In this review, we will be comparing Reference 4 Meta and C426Be, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 4 Meta and Revel C426Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Reference 4 Meta | Revel C426Be |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5-1/4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone | 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-35k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 45.20kg / 99.4lbs | 33.05kg / 72.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8.1" x 42.9" x 18.2"
205 x 1090 x 463 mm | 12-5/16" x 38-5/8" x 14-1/16"
313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Reference 4 Meta and Revel C426Be 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 |
Revel C426Be |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| 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 4 Meta and C426Be are 3-way speakers.
KEF Reference 4 MetaRevel C426Be
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 4 Meta |
Revel C426Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-1/4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 6.5-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 C426Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter, a 5-1/4" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating Woofer.
Frequency Response
Reference 4 Meta has a frequency range of 48-35k Hz whereas C426Be has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the C426Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 4 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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 4 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the C426Be 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 C426Be's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel C426Be 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Reference 4 Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas C426Be has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Reference 4 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
Reference 4 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. C426Be 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
Revel C426Be's Binding post terminals
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 4 Meta's and Revel C426Be'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 Revel C426Be has external dimensions of 313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm (12-5/16 x 38-5/8 x 14-1/16inch).
Revel C426Be is 108mm narrower and 105mm less deeper than KEF Reference 4 Meta but it is also 108mm taller.
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 Revel C426Be is approximately 3515.6cm2 / 544.9inch2. The Reference 4 Meta requires 44% more surface area than the C426Be 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 Revel C426Be weighs 33.05kg / 72.7lbs. This makes the Reference 4 Meta 37% heavier than the C426Be.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 4 Meta and C426Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Revel C426Be?
Here are the items that come with the C426Be:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Feet assembly
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
205mm
vs
313mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
3515cm2
vs
5046cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4950USD
vs
8000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 4 Meta |
Revel C426Be |
| Brand |
KEF |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-35k Hz |
38-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5-1/4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
205.0mm (8.1") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Width |
1090.0mm (42.9") |
982.0mm (38.7") |
| Depth |
463.0mm (18.2") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Weight |
45.20kg (99.4lbs) |
33.05kg (72.7lbs) |
| 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 |
Walnut |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - KEF Reference 4 Meta costs roughly 1.6x what Revel C426Be 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 | B | Revel C426Be digs deeper - 38Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Revel C426Be is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel C426Be is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | KEF Reference 4 Meta takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | KEF Reference 4 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Revel C426Be is cheaper - $4,950 against $8,000, about 38% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Reference 4 Meta B Revel C426Be
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?
Revel C426Be has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Reference 4 Meta the better fit for a very large room, and Revel C426Be for a mid-size room.
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.