The Gold Standard Of "Pretty Good" | KEF R3 Meta Review

[@mw3640]

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.

[@kazzzer4876]

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

[@mc4b]

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.

[@Newrecordday2013]

It’s possible.

[@tl107]

Agree. I'm 45 and can hear up to 17khz, and I like bright top end.

[@Monkeyseemonkey79]

​@@Newrecordday2013have you had your hearing tested recently? It might be quite illuminating given your passion for hifi.

[@Mladen-Nedic]

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.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mikehuntington4440]

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. 😜

[@Newrecordday2013]

I think the s400 mk2 is superior in every way.

[@twixyfingers6588]

@@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!

[@FMN024]

A direct comparison between the two would have been much more informative than a comparison with a “reference” that imho is faulty .

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

​@@twixyfingers6588The Dynaudio Evoke series sounds great with metal. But you could go with Buchardt S400 mk2 as well.

[@alkebulansan]

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!

[@robertendsley8312]

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.

[@crisjr6478]

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.

[@3811eric]

REL subs would match perfectly as well.

[@robertendsley8312]

@@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!!!

[@robertendsley8312]

@@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!!

[@AudiophileToday]

"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.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Completely agree

[@q0w1e2r3t4y5]

What does being a little damp on resolution mean? Thanks!

[@JohnScheppler]

Great review, Ron, but if I pulled them 9 feet out from my wall, I'd have set them up in my neighbors house.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Some of us do the minimums.

[@lostintechnology1851]

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

[@hclandscapes]

😂 very true I have no idea how some people can place speakers so far out into the room

[@hclandscapes]

😂 very true I have no idea how some people can place speakers so far out into the room

[@RickPfeister]

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.

[@_masteryoda]

Subscribing here was a good decision. Superbly clear straightforward analysis. Thank you!

[@Newrecordday2013]

Welcome aboard!

[@glen7589]

Ron’s the man for cutting thru the BS fanboy reviews ✌️

[@DMS3TV]

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.

[@Newrecordday2013]

My man!

[@ralex3697]

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.

[@foldspacenavigator6011]

Good to see you on the non HP lane and, hope to try out your cans at SoCalCanJam.

[@dicmccoy]

I complain about their slow bass. All Kefs have a timing issue with the bass. I'll never Kef again.

[@foldspacenavigator6011]

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♠️🎸

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

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 '

[@davidrivera2165]

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.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Really appreciate your comment!

[@jamesl.9552]

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!

[@feelgeorge]

Another excellent review. I would love to see a review on the sonus faber lumina II Amator.

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

Judging by the sound clips listening on my phone, these KEF speakers are great!

[@Kukkema]

Said it before. You are the man and we need more reviews from you. Second to none ✌🏼

[@Newrecordday2013]

Much appreciated

[@mw9020]

What is the reference speaker? Would be fair to know to what speaker we are comparing R3s.

[@GamingRevenant]

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.

[@barrymiller3385]

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.

[@christopherminjoot]

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.

[@barrymiller3385]

@@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.

[@JulioCSolar]

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!

[@CButti-x1s]

Great review Ron. You're definitely top-shelf when it comes to reviewers! Keep up the good work!

[@themastroiannis]

fantastic speakers... sound better than the reference track every single time. WOW!

[@willmac5642]

Loving your channel atm. Great content and also you look alot healthier - take that the right way.

[@KASmonkeys]

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 :)

[@larryh9525]

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. 🙂

[@retromograph3893]

Can you supply the info of how you recorded the speaker? (microphone, pre-amp, A/D converter, stereo placement)

[@slip6699]

R11 meta next? Seems like you liked the concept 500 more?

[@stevelimey]

Are these a worthy upgrade from my ls50 meta +kc62? Or would I be better off changing my EVO 150 for a Hegel H190v.

[@johnrobertson4718]

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.

[@lovehometheater]

I’m buying my first ever bookshelf speakers.. do you really really feel I should consider these?

[@jayupadhyaya3360]

great review

[@mbvx7]

So Naim UNITI ATOM at 40 wpc wouldn't work? (I listen at 75/82dB at most, 71dB average) 16x14 room

[@kooijbas]

I've had the Q350 in my room, but sent them back because I thought they were too bright. Not warm enough to my tastes. If I hear you correctly these have a different sound signature? (apart from obvious quality differences) Wpuld you characterize these as "warm" sounding?

