In high-fidelity audio, pursuing perfection often means facing diminishing returns—each improvement comes at a significantly higher price. KEF's META series and the premium Reference META series exemplify this, delivering exceptional clarity and soundstage but at markedly different price points. Is the subtle sonic enhancement of the Reference META series worth the substantial extra cost? Beyond audio fidelity, these incremental gains are also reflected in physical size and design—revealing how speaker dimensions often signal acoustic ambition.
KEF META Technology
Below we start by examining the prices of each model, followed by a scaled physical size and weight comparison of five floorstanding loudspeakers across these two series (all 3-way speakers): three from the META series (R5 Meta,R7 Meta, and R11 Meta) and two from the Reference META series (Reference 3 Meta and Reference 5 Meta). This is followed by a detailed comparison table of specifications and features.
KEF Meta and Reference Meta Floorstanding Speaker Models and Prices
Besides the price difference between these two series, another noteworthy observation is the substantial weight increase in the Reference series compared to the regular Meta models, despite their similar external dimensions, as you'll see below. Indeed, in the speaker world, superior sonic performance often correlates with heavier components such as thicker and heavier cabinet material, magnets, drivers, bracing, etc. hence overall increased weight.
KEF Reference 5 Meta vs KEF R11 Meta vs KEF Reference 3 Meta vs KEF R7 Meta vs KEF R5 Meta Size Comparison
(click on the image for a larger version)
KEF Reference 5 Meta vs KEF R11 Meta vs KEF Reference 3 Meta vs KEF R7 Meta vs KEF R5 Meta
KEF Reference 5 Meta vs KEF R11 Meta vs KEF Reference 3 Meta vs KEF R7 Meta vs KEF R5 Meta Specs and Feature Comparison
| FEATURE and SPECS COMPARISON | |  |  |  |  |  |
| Model | KEF Reference 3 Meta | KEF Reference 5 Meta | KEF R5 Meta | KEF R7 Meta | KEF R11 Meta |
| Speaker Type | Passive Floor-standing | Passive Floor-standing | Passive Floor-standing | Passive Floor-standing | Passive Floor-standing |
| Enclosure Type | Ported | Ported | Ported | Ported | Ported |
| Driver Setup | 3-way | 3-way | 3-way | 3-way | 3-way |
| Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter | 1" Vented dome Tweeter | 1" Vented dome Tweeter | 1" Vented dome Tweeter |
| Mid-Range | 5" aluminum cone with Uni-Q Technology Midrange | 5" aluminum cone with Uni-Q Technology Midrange | 5" aluminum cone with Uni-Q Technology Midrange | 5" aluminum cone with Uni-Q Technology Midrange | 5" aluminum cone with Uni-Q Technology Midrange |
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer | 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer |
| Frequency Range / Low | 43Hz | 40Hz | 52Hz | 48Hz | 46Hz |
| Frequency Range / High | 35kHz | 35kHz | 28kHz | 28kHz | 28kHz |
| Impedance Nominal | 4Ω | 4Ω | 4Ω | 4Ω | 4Ω |
| Impedance Minimum | 3.2Ω | 3.2Ω | 3.2Ω | 3.2Ω | 3.2Ω |
| Sensitivity | 86dB | 88dB | 87dB | 88dB | 90dB |
| Max Power (RMS) | 300w | 400w | 200w | 250w | 300w |
| Crossover Frequency | 450Hz and 2100Hz | 450Hz and 2100Hz | 400Hz and 2700Hz | 400Hz and 2400Hz | 330Hz and 2500Hz |
| Port Position | rear | rear | rear | rear | rear |
| Available Colors | High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver | High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver | Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut | Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut, Titanium Gloss Special Edition | Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| Height | 1207.0mm | 1402.0mm | 1074.0mm | 1112.0mm | 1296.0mm |
| Width | 323.0mm | 323.0mm | 274.0mm | 312.0mm | 312.0mm |
| Depth | 467.0mm | 467.0mm | 343.0mm | 385.0mm | 385.0mm |
| Weight | 51.30kg | 60.20kg | 24.55kg | 29.36kg | 36.59kg |
| MSRP(pair) | 15000USD | 22000USD | 3998USD | 4998USD | 6498USD |
| Check Current Price | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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