KEF R3 Meta

KEF R3 Meta – An evolution of the compact speaker

The R3 Meta is the latest 3-way floorstanding speaker from KEF's all-new R Meta series, and it offers an incredible amount of sound and technology for the money. KEF has made over 1000 changes to the new R Meta series, the biggest of which are their 12th generation Uni-Q unit and the revolutionary MAT (Metamaterial Absorption Technology). The new improvements give you a sound that is much purer, more precise and detailed, so you not only get closer to the music, but also experience and feel it. With KEF's new R Meta series, you don't just listen to the music - you become part of it.

Highlights:

• Detailed, precise and large stereo sound image
• Immersive and incredibly musical
• 12th gen. Uni-Q delivers a larger soundstage and sweet spot
• MAT provides a cleaner and more natural sound
• Optimized tweeter aperture for better detail reproduction
• Flexible Decoupling Chassis prevents unwanted cabinet vibrations and provides more clarity
• Hybrid aluminum woofers with longer travel, providing tight, deep and controlled bass
• Shadow Flare technology provides higher levels of detail
• Perfect for smaller spaces
• Flexible reflex port for better clarity and detail

About the KEF R Meta series

The reason why KEF speakers have such a natural and neutral sound is because they have the groundbreaking and patented Uni-Q unit, which means that all the sound comes from a single point, because they have placed the tweeter in the acoustic center of the midrange/bass unit. This means that the sound is spread much more evenly and widely than conventional speakers, where the sound comes from units with different locations. By having the sound come from a single point, KEF avoids the interference problems of conventional speakers, and this means that the sound will be much purer and more natural. When all the frequencies reach the ear at the same time, it means that the sound is perceived much more precisely and realistically, and this means that the instruments will sound like real instruments rather than a speaker's reproduction of them. Something that every speaker strives for, but which few masters as well as KEF.

Revolutionary sound absorption with MAT

The biggest innovation in the R Meta series is the patented MAT. The technology is perhaps the most revolutionary tool in KEF's acoustic arsenal, taking the performance of the 12th generation Uni-Q unit to a whole new level of precision and clarity. MAT eliminates distortion and delivers a cleaner, more natural acoustic performance. It is the result of joint development with the Acoustic Metamaterials Group. Metamaterials are specially engineered structures that use existing materials in such a way that they exhibit new, desirable properties that simply do not exist in naturally occurring substances. MAT's tuned channels absorb 99% of unwanted sound from the rear of the unit, compared to around 60% absorption from speakers using other methods.

The result is much more precise imaging and sound. The improved crossover design has fine-tuned the signal path and resulted in significantly improved transparency. The optimized cabinet design means even better acoustic performance. The result is optimal bass response and even better transient reproduction.

Shadow Flare for better clarity

In the latest version of the R Meta series, KEF has also used innovative solutions to remove the harmful diffraction and turbulence that “muddies” the soundstage. They have done this by using the ‘Shadow Flare’ technology, which they have taken directly from their reference series, and the result is a much better reproduction of the finer details. With KEF's Meta series you will therefore experience that you get much closer to the instruments, because you can hear and visualize all the fine details from especially the strings and percussion.

However, it is not only at the high frequencies that the R Meta series excels, because the woofer is an advanced aluminum-paper hybrid, which ensures a perfect combination of stiffness and lightness, so that the bass can reproduce the very lowest tones at the greatest speed.

Flexible port for cleaner bass

For the R Meta series to deliver the deep and articulate bass, KEF has designed a reflex port that delays turbulence and prevents resonances from coloring the midrange. In addition, they have designed a cabinet that uses both hard and soft components to eliminate the unwanted vibrations that would otherwise change the sound and the music. And then KEF has chosen a much slimmer design than its predecessors, which means that the speaker not only looks better but also sounds better. Because at KEF it's all about improving the sound, and the closer the units are to the edge of the baffle, the less diffraction occurs. The result is that the sound does not become "muddy", but instead sounds crystal clear.

Critical damping for better performance

Powerful drivers can easily make the cabinet make noise on its own – noise that was never included in the recording in the first place. Together with the internal bracing, KEF's Constrained Layer Damping is a sophisticated bracing system that ensures the cabinet remains completely silent. This is achieved by connecting the bracing to the drivers and cabinet with a lossy interface. This material converts vibrations into heat, ensuring the cabinet makes the only sound it needs to – the sound of silence.