KEF R3 vs KEF R11 Comparison

Speaker to replace

Change

KEF R3

Passive Bookshelf | 52-28k Hz

Check price atAmazon›

Change

KEF R11

Passive Floor-standing | 46-28k Hz

Check price atAmazon›

KEF R3

Check price atAmazon›

KEF R11

Check price atAmazon›

KEF R3

See at AMAZON

KEF R11

See at AMAZON

KEF R3 vs KEF R11 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by KEF. KEF R3 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the R11 is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of KEF R3 and KEF R11 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	KEF R3	KEF R11
Design	3-way	3-way
Uni-Q driver	12th Generation Uni-Q	12th Generation Uni-Q
Tweeter	1" Dome	1" Dome
Midrange	5"	5"
Woofer	6.5" Hybrid aluminum	4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum
Frequency response	52-28k Hz	46-28k Hz
Sensitivity	87 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	15-180 watts	15-300 watts
Weight	13.55kg / 29.8lbs	37.70kg / 82.9lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	16-5/8" x 7-13/16" x 13-1/4" 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm	51-3/16" x 12-1/4" x 15-5/16" 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm

R3 and R11 are members of KEF's R series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

KEF R Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
KEF R3	Bookshelf	52-28k Hz	87 dB	8Ω	1 x 6.5"
KEF R7	Floor-standing	48-28k Hz	88 dB	8Ω	2 x 6.5"
KEF R11	Floor-standing	46-28k Hz	90 dB	8Ω	4 x 6.5"
KEF R5	Floor-standing	58-28k Hz	87 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"
KEF R2c	Center Channel	74-28k Hz	87 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"

What size room are the KEF R3 and KEF R11 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	KEF R11
Near-field	Poor	Bad
Small Room	Average	Poor
Mid-size Room	Good	Average
Large Room	Average	Good
Very Large Room	Poor	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

Both R3 and R11 are 3-way speakers.

KEF R3

KEF R11

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	KEF R11
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	4 x 6.5-inch

R3 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Hybrid aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the R11 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.

Frequency Response

R3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas R11 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the R11 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R3's min frequency of 52Hz.

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

R11

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 and R11 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R3 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the R11's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KEF R11 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R3, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

R11

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.

R11 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R3 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 120 watts less than the R11.

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

KEF R11

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both R3 and R11 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

KEF R11's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both R3 and R11 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.

KEF R3 Port

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's and KEF R11's external dimensions. KEF R3 has external dimensions of 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm (16-5/8 x 7-13/16 x 13-1/4inch) whereas KEF R11 has external dimensions of 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm (51-3/16 x 12-1/4 x 15-5/16inch).

KEF R11 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 113mm wider, 878mm taller and 52mm deeper than KEF R3.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R3 and KEF R11 in scale.

Comparison image of KEF R3 and KEF R11 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 is approximately 670.6cm² / 103.9inch² and base area of the KEF R11 is approximately 1213.7cm² / 188.1inch². The R3 requires 45% less surface area than the R11 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of KEF R3?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of R3:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
2 Foam port plugs
8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
User Manual
Warranty Information

What's in the Box of KEF R11?

Here are the items that come with the R11:

Floorstanding loudspeaker
Grille
2 Foam port plugs
4 Outrigger feet
4 Spikes
4 Protective discs
4 Screws
4 Washers
Wrench
Hex-key
User Manual
Warranty Information

Reasons to choose KEF R3 over KEF R11

Height	423mm vs 1301mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	670cm² vs 1213cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	2200USD vs 6000USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose KEF R11 over KEF R3

Max Input Power	300 watts vs 180 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	90 dB vs 87 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Number of Woofers	4 vs 1	More woofers
Low Frequency Response	46 Hz vs 52 Hz	Generates deeper bass

KEF R3 vs KEF R11 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	KEF R3	KEF R11
Brand	KEF	KEF
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Floor-standing speaker
Power Range	15-180 watts	15-300 watts
Sensitivity	87 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	3.2 ohms	3.2 ohms
Frequency Response	52-28k Hz	46-28k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	4
Woofer Size	6.5"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Hybrid aluminum	Hybrid Aluminum
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Dome	Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	5"	5"
Crossover Frequency	400Hz and 2900Hz	400Hz and 2900Hz
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	423.0mm (16.7")	1301.0mm (51.2")
Width	199.0mm (7.8")	312.0mm (12.3")
Depth	337.0mm (13.3")	389.0mm (15.3")
Weight	13.55kg (29.8lbs)	37.70kg (82.9lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF/Lacquer	MDF/Lacquer
Available Colors	Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut	Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Grille	Yes	Yes
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 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	B	KEF R11 digs deeper - 46Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	B	KEF R11 is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Headroom	B	KEF R11 takes more power (300W vs 180W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	KEF R3 is easier to place; KEF R11 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Type	depends	A Passive Bookshelf against a Passive Floor-standing - a different job rather than a better one.
Expandability	depends	KEF R3: bi-amping; KEF R11: bi-amping.
Price	A	KEF R3 is cheaper - $2,200 against $6,000, about 63% less; arguably a different class.

A KEF R3 B KEF R11
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?

The usual trade-off: KEF R11 measures better, KEF R3 costs about 63% 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 52Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R3 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R3 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and KEF R11 for a large room and a very large 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.