In this review, we will be comparing Reference 3 Meta and R7 Meta, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF R7 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Reference 3 Meta | KEF R7 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT | 1" Vented dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-35k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 51.30kg / 112.9lbs | 29.36kg / 64.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 47.5" x 12.7" x 18.4"
1207 x 323 x 467 mm | 43-3/4" x 12-1/4" x 15-1/8"
1112.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF R7 Meta 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 |
KEF R7 Meta |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.
Drivers
Both Reference 3 Meta and R7 Meta are 3-way speakers.
KEF Reference 3 MetaKEF R7 Meta
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 3 Meta |
KEF R7 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 R7 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Vented dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference 3 Meta has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz whereas R7 Meta has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the Reference 3 Meta can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R7 Meta's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
Reference 3 Meta and R7 Meta 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 R7 Meta's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF R7 Meta 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
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 3 Meta can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R7 Meta has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Reference 3 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 Reference 3 Meta and R7 Meta 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 R7 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Reference 3 Meta and R7 Meta 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 Reference 3 Meta 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 Reference 3 Meta's and KEF R7 Meta'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 KEF R7 Meta has external dimensions of 1112.0 x 312.0 x 385.0mm (43-3/4-inch x 12-1/4-inch x 15-1/8-inch).
KEF Reference 3 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 11mm wider, 95mm taller and 82mm deeper than KEF R7 Meta.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF R7 Meta in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF R7 Meta 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 KEF R7 Meta is approximately 1201.2cm2 / 186.2inch2. The Reference 3 Meta requires 26% more surface area than the R7 Meta 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 KEF R7 Meta weighs 29.36kg / 64.6lbs. This makes the Reference 3 Meta 75% heavier than the R7 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 3 Meta and R7 Meta'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 R7 Meta?
Here are the items that come with the R7 Meta:
- R7 Meta
- Microfiber grille
- Plinth and spike accessories
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
1112mm
vs
1207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1201cm2
vs
1508cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4998USD
vs
15000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
KEF R7 Meta |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
43-35k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
Vented dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
400Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1207.0mm (47.5") |
1112.0mm (43.8") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
467.0mm (18.4") |
385.0mm (15.2") |
| Weight |
51.30kg (112.9lbs) |
29.36kg (64.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut, Titanium Gloss Special Edition |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF Reference 3 Meta costs roughly 3x what KEF R7 Meta 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 | A | KEF Reference 3 Meta digs deeper - 43Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KEF R7 Meta is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | KEF R7 Meta is easier to place; KEF Reference 3 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF Reference 3 Meta: bi-amping; KEF R7 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KEF R7 Meta is cheaper - $4,998 against $15,000, about 67% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Reference 3 Meta B KEF R7 Meta
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R7 Meta much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Reference 3 Meta the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.