In this review, we will be comparing Kanta No.2 and Reference 5 Meta, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.2 and KEF Reference 5 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Kanta No.2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer
- 35-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-300watts
- Weight:35.09kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1118.0" x 12-5/8" x 18-3/4"( 1118.0 x 321.0 x 477.0mm )
KEF Reference 5 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 40-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-400watts
- Weight:60.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1402.0" x 12.7" x 18.4"( 1402 x 323 x 467 mm )
What size room are the Focal Kanta No.2 and KEF Reference 5 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* |
Focal Kanta No.2 |
KEF Reference 5 Meta |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Kanta No.2 and KEF Reference 5 Meta compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Kanta No.2 and Reference 5 Meta are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal Kanta No.2 |
KEF Reference 5 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
Kanta No.2 features a 1.1" IAL3 Beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 260 Hz - 2700 Hz. On the other hand, the Reference 5 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Kanta No.2 has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz whereas Reference 5 Meta has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Kanta No.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 5 Meta's min frequency of 40Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Kanta No.2 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Reference 5 Meta which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference 5 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Kanta No.2 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Reference 5 Meta's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Kanta No.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 5 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Kanta No.2 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Kanta No.2 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Reference 5 Meta.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Reference 5 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Kanta No.2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Kanta No.2's Binding post terminals
KEF Reference 5 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Kanta No.2 has a Front firing port whereas Reference 5 Meta has a rear firing ports.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal Kanta No.2's and KEF Reference 5 Meta's external dimensions. Focal Kanta No.2 has external dimensions of 1118.0 x 321.0 x 477.0mm ( 44inch x 12-5/8inch x 18-3/4inch ) whereas KEF Reference 5 Meta has external dimensions of 1402 x 323 x 467 mm ( 55.2 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.) .
Focal Kanta No.2 is 2mm narrower and 284mm shorter than KEF Reference 5 Meta but it is also 10mm deeper.
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 Focal Kanta No.2 is approximately 1531.2cm2 / 237.3inch2 and base area of the KEF Reference 5 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2. The Kanta No.2 requires 2% more surface area than the Reference 5 Meta which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.