Everyone Loves It! KEF R3 Meta bookshelf speaker review! 

Sorry if my voice sounds a little grainy, this is literally a brand new mic (rode wireless go II) since the last one broke again, RODE doesn't really know how to make a reliable MIC and it looks like this brand new unit has some issues. I'll probably send it back and get another one but the next 4 videos all use this mic but hey, I've never been known for my audio/video quality but this is a little below my own standards. And for those that keep asking about the Heco Celan it's like this: Celan is still badass, just not on the same level, treble is more forward on the celan, mids are a little warmer, bass is a little less controlled and soundstage is a little smaller but for half the price of the R3 Meta the Celan is still crazy good and easily the best speaker under $1500 in my book.

This one feels long overdue, but I'm actually glad this review came later. Your process, approach, & technique is at an all time high, thanks to the many years of trained listening and content creation. Your controlled, refined, and smooth presentation is peak delivery, providing insight that's really unique and right on the nose. I really enjoyed this one

Great advice about speaker purchase vs. Amp/AVR. Awesome review as usual Nemo. These KEFs look like their build quality is clearly world class, surprised about the strong bass. I look forward to comparing them with my Focal 906s one day. My vote is keep the galaxy on the OLED- chill AF.

Love the cosmic back ground

Anecdotally, I follow the KEF forum on reddit and these R3 Metas and their non-meta predecessors are by far the most discussed speakers. Most commenters prefer them to the LS50 Metas, usually unqualified but I suspect because a lot of listeners have a mixed HT-music setup and value the separate bass driver/higher bass output/higher overall output that can also fill out a larger room. For mixed use, I think the Emotiva TA2 with the HT bypass or something like it makes a LOT of sense for these speakers at this price point. Right now I use the T9x and LS50W2 for a mixed use setup and have zero complaints - the slight warmth of the REL balances out the analytical W2 so well and provides that tactile, realistic bass that puts you on set - but if/when the W2 motherboard dies I may look into the R3 Meta-Emotiva TA2 combo as an alternative. Thanks as always for your review.

Hey! Great review, thanks! We can find pictures of the product ourselves, so there's no need to project them on the TV. And the abstract background is nice, I vote to keep that!

Brilliant review. You need get your hands on the Buchardt A10, all wood construction, look fantastic, and go toe to toe against much more expensive setups (dynaudio heritage + Hegel h390!). My guess is they'll tick a lot of boxes for you

I’ve had the R3s for three months. Amazing speakers paired with my Michi X3

my setup is KEF R3 Meta with KC62 sub connected to Hegel H190 using Gustard R26 DAC. The sound is excellent crisp clear but also warm very balanced

KEF R3 Meta,, yes,, good speakers,, 🌟 Cheers Nemo,, 🍻😎👍‍‍👍‍‍

You should be fine with static images on an OLED if the brightness isnt very high, not displayed for more than an hour, etc. However, OLED technology has come a long way and theres less to worry about in terms of burn in (permanent screen retention, not to be confused with short term retention). RTings are currently doing an extreme test with many OLEDs, multiple thousands of hours do begin to show burn in but its not always severe. And if you do experience permanent burn in, you can activate the screen refresh mode if your TV has it. So technically there is more risk for burn in compared to LCD, but with just a little bit of care i highly doubt you will experience burn in for at least a few years. I actually did a decent amount of HDR (really bright) gaming on the living room Sony A80CJ (i hope thats the model) and theres not a hint of burn in. Your mileage may vary.

Very thorough review and my god these speaker cabinets look great. I’ve been eying these in blue with the matching stands about $2800 all in since ZF’s review dropped. I’ve been shopping for a used set of harbeth 30.2x d’s for some time without luck so perhaps time to move on to these. I was also hoping the klh model 7s would drop before I spent my budget but that doesn’t sound imminent.

I’m really interested in these speakers especially the R5 and R7’s. Hegel and KEF is a classic combination. I think KEF use Hegel with their speakers at hifi shows

I really dig the looks of these KEFs -- especially the white ones and the woodgrain ones with the golden drivers. You mention the LS-50 (Meta) but the straight-edged cabinets of these R3s are shaped/sized more like the less expensive Q350s. I sometimes switch between those and some Monitor Audio Silver 100 7Gs (which don't need a subwoofer in my room), but I have used a sub with the Q350s. (I listen mostly to acoustic jazz, so EDM-level bass doesn't figure into it.) Other than the woofer, I wonder how the R3s sound would compare to the Q350s. I don't suppose you've had the chance to make that comparison, but I thought I'd bring up the similarities anyway...

