In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by KEF. KEF Reference 3 Meta is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Reference 4 Meta is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF Reference 4 Meta 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 )
KEF Reference 4 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 48-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-400watts
- Weight:45.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 205.0" x 42.9" x 18.2"( 205 x 1090 x 463 mm )
Reference 3 Meta and Reference 4 Meta are members of KEF's Reference META series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
KEF Reference META Series History
What size room are the KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF Reference 4 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 Reference 4 Meta |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Bad |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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 KEF Reference 4 Meta 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 Reference 3 Meta and Reference 4 Meta are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
KEF Reference 4 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
|
4 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 Reference 4 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference 3 Meta has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz whereas Reference 4 Meta has a frequency range of 48-35k 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 Reference 4 Meta's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
Reference 3 Meta and Reference 4 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 Reference 4 Meta's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF Reference 4 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. 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 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Reference 3 Meta has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Reference 4 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 Reference 4 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 Reference 4 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 Reference 4 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
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 KEF Reference 4 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 Reference 4 Meta has external dimensions of 205 x 1090 x 463 mm ( 8.1 x 42.9 x 18.2 in.) .
KEF Reference 4 Meta is 1002mm shorter and 4mm less deeper than KEF Reference 3 Meta but it is also 767mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF Reference 4 Meta in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 3 Meta and KEF Reference 4 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 Reference 4 Meta is approximately 5046.7cm2 / 782.2inch2. The Reference 3 Meta requires 70% less surface area than the Reference 4 Meta which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Low Frequency Response 
Base Surface Area 
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Height 
Price per pair*