KEF R3 Speaker Review

[jendra]

but you already pushed them? or you push the shadow flare when he said that thing?
Push them with left and right thumb, i found extremely easy to push them inside

I already pushed them in some before taking the measurement.

 

[aarons915]

Maybe?
that measurement was with the umik 1? a little weird because the highs seems to be roll off

The highs are about right for in room response, I would EQ the 3.5k peak which seems to vary among different R3's for some reason. Mine had a peak more centered around 3100Hz, not sure if that is just some kind of tolerance issue or possibly changes based on the shadow flare position. I do know that the whole shadow flare issue makes me glad I have the LS50 that doesn't rely on it, way too much variance in my opinion.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

The highs are about right for in room response, I would EQ the 3.5k peak which seems to vary among different R3's for some reason. Mine had a peak more centered around 3100Hz, not sure if that is just some kind of tolerance issue or possibly changes based on the shadow flare position. I do know that the whole shadow flare issue makes me glad I have the LS50 that doesn't rely on it, way too much variance in my opinion.

there is no variance with the shadow flare thing... with 2 thombs and 30 second you fix the problem.. i saw some Q series with the same thing, don't know if the ls50 too, because when you push the shadow flare, it remain in the same place for a long time..

 

[aarons915]

there is no variance with the shadow flare thing... with 2 thombs and 30 second you fix the problem.. i saw some Q series with the same thing, don't know if the ls50 too, because when you push the shadow flare, it remain in the same place for a long time..

Yes if you know about the problem and how to fix it sure, the percentage of people who even know about the issue is likely very low. With any kind of manufacturing you don't want it to be possible for something like a shadow flare position to be able to alter your design intent, they should have implemented some kind of mistake proofing into the assembly to prevent the problem.

 

[Laserjock]

Thinking about moving from original LS50's to R3's.

I have a question about heat. My room setup is far from ideal, and the LS 50's have been located about a foot away from "old school" radiators (not baseboards), and that's where the R3's will have to be placed as well.

Will the wooden veneer if the R3's suffer any deleterious effects from being this close to a heat source? Thanks.

Check the temp and see what KEF says?

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Yes if you know about the problem and how to fix it sure, the percentage of people who even know about the issue is likely very low. With any kind of manufacturing you don't want it to be possible for something like a shadow flare position to be able to alter your design intent, they should have implemented some kind of mistake proofing into the assembly to prevent the problem.

i aggre, i fact i buyed my R7s to a guy that doesnt knew that shadow flare thing, after buying them to him i asked why he sold them, he said the mids sound weird, well was the shadow flare...

But you and me know the shadow flare thing, so isn't a issue at all, for example

 

[Laserjock]

If anyone knows, I have a similar question - one of my gloss black R3's is near windows, in the sun all day every day. Anything I can/should do to keep it nice & shiny?

Get someone to tint the window. Doesn’t even have to be dark but the window tints have UV protections

 

[Streamc]

Just pushed Shadow flare and I do not like how it looks now. "Smart" move. No see difference in sound. I want to move them back in exact same position they were before. Not simple task

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Just pushed Shadow flare and I do not like how it looks now. "Smart" move. No see difference in sound. I want to move them back in exact same position they were before. Not simple task

Uh???

 

[Streamc]

Uh???

Hard to put 100 percent back. Photo shows them now when I move back

 

[jgiannakas]

Hard to put 100 percent back. Photo shows them now when I move back

that’s not where it’s supposed to be you’re missing out on midrange performance from an otherwise excellent speaker!!

 

[Zvu]

It looks uglier to me with flare sticking out like that.

 

[Streamc]

that’s not where it’s supposed to be you’re missing out on midrange performance from an otherwise excellent speaker!!

I need UMIK. I would by them. ) I miss many things. I need to correct my room.

 

[Streamc]

It looks uglier to me with flare sticking out like that.

I do not positioned them as they were. Also there 2 bad postions. 1) Deep in hole where you can see slot on wood 2) Sticked out. What worse?
I do not like that KEF made them not in full position by default so user can just push them by digging plastic in holes. I do not like this half positioning. I really want to push them to maximum and I always can. A also add +2db on EQ on 13000 Hz. I like more that frequencies.

 

[Matias]

Erin reviewed the R5:
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_r5/

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Erin reviewed the R5:
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_r5/

Lol i didn't realize how small it's in comparison vs r7
r5:

r7:

 

[Matias]

Here is an overlay of the R3 (bold lines) and the R5 (transparent lines).

To me bass extension is the same, but the R3 is smoother specially in the midrange, while being a little brighter too.

 

[Streamc]

Is high frequencies with this speaker? I use TPA3255 Ayima 07 (Meanwell power supply) with no correction and feel lack of high frequencies. I heard it with MS6S in soundroom and feeled some lack of HF. I listen at hom now.
Maybe it is signature cause I even heard it through youtube on 660S comparing to Genelec8351.
But is there recommendations to get more HF?

 

[jgiannakas]

Is high frequencies with this speaker? I use TPA3255 Ayima 07 (Meanwell power supply) with no correction and feel lack of high frequencies. I heard it with MS6S in soundroom and feeled some lack of HF. I listen at hom now.
Maybe it is signature cause I even heard it through youtube on 660S comparing to Genelec8351.
But is there recommendations to get more HF?

From my experience owning the R3 is that its generally neutral with a very small hint of brightness in the highs. Any more and it would be very much coloured. If you want intense highs then you want a B&W speaker, but they are not neutral by any means, so they will colour your sound!

 

[tecnogadget]

Is high frequencies with this speaker? I use TPA3255 Ayima 07 (Meanwell power supply) with no correction and feel lack of high frequencies. I heard it with MS6S in soundroom and feeled some lack of HF. I listen at hom now.
Maybe it is signature cause I even heard it through youtube on 660S comparing to Genelec8351.
But is there recommendations to get more HF?

Listen to them On-Axis (Uni-Q tweeter pointing directly at you) and you will get a very flat high frequency response (which could be for too much HF for some people).
I listen to my R3 without Toe-In looking straight, because I prefer that wider soundstage instead of the focused presentation that toe-in gives.
And to compensate for that High Frequency roll-off I’ve set the AVR tone control to +2db starting at 2,4kHz.

This are R3's in Stock form, no Toe-In, listening position at perfect equilateral triangle, R3's acoustic center spaced by 253cm, Mic 0º at listening position. SVS SB-1000 Pro with 3 built in PEQ active.

And here the same thing but the Tone Control in AVR activated, and the SVS sub level raised by 2dB.

Analysing the graphs, its possible that the top measurement was done with wrong mic cal file, because the HF difference is bigger than what the Tone Control should do. Mind that this is the very first week with the SVS sub and this measurements are the result of a first one day integration attempt (which still looks quite good for the low effort).

My advise for better measurements without much disturbances on HF, is to push the Shadow Flare inwards, measure on listening position where an exact equidistant triangle forms with the speakers, use 0º mic at ear level facing to the speakers, take away your couch, sofa, coffee table and anything that's on the way of the listening position and is not a really big fixed furniture. And don't panic about shit coming out of 1/24 smoothing, go for Psychoacoustics/Variable or 1/6, 1/3 but don't go lower than that.