In this review, we will be comparing R3 Meta and SourcePoint 10, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and MoFi.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R3 Meta and MoFi SourcePoint 10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R3 Meta | MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | MoFi
United States · founded 2016 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1.25" wide roll soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 10" Paper-pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-28k Hz | 42-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 91dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.41kg / 27.3lbs | 21.00kg / 46.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 22.5" x 14.5" x 16.6"
572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R3 Meta and MoFi SourcePoint 10 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 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R3 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the SourcePoint 10 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 MetaMoFi SourcePoint 10
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 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 10-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 SourcePoint 10 features a 1.25" wide roll soft dome Tweeter and 1 x 10" Paper-pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1600 Hz.
Frequency Response
R3 Meta has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas SourcePoint 10 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the SourcePoint 10 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 SourcePoint 10 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 SourcePoint 10's is rated at 91dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MoFi SourcePoint 10 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.
SourcePoint 10 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 SourcePoint 10.
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. SourcePoint 10 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
MoFi SourcePoint 10's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R3 Meta and SourcePoint 10 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 R3 Meta's and MoFi SourcePoint 10'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 MoFi SourcePoint 10 has external dimensions of 572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm (22.5 x 14.5 x 16 inch).
MoFi SourcePoint 10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 166mm wider, 149mm taller and 85mm deeper than KEF R3 Meta.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R3 Meta and MoFi SourcePoint 10 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R3 Meta and MoFi SourcePoint 10 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 MoFi SourcePoint 10 is approximately 1552.0cm2 / 240.6inch2. The R3 Meta requires 56% less surface area than the SourcePoint 10 which gives it a small advantage 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 R3 Meta weighs 12.41kg / 27.3lbs and the MoFi SourcePoint 10 weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs. This makes the SourcePoint 10 69% heavier than the R3 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how R3 Meta and SourcePoint 10'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
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
423mm
vs
572mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
680cm2
vs
1552cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2199USD
vs
3699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
6.2 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
KEF R3 Meta |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
| Brand |
KEF |
MoFi |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
15-180 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
91dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
6.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
58-28k Hz |
42-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Paper-pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.25" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
wide roll soft dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
420Hz and 2300Hz |
1600 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
423.0mm (16.7") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
202.0mm (8") |
368.0mm (14.5") |
| Depth |
337.0mm (13.3") |
422.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
12.41kg (27.3lbs) |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut, Indigo Gloss Special Edition |
Satin Walnut, Satin Black Ash |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
|
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
|
These sit in different price classes - MoFi SourcePoint 10 costs roughly 1.7x what KEF R3 Meta does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 digs deeper - 42Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is more sensitive (91dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (180W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | KEF R3 Meta is easier to place; MoFi SourcePoint 10 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | KEF R3 Meta: bi-amping. KEF R3 Meta sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | KEF R3 Meta is cheaper - $2,199 against $3,699, about 41% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF R3 Meta B MoFi SourcePoint 10
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?
The usual trade-off: MoFi SourcePoint 10 measures better, KEF R3 Meta costs about about 68% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R3 Meta much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R3 Meta the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and MoFi SourcePoint 10 for a small room.
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.