Features

Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT): KEF teamed up with the Acoustic Metamaterials Group (AMG) to use Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) in their R3 Meta stand-mount speaker. Metamaterials are specially developed structures that use existing materials in such a way that they exhibit new, desirable properties that are simply not found in naturally occurring substances. A truly revolutionary technology, MAT is a highly complex maze-like structure, where each of the intricate channels efficiently absorbs a specific frequency. When combined, the channels act as an acoustic black hole, absorbing 99% of the unwanted sound that comes from the rear of the tweeter, eliminating the resulting distortion and providing a purer, more natural acoustic performance.

12th Generation Uni-Q Driver Array: The R3 Meta stand-mount speaker utilizes KEF's patented 12th Generation Uni-Q driver configuration, in which the tweeter is mounted at the acoustic center of the midrange cone. With both acting as a single point source, the sound is dispersed widely and evenly throughout the listening area allowing you to experience superbly defined and perfectly balanced stereo imagery with a wide "sweet spot". Using simulation and analysis tools and decades of accumulated in-house knowledge, KEF engineers developed a 12th Generation Uni-Q driver array, with a new cone neck decoupler and motor system that is precisely shaped to reduce high-frequency distortion in the mid-frequency driver. The result is reduced coloration, less distortion and a sound that is more transparent and life-like than previously possible.

• 1" Aluminum Vented-Dome Tweeter: The geometry of the tweeter dome matches that of the midrange cone to avoid disrupting the waveform. By smoothening high frequency response, this helps to account for the detailed and strikingly natural-sounding treble. The 1" aluminum vented-dome tweeter utilizes a Tangerine Waveguide to encourage the sound to radiate spherically for wider, more even dispersion so that everyone in the room enjoys the same superb sound quality. A large internal vent prevents potentially distorting high pressures from building up behind the dome in the critical vocal region, preserving all the nuance and fine detail of the original performance.
• 5" Aluminum Midrange Driver: The 5" midrange driver uses an Aluminum cone that is light, stiff, and smooth for natural midrange and midbass sound. As well as allowing the midrange cone its full extension, KEF's ingenious Z-flex surround guides the sound from the tweeter across the surround without any disturbance or secondary radiation for treble response that is clearer and smoother.

6.5" Bass Driver: The KEF R3 Meta stand-mount speaker houses a 6.5" hybrid aluminum bass driver that has a two-part structure with a shallow, concave, aluminum skin atop a paper cone. This stiffness, combined with the cone's unique geometry, achieves a piston-like movement for punch and speed. The bass driver's magnet system creates a broad and uniform magnetic field which means more impressive and impactful bass. The KEF R3 Meta exceeds the expectations of a stand-mount speaker to deliver room-filling sound with deep, articulate bass.

Non-Resonant Cabinet: A solid platform is imperative for great sound. The R 3 Meta stand-mount speaker's cabinet benefits from constrained layer damping, a system that uses internal braces joined by a "lossy" interface. This material converts unwanted vibration into heat, ensuring that the cabinet remains silent. The R Meta Series cabinet comes in 3 beautiful finishes - Black Gloss, White Gloss and Classic Walnut. An acoustic transparent microfiber grille is also included which magnetically attaches to the front of the speaker cabinet.

• Shadow Flare Front Baffle: KEF's Shadow Flare front baffle design is an innovative way to cut harmful high frequency cabinet diffraction. It's a carefully profiled transition that extends the waveguide effect of Uni-Q. The treble escapes naturally because the "shadow region" stops it from getting to the cabinet edges. The result is vastly improved high frequency detail.
• Flexible Flared Port Design: The R3 Meta stand-mount speaker employs a rear-firing port with an innovative flexible wall for better bass performance.. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the flare and profile of the port is calculated to delay the onset of turbulence, while the flexible port wall prevents resonances from coloring the midrange. Foam port plugs are included to insert into the rear-firing ports, if the bass is to "boomy" due to room placement.

Dual Binding Posts: On the rear of the speaker cabinet are dual sets of heavy-duty, nickel-plated binding post terminals that will accept bare wire (up to 10AWG), pin-connectors, spade-lugs, and banana plugs (single only). Plastic inserts must be removed from the binding posts to use banana plugs. Using the dual sets of binding posts, you can bi-wire or bi-amp the speaker.

• Bi-Wiring: Bi-wiring can provide noticeable improvements in the overall transparency of your loudspeakers. Run separate speaker wires to the low & high/mid frequency drivers from a single amplifier (the upper set of binding posts are for the high frequency drivers; the lower set of binding posts are for the low frequency drivers).
• Bi-Amping: Bi-amping allows you to use separate amplifiers for the high/mid & low frequency sections of your loudspeaker for greater dynamic range & lower distortion. We recommend that your separate amplifiers have identical gain to preserve the speaker's voicing balance.

Mounting & Placement Options: The R3 Meta stand-mount speaker can simply be placed on a stand, table-top, shelf, or other flat-surface. The included self-adhesive rubber feet protect your furniture and add approximately 0.1875" to the overall height of the speaker.

• The speakers should be placed between 18" to 24" off the floor for optimum high frequency imaging.
• A pair of speakers should be positioned 5' to 10' apart and form an equilateral triangle with the main seated listening position.
• The speakers can be "toed-in" or angled inward (0 to 15 degrees) toward the main listening area to improve stereo imaging and soundstage.
• They should be positioned at least 9" from the back wall due to their rear-firing port and 20" from side walls.

R Meta Series: A suite of the latest KEF audio technologies and innovations have made its way into the new generation of the R Meta Series. Whether in stereo for music or in a home theatre set up for movies, the R Meta Series makes exceptional acoustic performance more accessible. Now with Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), the R Meta Series reveals exquisite detail of your music and movie soundtracks. Every element of the design has been precisely tuned to deliver more detail and deeper insight, recreating the exhilaration of hearing an original music performance, with all the emotion and nuance that goes with it. The R Meta Series offers a choice of three floorstanding loudspeakers (R5 Meta/R7 Meta/R11 Meta), one stand-mount loudspeaker (R3 Meta), two center-channel speakers (R2 Meta/R6 Meta), and a Dolby Atmos surround speaker (R8 Meta).

Optional Powered Subwoofer: A KEF powered subwoofer (sold separately) is the perfect addition to the R Meta Series loudspeakers, giving you an even more impactful bass performance.