• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

KEF LS50 Meta vs KEF R3

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
R2C is not as good as R3
R2C is designed for center duties for a reason. Fitting an R3 under a screen is a pain in the ass. Plus R2C has the benefit of being sealed, thus less interaction with backwall, and less chances of activating room modes. Two bass drivers so less distortion where it matters for the speaker intended to carry the weight of the soundtracks.
I think you are carrying your self over that weird dip that shows on Erins measurements. Mine doesn’t show it at all. I’ve extensively measured my R3’s and R2C and I don’t regret buying a center, the tonal balance matches.
 

zeppzeppzepp

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2020
Messages
68
Likes
31
My setup is Kef R3 + a pair of Rythmik L22s. I had the R3s first, otherwise I might well have gone with the LS50s. I expect they would be great paired with the LS50 precisely because the subs can cross as high as 200Hz. OTOH, R3 + L12s may actually be cheaper than LS50+L22s.

Never understand why people love to add 2 subs like transforming bookshelves to 3 way speakers.
Only one reason to get meta if the vocal range presentation is more suitable.
If mid-high range is capable enough, always get the bigger ones for bookshelves.
 

tifune

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Messages
1,085
Likes
767
I think you are carrying your self over that weird dip that shows on Erins measurements. Mine doesn’t show it at all. I’ve extensively measured my R3’s and R2C and I don’t regret buying a center, the tonal balance matches.

Would you be able to post any of those measurements? There was some debate as to whether the R2C Erin measured was damaged in some way, would be nice to have extra data points
 

aarons915

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
685
Likes
1,140
Location
Chicago, IL
Would you be able to post any of those measurements? There was some debate as to whether the R2C Erin measured was damaged in some way, would be nice to have extra data points
It seems like every review that isn't perfect has people questioning if it's damaged. I don't have my MMM measurement of the R2c anymore I don't believe but it matched Erin's review closely, a clear peak around 2500Hz and a flatter in room response than the R3, the R3 had the more traditional declining highs. These things will make the R2c sound a bit bright and the 2500Hz Peak especially should be smoothed out.
 

hardisj

Major Contributor
Reviewer
Joined
Jul 18, 2019
Messages
2,907
Likes
13,908
Location
North Alabama
Would you be able to post any of those measurements? There was some debate as to whether the R2C Erin measured was damaged in some way, would be nice to have extra data points

No, there wasn’t. The speaker was BNIB direct from Crutchfield.

I really wish people would stop spreading this stuff.
 
OP
D

Descartes

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
2,104
Likes
1,077
No, there wasn’t. The speaker was BNIB direct from Crutchfield.

I really wish people would stop spreading this stuff.
Would you choose the KEF LS50 Meta over the R3 for all front speakers?
 
OP
D

Descartes

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
2,104
Likes
1,077
KEF just announced a very nice sale!

Looks like the R and reference series are getting Meta upgrades!

 

BrokenEnglishGuy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
1,914
Likes
1,147
KEF just announced a very nice sale!

Looks like the R and reference series are getting Meta upgrades!

the R series maybe are going to receive the update way later because the R series use the 12th gen UNIQ from 2018 and the References use the 11th gen UNIQ from 2014 (?).
 
OP
D

Descartes

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
2,104
Likes
1,077
the R series maybe are going to receive the update way later because the R series use the 12th gen UNIQ from 2018 and the References use the 11th gen UNIQ from 2014 (?).
Or maybe they now have the 13th Generation UNIQ!
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
1,914
Likes
1,147
Or maybe they now have the 13th Generation UNIQ!
Hmm i don't think that, because the LS50 Metas use the metamaterial in their 12th gen UNIQ
I bet the new references are going to use their 12th GEN UNIQ, also their blades uses their old UNIQ.
 
Last edited:

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
Why everybody so obsessed with R series getting a “Meta upgrade” ? is it SO HARD to understand KEF product cycles ? Dude, the new R series was introduced on LATE 2018, there is no need and no point on upgrading it ! Metamaterial is a nice small incremental upgrade, not fairy dust, please stop behaving like 15 years old…
 
OP
D

Descartes

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
2,104
Likes
1,077
Hmm i don't think that, because the LS50 Metas use the metamaterial in their 12th gen UNIQ
I bet the new references are going to use their 12th GEN UNIQ, also their blades uses the old UNIQ.
So it seems better to wait than buy older speakers!
Why everybody so obsessed with R series getting a “Meta upgrade” ? is it SO HARD to understand KEF product cycles ? Dude, the new R series was introduced on LATE 2018, there is no need and no point on upgrading it ! Metamaterial is a nice small incremental upgrade, not fairy dust, please stop behaving like 15 years old…
Of course it is fairy dust! So you think that they are just dropping the prices by 30% if they were not trying to get rid of inventory?
 

jonfitch

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
479
Likes
532
The "Meta upgrade" is an excuse to retune the speakers. The metamaterial itself I would not expect to affect the on-axis FR much if at all. That said the Reference C sale is not necessarily a sign of anything other than a holiday sale to get rid of old inventory. Look at the colors they are offering--stereo pairs of the rosewood finish. They haven't offered that finish for years on the rest of the Reference line. These are probably speakers manufactured eons ago.
 

sweetchaos

Major Contributor
The Curator
Joined
Nov 29, 2019
Messages
3,872
Likes
11,549
Location
BC, Canada
Why everybody so obsessed with R series getting a “Meta upgrade” ?
Because Kef R3 already has the highest-rated preference score for a passive bookshelf speaker (of all the bookshelves that we have spinorama for). It has a preference score of 6.5 (if score goes to 10).

Now, imagine the improvements that we got from LS50 -> LS50 Meta, where preference score went from 4.6 to 5.7, but for the (hopefully) upcoming R3 Meta's!

Not to mention the potential distortion improvements.

That makes a lot of people excited, myself included. :)
 
Last edited:

Ron Texas

Master Contributor
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
6,076
Likes
8,908
I think an update on the R series is a long shot.
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
1,914
Likes
1,147
Because Kef R3 already has the highest-rated preference score for a passive bookshelf speaker (of all the bookshelves that we have spinorama for). It has a preference score of 6.5 (if score goes to 10).

Now, imagine the improvements that we got from LS50 -> LS50 Meta, where preference score went from 4.6 to 5.7, but for the upcoming R3 Meta's!

That makes a lot of people excited, myself included. :)
i think the preference score improved because KEF re-voice the ls50 in the metas.., also the LS50 use the 11th gen UNIQ and the LS50M 12th gen UNIQ, the R series use the 12th UNIQ.
Maybe changing the shadow flare for the Kef Reference wave guide will be a nice little upgrade
 

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
Of course it is fairy dust! So you think that they are just dropping the prices by 30% if they were not trying to get rid of inventory?
I got my pair with discount 2 years ago, so dropping prices does not tell me anything…plus we are near Black Friday so no surprise about it. I don’t know your case, but at least where I live you pay msrp only if you want to…since every 3 months cycles, products are discounted…so you can smart buy pretty much all the time, or at least several chances every year.
 
OP
D

Descartes

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
2,104
Likes
1,077
I got my pair with discount 2 years ago, so dropping prices does not tell me anything…plus we are near Black Friday so no surprise about it. I don’t know your case, but at least where I live you pay msrp only if you want to…since every 3 months cycles, products are discounted…so you can smart buy pretty much all the time, or at least several chances every year.
Yes but 30% when dealer prices are only 40 points off MSRP in general. Iff try is hard to find a dealer willing to give more than 20% off MSRP!
In wall speakers are usually 50 points off or more depending on the brand!
 
Top Bottom