Thank you! You always do a great job breaking it down.

Great review! Thanks for sharing.

I had a chance to listen to these and they sound really good! They look very special in person as well. But I'll stick with my Focal chora 806 speakers 😊 The Chora sound so dynamic and detailed they are perfect for my home theater. But if I was more music focused I would say the Kef is a great choice. What's your thought? Since you may still remember the Chora.

Great review. I had the original S400 a few years ago along with a few other back firing bass port. The R3 meta are the first to not be a good fit in my small living room. I get way too much boomy bass. I’ve had these here for about 15 days and I’m returning them tomorrow. Mids and highs are fantastic-best I’ve had so far even my wife says they are really good, except for the boomy bass.

just subscribed, great review, I had the kef wireless II die on me so I am looking at these and the ls50 metas for my tv setup. I have been looking for something with hdmi arc to drive them and your discussion on the cheap amp is kind of pushing me towards the wiim amp. I was looking at the new arcam a15 or a25 to run these but the lack of HDMI ARC kills it. I would love to see a review of the Wiim amp vs wiim pro setups with some higher end speakers and what you would consider the best setup for $$.

love the 1.09 story!

Love the reviews 🙏🏼.Which do you think sounds better at low volume: Kef R3 Meta or Buchardt s400 mkII?

Excellent review

Thanks Nemo!

Another great video! Will you br reviewing the Prima Luna?

Bedankt

Would anyone consider this kef bass to be fast and punchy like pmc ??

Do you prefer the r3 meta to the Fritz?

All kef R paint or vinyl? I confused

Cosmic Universe

Grainy voice? Not a problem, but why do Americans always start their RU-vid videos with that cringeworthy "What's Up" nonsense? 🙁

don't care about the tv,just want to hear you

Thanks for the video. I auditioned these in my listening room in a 2.2 channel music setup and they were very good. As good if not better that’s the B&Ws 705 S3 which cost quite a bit more. Mated to their matching stands they are very stable and the matching blue colors look amazing. The enamel finish is brilliant but fragile. I had to return the 1st pair I received in the mail because there was a chip in the enamel in the corner of one speaker. Peace, love and music!

Great review. I had considered these for a 2nd setup to get some contrast from my S400MK2, but ended up going for the LS50metas instead because of budget and the more compact form factor. Seems like a good, well-balanced versatile option.

How is it vs the Celan 3? I preferred the Celan 3 to the original R3 but was curious where the meta stacks up against it.

Once again, great review. And once again, I wish I had the room to put a pair of these. I love the blue color on them. I have the LS50 meta for now with the KC62. So I probably should shut up and not complain. Thanks for all you do.

Great review as usual, I’m totally digging the cosmos background, I hope you stick with it.

Just got my non meta R3's set up in a system and I'm loving them. Got them on clearance for $1300 and I couldn't be happier. I know people say the meta's are better but I've also heard a little EQ makes them sound very similar and I do use a 6 band Schiit EQ.

Completely agree with prioritizing the speaker over the amp.

Cosmic landscape. Hopefully, someone out there is looking in our direction and wondering. Thanks for another well done video. Love the comparisons because they offer a frame of reference.

I have these speakers. I think your review is dead on. The bass is very good but i do integrate a rel in my system. The weird thing is i can be lostening at mid low 80db range and it does seem very loud or fatiguing.

love the video and the tv moving image 👍🏻 I heard many good things about the R3 meta i've demoed the Kef R500 floorstanders around 7 years ago and was very impressed i've no doubt these are top sounding speakers also🙏🏻

Love this review - very informative (and also aligns with my personal experiences). I had the LS50 Meta for a while, but they just never wowed me. They imaged like nobody's business but sound-wise I found myself never being thoroughly impressed. About 5 or so weeks ago, I traded them on on a pair of R3 Meta and wow - they were the missing link. Just so perfectly dynamic - with plenty of bass for me. Incredible imaging and the midrange was so incredibly satisfying to hear. Initially I had them (and the former LS50 Metas) with the NAD M10 V2. While that was a great integrated amp (with a great display), it felt underpowered to me. I decided to go separates: got a Bluesound Node X and NAD C268. I took a shot in the dark that 80wpc as a dedicated amp would do the R3's better service. And incredibly, it did! It now gets plenty loud for my space, and i'm just blown away daily at how authoritative a dedicated 80 wpc NAD amp can sound. If i ever move into a larger space, I'm contemplating getting a 2nd C268 to use as dual mono blocks but for now, i'm more than satisfied. 👍

Hi! I m just watched your review. I m thinking to upgrade to kef r3 meta, from dali oberon 3. Can you tell me please in few words what should I expect from kef upgrade?

