KEF R5 is a 3-way Passive Bass Reflex Floor-standing speaker by KEF. It features a 1" Dome Tweeter, 1 x 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz and a sensitivity of 87 dB. KEF R5 has an MSRP of 3300$ per pair but can often be found around 2600$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the KEF R5 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Bad |
| Small Room | Poor |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | 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.)
KEF R5 Speaker Structure
KEF's R Series of Loudspeakers
R5 is a member of KEF's R series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
KEF R Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the KEF R5 Speaker
KEF R5 has a Frequency response range of 58-28k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 15-200 watts. With a minimum frequency of 58 Hz, R5 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
To focus on the subwoofers that are in a similar price range with KEF R5, check out the Powered Subwoofers under $5000. Alternatively, find the Full list of Powered Subwoofers regardless of the price.
Here we have a comparison of how R5's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
KEF R5's Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 5000$ (Pair), these are the 5 Passive Floor-standing speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the KEF R5's 58Hz:
Crossover frequency of the KEF R5?
R5 is a 3-way speaker and its crossover frequency between the woofer and the midrange set to 400Hz and the Crossover frequency between the midrange and the tweeter is set to 2900Hz.
Impedance and Sensitivity
KEF R5's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
3.2 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
87 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so KEF R5 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 87 dB, KEF R5 is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D amps.
Minimum Impedance of the KEF R5
Even though the nominal impedance of the R5 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to KEF is 3.2 ohms KEF R5 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the KEF R5:
Input Type
R5 has Binding post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
KEF R5's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R5 External Dimensions and Weight
KEF R5 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 42-3/8 x 10-3/4 x 13-13/16inch (1077.0 x 274.0 x 351.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of KEF R5 is approximately 961.7cm2 / 149.1inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of KEF R5, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
KEF R5 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the KEF R5 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a media center to get a better idea about the size.
KEF R5 Floor-standing Speaker next to a Media Stand
WeightThe KEF R5 weighs 27.30kg / 60.1lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how R5's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Weight
Floor-standing Speakers under $5000
How does the KEF R5 compare to the KEF R7?
One of the natural alternative to the KEF R5 is the R7 which is located one step higher in KEF's Passive Floor-standing selection.
Here is a scaled size comparison of these two speakers to give you an idea how their external dimensions compare:
Comparison image of KEF R5 and KEF R7 Size and External Dimensions
Check the Detailed Comparison of KEF R5 vs R7 for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
KEF R5 has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a MDF/Lacquer finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Speaker Feet
KEF R5 comes with the parts below which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on:
4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Port Position
KEF R5 is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe. R5 comes with
2 Two-piece foam port plugs so if you don't have any choice but place the speakers too close to the walls or other surfaces, you can use these plugs in order to avoid boomy or too much bass.
KEF R5 Port
Available colors
KEF R5 is available in Black Gloss, White Gloss and Walnut.
Does the KEF R5 come with a Grille?
R5 comes with removable grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible.
KEF R5 with Grille
What's in the Box of KEF R5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R5:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Foam port plugs4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes4 Protective discs4 Screws4 WashersWrenchHex-keyUser ManualWarranty Information
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the KEF R5.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the KEF R5, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for KEF R5
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the KEF R5 speaker:
Official Brochure for KEF R5
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the KEF R5 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for KEF R5
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.
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