[@zrobalance]

Great work. Thank you.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Thanks for watching!

[@t0bistr]

Hey guys, I want to make a 5.1 System for movies + music and I would love to get the R 7 as front speakers but the R3 as surrounds seem to be too big for my needs (we sit ~1,5 m away from the surrounds). Do you think it makes sense to get the R 7 as front and some smaller Q metas (for example Q 1 or Q 3) as surronds? Or would the sound of the two series sound too different? Thanks a lot and thanks for the video!!

[@keithmitchell7877]

Love your reviews ,I have kef reference 207s hi from South Wales uk

[@Newrecordday2013]

Thank you!

[@hgamba46]

Nice video, how much difference are between this KEF or the 3 way Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52? thank you

[@liamporter1137]

With roughly the same money, which bookshelf speaker would you recommend that is better than this R3?

[@stephenmeckley]

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.

[@larryhoffman7471]

Curious to know if they had been broken in or if they were brand new out of the box.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Broken in - they were a review sample that made the rounds.

[@KB-gt2xl]

Imagine thinking a speaker with ideal in-room response and a better dispersion pattern than 90% of speakers is "pretty good".

[@stephenschmitt8630]

NX Studio’s ?

[@mw3640]

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.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Zenith - May Dac - Gallion TS120

[@mw3640]

@@Newrecordday2013Got it, thanks!

[@audio_acoustic_engineering]

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.

[@richardleong3427]

I wonder if compare kef with svs ultra evolution bookshelf which one you can recommend?

[@hamidrezahabibi8111]

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.

[@joekool5676]

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

[@leonardleichnitz5867]

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.

[@mrpositronia]

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.

[@joebeckham8352]

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.

[@stercaland]

I’ve not heard them yet, but they seem a modern successor to the KEF Reference 102/2 that I coveted way back in 1992 or 1993. They were bookshelf monitors, but tallish enough to need shorter stands. I’d have bought them but I was the owner of a new pair of Spica Angelus’ and wasn’t financially prepared to get caught up in the constant upgrade nervosa that the older audiophiles were guilty of doing. I’m an imaging and soundstage junkie first and foremost, and those 102/2’s were stellar in that respect. I’m no bass head either, as I prefer the tautness of British monitors. Those Spicas, for example, excelled in the midrange but weren’t bass/treble masters in any sense of the term.

[@themeatspot5020]

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?

[@BrentLeVasseur]

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.

[@jakubjantosik9579]

Are you considering reviewing Kef R7 Meta? I'd love to know how they compare to Mofi SourcePoint 888s.

[@jasjas-rm9kc]

I used to have some R3s, bit I sold them when I left the country. I'm sort of in a moving around mode right now, so I only have some KEF LSX II speakers, which sound just fine. Still, every once in a while, I'm tempted to buy some new R3 Metas, just because. I figure if I stay in once place for a few years that would be OK. Anyway, it's hard to complain about the sound.

[@neps4th]

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)

[@JohnSmith-qi6co]

Good video. One thing to improve would be to always show the degree of smoothing in frequency response graphs. Thanks

[@Newrecordday2013]

Sure - no problem

[@agnelroshandsilva3929]

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?

[@ntountos]

how would these compere against the q acoustics concept 300???

[@Purpleyamz]

Gotta love a Quackcial design! 🦆

[@MrJhardencdj]

R3 Meta or NS-800A? Which one gets your money?

[@richardramorino3319]

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-Boamah]

you choose uselessness

[@maciejmironowicz2501]

Awsome job Bro! ❤❤❤ What speakers have better depth and 3d imaging?

[@BostonMike68]

It's probably because of the coaxial design that makes it lack in the top octaves. The wave guide usually makes it get a boost in the lower octives and dip down around 14000 hz. Maybe that's why you heard it in the mofi ?

[@jzenone]

Any thoughts on these vs Martin Logan xt b100. For movies and sub added

[@scottchristopherwilkie1664]

For a bit more you can get open baffle Clayton Audio which are amazing 🎉

[@rickinca]

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.

[@richh650]

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.

[@artcameron7900]

.. one of the few company that really make their own speakers, 1 million in research for this line -better than pretty good

[@stevenswall]

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.

