Choosing speakers for my new streaming and amp setup - Kef LS50 Meta with subwoofer?

[hejon]

So I recently went into the streaming space with a WiiM Ultra and added a Hypex Ncore NC252MP amplifier to that setup. All good stuff so far.

Next up is to get a couple of reasonable speakers for the setup, not because the one I have are crap. But because they don’t fit visually and are huge for that room and my listening levels. So the idea here is to go bookshelf on stands.

The speakers I have been thinking about are these (amounts are translated from local currency):

• Kef R3 - I can probably get my hands on these for around: 1 567,03$
• Kef R3 Meta - More than 1000$ more: 2 733,27$
• There is also the Revel Performa M105 at around 1 959,04$ (seems to soon go out of stock though)
• The cheaper M16 Revels are available as well: Revel Concerta M16 - around 1 371,44$
• Then of course, the Kef LS50 Meta at 1 654,66$ (demo speakers seem to go now and then at a discount as well)
• And the last contender, the Buchardt S400 MK2 - around 2 340,12$

The listening takes place around 2.7-3m from the speakers and the room is around 3.2*5-6 meters.

Of course there is also the question of getting a subwoofer or not, I have read some people swearing to the capabilities of the LS50 Metas paired with a really good woofer. So that route is what I am looking at now, it is expensive but the LS50 Metas paired with a SVS 3000 Micro or Kef KC62 (I need a small woofer) looks like a very attractive option. The stands for the LS50 are also a bit cheaper than the R3 / R3 Meta stands.

Buying one of the most expensive speakers (mainly the R3 Metas and Bucharts) and not getting the woofer seems like a worse option. Is this true? Should i go for a woofer included setup?

 

[mad_matt]

Following, all of those speakers are strong contenders for my next upgrade in my near-field office system.

 

[DMill]

Buying one of the most expensive speakers (mainly the R3 Metas and Bucharts) and not getting the woofer seems like a worse option. Is this true? Should i go for a woofer included setup?

Depends on if you are building a system or if you’ve decided this is as much as you ever wish to spend. There are no wrong answers. IMO all the speakers you mention would benefit from a subwoofer. Either way you have the bones of an absolutely killer system. Enjoy the music.

 

[Ellebob]

I agree any of them would benefit from using a sub. I am familiar with Kef as we install those where I work. The Kef R3 would be my choice for the price. It is VERY close to the meta version, definitely not worth the price difference. Both are a step up from the LS50 IMHO. The R3 with a sub if you can swing it would be the best. I have run into Revel but not enough direct experience to comment on those.

 

[VMAT4]

So I recently went into the streaming space with a WiiM Ultra and added a Hypex Ncore NC252MP amplifier to that setup. All good stuff so far.

Next up is to get a couple of reasonable speakers for the setup, not because the one I have are crap. But because they don’t fit visually and are huge for that room and my listening levels. So the idea here is to go bookshelf on stands.

The speakers I have been thinking about are these (amounts are translated from local currency):

• Kef R3 - I can probably get my hands on these for around: 1 567,03$
• Kef R3 Meta - More than 1000$ more: 2 733,27$
• There is also the Revel Performa M105 at around 1 959,04$ (seems to soon go out of stock though)
• The cheaper M16 Revels are available as well: Revel Concerta M16 - around 1 371,44$
• Then of course, the Kef LS50 Meta at 1 654,66$ (demo speakers seem to go now and then at a discount as well)
• And the last contender, the Buchardt S400 MK2 - around 2 340,12$

The listening takes place around 2.7-3m from the speakers and the room is around 3.2*5-6 meters.

Of course there is also the question of getting a subwoofer or not, I have read some people swearing to the capabilities of the LS50 Metas paired with a really good woofer. So that route is what I am looking at now, it is expensive but the LS50 Metas paired with a SVS 3000 Micro or Kef KC62 (I need a small woofer) looks like a very attractive option. The stands for the LS50 are also a bit cheaper than the R3 / R3 Meta stands.

Buying one of the most expensive speakers (mainly the R3 Metas and Bucharts) and not getting the woofer seems like a worse option. Is this true? Should i go for a woofer included setup?

How long do you see yourself staying in this hobby and investing in equipment?

My eyes aren't the greatest. But, both the R3 Meta and the Buchardt S400 MkII appear to be about 6 dB down at 50 Hz. That's not the worst thing for an initial investment. In a room the size that you're working with you'll have modes to contend with if you add a subwoofer. That means you'll need PEQ to compensate for the mode(s). I believe the WiiM Ultra can help you there.

