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Kef R Meta Series Release

abdo123

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Amir should receive my R8 Metas tomorrow, with test results somewhere next month. I'm curious about the results, and if there are any filters that can make them sound better.

I have a total of 3 pair (1 pair is on his way to Amir) replacing my Q50a speakers. I really do feel that these speakers sound better. For some reason, they sound more "open" but this is after a quick listening test - might be placebo also.

i hope you made it clear that they're supposed to be listened to approximately 45 degrees off-axis.
 

Vacceo

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I see what you are trying to do now. Yes, it would work for that. I was being a bit conservative. What would be even better is that, If there is an EQ section in your system, you might consider applying a few filters to balance out that Atoms target response shape a bit once the review measurement data is out. So they will sound more neutral when being used as height/surround speakers.
Done with Audyssey already.
 

windwolf447

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Amir should receive my R8 Metas tomorrow, with test results somewhere next month. I'm curious about the results, and if there are any filters that can make them sound better.

I have a total of 3 pair (1 pair is on his way to Amir) replacing my Q50a speakers. I really do feel that these speakers sound better. For some reason, they sound more "open" but this is after a quick listening test - might be placebo also.
Thats great! I am looking forward to that too! For various reasons:p.
 

ryaneagon

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As someone who is in the market for R series KEF's (R7's) I have a hard question I'm trying to answer. Should I save nearly $2000 by purchasing the R7's at a discount or is that extra 2K for the Meta versions worth it?
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to hear the new version with my own ear, and not sure if I'll be able to compare them side by side in the near future.

Also, I would want the R6 Center. I wonder how well that will match the older R7's. Cheers!
 

Steve Dallas

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As someone who is in the market for R series KEF's (R7's) I have a hard question I'm trying to answer. Should I save nearly $2000 by purchasing the R7's at a discount or is that extra 2K for the Meta versions worth it?
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to hear the new version with my own ear, and not sure if I'll be able to compare them side by side in the near future.

Also, I would want the R6 Center. I wonder how well that will match the older R7's. Cheers!
The improvement is not worth $2000. And the Meta center will match the "old" R series just fine.
 

exm

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I didn't expect that they are so expensive referring to the r8 meta

I know. Luckily my dealer provided a nice discount, but they're way overpriced in my opinion.
 

goat76

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So you think Amir, erin and all others who measures stuff are doing a useless job here?

Nope, I didn't say that and I don't think that. I think both measurements and subjective listening reports are important.

What I said was that if a person thinks every single subjective review is useless based on the criteria of different reviewer's hearing ability, their different room acoustics, and their choice of music, then measurements should not be of any importance to that person either because of the possible deviations of his own hearing ability, his room acoustics, and his choice of music.

Let's say we have a perfectly measuring loudspeaker. If that speaker will sound completely different to most people/reviewers, then what was the point of even bothering to measure it in the first place? :)

And just to be clear, I hardly ever trust one single subjective review of a speaker I'm interested in, I read all the reviews and measurements I can find and draw a conclusion out of all of them. As an example, I'm not sure I love the sound of the new KEF R-Series speakers just by looking at the measurements.
 

Descartes

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Nope, I didn't say that and I don't think that. I think both measurements and subjective listening reports are important.

What I said was that if a person thinks every single subjective review is useless based on the criteria of different reviewer's hearing ability, their different room acoustics, and their choice of music, then measurements should not be of any importance to that person either because of the possible deviations of his own hearing ability, his room acoustics, and his choice of music.

Let's say we have a perfectly measuring loudspeaker. If that speaker will sound completely different to most people/reviewers, then what was the point of even bothering to measure it in the first place? :)

And just to be clear, I hardly ever trust one single subjective review of a speaker I'm interested in, I read all the reviews and measurements I can find and draw a conclusion out of all of them. As an example, I'm not sure I love the sound of the new KEF R-Series speakers just by looking at the measurements.
Scientific measurements and listening in ones own environment is critical! Forget subjective reviews, for making purchasing decisions they are just fun to read!
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

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Let's say we have a perfectly measuring loudspeaker. If that speaker will sound completely different to most people/reviewers, then what was the point of even bothering to measure it in the first place? :)
just EQ the perfectly measuring speaker because with the perfectly directivity it will sound whatever you like, thats your task and you have to learn how to do it, is not hard.
 

goat76

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Scientific measurements and listening in ones own environment is critical! Forget subjective reviews, for making purchasing decisions they are just fun to read!

I have read so many reviews and user reports over the years of speakers I have good experience with, and most of the time most of the descriptions of the sound characteristics of those speakers are highly accurate.

And to minimize the risk of you misunderstanding what I just wrote I want to repeat myself: I hardly ever trust just one review or a single user report, I read everything I can find and look at all the measurements to get the bigger picture and see how the trend looks like. Most of the time the descriptions are fairly accurate, and I can easily ignore the most poetry-like ones and the over-excitement some users have for their new shiny toys. I pay extra attention to things people don't like and why they choose something else instead, and if that particular thing may be a problem for me as well. I know what I like and don't like.
 

youpassbutter

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If you are thinking of using these as ceiling- or wall-mounted Atmos height speakers, do you think one would notice an appreciable difference between an R8 meta and a Q50a?

 

exm

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If you are thinking of using these as ceiling- or wall-mounted Atmos height speakers, do you think one would notice an appreciable difference between an R8 meta and a Q50a?


Same question for upfiring.

I feel the move from Q50A to R8 Meta is noticeable
- definitely a more open sound. Can’t comment on the R8a.
 

youpassbutter

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Same question for upfiring.

I feel the move from Q50A to R8 Meta is noticeable
- definitely a more open sound. Can’t comment on the R8a.
I was thinking (hoping) that if the height speakers just handle atmospherics then that's a pretty light load and using an R8 meta might be overkill and perhaps it'd be hard to distinguish it from a Q50A.
 

Intensemojo

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29182E08-AF74-4287-AFFF-7E8B0164D9EA.jpeg

got R3 meta’s on Friday.
 
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