In this review, we will be comparing R5 and R11, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R5 and KEF R11 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R5 | 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 | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-28k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-200 watts | 15-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.30kg / 60.1lbs | 37.70kg / 82.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42-3/8" x 10-3/4" x 13-13/16"
1077.0 x 274.0 x 351.0mm | 51-3/16" x 12-1/4" x 15-5/16"
1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm |
|---|
R5 and R11 are members of KEF's R series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the KEF R5 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 R5 |
KEF R11 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
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.
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Drivers
Both R5 and R11 are 3-way speakers.
KEF R5KEF 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 R5 |
KEF R11 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
R5 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" 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
R5 has a frequency range of 58-28k 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 R5'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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
R5 and R11 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R5 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 R5, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
R11 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R5 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both R5 and R11 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R5's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R11's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R5 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 R5 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 R5's and KEF R11's external dimensions. KEF R5 has external dimensions of 1077.0 x 274.0 x 351.0mm (42-3/8 x 10-3/4 x 13-13/16inch) 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 38mm wider, 224mm taller and 38mm deeper than KEF R5.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R5 and KEF R11 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R5 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 R5 is approximately 961.7cm2 / 149.1inch2 and base area of the KEF R11 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2. The R5 requires 21% less surface area than the R11 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 R5 weighs 27.30kg / 60.1lbs and the KEF R11 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs. This makes the R11 38% heavier than the R5.
Here is a comparison of how R5 and R11's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF R5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R5:
- 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
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
 Height |
1077mm
vs
1301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
961cm2
vs
1213cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3300USD
vs
6000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
KEF R5 |
KEF R11 |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-200 watts |
15-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
58-28k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
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 |
1077.0mm (42.4") |
1301.0mm (51.2") |
| Width |
274.0mm (10.8") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
351.0mm (13.8") |
389.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
27.30kg (60.1lbs) |
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 |
| 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 |
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 58Hz. |
| 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 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
KEF R5 is easier to place; KEF R11 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
KEF R5: bi-amping; KEF R11: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
KEF R5 is cheaper - $3,300 against $6,000, about 45% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF R5
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 R5 costs about 45% 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 R5 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R5 the better fit for a mid-size room, and KEF R11 for 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.