The simplest and easiest thing to do is forego the sub until you just can't live without it. It's my opinion that adding the sub will be a complication in a small room. I'm not saying it's an insurmountable complication. Just saying you might find you can live without.

 

[hejon]

That is some great input from all of you, I ended up on the idea that it will be either of the R3 or R3 meta after reading through the replies. I then listened some more to Erin audio reviews take on it where he mentioned that the Kef R3's would be a better deal if you have EQ. Well my WiiM Ultra has just that so i recon this will be a good deal for me.

It should be possible from what i have read to EQ out some of the drawbacks of the R3's and get away with less money for almost the same end result, and that is great. But if it was completely out of stock here i would probably suck it up and get the R3 Metas.

@VMAT4 I have had this interest for more than 20 years, i guess i rethink my setup every 10 year or so. I have had my current system for more than 10 years and i hope to have this for as long or longer if possible. And when looking at it that way the cost of owning even more expensive speakers than the R3 Meta is not that high.

 

[hejon]

Another thing before going ahead with this, the AMP should be enough for these speakers right? Its a https://www.soundimports.eu/en/soundimpress-hy252-2ch.html to be specific

 

[napfkuchen]

Another thing before going ahead with this, the AMP should be enough for these speakers right? Its a https://www.soundimports.eu/en/soundimpress-hy252-2ch.html to be specific

That should be enough. Maybe reduce the listening distance a bit to reduce the influence of room acoustics.

If you consider R3 or R3 Meta I would choose the R3. According to Erin the difference between the two models is negligible with eq. And as you list prices: No idea where you are from, but here in Germany used Kef speakers in very good condition are sold regularly. R3 for about 900 Euro (pair) and LS 50 Meta about 750 Euro (pair). Maybe you are lucky and find an offer for LS 50 + stands ... Just bought the second pair of LS 50 Meta and am looking for a third (final) pair in titanium grey.

 

[VMAT4]

That is some great input from all of you, I ended up on the idea that it will be either of the R3 or R3 meta after reading through the replies. I then listened some more to Erin audio reviews take on it where he mentioned that the Kef R3's would be a better deal if you have EQ. Well my WiiM Ultra has just that so i recon this will be a good deal for me.

It should be possible from what i have read to EQ out some of the drawbacks of the R3's and get away with less money for almost the same end result, and that is great. But if it was completely out of stock here i would probably suck it up and get the R3 Metas.

@VMAT4 I have had this interest for more than 20 years, i guess i rethink my setup every 10 year or so. I have had my current system for more than 10 years and i hope to have this for as long or longer if possible. And when looking at it that way the cost of owning even more expensive speakers than the R3 Meta is not that high.

Twenty years or so, then it's official. You're an audiophile! You're hooked on spending what others outside the hobby would consider outrageous amounts of money on this stuff. Good luck with your coming acquisitions!

I'm not good at integrating subwoofers. So, my thinking is one thing at a time when considering a new system that would use one.

 

[hejon]

Twenty years or so, then it's official. You're an audiophile! You're hooked on spending what others outside the hobby would consider outrageous amounts of money on this stuff. Good luck with your coming acquisitions!

I'm not good at integrating subwoofers. So, my thinking is one thing at a time when considering a new system that would use one.

Haha yes indeed.

Sounds like a smart approach, I don't know if a subwoofer is needed yet. I suspect it will be perfectly fine without one for a quite some time anyway.

 

[Digital_Thor]

Owned the LS50 Meta...to small for me. Kinda worked on top of two bass towers and with subwoofers.... but my rooms "sucks" bass, so I need more cone area.
Sounds good though... and it seems to fit my sisters kitchen, with harder walls, where a bit of reflections can make it sound "bigger".
I would go R3. I'm not sure how much the Meta does. I also have a set of KEF R coax in my DIY speakers with the same shadow flare as the R3. They sound great... and I failed to really find the LS 50 Meta better in the "top", than my current none Meta.
So I would aim for proper setup, well thought out EQ and subwoofers with a set of R3, to have little more surface area in the mid-bass and a more dedicated midrange from the KEF R coax - rather than the mid/woofer coax in the LS50 - IMO.

 

[Count Dacula]

Another thing before going ahead with this, the AMP should be enough for these speakers right? Its a https://www.soundimports.eu/en/soundimpress-hy252-2ch.html to be specific

That's what I'm using with my LS50 Metas, NC 252, it works great.