In this review, we will be comparing R11 and R7, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R11 and KEF R7 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R11 | KEF R7 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-300 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 37.70kg / 82.9lbs | 31.40kg / 69.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51-3/16" x 12-1/4" x 15-5/16"
1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm | 43-13/16" x 8" x 15-5/16"
1113.0 x 200.0 x 389.0mm |
|---|
R11 and R7 are members of KEF's R series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the KEF R11 and KEF R7 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 |
KEF R7 |
| 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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both R11 and R7 are 3-way speakers.
KEF R11KEF R7
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF R11 |
KEF R7 |
|
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
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
R11 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the R7 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
R11 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas R7 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the R11 can go slightly deeper then the R7'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
R11 and R7 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R11 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R7's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF R11 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R7, 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.
R11 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R7 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the R11.
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
Both R11 and R7 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R11's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R7's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R11 and R7 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.
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 KEF R11's and KEF R7's external dimensions. KEF R11 has external dimensions of 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm (51-3/16 x 12-1/4 x 15-5/16inch) whereas KEF R7 has external dimensions of 1113.0 x 200.0 x 389.0mm (43-13/16 x 8 x 15-5/16inch).
KEF R7 is 112mm narrower and 188mm shorter than KEF R11 but they have the same thickness of 389.0mm.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R11 and KEF R7 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R11 and KEF R7 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 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2 and base area of the KEF R7 is approximately 778.0cm2 / 120.6inch2. The R11 requires 56% more surface area than the R7 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 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs and the KEF R7 weighs 31.40kg / 69.1lbs. This makes the R11 20% heavier than the R7.
Here is a comparison of how R11 and R7'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 R11?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R11:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of KEF R7?
Here are the items that come with the R7:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1113mm
vs
1301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
778cm2
vs
1213cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4500USD
vs
6000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF R11 |
KEF R7 |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-300 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1301.0mm (51.2") |
1113.0mm (43.8") |
| Width |
312.0mm (12.3") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
389.0mm (15.3") |
389.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
37.70kg (82.9lbs) |
31.40kg (69.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in KEF's R series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (46Hz vs 48Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | KEF R11 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | KEF R7 is easier to place; KEF R11 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF R11: bi-amping; KEF R7: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KEF R7 is cheaper - $4,500 against $6,000, about 25% less. |
A KEF R11 B KEF R7
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?
KEF R11 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 33% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - KEF R7 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the KEF R11 appeals to you. In a large or open-plan room, KEF R11 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KEF R7 is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KEF R11 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.