• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

KEF R3 Speaker Review

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
Listen to them On-Axis (Uni-Q tweeter pointing directly at you) and you will get a very flat high frequency response (which could be for too much HF for some people).
I listen to my R3 without Toe-In looking straight, because I prefer that wider soundstage instead of the focused presentation that toe-in gives.
And to compensate for that High Frequency roll-off I’ve set the AVR tone control to +2db starting at 2,4kHz.

This are R3's in Stock form, no Toe-In, listening position at perfect equilateral triangle, R3's acoustic center spaced by 253cm, Mic 0º at listening position. SVS SB-1000 Pro with 3 built in PEQ active.
View attachment 153276

And here the same thing but the Tone Control in AVR activated, and the SVS sub level raised by 2dB.
View attachment 153280
Analysing the graphs, its possible that the top measurement was done with wrong mic cal file, because the HF difference is bigger than what the Tone Control should do. Mind that this is the very first week with the SVS sub and this measurements are the result of a first one day integration attempt (which still looks quite good for the low effort).

My advise for better measurements without much disturbances on HF, is to push the Shadow Flare inwards, measure on listening position where an exact equidistant triangle forms with the speakers, use 0º mic at ear level facing to the speakers, take away your couch, sofa, coffee table and anything that's on the way of the listening position and is not a really big fixed furniture. And don't panic about shit coming out of 1/24 smoothing, go for Psychoacoustics/Variable or 1/6, 1/3 but don't go lower than that.
Is this curves supposed to be flat? I see decay from 10kHz
 

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
Is this curves supposed to be flat? I see decay from 10kHz

Absolutely not, if In-Room response is completely flat from 1kHz to 20kHz you would perceive this as bright sounding, because of our ears sensitivity and a matter of tonal balance.
You want a slope down of aprox 10dB from 20Hz to 20kHz, for a natural sounding curve.
In addition there isn’t much music content (I didn’t say cero) in most programs above 10kHz, plus our hearing also starts to degrade in the HF range over age, so I wouldn’t be much concerned about some roll off.
 

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
I definitely can hear sinus by generator to 16500Hz and other form signals up to 18 and more.
 

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
I definitely can hear sinus by generator to 16500Hz and other form signals up to 18 and more.
I just wanted to point out it is not the end of the world ;). And of course, HF acuity will vary among individuals, age, and how they’ve taken care of hearing health.
 

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
I just wanted to point out it is not the end of the world ;). And of course, HF acuity will vary among individuals, age, and how they’ve taken care of hearing health.
Ok. The high is not problem. KEF R3 can really produce them. I do not know but this speaker sound soft. I do not know why. This is not about only HF.
 

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
Sometimes Hi-hat sounds really annoying. I hate it! Like in "Back in Black"
 
Last edited:

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
Sometimes Hi-hat sounds really annoying. I hate it! Like in "Back in Black"

¿Have you tried yet to toe-in the speaker so that the Tweeter is facing at you (more HF) ?

I don’t understand, at first you were complaining about not enough HF, now you are telling Hi-Hat sounds annoying to you...that’s quite contradicting since that annoyance should be because too much HF (piercing or bright sounding).
I don’t advice making judgements based on single or specific songs, a lot of music is recorded/mixed/mastered like garbage, and no system can fix that.
 

richard12511

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 23, 2020
Messages
4,335
Likes
6,700
Here is an overlay of the R3 (bold lines) and the R5 (transparent lines).

View attachment 153153

To me bass extension is the same, but the R3 is smoother specially in the midrange, while being a little brighter too.

Looks like he used a higher resolution for the R5. Is there some way to show the R5 data with the R3 resolution?
 

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
According to Erin on his YouTube channel, both measurements have same resolution and 1/20 smoothing:
C03C6C22-D895-4702-B8F0-6D2A76A32F16.jpeg
 

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
Sometimes Hi-hat sounds really annoying. I hate it! Like in "Back in Black"
Record. Others are good. Right channel on record is higher.
I really need UMIK. I just added 2db on 1000Hz and it sounds better (maybe significally better).
 
