Kef R Meta Series Release

[Soniclife]

Shadow flare now is fixed, no movement, and slightly sticking out.

Do you have a picture that shows that? Not surprising it's been tweaked.

 

[Daka]

Do you have a picture that shows that? Not surprising it's been tweaked.

Interestingly sticks out but more on R6 than on R3
Photo 1,2,4 -R3 meta
Photo 3 - R6
Grills are the same material same design as previous gen so we can expect same behavior

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Interestingly sticks out but more on R6 than on R3
Photo 1,2,4 -R3 meta
Photo 3 - R6

it certainly does looks very different now, you can't push to inside the 'shadow flare', right? it doesn't move

 

[Daka]

it certainly does looks very different now, you can't push to inside the 'shadow flare', right? it doesn't move

Previous gen little force was needed to push it in these I applied bigger force and nothing, none of 7 of them. Quite happy this is the case as it actually looks nicer like that.

 

[n1rvana]

So if I was to get the Kef R3 Meta, what is objectively worse in a HT environment? Black gloss vs white gloss?

 

[Zvu]

Shadow flare looks awful in pics. I'm affraid it will cause the dip at 1kHz. It should be flat with the midrange surround.

 

[Daka]

Shadow flare looks awful in pics. I'm affraid it will cause the dip at 1kHz. It should bre flat with the midrange surround.

I would hope since it’s not variable like last gen they would put it in optimal position. Otherwise it wouldn’t be good.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Previous gen little force was needed to push it in these I applied bigger force and nothing, none of 7 of them. Quite happy this is the case as it actually looks nicer like that.

Ah I see.
If the shadow flare doesn't move, then it was designed differently

I wonder if the geometry from the Shadow flare is the same or different.

 

[dogmamann]

I would hope since it’s not variable like last gen they would put it in optimal position. Otherwise it wouldn’t be good.

It looks fine from pics, there is a tiny spacing even in kefs videoes like yours. I guess yours is good. Kef really nailed it imo then.

 

[Zvu]

Let me quote Erin, and remind you that acoustics hardly changed in the meantime:

The trim ring is designed to sit flush with the midrange cone; pushed all the way in toward the drive unit. In some cases, it has been discovered that the speakers have arrived with the shadow flare positioned outward about 1mm (thus, sitting “above” of the baffle).

The further out the shadow flare, the more drastic the dip. You want the shadow flare to meet the drive unit, not the baffle. So, make sure the trim ring is pressed in and not sticking out above the baffle.

Source: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_r3/

 

[muad]

It looks fine from pics, there is a tiny spacing even in kefs videoes like yours. I guess yours is good. Kef really nailed it imo then.

The old shadow flare sticking out too far caused the 1khz dip in the original R series. There's no way a hard perpendicular angle is not going to cause diffraction and a null at 1khz. The fact that you can't push it in is even more of an issue.

Between that and the high gloss finish... The R meta is a hard pass for me.

Pretty sure you can already see it in the in room measurements.

KEF R11 Meta

Meta… Slovo, které jako zaklínadlo pomalu proniká a mění všechny dostupné řady britské značky KEF, jež si tuto zdánlivě prostou, leč funkční technologii nadělila při příležitosti svých 60. narozenin. Od top modelů Blade a Reference nyní pronikla i do střední kategorie modelů řady R, jimž vládne...

www.hifi-voice.com

 

[Daka]

Let me quote Erin, and remind you that acoustics hardly changed in the meantime:



Source: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kef_r3/

Indeed he said that, and was the case with R3.
I’ll have measure it and see if there is any dip before I’ll apply any bigger force

 

[Zvu]

The trim ring has six spikes that sit inside rubber holders embedded in front baffle. I'd be reluctant to apply bigger force. I'd pull the trim rings out to check if the plastic spikes are maybe too long - that is if the measurements show there's a problem.

 

[Daka]

Ok applied quite a bit of force and woofers shadowflare eventually caved in so did midrange it’s now flush with chassis but little lip is still visible - don’t remember how was it on old R3 is this ok?

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Ok applied quite a bit of force and woofers shadowflare eventually caved in so did midrange it’s now flush with chassis but little lip is still visible - don’t remember how was it on old R3 is this ok?

So.. it does finally it moved inwards the cabinet?
When the flare mets the cabinet it's fine, if i remember correctly.. my r7s has the shadow flare like that
But yeah, you can see the small dip in my r7s in room measurements too it's around 800hz- 900hz too

 

[Daka]

So.. it does finally it moved inwards the cabinet?
When the flare mets the cabinet it's fine, if i remember correctly.. my r7s has the shadow flare like that
But yeah, you can see the small dip in my r7s in room measurements too it's around 800hz- 900hz too

There is always a guess is it room or is it something else. Mine are in living room with no treatment whatsoever but I do have furniture here and there and room isn’t square which helps a bit.
Erin even said that he likes KEFs in untreated room, he didn’t like them in his HT heavily treated room.
If I remember if they stuck out even little bit there was some effect but obviously not as bad.

 

[dogmamann]

The old shadow flare sticking out too far caused the 1khz dip in the original R series. There's no way a hard perpendicular angle is not going to cause diffraction and a null at 1khz. The fact that you can't push it in is even more of an issue.

Between that and the high gloss finish... The R meta is a hard pass for me.

Pretty sure you can already see it in the in room measurements.

KEF R11 Meta

Meta… Slovo, které jako zaklínadlo pomalu proniká a mění všechny dostupné řady britské značky KEF, jež si tuto zdánlivě prostou, leč funkční technologii nadělila při příležitosti svých 60. narozenin. Od top modelů Blade a Reference nyní pronikla i do střední kategorie modelů řady R, jimž vládne...

www.hifi-voice.com

In room totally depends on room. There is no certainty it’s caused by the shadow flare. If you cannot push it, that’s how Kef wants it to be. It should sound fine in other room measurements

 

[dogmamann]

So.. it does finally it moved inwards the cabinet?
When the flare mets the cabinet it's fine, if i remember correctly.. my r7s has the shadow flare like that
But yeah, you can see the small dip in my r7s in room measurements too it's around 800hz- 900hz too

looks like you have a broken tweeter . I Wonder what kind of music sounds half decent with that kind of roll off ! Also, the bass to get that level up, you need to eq to it too much, and considering the distortion levels it produces at those frequencies, its definitely audible. If just room gain then it should be fine! Still with that roll off this isn’t going to be anything near what we can call fidelity if this is from a r7!

 

[Steve Dallas]

I have not seen evidence the shadow flare issue is present on the Meta version of the R3, but it definitely affected the previous generation as seen in my measurements:

KEF R3 vs. Philharmonic BMR Grudge Rematch to the Probably not Death Thread

As none of you recall, I tested the roadshow BMRs that Dennis was kind enough to ship all around the country last year and posted a lengthy thread about the experience. And, I ended up liking them enough to buy a pair. They even unseated my KEF R3s, which I sold shortly after receiving the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Mnyb]

Idea ! can mr @jackocleebrown provide a picture of the shadow flare on the speakers measured in the upcoming white paper?

That would settle where the correct position actually are ?