I had the R3 Meta and loved them, during the trial period I decided to swap them for the R2 Meta for LCR. They are great, and have an almost tower like presence with the bonus of more flexible placement. I went with the KC62 sub.

I just purchased a pair of R3 Metas and I will just say WOW! My daily drivers are Magnepan 3.7i's and while they are amazing speakers there is something special about the R3's. Images as you say. I wanted to buy a pair of bookies for the imaging and sound staging they provide. I was torn between the S400's and R3's. I am confidant I made the right choice although I have not heard the Buchardts.. I am basing this off of your current and past reviews. I also own a pair of CSS 1TDX's with bass modules and they are great speaker, warmer, less transparent and imaging is great but the R3's are close to magical. I pair the R3's, and the Maggies, with a pair of REL T7X's, again, in part, based on your reviews. Love your style, descriptions and what I perceive as honest reviews.

Man, when are you gonna review acoustic energy ae500??

How do they compare to the 2023 champions. The Heco Celan Revolution 3?

Interesting. I agree that I though they struck a good balance, but I thought they were slightly leaning to the analytical side. They pushed it right up to the edge, and I may have preferred it slightly warmer sounding. Just preference I suppose. Nothing like putting a real instrument in the room and playing along, or singing along and comparing. Most speakers sound too dry and analytical compared to the real thing to my ears. I really notice when my friend comes over and plays the piano. It's so much richer and fuller than most speakers. Never a hint of sounding analytical. I'm happy to say my system is currently matching the piano surprisingly well, allowing me to play along without the stereo sounding relatively pathetic.

Rotate the pictures of the product 😊

I'm Going Back And Forth With Either UPGRADING To Arendal Speakers Or The New Svs Speakers That Just Dropped??? But The Built QUALITY Alone On The KEFS, And Maybe Arendal Speakers, Are Eye Popping Already! What's So U ????

Do you think an emotiva bass a3 will be good for these and an r6 meta? Along with the Denon x3800 for the surrounds…

Sir WHAT IS THE BEST BOOKSHELF SPEAKER YOU'VE EVER HEARD?

My suggestion. Buy these and a pair of Fosi V3 Mono amps with the 48v 10 amp power supply. Cost is $260 for the pair. Also buy the Topping D 50 Mk 3 which is a two channel DAC preamp with balanced outs, and a 10 band PEQ. Costs $230. For $490 plus your laptop, plus these, you will have a true high end system. Also SVS OG SB 1000 and SB 2000 have subs which have both a high and low pass filters, passive on the high end and active on the low pass. The OG SB 2000's are discontinued but still available in SVS warehouse sales and go for around $500-600 ea which is a complete steal. So a smart shopped, for around $3000-3500 can have a complete end game system which looks good, plays dynamically and coherently with superb imaging.

Hi Nemo! Great review 😎 I'm surprised that you heard lots of bass since this speaker have a bass shelf. The -3db point is 77hz. Did you place the speakers near a wall when testing? Thx 😊

I imagine if you didn’t have sidewall symmetry the KEFs might highlight that imbalance with the pinpoint imaging

So, why the H is the white version $1600 more than blue and $1300 more than walnut - Geeezzzzzzzus

These are on my upgrade list

The information on the pairings / comparisons is extremely helpful in giving me a sense of how the R3 would sound in my system or what I would need to change in my system to have the quality of sound that I enjoy. A very complete review - loved the format of the review. I’m a first time viewer of Nemo. I will subscribe and also look at earlier content. Thank you!

Good review. Wondering...how well does the R3 open up at low volume? I live in an apartment and mostly like to listen at lower volumes. Sometimes wish I had a vintage amp with loudness button.

My brother has the normal r3 they sound amazing with the right amp especially bass quality. I'm a kef fan since my other brother bought the q35 about 20 years ago and I've owned the q950 myself

Cosmic Universe 1 - Uncomfortable race car driving 0

I looked up the Buchart and it didn't have a center channel or anything else. I'm kinda liking the Kef more because it does. Thank you for your great review 👍😎

What's that, a lil' speigur? 🙃

I heard that S400MK2 can be much closer to a wall than R3. I generally prefer a more rich, organic tone, so I think I would like S400 more. The bass of S400 also seems better, down to 33Hz(-3dB), where R3 only hits 38Hz(-6dB).

Hi Nemo thanks as usual for the content, nice universe please, rotating pictures would in your own words be a distraction 😊

New here. Really nice review dude. Subbed 👍🏾

Team Cosmic landscape. You can even mix it up over time.

