KEF Reference 3 Meta vs ELAC VELA FS 409 Comparison

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KEF Reference 3 Meta

Passive Floor-standing | 43-35k Hz

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ELAC VELA FS 409

Passive Floor-standing | 28-50k Hz

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KEF Reference 3 Meta

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ELAC VELA FS 409

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KEF Reference 3 Meta

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ELAC VELA FS 409

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KEF Reference 3 Meta vs ELAC VELA FS 409 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Reference 3 Meta and VELA FS 409, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and ELAC. Let's have a brief look at the main features of KEF Reference 3 Meta and ELAC VELA FS 409 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

KEF Reference 3 Meta Key Specs

3-way Design

12th Generation Uni-Q Driver

1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter

5" Midrange

2 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer

43-35k Hz Frequency Response

86 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 4ohms

Power Range:50-300watts

Weight:51.30kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 1207.0" x 12.7" x 18.4"( 1207 x 323 x 467 mm )

ELAC VELA FS 409 Key Specs

3-way Design

---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter

6" Midrange

2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer

6" Midrange

28-50k Hz Frequency Response

89 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 4ohms

Power Range:40-200watts

Weight:32.18kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 1331.0" x 10-15/16" x 13-9/16"( 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm )

What size room are the KEF Reference 3 Meta and ELAC VELA FS 409 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 3 Meta	ELAC VELA FS 409
Near-field	Are you nuts?	Bad
Small Room	Poor	Poor
Mid-size Room	Average	Good
Large Room	Good	Good
Very Large Room	Good	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 Reference 3 Meta and ELAC VELA FS 409 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Reference 3 Meta and VELA FS 409 are 3-way speakers.

Driver	KEF Reference 3 Meta	ELAC VELA FS 409
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1-inch	----inch
Midrange	1 x 5-inch	1 x 6-inch
Woofer	2 x 6.5-inch	2 x 7-inch

Reference 3 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the VELA FS 409 features a ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer .

Frequency Response

Reference 3 Meta has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz whereas VELA FS 409 has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the VELA FS 409 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 3 Meta's min frequency of 43Hz.

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

Reference 3 Meta

VELA FS 409

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

KEF Reference 3 Meta

ELAC VELA FS 409

Min

Average

Max

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

Reference 3 Meta and VELA FS 409 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Reference 3 Meta sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the VELA FS 409's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the ELAC VELA FS 409 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 3 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference 3 Meta and the Reference 3 Meta can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Reference 3 Meta

VELA FS 409

Min

Average

Max

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.

Reference 3 Meta can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA FS 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Reference 3 Meta.

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 Reference 3 Meta and VELA FS 409 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

KEF Reference 3 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

KEF Reference 3 Meta 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 Reference 3 Meta's and ELAC VELA FS 409's external dimensions. KEF Reference 3 Meta has external dimensions of 1207 x 323 x 467 mm ( 47.5 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.) whereas ELAC VELA FS 409 has external dimensions of 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm ( 52-3/8 x 10-15/16 x 13-9/16inch) .

ELAC VELA FS 409 is 45mm narrower and 122mm less deeper than KEF Reference 3 Meta but it is also 124mm taller.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 3 Meta and ELAC VELA FS 409 in scale.

Comparison image of KEF Reference 3 Meta and ELAC VELA FS 409 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 3 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm² / 233.8inch² and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 409 is approximately 959.1cm² / 148.7inch². The Reference 3 Meta requires 57% more surface area than the VELA FS 409 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Reference 3 Meta weighs 51.30kg / 112.9lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the Reference 3 Meta 59% heavier than the VELA FS 409.

Here is a comparison of how Reference 3 Meta and VELA FS 409's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers

KEF Reference 3 Meta

ELAC VELA FS 409

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of ELAC VELA FS 409?

Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 409:

Floorstanding loudspeaker

Base plate

2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)

4 Spikes

4 Pucks

4 Rubber pads

4 Machine screws

4 Washers

Hex-key

Operating And Safety Instructions

Reasons to choose KEF Reference 3 Meta over ELAC VELA FS 409

Max Input Power	300 watts vs 200 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Height	1207mm vs 1331mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Reasons to choose ELAC VELA FS 409 over KEF Reference 3 Meta

Sensitivity	89 dB vs 86 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	7 inches vs 6.5 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	28 Hz vs 43 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	50k Hz vs 35k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Base Surface Area	959cm² (278x345mm) vs 1508cm² (323x467mm)	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	7400USD vs 15000USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

KEF Reference 3 Meta vs ELAC VELA FS 409 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	KEF Reference 3 Meta	ELAC VELA FS 409
Brand	KEF	ELAC
Speaker Type	Floor-standing speaker	Floor-standing speaker
Power Range	50-300 watts	40-200 watts
Sensitivity	86 dB	89 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	4 ohms
Impedance	3.2 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	43-35k Hz	28-50k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	6.5"	7"
Woofer Composition	aluminium cone	Aluminum/Paper
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	---"
Tweeter Type	aluminium dome with MAT	handmade JET 5 folded ribbon
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	5"	6"
Crossover Frequency	450Hz and 2100Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	1207.0mm (47.5")	1331.0mm (52.4")
Width	323.0mm (12.7")	278.0mm (10.9")
Depth	467.0mm (18.4")	345.0mm (13.6")
Weight	51.30kg (112.9lbs)	32.18kg (70.8lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	n/a	MDF/Aluminum
Available Colors	High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver	Gloss Black
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 years	3 Years
Labor Warranty	5 years	3 Years