In this review, we will be comparing R3 Meta and M126Be, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R3 Meta and Revel M126Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R3 Meta | Revel M126Be |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 6.5" DCC Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-28k Hz | 54-44k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.41kg / 27.3lbs | 10.00kg / 22lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 15-1/4" x 8-5/16" x 10-5/16"
388.0 x 212.0 x 262.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R3 Meta and Revel M126Be 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 |
Revel M126Be |
| 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 M126Be 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 MetaRevel M126Be
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 |
Revel M126Be |
|
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 M126Be features a 1" beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
R3 Meta has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas M126Be has a frequency range of 54-44k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 54Hz, the M126Be can go slightly deeper then 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 M126Be 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 M126Be's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the KEF R3 Meta a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel M126Be, 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.
R3 Meta can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas M126Be has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the R3 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.
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. M126Be has a Binding 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R3 Meta and M126Be 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 Revel M126Be'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 Revel M126Be has external dimensions of 388.0 x 212.0 x 262.0mm (15-1/4 x 8-5/16 x 10-5/16inch).
Revel M126Be is 35mm shorter and 75mm less deeper than KEF R3 Meta but it is also 10mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R3 Meta and Revel M126Be in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R3 Meta and Revel M126Be 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 Revel M126Be is approximately 555.4cm2 / 86.1inch2. The R3 Meta requires 23% more surface area than the M126Be which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 Revel M126Be 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 Revel M126Be weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the R3 Meta 24% heavier than the M126Be.
Here is a comparison of how R3 Meta and M126Be'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 Revel M126Be?
Here are the items that come with the M126Be:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
2199USD
vs
4400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
54 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
44k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
388mm
vs
423mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
555cm2
vs
680cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
KEF R3 Meta |
Revel PerformaBe M126Be |
| Brand |
KEF |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
15-180 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
58-28k Hz |
54-44k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
DCC Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| 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") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Width |
202.0mm (8") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
337.0mm (13.3") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
| Weight |
12.41kg (27.3lbs) |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
Wood/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut, Indigo Gloss Special Edition |
Walnut,Black,White,Silver |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
22-26" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Revel M126Be costs roughly 2x 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 | Revel M126Be digs deeper - 54Hz against 58Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel M126Be 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 150W). |
| Size | depends | Revel M126Be is easier to place; KEF R3 Meta 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 $4,400, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF R3 Meta B Revel M126Be
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?
Revel M126Be is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 100% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - KEF R3 Meta looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Revel M126Be appeals to you. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R3 Meta the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Revel M126Be for a small room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Revel M126Be 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.