KEF R8 Meta Dolby Atmos Speaker Review

[juliangst]

What frequency would you set them too? 120 hz?

120Hz could work. For on wall usage I would get different speakers though

 

[quattro98]

Our prior condo had a 7.2.4 setup with concrete ceilings. For the Atmos speakers, I used the Focal Dome Flax (white worked for our ceilings). I used Sewell ghost wire on the ceiling and it was covered by our painters with joint compound and then painting along with the rest of the ceiling. Mounting was done with Tapcons (shortest ones, maybe 1 1/4") and if I hit something with the drill, I just used a short plastic plug and regular screw at that location. I had always wanted surround there and one year we just did it.

Our current condo has different challenges. Here we have a drywalled drop ceiling, so overheads will be easy. We have glass where I'd like to have rear surrounds and maybe even the side surrounds. Still thinking about it. I might have to go with the dreaded ceiling speakers for surrounds, but I'm thinking about trying in-walls for the sides which would result in a position around 75-80° instead of the desired 90°. I don't mind ceiling speakers for the rears.

 

[exm]

What frequency would you set them too? 120 hz?

I had mine set initially to 125Hz (or 120) but I've changed this to 150Hz.

 

[juliangst]

I think speakers like Genelec 4420A could also work great as ceiling speakers. Genelec has lots of mounting options and the 44X0 line just needs a single RJ45 cable for POE and Dante

 

[exm]

120Hz could work. For on wall usage I would get different speakers though

Why? If you read Amir's follow-up he recommends these for on-wall usage. Check post 231-234

 

[juliangst]

Why? If you read Amir's follow-up he recommends these for on-wall usage. Check post 231-234

Dolby recommends all speakers being capable of 80Hz. These hardly do 100hz which is just unacceptable at this price

 

[exm]

Dolby recommends all speakers being capable of 80Hz. These hardly do 100hz which is just unacceptable at this price

If you want to pure by Dolby Atmos standards, sure. You can't go wrong with these if you want high quality height speaker that match R/Reference Uni-Q speakers. I don't know about you, but my source material is maybe 20% Dolby Atmos. Regardless, I have the DTS Neural:X enabled as my upmixer.

 

[juliangst]

If you want to pure by Dolby Atmos standards, sure. You can't go wrong with these if you want high quality height speaker that match R/Reference Uni-Q speakers. I don't know about you, but my source material is maybe 20% Dolby Atmos. Regardless, I have the DTS Neural:X enabled as my upmixer.

Most of my music is Atmos Apple Music .
I analysed a lot of tracks that I ripped off Apple Music and the atmos channels sometimes dig down to 30Hz.

I don’t think the R8 Meta are bad for what they are, I just think they’re too expensive.

 

[Vacceo]

Most of my music is Atmos Apple Music .
I analysed a lot of tracks that I ripped off Apple Music and the atmos channels sometimes dig down to 30Hz.

I don’t think the R8 Meta are bad for what they are, I just think they’re too expensive.

In ceiling subwoofers do exist, and at 30hz we're reaching that territory.

However, is it worth it at those frequencies? Is the perception of sound coming from above perceived different as coming from below for such low frequencies?

 

[juliangst]

In ceiling subwoofers do exist, and at 30hz we're reaching that territory.

However, is it worth it at those frequencies? Is the perception of sound coming from above perceived different as coming from below for such low frequencies?

That’s debatable; bass is omnidirectional so you could just use subs for everything below 80Hz.

But having a bass source in the ceiling could possibly help with reducing room modes and room correction like Dirac ART could also use those speakers for a better bass response.

 

[minus3dB]

Thanks Amir for testing these speakers. I have 3 pairs of these, replacing Q50As. The ones I have sent to Amir will be my front heights. The others are mounted as can be found in the picture below - I am using these are height channels. From reading the graphs, it seems like a 150Hz crossover makes the most sense?

One interesting thing about the driver. Here are the specs for the R8 Meta and... The LS50 Meta: MF/LF: 130 mm (5.25 in.)
The other R Meta units (R3,R7,R11,R2,R6) all have a slightly smaller driver: MF: 125mm (5in.)

This makes me believe that the R8 Meta is using the LS50 Meta driver and not the R Meta driver; it seems to basically be a tuned closed-box version of the LS50?

View attachment 284472

Noticed you have a cathedral ceiling with exposed beams. I've always thought this type of ceiling configuration would lend itself to mounting overhead Atmos speakers that would solve the typical challenges of mounting Atmos speakers. If mounted on a gimbal, smaller bookshelf speakers could be aimed directly at the MLP and punching holes in your ceiling could be avoided. Obviously this is easier done if you select the beams/rafters and their positions with mounting those speakers in mind.

