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Three-way standmount loudspeaker
Made by: GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd, Maidstone, Kent
Supplied by: GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd
Telephone: 01622 672 261
Web: www.kef.com
Price: £1899 (£649 stands)

LOUDSPEAKERKEF R3 Meta
KEF’s innovative ‘MAT’ absorber has pushed the performanceof Uni-Q to new heights. Now it’s in the seven-strong R series
Review: Mark Craven Lab: Paul Miller

It still surprises me that KEF’s R series,
which features seven models in total,
includes only one standmount/bookshelfoption. Surprising because compact
speakers are extremely popular, and because
the R series is the company’s mid-tierproposition, above the entry-level Q and aconsiderable way below the Reference range.
Yet the previous generation, which launchedin 2018, featured just one standmount – theR3 – so it’s deja vu five years later.
There has been a slight tweak to the overallline-up, however, because there are now
two centre channel speakers(rather than just one) for homecinema installations, alongside
three floorstanders and a Dolby
Atmos-enabled ‘upfiring’ unit
[see boxout p67]. But the mostobvious change, and that which
gives the £1900 R3 Meta its
name, is the R series’ adoptionof KEF’s 12th-generation Uni-Q driver, withmetamaterial absorption technology (MAT).

for the Reference models, plus a new system
to decouple the midrange motor – also now
with a copper ring for reduced inductance/
distortion – from the Uni-Q chassis. What’smore, the tweeter gap damper and conicalwaveguide behind the dome have beenrevised, as has the crossover.

foam rolling
Mounted below the Uni-Q on the R3 Meta’s
baffle is a 165mm aluminium/paper bass
driver, with a 50mm voice coil and vented
magnet system. This is framed by a half-rollsurround that results in anoverall diameter matchingthat of the Uni-Q above.
The bass driver operates
below 450Hz (the mid/treble
crossover is 2.3kHz) and claims
a low-frequency reach down
to 38Hz [see PM’s Lab Report,p69]. Helping out here is theR3 Meta’s bass reflex system, which features arear-facing port with flexible rubber walls thatis said to reduce airflow turbulence.
These ports can be ‘shorted’ by supplied
foam bungs with a removable inner section.
These are potentially useful in more spacelimited set-ups, where the outer ring of theinsert, or both parts, can be fitted to manage
the bass output. In my experience, the R3
Meta is likely to sound at its best with somebreathing room around the cabinet, toed-inby about 15o and with the ports unrestricted.
The R3 Meta’s braced, constrained-layerdamped MDF cabinets are available in fourfinishes. Black Gloss, White Gloss and theWalnut shown here are standard across therange, and colour match the Uni-Q array andbass driver to the cabinet. For this standmountmodel there’s also an Indigo Gloss Special
Edition [see p69], which contrasts theenclosure finish with a copper-coloured Uni-Q,but without any price premium.

‘The surf-style
guitar melody
soundedfull-bodied’

WELCOME, MAT
Originally featured on the LS50 Meta speaker[HFN Jun ’21], and more recently gracing
KEF’s Blade One Meta [HFN May ’22], LS60
Wireless [HFN Sep ’22], and Reference 5 Meta
[HFN Jun ’23] loudspeakers, MAT will be afamiliar concept to many HFN readers. But for
those who have been living in a hi-fi cave, thetechnology (a ‘joint development’ between
KEF and the Acoustic Metamaterials Group) isa thin, 100mm-diameter disc placed behind
the Uni-Q driver array. Via its computermodelled series of tiny resonators (preciselytuned channels), it claims to absorb 99% of
rear-radiated sound for improved mid/treble
performance. It’s thus far more efficient, andbetter targeted, says KEF, than conventional
damping methods using acoustic materials.
The MAT absorber is not the only addition
to KEF’s familiar ‘single point source’ Uni-Q,
which mounts a 25mm aluminium dome
tweeter (with ‘tangerine’ waveguide) within a
125mm aluminium midrange cone. Revisions‘to maximise the performance improvementsthat MAT delivers’ include the R3 Meta’s‘Shadow Flare’ surround, originally designed

RIGHT: Available in Black Gloss, White Gloss,
Walnut and a ‘special edition’ Indigo gloss
finish [p69], the R3 Meta is ideally partneredwith the optional S3 stand, priced £649. Thedrivers complement the cabinets with black,white, copper and blue colours

Reprinted from Hi-Fi News for global distribution | www.hifinews.co.uk

The look and feel of these speakers isremarkable considering the price point.
We talk of trickledown technology, of
which there’s plenty here, but there’s
also an element of trickledown design:
the R3 Meta is clearly a close relation to
KEF’s higher-end Reference 1 Meta sibling.
KEF discusses the speaker’s ‘minimalist
exterior’, but there’s a maximalist vibeto the quality of the finish, the seamless
nature of the cabinet construction, andeven the rear-panel binding posts. Anotherdesign element borrowed from higher
up the KEF ladder, this in-house hardware
provides access to the split crossovernetwork via a (stiff) rotary and internalmechanism so there’s no need to fiddle
with external jumper bars. Overall, theR3 Meta presents itself very much as analternative to the £7500 Reference 1
Meta, for those with shallower pockets.