Last edited:

mike70

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 9, 2021
Messages
884
Likes
581
someone tested the R3 with a SVS 1000 pro in a small room?

i listen between 70 and 80dB and i prefer the better soundstage with the speakers "far" from boundaries than near to have better bass impact ... then I'm thinking to add a sub to have a fuller frequency response at that low volumes.

I don't know if the sb1000 pro will be enough, because the SVS wizard suggest the sb3000 to that speakers :)
 

abdo123

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
7,425
Likes
7,941
Location
Brussels, Belgium
someone tested the R3 with a SVS 1000 pro in a small room?

i listen between 70 and 80dB and i prefer the better soundstage with the speakers "far" from boundaries than near to have better bass impact ... then I'm thinking to add a sub to have a fuller frequency response at that low volumes.

I don't know if the sb1000 pro will be enough, because the SVS wizard suggest the sb3000 to that speakers :)

it's without a doubt enough for music. I would even say the same about Home Cinema if you got the ported version and place it a meter or two away from you.

But the sealed version is a better idea for music.
 

mike70

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 9, 2021
Messages
884
Likes
581
100% music and sealed version, yes, for movies i use the living room with a JBL sound bar with wireless sub ... more than enough for me :)

The 2000 pro seems to be overkill for my use case and the 1000 pro seems to be ... underpowered ... or not? 300 usd difference are respectable
 

abdo123

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
7,425
Likes
7,941
Location
Brussels, Belgium
100% music and sealed version, yes, for movies i use the living room with a JBL sound bar with wireless sub ... more than enough for me :)

The 2000 pro seems to be overkill for my use case and the 1000 pro seems to be ... underpowered ... or not? 300 usd difference are respectable

get TWO SB-1000 pro subwoofers then ;) I'm pretty sure they offer a small discount for purchases of pairs.

I remember some time ago placing one subwoofer on the left boundary/wall of my seating position and another subwoofer on my right boundary/wall.

My partner said the experience was 'premium' and 'rich' because you had a sphere of bass all around you instead of having a wall of sound coming just from the speakers, or bursts of bass coming just from one location in the room.

Since the R3 is one of the best bookshelf speakers in the world, your upgrade path forward would mostly be multiple subwoofers moving forward. I'm currently rocking two subwoofers, but i wouldn't mind two extra.

That is assuming that your room is treated enough so there are no issues above 200Hz, other wise i would focus on the room before going after more than 2 subwoofers.
 

jgiannakas

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2021
Messages
61
Likes
64
Got the R3 with a 3000micro and for a small size living room it’s amazing. I’ve posted graphs on the SVS 3000 micro thread with my old R300 speakers - not much different to the R3s. Doubt any of these subs would feel you lacking unless you’re set on 100db+ at 20hz :)
 

tecnogadget

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
558
Likes
1,011
Location
Madrid, Spain
someone tested the R3 with a SVS 1000 pro in a small room?

i listen between 70 and 80dB and i prefer the better soundstage with the speakers "far" from boundaries than near to have better bass impact ... then I'm thinking to add a sub to have a fuller frequency response at that low volumes.

I don't know if the sb1000 pro will be enough, because the SVS wizard suggest the sb3000 to that speakers :)

Are you kidding ? I’ve uploaded measurements of what you ask just 15 post behind yours. Its even on the same page...The room is 25m2

It all depends on your needs and strategy. For me it is suitable. I get response to 20Hz (not 100% linear because of the challenging room), the sub is small, beautiful and fits my available space, it adds the needed weight in bass and I’m not even stressing it.

I would not trust that SVS wizard that chooses subs. I could get more output around and below 20Hz if I went with PB-1000 Pro, but it is much bigger and won’t fit where my SB-1000 Pro is right now, and it doesn’t sell in White gloss to match my white R series. Plus I could run into rumble issues with neighbors because of higher output below 20Hz.

As an advice, don’t go dual Sub if you don’t know how to integrate them with a Umik microphone and MSO, or if you don’t have Dirac Bass Control in your system. Oterwise its more harm than good.
Do it if you know, or hire someone who knows.
 
Top Bottom