In this review, we will be comparing Reference 1 Meta and Evoke 30, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 1 Meta and Dynaudio Evoke 20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Reference 1 Meta | Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT | 1.1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" aluminium cone | 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-35k Hz | 40-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | up to 180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.20kg / 40lbs | 9.90kg / 21.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.3" x 8.1" x 16.6"
440 x 205 x 422 mm | 15" x 8.5" x 12.5"
380.0 x 215.0 x 317.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Reference 1 Meta and Dynaudio Evoke 20 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 Reference 1 Meta |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
| 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 Reference 1 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the Evoke 30 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 Reference 1 MetaDynaudio Evoke 20
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 Reference 1 Meta |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
Reference 1 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Evoke 30 features a 1.1" Cerotar with Hexis Tweeter and 1 x 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3200Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference 1 Meta has a frequency range of 45-35k Hz whereas Evoke 30 has a frequency range of 40-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Evoke 30 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 1 Meta's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
Reference 1 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Evoke 30 which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 Reference 1 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 1 Meta sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Evoke 30's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Dynaudio Evoke 20 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 1 Meta, 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.
Reference 1 Meta can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Evoke 30 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Reference 1 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
Reference 1 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Evoke 30 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 1 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Dynaudio Evoke 20's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Reference 1 Meta and Evoke 30 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 Reference 1 Meta's and Dynaudio Evoke 20's external dimensions. KEF Reference 1 Meta has external dimensions of 440 x 205 x 422 mm (17.3 x 8.1 x 16.6) whereas Dynaudio Evoke 20 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 215.0 x 317.0mm (15 x 8.5 x 12.1inch).
Dynaudio Evoke 20 is 60mm shorter and 105mm less deeper than KEF Reference 1 Meta but it is also 10mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 1 Meta and Dynaudio Evoke 20 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 1 Meta and Dynaudio Evoke 20 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 Reference 1 Meta is approximately 865.1cm2 / 134.1inch2 and base area of the Dynaudio Evoke 20 is approximately 681.6cm2 / 105.6inch2. The Reference 1 Meta requires 27% more surface area than the Evoke 30 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 Reference 1 Meta and Dynaudio Evoke 20 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 Reference 1 Meta weighs 18.20kg / 40lbs and the Dynaudio Evoke 20 weighs 9.90kg / 21.8lbs. This makes the Reference 1 Meta 84% heavier than the Evoke 30.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 1 Meta and Evoke 30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Dynaudio Evoke 20?
Here are the items that come with the Evoke 30:
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
380mm
vs
440mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
681cm2
vs
865cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4798USD
vs
9000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 1 Meta |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
up to 180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-35k Hz |
40-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
3200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
440.0mm (17.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Width |
205.0mm (8.1") |
215.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
422.0mm (16.6") |
317.0mm (12.5") |
| Weight |
18.20kg (40lbs) |
9.90kg (21.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
These sit in different price classes - KEF Reference 1 Meta costs roughly 1.9x what Dynaudio Evoke 20 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 | Dynaudio Evoke 20 digs deeper - 40Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (85dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Dynaudio Evoke 20 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 180W). |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Evoke 20 is easier to place; KEF Reference 1 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | KEF Reference 1 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Dynaudio Evoke 20 is cheaper - $4,798 against $9,000, about 47% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Reference 1 Meta B Dynaudio Evoke 20
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?
Dynaudio Evoke 20 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Reference 1 Meta the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Dynaudio Evoke 20 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.