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KEF R11 Meta vs B&W 702 S3 Comparison

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KEF R11 Meta

Passive Floor-standing | 46-28 Hz

KEF R11 Meta
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B&W 702 S3

Passive Floor-standing | 46-28k Hz

Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3
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KEF R11 Meta KEF R11 Meta
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B&W 702 S3 B&W 702 S3
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KEF R11 Meta
See at AMAZON
B&W 702 S3
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KEF R11 Meta vs B&W 702 S3 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing R11 Meta and 702 S3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Bowers Wilkins.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of KEF R11 Meta and B&W 702 S3 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

KEF R11 Meta Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
  • 1" Vented dome Tweeter
  • 5" Midrange
  • 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
  • 46-28 Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:15-300watts
  • Weight:36.59kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1296.0" x 12-1/4" x 15-1/8"( 1296.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm )

B&W 702 S3 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" Tweeter
  • 6" Midrange
  • 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer
  • 6" Midrange
  • 46-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-300watts
  • Weight:33.46kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1138.0" x 7.6" x 15.4"( 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm )

What size room are the KEF R11 Meta and B&W 702 S3 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* KEF R11 Meta B&W 702 S3
Near-field Are you nuts? Bad
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Good Good
Very Large Room Good 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF R11 Meta and B&W 702 S3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both R11 Meta and 702 S3 are 3-way speakers.

Driver KEF R11 Meta B&W 702 S3
Driver Setup 3-way 3-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 5-inch 1 x 6-inch
Woofer 4 x 6.5-inch 3 x 6.5-inch

R11 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Vented dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 330Hz and 2500Hz. On the other hand, the 702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer .

Frequency Response

R11 Meta has a frequency range of 46-28 Hz whereas 702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz.

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

R11 Meta
702 S3
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

KEF R11 Meta
B&W 702 S3
Min
Average
Max

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

R11 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 702 S3 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 R11 Meta can provide this impedance level.

On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

R11 Meta
702 S3
Min
Average
Max

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.

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

Both R11 Meta and 702 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

KEF R11 Meta Terminals
KEF R11 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

B&W 702 S3Binding post Terminals
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both R11 Meta and 702 S3 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.

If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.

KEF R11 Meta  Port
KEF R11 Meta Port

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 KEF R11 Meta's and B&W 702 S3's external dimensions. KEF R11 Meta has external dimensions of 1296.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm ( 51-inch x 12-1/4-inch x 15-1/8-inch) whereas B&W 702 S3 has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm ( 44.8-inch x 7.6-inch x 15.4-inch) .

B&W 702 S3 is 120mm narrower and 158mm shorter than KEF R11 Meta but it is also 6mm deeper.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R11 Meta and B&W 702 S3 in scale.

KEF R11 Meta vs B&W 702 S3 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of KEF R11 Meta and B&W 702 S3 Size and External Dimensions

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 KEF R11 Meta is approximately 1201.2cm2 / 186.2inch2 and base area of the B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2. The R11 Meta requires 60% more surface area than the 702 S3 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 KEF R11 Meta weighs 36.59kg / 80.5lbs and the B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs. This makes the R11 Meta 9% heavier than the 702 S3.

Here is a comparison of how R11 Meta and 702 S3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
KEF R11 Meta
B&W 702 S3
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of KEF R11 Meta?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of R11 Meta:
  • R11 Meta
  • Microfiber grille
  • Plinth and spike accessories
  • Port bungs
  • User manual and warranty information
  • What's in the Box of B&W 702 S3?

    Here are the items that come with the 702 S3:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • Plinth (base)
  • 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
  • Two-piece foam port plug
  • 4 Rubber feet
  • 4 Spike feet
  • 4 Lock-nuts
  • 4 Screws
  • 4 Washers
  • 4 Lock washers
  • Hex-key
  • Manual
  • Bowers & Wilkins brochure
  • Warranty Information

  • Reasons to choose KEF R11 Meta over Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Minimum Impedance 3.2 ohms vs 3.1 ohms Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
    Number of Woofers 4 vs 3 More woofers
    Price per pair* 6498USD vs 6998USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 over KEF R11 Meta

    Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 4 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    Height 1138mm vs 1296mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 750cm2 vs 1201cm2 Takes less floor space
    KEF R11 Meta vs B&W 702 S3 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General KEF R11 Meta Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3
    Brand KEF Bowers Wilkins
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 15-300 watts 30-300 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 90 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.2 ohms 3.1 ohms
    Frequency Response 46-28 Hz 46-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 4 3
    Woofer Size 6.5" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Hybrid Aluminum Aerofoil
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Vented dome n/a
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 5" 6"
    Crossover Frequency 330Hz and 2500Hz n/a
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 1296.0mm (51") 1138.0mm (44.8")
    Width 312.0mm (12.3") 192.0mm (7.6")
    Depth 385.0mm (15.2") 391.0mm (15.4")
    Weight 36.59kg (80.5lbs) 33.46kg (73.6lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish n/a MDF/Lacquer
    Available Colors Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut
    Grille n/a Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 years 5 Years

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