In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by KEF. KEF R11 Meta is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the R3 Meta is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R11 Meta and KEF R3 Meta 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 )
KEF R3 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 58-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:15-180watts
- Weight:12.41kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 423.0" x 7-15/16" x 13-1/4"( 423.0 x 202.0 x 337.0mm )
R11 Meta and R3 Meta are members of KEF's R META series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the KEF R11 Meta and KEF R3 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* |
KEF R11 Meta |
KEF R3 Meta |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| 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 KEF R3 Meta 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 R3 Meta are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF R11 Meta |
KEF R3 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
1 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 R3 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 420Hz and 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
R11 Meta has a frequency range of 46-28 Hz whereas R3 Meta has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the R11 Meta can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R3 Meta's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
R11 Meta and R3 Meta have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R11 Meta sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R3 Meta's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KEF R11 Meta a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R3 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the R11 Meta and the R11 Meta can provide this impedance level.
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.
R11 Meta can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R3 Meta has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 120 watts less than the R11 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
Both R11 Meta and R3 Meta features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R11 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R3 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R11 Meta and R3 Meta 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
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 KEF R3 Meta'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 KEF R3 Meta has external dimensions of 423.0 x 202.0 x 337.0mm ( 16-5/8-inch x 7-15/16-inch x 13-1/4-inch) .
KEF R11 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 110mm wider, 873mm taller and 48mm deeper than KEF R3 Meta.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R11 Meta and KEF R3 Meta in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R11 Meta and KEF R3 Meta 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 KEF R3 Meta is approximately 680.7cm2 / 105.5inch2. The R11 Meta requires 76% more surface area than the R3 Meta which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 KEF R3 Meta?
Here are the items that come with the R3 Meta:
1 pair of R3 Meta loudspeakers 1 pair of microfiber grilles Rubber feet Port bungs User manual and warranty information
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*