In this review, we will be comparing Gold 50 6G and R3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and KEF R3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" HDT C-CAM Woofer
- 55 Hz - 60 kHz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:8.52kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 321.0" x 7-5/16" x 11-15/16"( 186.0 x 321.0 x 304.0mm )
KEF R3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 6.5" Hybrid aluminum Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-180watts
- Weight:13.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 423.0" x 7-13/16" x 13-1/4"( 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm )
What size room are the Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and KEF R3 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* |
Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G |
KEF R3 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and KEF R3 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 Gold 50 6G is a 2-way design whereas the R3 is a 3-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 |
Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G |
KEF R3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Gold 50 6G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter and 1 x 6" HDT C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.5 kHz. On the other hand, the R3 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Hybrid aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Gold 50 6G has a frequency range of 55 Hz - 60 kHz whereas R3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the R3 can go slightly deeper then the Gold 50 6G's min frequency of 55Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Gold 50 6G is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R3 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 Gold 50 6G can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Gold 50 6G sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the R3's is rated at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF R3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Gold 50 6G can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Gold 50 6G has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 30 watts less than the R3.
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
Both Gold 50 6G and R3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R3 Port
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 Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G's and KEF R3's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G has external dimensions of 186.0 x 321.0 x 304.0mm ( 7-5/16 x 12-5/8 x 11-15/16) whereas KEF R3 has external dimensions of 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm ( 16-5/8 x 7-13/16 x 13-1/4inch) .
KEF R3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 13mm wider, 102mm taller and 33mm deeper than Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and KEF R3 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and KEF R3 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 Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G is approximately 975.8cm2 / 151.2inch2 and base area of the KEF R3 is approximately 670.6cm2 / 103.9inch2. The Gold 50 6G requires 46% more surface area than the R3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and KEF R3 on a Media Console