In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by KEF. KEF R5 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the R3 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R5 and KEF R3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF R5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
- 58-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-200watts
- Weight:27.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1077.0" x 10-3/4" x 13-13/16"( 1077.0 x 274.0 x 351.0mm )
KEF R3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 6.5" Hybrid aluminum Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-180watts
- Weight:13.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 423.0" x 7-13/16" x 13-1/4"( 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm )
R5 and R3 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 R3 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 R3 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF R5 and KEF R3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both R5 and R3 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF R5 |
KEF R3 |
|
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
|
1 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 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.
Frequency Response
R5 has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas R3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the R3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R5's min frequency of 58Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
R5 and R3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
R5 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R3 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the R5.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both R5 and R3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R5's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R5 and R3 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
KEF R3 Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 R3'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 R3 has external dimensions of 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm ( 16-5/8 x 7-13/16 x 13-1/4inch) .
KEF R5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 75mm wider, 654mm taller and 14mm deeper than KEF R3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R5 and KEF R3 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R5 and KEF R3 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 R3 is approximately 670.6cm2 / 103.9inch2. The R5 requires 43% more surface area than the R3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of KEF R5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R5:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Foam port plugs4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes4 Protective discs4 Screws4 WashersWrenchHex-keyUser ManualWarranty Information
What's in the Box of KEF R3?
Here are the items that come with the R3:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles2 Foam port plugs8 Self-adhesive rubber feetUser ManualWarranty Information
Max Input Power 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*