modified KEF Q100s (they sound much better than the factory ones after correcting their problems). Hence the repeated disappointment when listening to the R3 Metas. - Greetings from Tarragona (Spain/EU) -
@peterw2714Ай бұрын
KZbin is not the place to demo speakers, at best you can compare one product to another. Hearing them in person is the best way
@Mr.BananaManYTАй бұрын
I would not judge the sound of speakers using youtube sound demos. It doesn't resemble the true sound of the speaker in the slightest. I would visit a local audio shop or a bestbuy near you to test them in person.
@cbrunhaverАй бұрын
You cannot “listen to demos on KZbin” this stuff absolutely doesn’t translate that way through your existing audio chain. Go listen to something in person before commenting
@zrobalanceАй бұрын
Great work. Thank you.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@monrosjАй бұрын
And unlike the Caladans which have been a 10 month wait so far, you can own these KEF speakers within a week of ordering them most likely.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
I have nothing to do with that. Thanks
@monrosjАй бұрын
@@Newrecordday2013 I completely understand that. Just sharing my experience.
@mariocassar3117Ай бұрын
After this reviewer’s review of the Dynavector 20X, I very sceptical of these reviews!
@ja8020Ай бұрын
Another great review Ron. But cmon Ron bring back the speaker tear down. Do they have cheeeesssyyy cross over components. ;)
@HeavyBeats24Ай бұрын
I have mine 7 ft into room. Hated them until I did this #LOTS rules!
@MrJhardencdjАй бұрын
R3 Meta or NS-800A? Which one gets your money?
@KB-gt2xl21 күн бұрын
Imagine thinking a speaker with ideal in-room response and a better dispersion pattern than 90% of speakers is "pretty good".
@ntountosАй бұрын
how would these compere against the q acoustics concept 300???
@mrug8600Ай бұрын
I have them, and love them, and yet am not new to hi-fi.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Hey that’s great!
@stephenschmitt863025 күн бұрын
NX Studio’s ?
@michaelwang9535Ай бұрын
Well said, they sound super clean and neutral, but lack of excitement and taste, especially for the vocals, like drinking bottle water.
@bartbarelds8454Ай бұрын
You can hear the aluminium/aluminum in the drivers, i’m missing a bit refinement aka softness in the music.
@Kami84Ай бұрын
I have them too and agree. The right dac can reduce the problem. I had luck with hegel amps or the eversolo dmp a8 with a class AB amp. Both smoothed out that metallicness a lot.
@connorduke4619Ай бұрын
No matter how many times I try, I have never heard a KEF loudspeaker demo in any system at any price range that has engaged me. Perhaps I have an allergy to inarticulate bass and flat soundstage.
@johnnixon2504Ай бұрын
Ok. I’m glad I’m not the only one. 😂. When I heard them in real life I wasn’t impressed by the “bass” and it seem recessed or veiled. It just didn’t sound very clear.
@tylerhackman6832Ай бұрын
Kef needs to explore other driver materials to get that “real” tone. They always sound good but also always sound like speakers IMO. They won’t put the band in your room.
@BrentLeVasseur20 күн бұрын
It’s a drop dead gorgeous speaker. Now if Danny Richie of Gr Research could take some style points from Kef, he would have the ultimate offering. Aesthetics do matter a lot, and listening to an ugly speaker, is not as fulfilling as a gorgeous one that enhances the look of your listening room.
@ibakedit5850Ай бұрын
The reference tracks had more flesh in the mids....voices seemed fuller. The Kef's mids seemed thinnish.
@Kami84Ай бұрын
I have them and the mids do sound recessed. It’s my biggest complaint about these speakers.
@jamestimmons6022Ай бұрын
think ill just get the xls-encore's ...least then i know whats on the inside lol
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Time Stamps: 00:00 - Start 00:32 - General Information 01:55 - Treble Impressions 03:51 - Midrange Impressions 06:05 - Bass Impressions 08:36 - Soundstage Impressions 10:14 - Sound Clip Comparisons 12:57 - Speaker Measurements 15:33 - Final Thoughts
@nealcaffrey1251Ай бұрын
For heavy music I prefer Wharfedale Aura 2 in this price category, KEF not my cup of tea in this particularly genre. If you're like hard rock, metal Wharfedale is far better, for other genres KEF are really good, so very depends what are you listening to.
@christopherviers8302Ай бұрын
Perfect speakers for a 2.1 system...!!! Slap on a good subwoofer and you'll be in sonic heaven...!!!
@syr1964Ай бұрын
If you want brighter, I think the original R3 is better. They were a bit too bright for me though.
@LiviuGeorge85Ай бұрын
❤ thanks
@pounceonyou1958Ай бұрын
Paper speaker cones rule, that's all.
@LolkeDijkstraАй бұрын
Define "top-octave". Do you mean 10k - 20k or 8-16k or what?
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
I think in the context of this review, 10-20k would be appropriate.
@The340kingАй бұрын
In the second sound clip, I noticed that the string instrument was obviously muted compared to the reference. Otherwise, they had a reasonably close response to my reference.
@ryanchappell5962Ай бұрын
I’m going to guess the parts quality inside isn’t the greatest.
@Lovelacewatkins139Ай бұрын
9ft from the wall , my room is only 15ft long 😮
@JG-gg9wkАй бұрын
Pretty good. No thanks. Got to admit hoping to do better than Pretty good
@ivanfilatov7913Ай бұрын
Not my cup of tea sounds like. I love detail, transparency, air, brighter sound like Focal.
@crazyprayingmantis5596Ай бұрын
To me they have no character, in their looks or sound. They're white bread, good but i want some flavour and some colour
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
Fair enough
@CashGravelАй бұрын
So basically, Danny’s next video is going to be designing a better crossover? That’s OK with me. I did one of his upgrades and I’m good for a number of years. Nice review Ron.
@Newrecordday2013Ай бұрын
I don’t take anything I review to Danny and never have. If one of his customers wants to ship their speaker to him that’s up to them. Thanks for watching and the comment!
@CashGravelАй бұрын
@@Newrecordday2013I was joking
@majtextwriter1794Ай бұрын
I was dissapointed about R1 meta and Ls 50 meta, I listen to R1 meta connected to great Moon gear... all together a 35-40K or more worth system. Yes it does many thing right, but it lacks true openess, air and dynamics. It crumbles at true live ambient presentation. It is boring, for me. Like Hegel 590, great at some things, but at the end ambient killer - lifeless. Live orchestral pices comes out as they would be recorded in a dampened studio not live. Too much "wanna be prefectly clean" in control. Wich is unnatural, In both cases. My type of speaker is like Sibelious one or some OB.