[@Alextraz]

I have the r3 meta combined with atoll in200se. I use it for everything streaming, vinyl, movies, gaming and it performs well with everything . That being said this is my first bookshelf speaker that i ever felt i need more bass....and i am not a bass person at all. I am some what scares to go for a sub wondering about how good the integration will be and if it will disturb the neighbors. Funny enough with high quality recordings there is more than enough base weight and texture but with thw rest its not. So my experience is showing that it is just very true to the source...it wont help with bad recordings sound relatively good...if you need this look for a warmer speaker. All that being said i would like to ask what would you recomended as a tier above speaker? Something with better body and sweetness ...good for tv and music...

[@beauport]

I have the R3 Meta’s and they do benefit from a fast sub (or two). Integrating the sub may depend on the maker’s configuration. In my setup I don’t hear the sub unless I turn them off, it’s that seamless. The room is fairly large and the R3’s and subs fill it nicely.

[@erickruse4679]

I think that decay chart might start to explain what I'm hearing. I listen to a lot of piano music while i'm working, and the upper end of piano can sometimes sound smeared to me, while the lower end can get a little one-note on some tracks. One track in particular really illuminated the issue, Sorcellerie, Grandioso. It's a challenge for HE1000SE's, but on the Kef R3 Meta, I thought I was hearing a timpani, and I had to stop what I was doing and check that out. I've been trying various things to alter the bass including those plugs it comes with. Speaker is actually really sensitive to those plugs, but they fix one thing on frequency response, while breaking some things in the timbre.

[@FMN024]

“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.

[@808lublabs4]

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.

[@stephenschmitt8630]

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!!

[@1mctous]

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.

[@willmac5642]

Have their little brother thr Q150 - needs power to 'shine'. Also needs a bypass cap and cab treatment, which is being done asap.

[@Newrecordday2013]

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

[@teknolojigundemi]

Thank you, wish to see your friend Dannies inspection of R3 Meta , maybe he can add better quality components.

[@tinnitusintx]

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.

[@mariocassar3117]

After this reviewer’s review of the Dynavector 20X, I very sceptical of these reviews!

[@808lublabs4]

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.

[@markrosenthal9108]

I'd like to hear these with the Outlaw RR2160MkII.

[@LolkeDijkstra]

Define "top-octave". Do you mean 10k - 20k or 8-16k or what?

[@Newrecordday2013]

I think in the context of this review, 10-20k would be appropriate.

[@mrug8600]

I have them, and love them, and yet am not new to hi-fi.

[@Newrecordday2013]

Hey that’s great!

[@bartbarelds8454]

You can hear the aluminium/aluminum in the drivers, i’m missing a bit refinement aka softness in the music.

[@Kami84]

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.

[@rekodo_intl]

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.”

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

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.

[@mydogskips2]

To my ears, the reference track sounds a bit more vibrant and lively than the recorded speakers, just a bit more present and defined. By comparison, the recorded speakers sound just a tad bit dull, like they are missing something, some body and texture in the notes. It is subtle but noticeable. I guess it's just too bad that we need speakers to playback the sound and cannot listen directly to a recording without them. ; (

[@HeavyBeats24]

I have mine 7 ft into room. Hated them until I did this #LOTS rules!

[@connorduke4619]

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.

[@LiviuGeorge85]

❤ thanks

[@ja8020]

Another great review Ron. But cmon Ron bring back the speaker tear down. Do they have cheeeesssyyy cross over components. ;)

[@christopherviers8302]

Perfect speakers for a 2.1 system...!!! Slap on a good subwoofer and you'll be in sonic heaven...!!!

[@subratamanna7321]

Awasome

[@matytinman]

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) -

[@peterw2714]

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.BananaManYT]

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.

[@cbrunhaver]

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

[@BerserkeR_031]

I heard B&W 706/703/702 S3, KEF R3 Meta KEF R11 Meta. B&W is nice and musical, but you gonna miss something in the mids, and the hyper extended highs are just gonna fall apart at some point. KEF has more rich mids, and detail is still very good while being neutral overall. R11 had more bottom end as well. It will do much more genres of music well, and you can play it louder for HT.

[@tylerhackman6832]

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.

[@monrosj]

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.

[@Newrecordday2013]

I have nothing to do with that. Thanks

[@monrosj]

@@Newrecordday2013 I completely understand that. Just sharing my experience.

[@pounceonyou1958]

Paper speaker cones rule, that's all.

[@edsonricardo5359]

Talvez a causa das pequenas limitações que você observou esteja na qualidade dos componentes de crossover, já que as medições são excelentes. Saudações do Brasil!