Nice work, excellent!
I am willing to be a blind test participantI really do feel there's an extra degree of 'coherence' to the soundstage. I wish someone could blind test this, because I'm very curious. As we've discussed many times on ASR, I'd love to see further research into the impact of vertical reflections on sound.
Anyway, I'm still a bit puzzled by the extra tilt in KEFs measurements. Just saw the new Stereophile has the Meta measured(the magazine, not up on the site yet), and it too shows no significant tilt. I thought KEF might've been starting from an off-axis angle, but then there shouldn't be on-axis diffraction. *Shrugs*
I think between me, soundstage network/the NRC, dennis murphy, and Stereophile, that's enough measurements to suggest these probably do not have a tilt, so that's something to keep in mind if you want to EQ them; you might end up making them bright if you go off of KEF's measurements.
Well, by big luck I found a only few hours used pair locally which I just picked up.Thank you for your great review and measurements which makes my waiting even harder, since I have ordered them at my dealer 3 weeks ago but there seems to be a shortage currently in my country.
In my experience it does, especially in my new house/room where my room acoustics are poorer and was the reason I recently sold my Neumann KH120 from my desktop system and replaced them with my old LS50 (with EQ of course as otherwise I don't like their tonality) and will use the Metas at my classic stereo listening system. If listened correctly placed (as high distance from side walls as possible and only 15° toed in) they create a soundstage like no other of my dozens of loudspeakers.
Nice..where did you get those color matched stands ?Well, by big luck I found a only few hours used pair locally which I just picked up.
View attachment 99014
Now off to enjoy some music.
get a minidsp and biamp themIf only they made an active R3...
"Triamp", right? They don't have 3 pairs of posts, sadly.get a minidsp and biamp them
Ideally, but I looked at my R3s and they only seem to have dual binding posts. So you cannot separate the mid and the tweeter, though I see some people are looking into it here -> https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/tri-amping-kef-r3.14167/"Triamp", right? They don't have 3 pairs of posts, sadly.
One subjective review I read said the Meta was an improvement, but not worth an upgrade from the originals. I bet with EQ they would be indistinguishable or nearly so. Too bad the piano black finish is gone. When I added subs my LS50's really went from good to great.
If you have LS50's or any of several other good small speakers, EQ and get subs.
Well, by big luck I found a only few hours used pair locally which I just picked up.
View attachment 99014
Now off to enjoy some music.
Thank you, funnily these were the first things I planned to in the next days.Sweet, you're the one I was hoping would grab them lol. I'm really curious about 2 things when you have a chance to measure and listen some more. The first is there seems to be a difference in the bass response between the 2, I think some MMM measurements of both might clear that up. Also, once you have a chance to EQ both to the same target are they basically identical or are there any improvements in the meta?
Yes, I enjoy it already for some hours without EQ, while on the first gen I had to use EQ.For people without EQ, the meta does seem like a clear improvement for sure.
I really do feel there's an extra degree of 'coherence' to the soundstage. I wish someone could blind test this, because I'm very curious. As we've discussed many times on ASR, I'd love to see further research into the impact of vertical reflections on sound.
Anyway, I'm still a bit puzzled by the extra tilt in KEFs measurements. Just saw the new Stereophile has the Meta measured(the magazine, not up on the site yet), and it too shows no significant tilt. I thought KEF might've been starting from an off-axis angle, but then there shouldn't be on-axis diffraction. *Shrugs*
I think between me, soundstage network/the NRC, dennis murphy, and Stereophile, that's enough measurements to suggest these probably do not have a tilt, so that's something to keep in mind if you want to EQ them; you might end up making them bright if you go off of KEF's measurements.
If nothing else, the Meta appear to have better-controlled directivity. Even being coaxial, the LS50 seemed to have had a bit of a directivity directivity mismatch. @Maiky76 had compared the LS50 with the LS50wireless II and seemed to conclude the former could not be optimized as much as the latter. Though certainly you make major improvements to it with EQ and a sub.
You gotta do another of those excellent EQs of yours for these guys.Well, by big luck I found a only few hours used pair locally which I just picked up.
View attachment 99014
Now off to enjoy some music.
Thank you for your great review and measurements which makes my waiting even harder, since I have ordered them at my dealer 3 weeks ago but there seems to be a shortage currently in my country.
In my experience it does, especially in my new house/room where my room acoustics are poorer and was the reason I recently sold my Neumann KH120 from my desktop system and replaced them with my old LS50 (with EQ of course as otherwise I don't like their tonality) and will use the Metas at my classic stereo listening system. If listened correctly placed (as high distance from side walls as possible and only 15° toed in) they create a soundstage like no other of my dozens of loudspeakers.
Thank you, first want to listen to them though for some days without any measurement to not be biased by them. One thing is for sure, unlike the first gen LS50 they don't necessarily need equalising for my taste to sound very nice.You gotta do another of those excellent EQs of yours for these guys.
Yes, KEF even recommends explicitly in their newer user manuals to not fully toe them in, just 0-15°.I even prefer my ref 3's with no toe-in whatsoever, first speakers I owned that I like this way!