In this review, we will be comparing F502S and R7 Meta, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F502S and KEF R7 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F502S | KEF R7 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Vented dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-34k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 180 W watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.49kg / 62.7lbs | 29.36kg / 64.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.8" x 11.8" x 15"
1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm | 43-3/4" x 12-1/4" x 15-1/8"
1112.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F502S and KEF R7 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* |
Fyne Audio F502S |
KEF R7 Meta |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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
Both F502S and R7 Meta are 3-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F502SKEF R7 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 |
Fyne Audio F502S |
KEF R7 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
F502S features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 1700 Hz. On the other hand, the R7 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Vented dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
F502S has a frequency range of 30-34k Hz whereas R7 Meta has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the F502S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R7 Meta's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
F502S is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the R7 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 R7 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F502S sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the R7 Meta's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F502S a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R7 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
R7 Meta can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas F502S has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the R7 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.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R7 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. F502S has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R7 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 Fyne Audio F502S's and KEF R7 Meta's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F502S has external dimensions of 1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm (43.8 x 11.8 x 15inch) whereas KEF R7 Meta has external dimensions of 1112.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm (43-3/4-inch x 12-1/4-inch x 15-1/8-inch).
Fyne Audio F502S is 12.3mm narrower and 4mm less deeper than KEF R7 Meta but it is also 0.5mm taller.
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.
Near-identical footprints.
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 Fyne Audio F502S is approximately 1141.9cm2 / 177.0inch2 and base area of the KEF R7 Meta is approximately 1201.2cm2 / 186.2inch2. The F502S requires 5% less surface area than the R7 Meta which gives it a small advantage 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 Fyne Audio F502S weighs 28.49kg / 62.7lbs and the KEF R7 Meta weighs 29.36kg / 64.6lbs. This makes the R7 Meta 3% heavier than the F502S.
Here is a comparison of how F502S and R7 Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF R7 Meta?
Here are the items that come with the R7 Meta:
- R7 Meta
- Microfiber grille
- Plinth and spike accessories
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
34k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1141cm2
vs
1201cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3499USD
vs
4998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
1112mm
vs
1112mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Fyne Audio F502S |
KEF R7 Meta |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30 - 180 W watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-34k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Vented dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 1700 Hz |
400Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1112.5mm (43.8") |
1112.0mm (43.8") |
| Width |
299.7mm (11.8") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
385.0mm (15.2") |
| Weight |
28.49kg (62.7lbs) |
29.36kg (64.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut, Titanium Gloss Special Edition |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Fyne Audio F502S digs deeper - 30Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Fyne Audio F502S is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Fyne Audio F502S is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | KEF R7 Meta takes more power (250W vs 180W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | KEF R7 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Fyne Audio F502S is cheaper - $3,499 against $4,998, about 30% less. |
A Fyne Audio F502S B KEF R7 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?
Fyne Audio F502S has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Fyne Audio F502S is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.