Hey, how does the midrange compare with the ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62?

Viewed 2/25/24... Great audio review video... Great info!! 🎉🎉👏👏💯💯 Also, 👍👍 for galaxy backdrop... cool 😎... keep it (or rotate with beautiful ocean, mountain views)!! My question is hopefully not too much apple vs orange?? 🤔🤔 Currently have Parasound A21+ with KEF R300. Have all upstream components upgraded. Next step will be speaker wire plus amp or speaker. Was thinking Parasound JC5 or Reference 1... can't do both! Or do you think the A21+ would be an "unworthy 😊" match for the Reference 1... or same idea the JC5 would be an "unworthy 😊" match for the older KEF R300s? Would best bang for buck, best sound result, be to go to R3 Meta thus saving some money and getting the improved speaker technology? Hopefully I wasn't long winded 😂. Thank you for time and any recommendations!!

Good to see a new great review from you 👊🏼. Really intrigued by the R3s. Looking forward to your review of the Evoke 20s. Guessing something like your kinki pre and power is just what the evoke needs✌🏼

Thanks for the RSL IA255.1 recommendation! Do you have a stop gap DAC recommendation as well? Something

Thinking of rolling my SVS Ultra home theater and Special 40/Hegel/REL into one. Do you think KEF R Meta line (R3 or R7) could be a happy mix of what im looking for? Started noticing cabinet resonance and bloom. R3 Meta sounds like that happy musical and analytical that would be a good all arounder.

Ok... so for the same price... the CSS 1TD-X built speaker is roughly the same price. I saw your review on the CSS and had to ask which do you prefer? The other thing... on paper the R3 bottoms out at 53Hz and you say you don't need a sub?

I vote : landscape. Thanks for your videos Nemo !

Hi, I'm considering these speakers along with the Mon Acoustics Platimon. As someone whose listened to both, how do you think they compare?

Bro i had respect for your reviews… i still do… but repeating RED Rel TX9… TX9 would’ve done it… but repetitive RED … i wonder ….

Fab Review ...You make such a compelling case will have to give these a listen Thank you

Personally i wouldn’t pair a kef R speaker with a warmer sounding amp. Hated my Kef / Denon pma combo. That said, on a budget level, the Wiim amp also pairs very well and integrates a streamer and reasonable dac at the same time. Cheers, great review!

Dont hate, but for shits and gigles , I set up the s400mrk2 with the ls50 meta to play together with the metas sitting on top of the s400, and was it ever interesting . An amazing combo.

Thanks for the review. You mentioned the Kef Kube 12 sub. Have you reviewed that or have plans to cover it? Be interested to know your thoughts

Cosmic

First time watcher here. Very nice review, sir! In a sea of crap HiFi reviewers, I really appreciate your authenticity. Subscribing

I agree the speakers are the most important components of sound system!

Currently i have the Hegel 120 and wondering if its enough wattwise? It is 75w into 8ohm.

Does anyone know if I could power these speakers with my Primare I21 Amp?

You should just always have a zero fidelity video playing in the background. lol.

When you reference build quality are you also speaking of crossover components etc?

Oh my god, great accurate review that most don’t get to! Please try to get to the bigger brother, the Ref 1 Meta. Good stuff keep up being real. Peace.

Thank you Nemo, love your videos, especially the comparisons part 👍. Great TV and great pictures of the Universe.

how do they compare to JBL HDI 1600 now on sale for 800/pair

Nemo, how do you compare the R3 Meta vs the Fritz Carrera? Thanks

Hey Nemo,another great review! As you mentioned Kube 12b,just a quick question,1205mk1 or Kube 12b,70/30 music/movies? I can find them for similar price used

Would love to see you talk about the R11 meta! Also, consider hooking up your laptop to the tv (if it isn’t already) get “Wallpaper engine” and find cool animated wallpapers to display!

So I got the S400MK2’s Fauna special addition which allegedly sound a little different than the regular S400MK2’s… be cool if Buchardt send you a pair to compare.

Very good review nemo, thank you! I have a question. How would you compare the Meta R3 with the Dynadio Special 40? Thanks my friend. I love your content

Thanks for another great video. What is your take at low listening levels ?

I’ve ordered them in a bundle with KEF S3 stands and Marantz 40n amplifier. All for £3.5k here in UK. The wait is killing me 😂

Don't think having a few rotating static images is going to burn in your oled

when are you dropping the REL Classic review?

Great review as allways! Maybe you will find some time for a little bit more cheaper speakers like the Q Aucustics 3030i or the Mission LX3-MKii, would love to hear your opinion!