 

[exm]

Noticed you have a cathedral ceiling with exposed beams. I've always thought this type of ceiling configuration would lend itself to mounting overhead Atmos speakers that would solve the typical challenges of mounting Atmos speakers. If mounted on a gimbal, smaller bookshelf speakers could be aimed directly at the MLP and punching holes in your ceiling could be avoided. Obviously this is easier done if you select the beams/rafters and their positions with mounting those speakers in mind.

Yes, I considered this. Unfortunately my wife wasn't crazy about my idea. My plan was to get a pair of LS-50 Meta's and position these above the MLP. However, the wife basically vetoed this.

 

[ROOSKIE]

In ceiling subwoofers do exist, and at 30hz we're reaching that territory.

However, is it worth it at those frequencies? Is the perception of sound coming from above perceived different as coming from below for such low frequencies?

The in ceiling subs are really just a way to get them installed out of the way. Same with in wall subs.

Sure there could be benefits in terms of room modes. That would only be the case if you also had floor level subs. Mixing up sub positioning evens out the modes.

Look up a chart of the size of a wave of sound energy as it moves below 100hrz and you can see how quickly positioning becomes a non-issue. Especially when the 1st reflection is factored in and then the ultimate pressurization of the space.

Still for evening out nulls and peaks some reccomend a meaningful variation in sub height.

 

[Vacceo]

The in ceiling subs are really just a way to get them installed out of the way. Same with in wall subs.

Sure there could be benefits in terms of room modes. That would only be the case if you also had floor level subs. Mixing up sub positioning evens out the modes.

Look up a chart of the size of a wave of sound energy as it moves below 100hrz and you can see how quickly positioning becomes a non-issue. Especially when the 1st reflection is factored in and then the ultimate pressurization of the space.

Still for evening out nulls and peaks some reccomend a meaningful variation in sub height.

That was my initial idea, yeah. The limitation of the R8 in terms of frequency range, even if evident, can be mitigated by simply crossing them with subwoofers.

 

[exm]

I think 150Hz for height speakers is fine.

 

[juliangst]

150Hz for movies should be fine. But with atmos music there sometimes is a lot information below 100Hz on heights and sometimes not. It really depends on the mix.
Here are some examples of spectrums I extracted from captured 5.1.2 pop music (only left channel for each group):

The use of the heights is all over the place. It's sometimes almost similar in level as the surround information, sometimes goes down to 30Hz and other times it's barely used at all.

 

[exm]

150Hz for movies should be fine. But with atmos music there sometimes is a lot information below 100Hz on heights and sometimes not. It really depends on the mix.
Here are some examples of spectrums I extracted from captured 5.1.2 pop music (only left channel for each group):

View attachment 294067
View attachment 294068
View attachment 294069
View attachment 294071
The use of the heights is all over the place. It's sometimes almost similar in level as the surround information, sometimes goes down to 30Hz and other times it's barely used at all.

Good point and graphs. Now finding a ceiling/height speaker that realistically goes below 80Hz is a challenge for the average HT.

I need to run some more Atmos music mixes in my room!

 

[juliangst]

Good point and graphs. Now finding a ceiling/height speaker that realistically goes below 80Hz is a challenge for the average HT.

I need to run some more Atmos music mixes in my room!

I wouldn't really worry about it. Everything below 100Hz is well in the omnidirectional frequency area and a sub can take care of that. The height content also is at least 10-20dB below the mains in level so having low distortion at high SPL isn't really needed either (unless you have 10 meter high ceilings).
Any decent in celing speakers should be fine and for on-ceiling I wouldn't go bigger than something like the Genelec 8030c.

I really like the trend towards atmos music. The headphone downmix can be hit or miss but with speaker setups it's really a step up from stereo imho

 

[ROOSKIE]

That was my initial idea, yeah. The limitation of the R8 in terms of frequency range, even if evident, can be mitigated by simply crossing them with subwoofers.

FYI. If you are in the USA Bestbuy.com has the Non-meta for $620 new. I suspect very little ultimate difference. EAC did the non-meta Klipple review awhile ago.

 

[Vacceo]

FYI. If you are in the USA Bestbuy.com has the Non-meta for $620 new. I suspect very little ultimate difference. EAC did the non-meta Klipple review awhile ago.

I'm not in the US, but thanks.