KEF Reference 4 Meta vs Klipsch R-34C Comparison

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KEF Reference 4 Meta

Passive Center Channel | 48-35k Hz

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Klipsch R-34C

Passive Center Channel | 82-21k Hz

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KEF Reference 4 Meta

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Klipsch R-34C

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KEF Reference 4 Meta

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Klipsch R-34C

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KEF Reference 4 Meta vs Klipsch R-34C Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Reference 4 Meta and R-34C, 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 R-34C 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 R-34C Key Specs

2-way Design

1" Tractrix horn Tweeter

4 x 3.5" copper spun IMG Woofer

82-21k Hz Frequency Response

96 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:up to 100watts

Weight:5.91kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 126.0" x 26-1/16" x 6-1/4"( 126.0 x 662.0 x 159.0mm )

What size room are the KEF Reference 4 Meta and Klipsch R-34C 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 R-34C
Near-field	Are you nuts?	Average
Small Room	Bad	Good
Mid-size Room	Poor	Average
Large Room	Good	Poor
Very Large Room	Good	Bad

(* 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 R-34C 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

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reference 4 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the R-34C 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 R-34C
Driver Setup	3-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	1 x 5-inch	-
Woofer	4 x 6.5-inch	4 x 3.5-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 R-34C features a 1" aluminum Tractrix horn Tweeter and 4 x 3.5" copper spun IMG Woofer .

Frequency Response

Reference 4 Meta has a frequency range of 48-35k Hz whereas R-34C has a frequency range of 82-21k 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 R-34C's min frequency of 82Hz.

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

Reference 4 Meta

R-34C

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

KEF Reference 4 Meta

Klipsch R-34C

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 4 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R-34C 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 R-34C's is rated at 96 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-34C a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 4 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

Reference 4 Meta

R-34C

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 4 Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-34C has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 300 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. R-34C 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 R-34C'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 R-34C'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 R-34C has external dimensions of 126.0 x 662.0 x 159.0mm ( 4-15/16 x 26-1/16 x 6-1/4inch) .

KEF Reference 4 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 428mm wider, 79mm taller and 304mm deeper than Klipsch R-34C.

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 R-34C is approximately 1052.6cm² / 163.2inch². The Reference 4 Meta requires 379% more surface area than the R-34C 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 4 Meta weighs 45.20kg / 99.4lbs and the Klipsch R-34C weighs 5.91kg / 13lbs. This makes the Reference 4 Meta 665% heavier than the R-34C.

Here is a comparison of how Reference 4 Meta and R-34C's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers

KEF Reference 4 Meta

Klipsch R-34C

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of Klipsch R-34C?

Here are the items that come with the R-34C:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille (installed)

8 Self-adhesive rubber feet

Quick Setup Guide

Important Safety Instructions

Warranty Information

Reasons to choose KEF Reference 4 Meta over Klipsch Reference R-34C

Max Input Power	400 watts vs 100 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Driver Setup	3-way vs 2-way	Have a dedicated mid-range driver
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 3.5 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	48 Hz vs 82 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	35k Hz vs 21k Hz	Generates higher frequency

Reasons to choose Klipsch Reference R-34C over KEF Reference 4 Meta

Sensitivity	96 dB vs 88 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 4 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Height	126mm vs 205mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	1052cm² (662x159mm) vs 5046cm² (1090x463mm)	Takes less floor space

KEF Reference 4 Meta vs Klipsch R-34C Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	KEF Reference 4 Meta	Klipsch Reference R-34C
Brand	KEF	Klipsch
Speaker Type	Center channel speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	50-400 watts	up to 100 watts
Sensitivity	88 dB	96 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	3.2 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	48-35k Hz	82-21k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	4	4
Woofer Size	6.5"	3.5"
Woofer Composition	aluminium cone	copper spun IMG
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	n/a
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	aluminium dome with MAT	Tractrix horn
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	5"	N/A"
Crossover Frequency	450Hz and 2100Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	205.0mm (8.1")	126.0mm (5")
Width	1090.0mm (42.9")	662.0mm (26.1")
Depth	463.0mm (18.2")	159.0mm (6.3")
Weight	45.20kg (99.4lbs)	5.91kg (13lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	n/a	textured wood grain viny
Available Colors	High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/ Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver	Black
Grille	n/a	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	n/a
Other
Parts Warranty	5 years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 years	5 Years