KEF R7 is a 3-way Passive Bass Reflex Floor-standing speaker by KEF. It was released in 2018. It features a 1" Dome Tweeter, 1 x 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz and a sensitivity of 88 dB. KEF R7 has an MSRP of 4500$ per pair but can often be found around 3600$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the KEF R7 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 | Average |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | 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.)
KEF later replaced R7 with R7 Meta. Follow the link to read our in-depth comparison of these speakers:
Compare KEF R7 vs KEF R7 Meta
KEF's R Series of Loudspeakers
R7 is a member of KEF's R series of Passive speakers. The R Series is KEF's high-end range, using an eleventh-generation Uni-Q driver in premium cabinets. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 5 KEF R models compared »
KEF R Series Speakers
Frequency Response of the KEF R7 Speaker
KEF R7 has a Frequency response range of 48-28k Hz and Power Range of 15-250 watts. With a minimum frequency of 48 Hz, R7 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Here we have a comparison of how R7's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the KEF R7?
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 R7's 48Hz:
Crossover frequency of the KEF R7?
R7 is a 3-way speaker and its crossover frequency between the woofer and the midrange is set to 400 Hz and the crossover frequency between the midrange and the tweeter is set to 2900 Hz.
Impedance and Sensitivity
KEF R7's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
3.2 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
88 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so KEF R7 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
88dB of the KEF R7 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise. Work out how loud the KEF R7 plays in your room →
Minimum Impedance of the KEF R7
Even though the nominal impedance of the R7 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to KEF is 3.2 ohms KEF R7 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
What amplifier does the KEF R7 need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
12–190 W
per channel into 8 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $5,000, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
R7 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.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
KEF R7's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R7 External Dimensions and Weight
KEF R7 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 43-13/16 x 8 x 15-5/16inch (1113.0 x 200.0 x 389.0mm ).
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 R7 is approximately 778.0cm2 / 120.6inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of KEF R7, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
KEF R7 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the KEF R7 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a media center to get a better idea about the size.
KEF R7 Floor-standing Speaker next to a Media Stand
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe KEF R7 weighs 31.40kg / 69.1lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how R7'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 R7 compare to the KEF R11?
One of the natural alternative to the KEF R7 is the R11 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 R7 and KEF R11 Size and External Dimensions
Check the Detailed Comparison of KEF R7 vs R11 for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
KEF R7 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 R7 comes with the parts below which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on:
- 2 Stabilizer-bars
- 4 Spike feet
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.
KEF R7 Feet
Port Position
KEF R7 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. R7 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.
Available colors
KEF R7 is available in Black Gloss, White Gloss and Walnut.
Does the KEF R7 come with a Grille?
R7 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 R7 with Grille
What's in the Box of KEF R7?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R7:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the KEF R7.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the KEF R7, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for KEF R7
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the KEF R7 speaker:
Official Brochure for KEF R7
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the KEF R7 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for KEF R7
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.
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