KEF Reference 4 Meta is a 3-way Passive Bass Reflex Center Channel speaker by KEF. Center channel speaker is an important component of a home theater system set-up as it delivers the listener significant part of the on-screen dialogue from your television. It features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter, 1 x 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 48-35k Hz and a sensitivity of 88 dB. KEF Reference 4 Meta has an MSRP of 8000$.
What size of room is the KEF Reference 4 Meta speaker good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use the KEF Reference 4 Meta is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various sizes of environments considering its size and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Are you nuts? |
| Small Room | Bad |
| Mid-size Room | Poor |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | 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.)
What are the speakers in KEF's Reference META Series?
Reference 4 Meta is a member of KEF's Reference META series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
KEF Reference META Series Speakers
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What is the Frequency Response of the KEF Reference 4 Meta speaker?
KEF Reference 4 Meta has a Frequency response range of 48-35k Hz at ±3dB (33Hz (-6dB)) and Power Range of 50-400 watts.
Here we have a comparison of how Reference 4 Meta's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
What is the Crossover frequency of KEF Reference 4 Meta?
Reference 4 Meta is a 3-way speaker and its crossover frequency between the woofer and the midrange set to 450Hz and the Crossover frequency between the midrange and the tweeter is set to 2100Hz.
What are the Impedance and Sensitivity of the KEF Reference 4 Meta? Is it an easy-to-drive speaker?
KEF Reference 4 Meta's nominal impedance level is
4 ohms but can go down to as low as
3.2 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
88 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Nominal Impedance of 4 Ohms means that the KEF Reference 4 Meta is a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective, make sure that you choose an amplifier than can provide 4 Ohms for this speaker.
Many AVRs (audio/video receiver) in the market may have difficulty when the speakers dip below the 4 Ohms levels (this may cause clipping or even physical damage), so we recommend to not pair the KEF Reference 4 Meta with an AVR but use an Integrated Amplifier instead.
Sensitivity
88dB of KEF Reference 4 Meta is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise.
Minimum Impedance of KEF Reference 4 Meta
Even though the nominal impedance of the Reference 4 Meta is 4 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to KEF is 3.2 ohms KEF Reference 4 Meta 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 Reference 4 Meta:
Input Type
Reference 4 Meta has Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can provide improvements in the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by running separate speaker wires to the low & high frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping allows the use of separate amplifiers for the high & low frequency drivers of your loudspeaker which may result in greater dynamic range & lower distortion.
KEF Reference 4 Meta Back View
KEF Reference 4 Meta External Dimensions and Weight
KEF Reference 4 Meta has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 8.1 x 42.9 x 18.2 in. (205 x 1090 x 463 mm ).
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 Reference 4 Meta is approximately 5046.7cm2 / 782.2inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of KEF Reference 4 Meta, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
KEF Reference 4 Meta Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
WeightThe KEF Reference 4 Meta weighs 45.20kg / 99.4lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Reference 4 Meta's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Weight
Center Channel Speakers under $10000
KEF Reference 4 Meta on a Stand
Cabinet type and Materials
KEF Reference 4 Meta has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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.
Port Position
KEF Reference 4 Meta 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.
Available colors
KEF Reference 4 Meta is available in High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/ Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper and Satin Walnut/Silver.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the KEF Reference 4 Meta, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for KEF Reference 4 Meta
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the KEF Reference 4 Meta speaker:
Official Brochure for KEF Reference 4 Meta
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the KEF Reference 4 Meta speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for KEF Reference 4 Meta
Warranty
5 years of parts warranty and 5 years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.
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