In this review, we will be comparing R3 Meta and BRX, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R3 Meta and GoldenEar BRX first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R3 Meta | GoldenEar BRX |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-28k Hz | 40-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.41kg / 27.3lbs | 5.45kg / 12lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16-5/8" x 7-15/16" x 13-1/4"
423.0 x 202.0 x 337.0mm | 12-1/8" x 8-1/8" x 12-5/16"
308.0 x 207.0 x 313.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R3 Meta and GoldenEar BRX 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 |
GoldenEar BRX |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R3 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the BRX 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.
KEF R3 MetaGoldenEar BRX
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 R3 Meta |
GoldenEar BRX |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-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 BRX features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
R3 Meta has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas BRX has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the BRX can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R3 Meta's min frequency of 58Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
R3 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BRX 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 BRX's is rated at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the GoldenEar BRX 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
BRX can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas R3 Meta has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the BRX.
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
R3 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. BRX has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R3 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
GoldenEar BRX's 5-way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R3 Meta and BRX 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.
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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 R3 Meta's and GoldenEar BRX'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 GoldenEar BRX has external dimensions of 308.0 x 207.0 x 313.0mm (12-1/8 x 8-1/8 x 12-5/16inch).
GoldenEar BRX is 115mm shorter and 24mm less deeper than KEF R3 Meta but it is also 5mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R3 Meta and GoldenEar BRX in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R3 Meta and GoldenEar BRX 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 GoldenEar BRX is approximately 647.9cm2 / 100.4inch2. The R3 Meta requires 5% more surface area than the BRX which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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Here is 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 GoldenEar BRX on a Media Console
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 R3 Meta weighs 12.41kg / 27.3lbs and the GoldenEar BRX weighs 5.45kg / 12lbs. This makes the R3 Meta 128% heavier than the BRX.
Here is a comparison of how R3 Meta and BRX's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF R3 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R3 Meta:
- 1 pair of R3 Meta loudspeakers
- 1 pair of microfiber grilles
- Rubber feet
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of GoldenEar BRX?
Here are the items that come with the BRX:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
Grille
Owner's Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
two rectangular side-mounted
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
308mm
vs
423mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
647cm2
vs
680cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1598USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF R3 Meta |
GoldenEar BRX |
| Brand |
KEF |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
15-180 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
58-28k Hz |
40-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
420Hz and 2300Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
423.0mm (16.7") |
308.0mm (12.1") |
| Width |
202.0mm (8") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
337.0mm (13.3") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Weight |
12.41kg (27.3lbs) |
5.45kg (12lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut, Indigo Gloss Special Edition |
Gloss Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-26" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
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 |
B |
GoldenEar BRX digs deeper - 40Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
GoldenEar BRX is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
GoldenEar BRX is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
B |
GoldenEar BRX takes more power (250W vs 180W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
GoldenEar BRX is easier to place; KEF R3 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability |
A |
KEF R3 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
GoldenEar BRX is cheaper - $1,598 against $2,199, about 27% less. |
A KEF R3 Meta
B GoldenEar BRX
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
GoldenEar BRX is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take KEF R3 Meta if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, KEF R3 Meta has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, GoldenEar BRX is the easier speaker to get right.
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.