MEET THE RANGEThe R series has been a mainstay of KEF’s speaker lineup
since 2011. Intended as a step up from its affordable Q
range for both hi-fi and home theatre enthusiasts, it offers
all the models necessary for the latter to build a multichannel system, including the £1200 R2 Meta and larger£1600 R6 Meta centre speakers, plus the £1400 R8 Meta
surround/Atmos speaker. For the hi-fi shopper, the choices
are either the R3 Meta standmount, or one of threefloorstanders: the £3000 R5, £4000 R7 and £5500 R11.
All feature the same Uni-Q array, so differences between
the floorstanders are the complement of bass drivers
above and below it, the cabinet size, and the crossovertuning. The slender R5 uses two 130mm aluminium
woofers, while the larger R7 matches the 165mm bass
drivers of the R3 standmount tested here. The top-ofthe range R11 [pictured] doubles up, with four 165mm
bass units in a cabinet measuring 1.25m high. The same
Gloss Black, Gloss White and Walnut finishes are offered,although the R7 gets a ‘special edition’ Titanium Gloss.

coming clean
Listen to the R3 Meta and it’s hard toavoid the notion that KEF’s MAT absorberis having a very real impact [HFN Jun ’21].
The output of this three-way speaker isimpressively clean sounding, which brings
superb clarity and resolution to the music.
It sounds open and inviting, but avoids
brightness, while the 165mm woofer
provides a surprisingly opulent bass withplenty of detail of its own, and not alittle sturm und drang when demanded.
From top-to-bottom, the R3 Meta sounds
glorious, and an absolute steal at the price.
Link Wray’s proto-rock track ‘Rumble’[The Link Wray Collection: 1956-62;
Acrobat ADDCD3316] sounded as fresh asa daisy, KEF’s speaker conveying the lightly
overdriven guitar chords with a level ofbite, but no lack of finesse, and givingbass and drums sufficientdepth and impact toexplain why this 1956
instrumental was sucha hit in its day. The R3
Meta’s revealing naturelays bare the somewhat
basic nature of therecording, but in a goodway, sending your mind
spinning back decades.
This sense of anaturalistic, uncoloured
performance is aided by
KEF’s cabinets effectively
getting ‘out of theway’ and, perhaps, thecoincident nature of the
mid and treble units.
There was certainly
an immediacy to its
presentation of Chris
LEFT: KEF’s 12th-gen Uni-Q
mid/treble driver – withMAT disc behind – is joinedby a 165mm bass driverwith ‘hybrid’ alloy/pulp
cone. A thin, microfibre
grille fits flush to the baffle

Isaak’s lovelorn
classic ‘Wicked
Game’ [Heart
Shaped World;
Reprise Records
44.1kHz/16-bit
FLAC] that hadme forget about
the speakers infront. Instead, I was caughtout by the dreamy, almost
ethereal production and the detail-packed,
wide soundstage. Isaak was a central
presence, but the oh-so-quiet backing
vocals were there to be heard. This piecealso revealed the R3 Meta’s accomplished
way with instrumental tones. The signaturesurf-style guitar melody was reverberant
and full-bodied, rather than thin andconstrained, while the bassline was plump
and extended without dominating.

taking a lead
More varied instruments are dotted all over
The Roy Hargrove Quintet’s superb jazz
set Earfood [EmArcy 0602517641815],
including trumpet, piano, sax, clarinet,
acoustic bass and percussion, and theycame and went in a flurry of distinctly
different timbres, the R3 Meta also
showing its ability to snap into leadingedges, other notes fading gracefully away.
The Hargrove album is an audiophile’s
dream, and so too is Kanye West’s Yeezus[Def Jam Recordings 602537432134],
although for different reasons. ‘Black
Skinhead’ bounded out of the R3 Meta
with angular, industrial samples and frantic,
glitchy beats – it’s a messy, stop-start song
yet KEF’s R3 Meta made sure it soundedwww.hifinews.co.uk | Reprinted from Hi-Fi News for global distribution

Labreport
LOUDSPEAKERKEF R3 META
LEFT: KEF R3 Meta seen in its ‘Indigo’finish. Split bass/Uni-Q crossoverenables bi-wiring/bi-amping via two
sets of chromed 4mm cable terminals
linked, internally, via two rotaries.
Note that cables may be hidden and‘dressed’ via the inside of the standof the Wasteland album from
Polish band Riverside [Sony Music19075875402]. The influences
here range from Mike Oldfieldto Lalo Schifrin, via heavy metal,
and the R3 Meta takes it all in its
stride, accurately conveying theweight of a piano one minute,and the smooth tones of singer
Mariusz Duda the next.

