KEF R3 Meta vs KEF R2 Meta Comparison

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KEF R3 Meta

Passive Bookshelf | 58-28k Hz

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KEF R2 Meta

Passive Center Channel | 67-28k Hz

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KEF R3 Meta

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KEF R2 Meta

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KEF R3 Meta

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KEF R2 Meta

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KEF R3 Meta vs KEF R2 Meta Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by KEF. KEF R3 Meta is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the R2 Meta is a Center Channel speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of KEF R3 Meta and KEF R2 Meta first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	KEF R3 Meta	KEF R2 Meta
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" Hard-Dome	1" Hard-Dome
Midrange	5"	5"
Woofer	6.5" Hybrid Aluminum	2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum
Frequency response	58-28k Hz	67-28k Hz
Sensitivity	87 dB	87 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	4 ohms
Power range	15-180 watts	15-200 watts
Weight	12.41kg / 27.3lbs	15.45kg / 34lbs
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	6-15/16" x 21-3/4" x 12-1/4" 177.0 x 553.0 x 312.0mm

R3 Meta and R2 Meta are members of KEF's R META series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

KEF R META Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
KEF R3 Meta	Bookshelf	58-28k Hz	87 dB	4Ω	1 x 6.5"
KEF R11 Meta	Floor-standing	46-28k Hz	90 dB	4Ω	4 x 6.5"
KEF R5 Meta	Floor-standing	52-28k Hz	87 dB	4Ω	2 x 5.25"
KEF R7 Meta	Floor-standing	48-28k Hz	88 dB	4Ω	2 x 6.5"
KEF R6 Meta	Center Channel	65-28k Hz	88 dB	4Ω	2 x 6.5"
KEF R2 Meta	Center Channel	67-28k Hz	87 dB	4Ω	2 x 5.25"
KEF R8 Meta	Surround	97-17.5k Hz	85 dB	4Ω	1 x 5.25"

What size room are the KEF R3 Meta and KEF R2 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 R3 Meta	KEF R2 Meta
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.

Drivers

Both R3 Meta and R2 Meta are 3-way speakers.

KEF R3 Meta

KEF R2 Meta

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	KEF R2 Meta
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	1 x 5-inch	1 x 5-inch
Woofer	1 x 6.5-inch	2 x 5.25-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 R2 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

R3 Meta has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas R2 Meta has a frequency range of 67-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 58Hz, the R3 Meta can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R2 Meta's min frequency of 67Hz.

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

R3 Meta

R2 Meta

Min

Average

Median

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 and R2 Meta have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.

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 R3 Meta and the R3 Meta can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

R3 Meta

R2 Meta

Min

Average

Median

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.

R2 Meta can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas R3 Meta has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the R2 Meta.

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

KEF R3 Meta

KEF R2 Meta

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both R3 Meta and R2 Meta 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

KEF R2 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

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 KEF R2 Meta'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 KEF R2 Meta has external dimensions of 177.0 x 553.0 x 312.0mm (6-15/16-inch x 21-3/4-inch x 12-1/4-inch).

KEF R2 Meta is 246mm shorter and 25mm less deeper than KEF R3 Meta but it is also 351mm wider.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R3 Meta and KEF R2 Meta in scale.

Comparison image of KEF R3 Meta and KEF R2 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 R3 Meta is approximately 680.7cm² / 105.5inch² and base area of the KEF R2 Meta is approximately 1725.4cm² / 267.4inch². The R3 Meta requires 61% less surface area than the R2 Meta which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 KEF R2 Meta?

Here are the items that come with the R2 Meta:

1 R2 Meta
1 microfiber grille
Rubber feet
User manual and warranty information

Reasons to choose KEF R3 Meta over KEF R2 Meta

Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	58 Hz vs 67 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Base Surface Area	680cm² vs 1725cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose KEF R2 Meta over KEF R3 Meta

Max Input Power	200 watts vs 180 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Number of Woofers	2 vs 1	More woofers
Height	177mm vs 423mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Price per pair*	1399USD vs 2199USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

KEF R3 Meta vs KEF R2 Meta Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	KEF R3 Meta	KEF R2 Meta
Brand	KEF	KEF
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Center channel speaker
Power Range	15-180 watts	15-200 watts
Sensitivity	87 dB	87 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	4 ohms
Impedance	3.2 ohms	3.2 ohms
Frequency Response	58-28k Hz	67-28k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	2
Woofer Size	6.5"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	Hybrid Aluminum	Hybrid Aluminum
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Hard-Dome	Hard-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	5"	5"
Crossover Frequency	420Hz and 2300Hz	560Hz and 2500Hz
Firing Direction	rear	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	423.0mm (16.7")	177.0mm (7")
Width	202.0mm (8")	553.0mm (21.8")
Depth	337.0mm (13.3")	312.0mm (12.3")
Weight	12.41kg (27.3lbs)	15.45kg (34lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Sealed
Available Colors	Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut, Indigo Gloss Special Edition	Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 years	5 years
Labor Warranty	5 years	5 years

Verdict

Siblings in KEF's R META series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	KEF R3 Meta digs deeper - 58Hz against 67Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	evenly matched	Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power.
Headroom	evenly matched	Similar power handling (180W vs 200W).
Size	depends	Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit.
Type	depends	A Passive Bookshelf against a Passive Center Channel - a different job rather than a better one.
Cabinet	depends	Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it.
Expandability	depends	KEF R3 Meta: bi-amping; KEF R2 Meta: bi-amping.
Price	B	KEF R2 Meta is cheaper - $1,399 against $2,199, about 36% less.

A KEF R3 Meta B KEF R2 Meta
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 R3 Meta is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 57% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - KEF R2 Meta looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the KEF R3 Meta appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 67Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R2 Meta much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $800 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.

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.