Hi, I need some advice: I'd like to buy some Kef speakers and I'm torn between the Kef Q7/Q11 Meta and the Kef R3 Meta. The listening distance is about 3.8 meters, and the living room is about 25 square meters, but it's open on one side because of the kitchen. I'd like both hi-fi and home theater use, and I'd like something that sounds good at low to moderate volumes; I don't like volumes that are too high. I may add one or two REL subwoofers in the future. I don't like boxy sound, but I hate speakers that are too bright. Thanks to anyone who can help me.
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Choice between Kef
- Thread starter sbronf
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Well the R3 is quite good for what it is, probably the one coax with smooth response, however it is subject to the woofer motion modulating the tweeter response. Hence my vote towards the 3-way models where the Uni-Q coax is not doing the bass but rather the midrange and tweeter.
REL subs can sound quite good but their high-level connection recommendation only makes sense if your main speakers can already play loud midbass and bass at maximum volume. Otherwise, you must have a highpass filter somewhere.
REL subs can sound quite good but their high-level connection recommendation only makes sense if your main speakers can already play loud midbass and bass at maximum volume. Otherwise, you must have a highpass filter somewhere.
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Eh? The R3 is a 3-way with a dedicated woofer.
rynberg
Senior Member
Given your uses, I would go R3 Meta.
However, you can do DRAMATICALLY better than REL for subwoofers -- they are very poor performers at any of their price points. And I'm not simply talking from a "more bass = more better" viewpoint, they are poor in frequency response and output compared to the competition. And they still recommend a nonsense connection scheme that didn't even make sense 20 years ago, let alone today.
However, you can do DRAMATICALLY better than REL for subwoofers -- they are very poor performers at any of their price points. And I'm not simply talking from a "more bass = more better" viewpoint, they are poor in frequency response and output compared to the competition. And they still recommend a nonsense connection scheme that didn't even make sense 20 years ago, let alone today.
terryforsythe
Major Contributor
Personally, I would go with the R3 meta if pairing with or or more subwoofers. Here is a review of the R3 with a full suite of measurements:
If not using a subwoofer I would go with the Q7 or Q11. Here is a review of the Q11, also with a full suite of measurements:
Without a subwoofer the R3 should be placed near a wall, or the bass will be a little light. But, in my experience, I seem to get a better soundstage and imaging when pulling speakers out into the room. I have heard others disagree with that perspective, but I have yet to hear speakers placed against the wall that soundstage and image as well as speakers pulled away from the wall 1m or so.
If not using a subwoofer I would go with the Q7 or Q11. Here is a review of the Q11, also with a full suite of measurements:
Without a subwoofer the R3 should be placed near a wall, or the bass will be a little light. But, in my experience, I seem to get a better soundstage and imaging when pulling speakers out into the room. I have heard others disagree with that perspective, but I have yet to hear speakers placed against the wall that soundstage and image as well as speakers pulled away from the wall 1m or so.
masterhw
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The Q7/Q11 Meta are awesome and are largely just a tuning difference to the R3. If you’re going to EQ or room correct anyway, I would save the dough and go with the Q series. If they’d been available when I bought my towers I think I would have picked up Q7s.
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Thanks everyone for your help.
What speakers did you get before the Q Series
What subwoofer would you recommend? ?
masterhw
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PSB Imagine T54
It depends what you are using it for, for example if you want organ music and films like U571 then what we recommend would be different to what we recommend for general music use.
Talisman
Major Contributor
I have a different piece of advice than the others.
If you also want to use them in a home theater, I'd go straight for Q11 towers. The subwoofers handle frequencies below 80/100Hz well; the highs and mids aren't particularly problematic, but that single 6.5" woofer could have serious difficulty in a HT setting, keeping up with the subs in the frequencies between 80Hz and the mid-range crossover. If you want to listen at theater-level volumes,
If you also want to use them in a home theater, I'd go straight for Q11 towers. The subwoofers handle frequencies below 80/100Hz well; the highs and mids aren't particularly problematic, but that single 6.5" woofer could have serious difficulty in a HT setting, keeping up with the subs in the frequencies between 80Hz and the mid-range crossover. If you want to listen at theater-level volumes,
Artsfols
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KEF also has another 3 way bookshelf called the Q Concerto Meta, also using the synthetic material approach. How do you feel about them compared to the R3 Meta? At this moment the Q concerto are exactly half the price of the R3's, in Toronto. $1500 compared to $3000 CDN. In my situation, I have an excellent sub.
Anyone?
staticV3
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See Erin's review:
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_concerto_q_meta/
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_r3_meta/
Imo, it's an R3 Meta sidegrade at half the cost.
THD at 80-600Hz is slightly worse than the R3M, compression slightly better.
The biggest difference is in their tuning:
Concerto will sound fuller, R3M sharper.
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masterhw
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Right, the Q Meta series is great and in my opinion are so good they’re taking sales from the R series. I mentioned EQ and room correction because in most of those tools you have control over the tuning anyway, so I wouldn’t pay for a difference in tuning if you can just adjust that yourself.
Q Concerto Meta could be a good choice for pairing with a sub, I would mainly go to towers for either aesthetics or higher max SPL (like a larger room or loud movie watching). I think you’ll be pretty happy with any of these choices.
Artsfols
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Nice post. Audyssey can retune that curve to some extent, as 'masterhw' alluded to. And with my sub cutting in below 80 hz, the lower end does not matter greatly. Thanks, very much.
P.S. I just purchased these speakers. I have been kicking around the idea for some time now. This just fits the bill.
Previous thread on this:
Surround speaker options in a small room - case study
This is a follow on to an earlier thread I initiated: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/rear-speakers-what-do-they-add.63610/ Now that I have decided to add 2 surround speakers (sadly, I incorrectly referred to them as rear speakers in the earlier thread), I have found...
www.audiosciencereview.com
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Artsfols
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It's a good idea, in my case. I did have a quick look at "Canuck Audio Mart" to see if any were available. They weren't.
rynberg
Senior Member
Which country are you located in and what is your desired budget? Music only or also home theater? You have a fairly big listening volume.
If you can be patient, KEF runs sales on various speakers, and you may be able to pick up a bargain. Personally I’d go with the R3 Meta, and get a Rythmik L2 sub,… or two if your electronics can handle dual subs.
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