What amplifier does the KEF R8 Meta need?

Pick a speaker and tell us how loud you listen and how big the room is. We work out the power it actually needs, check which amplifiers can safely drive its impedance, and rank 297 amplifiers against it.

Your system

Four questions. Nothing is hidden on price.

Passive speakers only - a powered speaker already has its amplifier inside.
Changes the order only. Nothing is hidden for costing too little or too much.
KEF R8 Meta
KEF R8 Meta
Surround
85 dB · 4 ohm
$1,800 a pair
Full specs →
Power needed
47–755 W
per channel, into 4 ohms

To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of KEF R8 Meta, you need at least 47 W a channel. Anything from about 95 W to 755 W a channel is comfortable; past that, more watts stop buying you anything.

Show the working
  • 95 dB target at the seat
  • +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
  • -3 dB for a stereo pair
  • -80.0 dB effective sensitivity
  • 3.0 dB taken off to convert the 4 ohm 2.83V rating to dB per watt
  • 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
  • Published sensitivity 85 dB, used as 80.0 dB per watt.

Marantz Model 10 with the KEF R8 Meta

Excellent match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (250 W to 500 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Full Marantz Model 10 specs · Clear this amp
 
$90 $25,000

178 integrated amplifiers suit the KEF R8 Meta

Also show the 76 we do not recommend
1
Peachtree Carina
Peachtree Carina
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 300 W into 8 ohms · $1,999
Excellent match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (300 W to 580 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
Peachtree nova300
Peachtree nova300
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 300 W into 8 ohms · $1,499
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (300 W to 450 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Onkyo Muse Y-50
Onkyo Muse Y-50
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 125 W into 8 ohms · $1,500
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Emotiva BasX TA2+
Emotiva BasX TA2+
Stereo Receiver · Class A/B · 135 W into 8 ohms · $1,299
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (135 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
Buchardt I150
Buchardt I150
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 150 W into 8 ohms · $2,500
Excellent match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
6
Cambridge Audio Evo 300
Cambridge Audio Evo 300
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 300 W into 8 ohms · $3,999
Excellent match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (300 W to 550 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
7
Naim CI-Uniti 102
Naim CI-Uniti 102
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 150 W into 8 ohms · $1,499
Good match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 260 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
8
Peachtree nova150
Peachtree nova150
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 150 W into 8 ohms · $1,199
Good match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 250 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
9
Anthem STR
Anthem STR
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $5,000
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
10
Rotel RA-1592 MKII
Rotel RA-1592 MKII
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $3,200
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 350 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
11
Rogue Audio Sphinx v3
Rogue Audio Sphinx v3
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $1,795
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
12
NAD Masters Series M33
NAD Masters Series M33
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $5,999
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
13
Sonos Amp
Sonos Amp
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 125 W into 8 ohms · $699
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
14
Marantz Model 10
Marantz Model 10
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 250 W into 8 ohms · $15,000
Excellent match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (250 W to 500 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
15
Marantz PM-10
Marantz PM-10
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $8,999
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
16
NAD Masters Series M33 V2
NAD Masters Series M33 V2
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $7,399
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
17
AudioControl Rialto 600
AudioControl Rialto 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
18
AudioControl Bijou 600
AudioControl Bijou 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
19
Rotel Diamond RA-6000
Rotel Diamond RA-6000
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $4,500
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 350 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
20
Michi Prestige X430
Michi Prestige X430
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 220 W into 8 ohms · $4,999
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (220 W to 340 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.

Showing the best 20 of 178. Narrow it with the price range below, or a different budget split.

43 power amplifiers that would also drive them

Listed separately because they are not a complete system: a power amplifier has no volume control and no inputs to speak of, so you need a preamplifier or a streaming preamp as well. Worth it if you already own one, or if you want to buy the two halves separately.

1
Parasound JCM250
Parasound JCM250
Power Amplifier · Class A/AB · 250 W into 8 ohms · $4,250
Excellent match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 1 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (250 W to 450 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
2
Eversolo AMP-F10
Eversolo AMP-F10
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $2,480
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 320 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
T+A M 200
T+A M 200
Power Amplifier · Class D · 210 W into 8 ohms · $5,995
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (210 W to 420 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
4
Parasound NewClassic 2125 v.2
Parasound NewClassic 2125 v.2
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 150 W into 8 ohms · $1,250
Good match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 225 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
Michi Prestige S430
Michi Prestige S430
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 250 W into 8 ohms · $3,999
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (250 W to 390 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
6
Mark Levinson No.534
Mark Levinson No.534
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 250 W into 8 ohms · $25,000
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (250 W to 500 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
7
Audio Research S-200
Audio Research S-200
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $12,950
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
8
Parasound Halo A23+
Parasound Halo A23+
Power Amplifier · Class A/AB · 160 W into 8 ohms · $2,500
Good match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 755 W.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (160 W to 240 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
Were these amplifier recommendations useful?
It helps us tune the matching, and we read every comment.

Sensitivity and impedance figures are the manufacturer's own. We read sensitivity as dB at 2.83 V/1 m and take 2 dB off it, because published figures run high. Treat the result as a well-founded starting point, not a measurement. Full KEF R8 Meta specs.

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