In this review, we will be comparing R6 Meta and HTM71 S3, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R6 Meta and B&W HTM71 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R6 Meta | B&W HTM71 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Solid Body Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 4 x 5" Aerofoil Profile |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-28k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.82kg / 39.2lbs | 17.50kg / 38.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-15/16" x 24-5/8" x 13-5/16"
202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm | 9-1/4" x 24-3/4" x 14"
235.0 x 629.0 x 356.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R6 Meta and B&W HTM71 S3 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 R6 Meta |
B&W HTM71 S3 |
| 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
Both R6 Meta and HTM71 S3 are 3-way speakers.
KEF R6 MetaB&W HTM71 S3
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 R6 Meta |
B&W HTM71 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 5-inch
|
R6 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2400Hz. On the other hand, the HTM71 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Solid Body Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 4 x 5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer.
Frequency Response
R6 Meta has a frequency range of 65-28k Hz whereas HTM71 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the HTM71 S3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R6 Meta's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
R6 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the HTM71 S3 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 R6 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R6 Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the HTM71 S3's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W HTM71 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R6 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
R6 Meta can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas HTM71 S3 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the R6 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
Both R6 Meta and HTM71 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R6 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W HTM71 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 R6 Meta's and B&W HTM71 S3's external dimensions. KEF R6 Meta has external dimensions of 202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm (7-15/16-inch x 24-5/8-inch x 13-5/16-inch) whereas B&W HTM71 S3 has external dimensions of 235.0 x 629.0 x 356.0mm (9-1/4inch x 24-3/4inch x 14inch).
B&W HTM71 S3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 33mm taller and 17mm deeper than KEF R6 Meta.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. B&W HTM71 S3 is 17mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. B&W HTM71 S3 is 33mm taller.
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 R6 Meta is approximately 2122.1cm2 / 328.9inch2 and base area of the B&W HTM71 S3 is approximately 2239.2cm2 / 347.1inch2. The R6 Meta requires 5% less surface area than the HTM71 S3 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 R6 Meta weighs 17.82kg / 39.2lbs and the B&W HTM71 S3 weighs 17.50kg / 38.5lbs. This makes the R6 Meta 2% heavier than the HTM71 S3.
Here is a comparison of how R6 Meta and HTM71 S3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF R6 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R6 Meta:
- 1 R2 Meta
- 1 microfiber grille
- Rubber feet
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of B&W HTM71 S3?
Here are the items that come with the HTM71 S3:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
- Online Registration Card
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
202mm
vs
235mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2122cm2
vs
2239cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1999USD
vs
2499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
KEF R6 Meta |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
65-28k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Aerofoil Profile |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Solid Body Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2400Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
202.0mm (8") |
235.0mm (9.3") |
| Width |
626.0mm (24.6") |
629.0mm (24.8") |
| Depth |
339.0mm (13.3") |
356.0mm (14") |
| Weight |
17.82kg (39.2lbs) |
17.50kg (38.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | B&W HTM71 S3 digs deeper - 50Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W HTM71 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | KEF R6 Meta takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF R6 Meta: bi-amping; B&W HTM71 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | KEF R6 Meta is cheaper - $1,999 against $2,499, about 20% less. |
A KEF R6 Meta B B&W HTM71 S3
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: B&W HTM71 S3 measures better, KEF R6 Meta costs about about 25% 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 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R6 Meta much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R6 Meta the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and B&W HTM71 S3 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.