Everyone Loves It! KEF R3 Meta bookshelf speaker review!

Test Equipment:

Preamp & Power Amplifiers:

Source: Bluesound Node 2i or Cambridge MXN10 Streamer
(all music is hi-res streamed from Tidal)

DAC: Denafrips Ares II or Ares 12th-1

Speaker & Power Cables: Maze Audio Ref4
(rest in peace Kent)

Interconnect Cables:
Analysis Plus Oval One RCA
Oyaide Tunami Terzo XX V2 XLR

Your results may vary based on your ears, room, and associated equipment.

[NemoPropaganda]

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.

[BobbyBass-xi]

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!

[nonametofame]

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

[nikolakondovski]

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.

[User_not_found_]

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.

[d.j.cantelli]

Completely agree with prioritizing the speaker over the amp.

[larrychew]

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!

[mmdusa]

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.

[justbrowsing]

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.

[timball]

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.

[Reluctantaudiophile]

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

[parkermackenzie]

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.

[perlman]

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.

[shemsureshot]

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.

[glassacre]

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. 👍

[philiegolf]

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🙏🏻

[Jusstisse]

Thank you!!! I am buying these this week. And you are my most trusted reviewer!! Thanks again for this!

[Alex_Greu_de_gasit]

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!

[Sir_Corgerus]

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.

[brownjonathan]

I love this down to earth honest approach to reviewing vs over-technical with charts and specs