In this review, we will be comparing Reference 4 Meta and RP-404C II, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 4 Meta and Klipsch RP-404C II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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
- 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 )
Klipsch RP-404C II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 4 x 4" Cerametallic cone Woofer
- 87-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 125watts
- Weight:9.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 147.0" x 26-7/8" x 6-1/2"( 147.0 x 683.0 x 166.0mm )
What size room are the KEF Reference 4 Meta and Klipsch RP-404C II 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 4 Meta |
Klipsch RP-404C II |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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 4 Meta and Klipsch RP-404C II 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reference 4 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the RP-404C II 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.
| Driver |
KEF Reference 4 Meta |
Klipsch RP-404C II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 4-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the RP-404C II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 4 x 4" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1900 Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference 4 Meta has a frequency range of 48-35k Hz whereas RP-404C II has a frequency range of 87-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Reference 4 Meta can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RP-404C II's min frequency of 87Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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 4 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RP-404C II 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 Reference 4 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 4 Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the RP-404C II's is rated at 94 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-404C II a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 4 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. 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 4 Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-404C II has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 275 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
Reference 4 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. RP-404C II has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 4 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RP-404C II's Binding post terminals
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 4 Meta's and Klipsch RP-404C II's external dimensions. KEF Reference 4 Meta has external dimensions of 205 x 1090 x 463 mm ( 8.1 x 42.9 x 18.2 in.) whereas Klipsch RP-404C II has external dimensions of 147.0 x 683.0 x 166.0mm ( 5-3/4 x 26-7/8 x 6-1/2inch) .
KEF Reference 4 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 407mm wider, 58mm taller and 297mm deeper than Klipsch RP-404C II.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 4 Meta and Klipsch RP-404C II in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 4 Meta and Klipsch RP-404C II 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 4 Meta is approximately 5046.7cm2 / 782.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-404C II is approximately 1133.8cm2 / 175.7inch2. The Reference 4 Meta requires 345% more surface area than the RP-404C II which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.