KEF R3 Speaker Review

[TheBatsEar]

I would like to stay under 800€, so the R3 for 850€ would be a bit above the budget but I would spent it, if it’s worth it.

Always be bold. Talk to the seller, say you have 750€, maybe he'll bite.

I’m not set on the R3, so I would also take some recommendations for other speakers from you.

I tested them against the Linton 85 and the Lintons won in my room. But they look terrible, like a beer crate from the 1920ies. The R3 in black look far better, but the R3 in white look seriously stunning. Less of a finger print magnet too.

 

[bloodshoteyed]

The R3 in black look far better, but the R3 in white look seriously stunning. Less of a finger print magnet too.

that's the reason i went for wallnut, i can't stand anything glossy

 

[Dan19]

Always be bold. Talk to the seller, say you have 750€, maybe he'll bite.

Already said that. He wanted 950€ VB at first.

I tested them against the Linton 85 and the Lintons won in my room. But they look terrible, like a beer crate from the 1920ies. The R3 in black look far better, but the R3 in white look seriously stunning. Less of a finger print magnet too.

Need something with a matching center speaker and have a better look than the Linton 85

 

[DJNX]

My OCD won't let me not fix it.

Not looking forward to the cost of the repair.

 

[Ellebob]

Bummer

 

[dogmamann]

My OCD won't let me not fix it.

Not looking forward to the cost of the repair.

This should sound really bad. Any dent should influence sound

 

[Talisman]

This should sound really bad. Any dent should influence sound

That's the woofer, I would be incredibly surprised if you could not only hear it, but even measure a difference

 

[dogmamann]

That's the woofer, I would be incredibly surprised if you could not only hear it, but even measure a difference

So it should now measure differently, right?

 

[Talisman]

So it should now measure differently, right?

I was just saying I'd be surprised at a measurable difference with that kind of "damage" on the woofer, let alone audible

 

[testp]

it's no way hearable.. that dent

 

[Laserjock]

I think he might hear with his eyes though..

 

[McFly]

yep - typically, a minor dent in an aluminum cone/dome is only going to slightly shift the position of its original first resonance peak, or reduce the amplitude of the original peak and add a new one above or below it. There may be some more extremely inaudible intermodulation distortion from the 2 new peaks.

 

[Mnyb]

Woofer operates below 400Hz these wavelengths are larger than the whole woofer .

Not a problem unless the dent has some how weakened the whole structure .

 

[blg]

Running my KEF R3 with a Yamaha A-S701 and find them a bit dull-sounding, particularly in the lower frequencies. Would a better amp make a difference or replace them with something warmer?

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Running my KEF R3 with a Yamaha A-S701 and find them a bit dull-sounding, particularly in the lower frequencies. Would a better amp make a difference or replace them with something warmer?

Did you measure the room? how much close to the wall you have the speakers? and how many meters is the room

 

[staticV3]

Running my KEF R3 with a Yamaha A-S701 and find them a bit dull-sounding, particularly in the lower frequencies. Would a better amp make a difference or replace them with something warmer?

A better Amp is unlikely to make a difference.

The R3's bass response is shelved down to mitigate room modes, but depending on the room this can backfire, resulting in weak bass response.

The first thing I'd try is to apply @pierre's anechoic EQ correction for the R3, which partially removes this bass shelf (attached below).

If that's not enough, then it'd be time to measure your in-room response using a UMIK-1 measurements microphone, or in a pinch, the free HouseCurve App for iOS.

 

[Talisman]

Running my KEF R3 with a Yamaha A-S701 and find them a bit dull-sounding, particularly in the lower frequencies. Would a better amp make a difference or replace them with something warmer?

Define "better" the yamaha as 701 is a great amp, what do you think a different amp would do better? If the bass response doesn't satisfy you you should adjust the speakers or the environment, the amplifier just amplifies, it doesn't change the frequency response

 

[blg]

thanks for the feedback. will measure the room next week.
on another note, the kef r3 are rated as 8 ohms nominal but significantly dip below that. would it therefore make sense to set the impedance selector switch on my yamaha to 4 ohms instead of 8?

 

[Ellebob]

Do not set the limiter to 4ohms on the Yamaha. It actually decreeases power. I do suggest that you set a max volume so you don't over drive the speakers or send the amp into clipping which can damage speakers. On the Yamaha I think the max volume goes up to +16.5db and I would set it at 0 or +5db. That is good practice no matter which receiver/processor/speakers you use.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Do not set the limiter to 4ohms on the Yamaha. It actually decreeases power. I do suggest that you set a max volume so you don't over drive the speakers or send the amp into clipping which can damage speakers. On the Yamaha I think the max volume goes up to +16.5db and I would set it at 0 or +5db. That is good practice no matter which receiver/processor/speakers you use.

I have never taken this safety precaution. Maybe if you have teenagers lurking. This hobby is an attractive nuisance.