Features

Dolby Atmos-Enabled Surround Speaker: The KEF R8 Meta loudspeaker can be placed on top of a loudspeaker for Dolby Atmos applications, or can be wall-mounted for surround sound applications. Knowing how the brain perceives sound, KEF engineers have perfected a way of beaming the sound upwards from the R8 Meta so that it's reflected by the ceiling to replicate the vertical dimension in Dolby Atmos recordings. In real life, sound comes from all around. But conventional surround systems only allocate it horizontally - left, right, ahead and behind. What makes Dolby Atmos so staggeringly realistic is that the movement of every sound in the scene is reproduced in all three dimensions, including vertically. This creates a true 3D acoustic image of precisely located individual sounds that move in relation to you as if you were actually there.

• Dolby Atmos Topper: The R8 Meta loudspeaker has been expertly tuned by KEF acoustic engineers to bring extraordinarily immersive, cinematically vertical Dolby Atmos sound into the home using precision ceiling reflection when placed on top of R Meta Series floorstanding and bookshelf speakers. The included rubber feet should be used when placing the R8 Meta on top of another loudspeaker (the rubber feet add approximately 0.1875" to the overall height of the speaker). Make sure the top of your loudspeaker measures at least 6.9375" (w) x 10.4375" (d).
• Wall-Mounted Surround: The R8 Meta can also be easily mounted vertically on the wall using the integrated keyhole slots on back of the speaker (mounting screws not included), creating a high-fidelity home surround sound experience that melds seamlessly with the KEF's R Meta Series speakers. When wall-mounted vertically, the R8 Meta speaker measures 6.9375" (w) x 10.4375" (h) x 7.25" (d).

Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT): KEF teamed up with the Acoustic Metamaterials Group (AMG) to use Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) in the R8 Meta Dolby-Atmos enabled surround 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: At the heart of the R Meta Series loudspeaker is KEF's Uni-Q driver array. This signature innovation by KEF places the tweeter in the acoustic center of the mid-bass cone, with both drivers acting as a single point source. The R Meta Series benefits from a new 12th generation Uni-Q Driver Array which has been extensively designed using KEF's in-house simulations and analysis tools. KEF's engineers have been able to dramatically reduce coloration through reducing resonance in the small gaps between the Uni-Q's separate elements. The resulting sound is purer and more precise with better stereo imaging.

• 1" Aluminum Dome Tweeter: At the center of the Uni-Q driver array is a 1" aluminum dome tweeter with KEF's tangerine waveguide to help disperse the higher frequencies evenly across a wider angle and flood the room with a natural soundfield. The tweeter's large neodymium magnet and a computer-optimized dome structure deliver articulate high frequencies with flawless precision. In addition venting the tweeter reduces pressure behind the dome, increasing midrange bandwidth and lowering distortion.
• 5.25" Aluminum Mid-Bass Woofer: Surrounding the 1" aluminum dome tweeter is a 5.25" magnesium/aluminum midrange driver. The R8 Meta's midrange response is amazingly fast and clean, thanks to the braced magnesium/aluminum alloy cone, KEF's Z-flex surround smoothing the transition to the front-panel, and a sturdy die-cast aluminum chassis that prevents resonance from being transferred to the cabinet. In addition, large voice coils increase the driver's power handling and dynamics, reducing distortion and delivering exceptional vocal clarity.

Non-Resonant Cabinet: A solid platform is imperative for great sound. The R8 Meta 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 cloth 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.
• Acoustic Suspension Design: The KEF R8 Meta employs an acoustic suspension (sealed) enclosure for accurate, detail sound reproduction.

Binding Post Terminals: On the rear of the speaker cabinet is a pair of heavy-duty 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.

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.