special offer

coherent and fizzing with energy.
Producer Rick Rubin routinely
sends effects and vocals flying far
left and right, and the result here
was a startling widescreen image,underpinned by bass without anounce of flab.
This loudspeaker is also happy
to oblige with up-tempo rock,revealing a fun side to go with its
excellent handling of more delicatecompositions. Given Greta van
Fleet’s Led Zeppelin-esque ‘Safari
Song’ [From The Fires; Republic
Records 44.1kHz/24-bit], therambling, bluesy groove of the pieceis as noticeable as the skilful playing
of bass and electric guitar. It sounds
authentically large and hard-hitting,as does the prog-rock madness

The R3 Meta’s rated 87dB sensitivity
and 4ohm nominal impedancemight suggest a tougher-thantypical drive, but I found it worked
happily with Audiolab’s similarly
priced 9000A integrated [HFNAug ’23], and had superb resultswith Primare’s beefier, Class D
A35.2 power amp [HFN Dec’19]. Ramp up the level and KEF’s
latest standmount rewards with adynamic, full-range performance.
Some well-worn demo tracks,
including Dire Straits’ ‘TelegraphRoad’ [Love Over Gold; Vertigo 800
088-2], Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’
[Honky Chateau; Mercury 528
162-2], and the York remix ofMike Oldfield’s ‘Ommadawn’[Tubular Beats; Ear Music;
44kHz/16-bit] reinforced
my belief that KEF has achieved
something rather special here. This isa well-priced speaker with high-end
aspirations and a sound to match.

HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
KEF’s R3 Meta will surely shakeup the sub-£2000 standmountspeaker market. Armed withtrickledown technology fromthe Reference range, and a styleand build quality that makes amockery of the price, it sounds
as smart as it looks. Superb withrock, jazz and everything in
between, it offers detail acrossthe audio band, from rich, deep
bass to open-sounding highs.
You just need to choose a colour.

Sound Quality: 88%
0-------- 100

No ‘fantasy specifications’ here as the most compact of KEF’s R
Meta series delivers exactly what it says on the tin (ok, website).
The 3.2ohm minimum/4ohm nominal impedance rating is met
in practice with 3.17ohm at 142Hz although the load is <4ohmfrom 112Hz-835Hz and the EPDR a moderate 1.65ohm/875Hz.
Impedance is ‘squeezed’ through the bass with a maximum
8.2ohm/35Hz, a (port) dip of 3.5ohm/40Hz and EPDR of
1.78ohm/39Hz, the ‘real’ impedance peak occurring at a high2.75kHz. The latter may be sufficient to provide a lift in upper
mid response if the R3 Meta is driven with a tube- or other amp
with a moderate/high source impedance. Under ideal conditions
the R3 Meta offers a very even, fractionally downtilted response[Graph 1] with mere ±1.6dB and ±1.5dB errors (200Hz-20kHz)
and superb 0.3dB pair matching, the MAT disc quelling any
treble resonances post-2.3kHz crossover [CSD waterfall, Graph 2].
However, as we’ve seen with Uni-Q in the past, the MAT
absorber does not attenuate the +10dB breakup of the 25mm
vented alloy dome, here at 39.5kHz [pink shaded area, Graph 1].
Neither does it have any influence over the cancellation notches
at 7.3kHz and 15.6kHz on the forward output of the Uni-Q driverthrough the perforated grille [blue trace, Graph 1]. Otherwise,
THD from the 125mm alloy mid cone is ‘state-of-the-art’ lowat ~0.05% (re. 1m/90dB SPL) just as KEF’s rated 87dB sensitivity
is also spot-on at 1kHz/1m, and only slightly over-optimistic at
86.8dB when averaged across 500Hz-8kHz. Bass extension isgood for the limited cabinet volume, its ported 165mm alloy
woofer reaching down to 40Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz). PM

ABOVE: Response inc. nearfield summed driver/port[green], freefield corrected to 1m at 2.83V [yellow],ultrasonic [pink]. Left, black; right, red; w. grille, blue0 dB-80.0-16
1.3-24
2.7-32-40
200

500

1k

2k

5k
10k
Frequency in Hz >>20k

4.0msec
60kHz

ABOVE: Resonances linked to the cabinet and bass
unit are minimal while MAT ‘eliminates’ treble modes

HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – 1kHz/Mean/IEC)

87.0dB / 86.8dB / 84.9dB

Impedance modulus: minimum& maximum (20Hz–20kHz)

3.17ohm @ 142Hz
14.0ohm @ 2.75kHz

Impedance phase: minimum& maximum (20Hz–20kHz)–33o @ 38Hz
+45o @ 1.46kHz

Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz)

0.3dB/ ±1.6dB/±1.5dB

LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz)

40Hz / 51.0kHz/50.3kHz

THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m)

0.15% / 0.05% / 0.3%

Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each)422x200x336mm / 12.4kg

www.hifinews.co.uk | Reprinted from Hi-Fi News for global distribution