KEF R3 Meta

KEF R3 Meta – An evolution of the compact loudspeaker

The R3 Meta is the latest 3-way floor speaker from KEF's brand 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 of the Uni-Q unit and the revolutionary MAT ((Metamaterial Absorption Technology). The new improvements give you a sound that is much more clean, precise and detailed, so you don't just get closer to the music, but can also experience and feel it.With KEF's new R Meta series, you don't just listen to the music - you become a part of it.

Highlights:

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

About the KEF R Meta series

The reason why KEF's speakers have such a natural and neutral sound is because they have the pioneering 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. When the sound comes from a single point, KEF avoids the interference problems of conventional speakers, and this means that the sound will be much cleaner 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 come to sound like real instruments rather than a loudspeaker's reproduction of them. Something that every speaker strives for, but few masters as well as the KEF.

Revolutionary sound absorption with MAT

The biggest innovation of the R Meta series is the patented MAT. The technology is perhaps the most revolutionary tool in KEF's acoustic arsenal, lifting the performance of the 12th generation Uni-Q unit to a whole new level in terms of precision and clarity. MAT eliminates the distortion and provides 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 are simply not found in naturally occurring substances. MAT's tuned channels absorb 99% of the unwanted sound from the back of the unit, compared to around 60% absorption from speakers using other methods.

The result is much more accurate 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 an innovative solution to remove the harmful diffraction and turbulence that "muddy" the sound image. 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 string instruments and percussion.

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

Flexible port for cleaner bass

For the R Meta series to deliver the completely deep and articulated bass, KEF has designed a reflex port, which delays turbulence and prevents resonances from coloring the midrange. In addition, they have designed a cabinet where both hard and soft components are used to remove the unwanted vibrations that would otherwise change the sound and 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, everything is 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 devices can easily cause the cabinet to make noise of its own accord – noise that was never 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 has been achieved by connecting the bracing to the devices and the enclosure with a lossy interface. This material converts vibrations into heat, ensuring that the cabinet makes the only sound it needs - the sound of silence.