In this review, we will be comparing R3 Meta and 705 S3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R3 Meta and B&W 705 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF R3 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
- 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 )
B&W 705 S3 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Continuum Woofer
- 50-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Weight:9.58kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 413.0" x 7.6" x 13.3"( 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm )
What size room are the KEF R3 Meta and B&W 705 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 R3 Meta |
B&W 705 S3 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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 R3 Meta and B&W 705 S3 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R3 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the 705 S3 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
KEF R3 Meta |
B&W 705 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the 705 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer .
Frequency Response
R3 Meta has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas 705 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the 705 S3 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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
R3 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 705 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 R3 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R3 Meta sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the 705 S3's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 705 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R3 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
R3 Meta can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 705 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the R3 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 R3 Meta and 705 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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
B&W 705 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R3 Meta and 705 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.
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 R3 Meta's and B&W 705 S3's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W 705 S3 has external dimensions of 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm ( 16.3-inch x 7.6-inch x 13.3-inch) .
KEF R3 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 10mm taller and 40mm deeper than B&W 705 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R3 Meta and B&W 705 S3 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R3 Meta and B&W 705 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 R3 Meta is approximately 680.7cm2 / 105.5inch2 and base area of the B&W 705 S3 is approximately 570.2cm2 / 88.4inch2. The R3 Meta requires 19% more surface area than the 705 S3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of KEF R3 Meta and B&W 705 S3 on a Media Console