In this review, we will be comparing Reference 5 Meta and Reference 3 Meta, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 5 Meta and KEF Reference 3 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Reference 5 Meta | KEF Reference 3 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" aluminium dome with MAT |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone | 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-35k Hz | 43-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 60.20kg / 132.4lbs | 51.30kg / 112.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 55.2" x 12.7" x 18.4"
1402 x 323 x 467 mm | 47.5" x 12.7" x 18.4"
1207 x 323 x 467 mm |
|---|
Reference 5 Meta and Reference 3 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 5 Meta and KEF Reference 3 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 5 Meta |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Reference 5 Meta and Reference 3 Meta are 3-way speakers.
KEF Reference 5 MetaKEF Reference 3 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 5 Meta |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Reference 5 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 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.
Frequency Response
Reference 5 Meta has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz whereas Reference 3 Meta has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Reference 5 Meta can go slightly deeper then the Reference 3 Meta's min frequency of 43Hz.
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 5 Meta and Reference 3 Meta have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Reference 5 Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Reference 3 Meta's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF Reference 5 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 5 Meta and the Reference 5 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 5 Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Reference 3 Meta has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Reference 5 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 5 Meta and Reference 3 Meta features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 5 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Reference 5 Meta and Reference 3 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 5 Meta's and KEF Reference 3 Meta's external dimensions. KEF Reference 5 Meta has external dimensions of 1402 x 323 x 467 mm (55.2 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.) whereas KEF Reference 3 Meta has external dimensions of 1207 x 323 x 467 mm (47.5 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 5 Meta and KEF Reference 3 Meta in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 5 Meta and KEF Reference 3 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 5 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2 and base area of the KEF Reference 3 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2.
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 5 Meta weighs 60.20kg / 132.4lbs and the KEF Reference 3 Meta weighs 51.30kg / 112.9lbs. This makes the Reference 5 Meta 17% heavier than the Reference 3 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 5 Meta and Reference 3 Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1207mm
vs
1402mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
15000USD
vs
22000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 5 Meta |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-35k Hz |
43-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
aluminium cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
aluminium dome with MAT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1402.0mm (55.2") |
1207.0mm (47.5") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
467.0mm (18.4") |
467.0mm (18.4") |
| Weight |
60.20kg (132.4lbs) |
51.30kg (112.9lbs) |
| 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 |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
Siblings in KEF's Reference META series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | KEF Reference 5 Meta digs deeper - 40Hz against 43Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KEF Reference 5 Meta is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | KEF Reference 5 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 | depends | KEF Reference 5 Meta: bi-amping; KEF Reference 3 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KEF Reference 3 Meta is cheaper - $15,000 against $22,000, about 32% less. |
A KEF Reference 5 Meta B KEF Reference 3 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?
The usual trade-off: KEF Reference 5 Meta measures better, KEF Reference 3 Meta costs about about 47% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KEF Reference 5 Meta is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $7,000 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.