In this review, we will be comparing SourcePoint 888 and Reference 3 Meta, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MoFi and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MoFi SourcePoint 888 and KEF Reference 3 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MoFi SourcePoint 888 | KEF Reference 3 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | MoFi
United States · founded 2016 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" wide roll soft dome | 1" aluminium dome with MAT |
|---|
| Midrange | 8" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Paper-pulp | 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-30k Hz | 43-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 200 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 43.00kg / 94.6lbs | 51.30kg / 112.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42.1" x 12.6" x 16.1"
1070 x 320 x 410mm | 47.5" x 12.7" x 18.4"
1207 x 323 x 467 mm |
|---|
What size room are the MoFi SourcePoint 888 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* |
MoFi SourcePoint 888 |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 SourcePoint 888 and Reference 3 Meta are 3-way speakers.
MoFi SourcePoint 888KEF 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 |
MoFi SourcePoint 888 |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 8-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
SourcePoint 888 features a 1.25" wide roll soft dome Tweeter, a 8" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper-pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 130Hz and 1.6kHz . 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
SourcePoint 888 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz whereas Reference 3 Meta has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the SourcePoint 888 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
SourcePoint 888 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Reference 3 Meta which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 3 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SourcePoint 888 sensitivity is rated at 87dB and the Reference 3 Meta's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MoFi SourcePoint 888 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 3 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 3 Meta can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas SourcePoint 888 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Reference 3 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 SourcePoint 888 and Reference 3 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SourcePoint 888 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 MoFi SourcePoint 888's and KEF Reference 3 Meta's external dimensions. MoFi SourcePoint 888 has external dimensions of 1070 x 320 x 410mm (42.1 x 12.6 x 16.1 inch) whereas KEF Reference 3 Meta has external dimensions of 1207 x 323 x 467 mm (47.5 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.).
KEF Reference 3 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 137mm taller and 57mm deeper than MoFi SourcePoint 888.
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 MoFi SourcePoint 888 is approximately 1312.0cm2 / 203.4inch2 and base area of the KEF Reference 3 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2. The SourcePoint 888 requires 13% less surface area than the Reference 3 Meta which gives it a small advantage 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 MoFi SourcePoint 888 weighs 43.00kg / 94.6lbs and the KEF Reference 3 Meta weighs 51.30kg / 112.9lbs. This makes the Reference 3 Meta 19% heavier than the SourcePoint 888.
Here is a comparison of how SourcePoint 888 and Reference 3 Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.5 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1070mm
vs
1207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1312cm2
vs
1508cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4999USD
vs
15000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
MoFi SourcePoint 888 |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
| Brand |
MoFi |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 200 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.5 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-30k Hz |
43-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper-pulp |
aluminium cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
wide roll soft dome |
aluminium dome with MAT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
8" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
130Hz and 1.6kHz |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
1207.0mm (47.5") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
410.0mm (16.1") |
467.0mm (18.4") |
| Weight |
43.00kg (94.6lbs) |
51.30kg (112.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, Satin White |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF Reference 3 Meta costs roughly 3x what MoFi SourcePoint 888 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 | A | MoFi SourcePoint 888 digs deeper - 32Hz against 43Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | MoFi SourcePoint 888 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | KEF Reference 3 Meta takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MoFi SourcePoint 888 is easier to place; KEF Reference 3 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | MoFi SourcePoint 888: bi-amping; KEF Reference 3 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | MoFi SourcePoint 888 is cheaper - $4,999 against $15,000, about 67% less; arguably a different class. |
A MoFi SourcePoint 888 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?
MoFi SourcePoint 888 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 43Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate MoFi SourcePoint 888 the better fit for a mid-size room, and KEF Reference 3 Meta for a very large 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.