In this review, we will be comparing Reference Center 2023 and R6 Meta, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Canton and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Canton Reference Center 2023 and KEF R6 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Canton Reference Center 2023 | KEF R6 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.85" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-40k Hz | 65-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | — | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 130-230 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.95kg / 57.1lbs | 17.82kg / 39.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.6" x 27.5" x 15.3"
269.2 x 698.5 x 388.6mm | 7-15/16" x 24-5/8" x 13-5/16"
202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Canton Reference Center 2023 and KEF R6 Meta speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Canton Reference Center 2023 |
KEF R6 Meta |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reference Center 2023 is a 2-way design whereas the R6 Meta is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Canton Reference Center 2023KEF R6 Meta
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Canton Reference Center 2023 |
KEF R6 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.85-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Reference Center 2023 features a 1" Aluminum ceramic oxyd Tweeter, a 6.85" Midrange and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the R6 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference Center 2023 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz whereas R6 Meta has a frequency range of 65-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Reference Center 2023 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R6 Meta's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
R6 Meta can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Reference Center 2023 has a max power handling value of 230 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the R6 Meta.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R6 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Reference Center 2023 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R6 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Canton Reference Center 2023's and KEF R6 Meta's external dimensions. Canton Reference Center 2023 has external dimensions of 269.2 x 698.5 x 388.6mm (10.6 x 27.5 x 15.3inch) whereas KEF R6 Meta has external dimensions of 202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm (7-15/16-inch x 24-5/8-inch x 13-5/16-inch).
Canton Reference Center 2023 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 72.5mm wider, 67.2mm taller and 49.6mm deeper than KEF R6 Meta.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Canton Reference Center 2023 needs about 28% more floor or shelf area. Canton Reference Center 2023 is 50mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Canton Reference Center 2023 is 67mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Canton Reference Center 2023 is approximately 2714.4cm2 / 420.7inch2 and base area of the KEF R6 Meta is approximately 2122.1cm2 / 328.9inch2. The Reference Center 2023 requires 28% more surface area than the R6 Meta which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Canton Reference Center 2023 weighs 25.95kg / 57.1lbs and the KEF R6 Meta weighs 17.82kg / 39.2lbs. This makes the Reference Center 2023 46% heavier than the R6 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Reference Center 2023 and R6 Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Canton Reference Center 2023
What's in the Box of KEF R6 Meta?
Here are the items that come with the R6 Meta:
- 1 R2 Meta
- 1 microfiber grille
- Rubber feet
- User manual and warranty information
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
230 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
202mm
vs
269mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2122cm2
vs
2714cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1999USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Canton Reference Center 2023 |
KEF R6 Meta |
| Brand |
Canton |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
130-230 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
n/a |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-40k Hz |
65-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.85" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
500Hz and 2400Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
269.2mm (10.6") |
202.0mm (8") |
| Width |
698.5mm (27.5") |
626.0mm (24.6") |
| Depth |
388.6mm (15.3") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Weight |
25.95kg (57.1lbs) |
17.82kg (39.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Sealed |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 years |
These sit in different price classes - Canton Reference Center 2023 costs roughly 2.5x what KEF R6 Meta does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Canton Reference Center 2023 digs deeper - 25Hz against 65Hz. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (230W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | KEF R6 Meta is easier to place; Canton Reference Center 2023 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | KEF R6 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KEF R6 Meta is cheaper - $1,999 against $5,000, about 60% less; arguably a different class. |
A Canton Reference Center 2023 B KEF R6 Meta
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R6 Meta much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Canton Reference Center 2023 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and KEF R6 Meta for a mid-size room and a large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.