#META SPEAKERS DRIVER#
#META SPEAKERS FULL#

I let the speakers play at background levels for two weeks, with occasional critical-listening sessions mixed in. It was as if each sound was leaving the speakers separately rather than in a musically cohesive way. While the overall sound quality was striking, the coherency wasn’t there. Certain elements of the midrange sounded metallic, reminding me I was listening to aluminum-cone drivers. The treble sounded peaky and flat when I raised the volume to 85-90db. There was no artificial bloat or boost, even when I placed the rear-ported cabinets only a foot from the front wall.Īs I listened longer, I heard some deficiencies which aren’t uncommon with brand new speakers. Low frequencies were linear, even as they descended from 100hz to approximately 40hz. The bass response was outstanding, especially given the enclosure’s small size. This expansive imaging effect was immediately noticeable and served to grab and keep my attention locked into the music. I heard plenty of microdetails and subtleties, along with tangible three-dimensional imaging. They sounded better than I expected upon first listen, especially for the price. Those fed into a Benchmark LA4 preamp, connected to the company’s matching AHB2 power amplifier. My sources alternated between an Aurender A100 and an Auralic Vega G1, both streaming Tidal & Qobuz. Test Setup and Initial Impressionsįurthering the trend of removing bottlenecks and maximizing performance, I connected the LS50 Metas to my most transparent and highest-resolution equipment. Pictures simply don’t do these futuristic-looking speakers any justice.

#META SPEAKERS DRIVER#

The contrasting color of the red driver is striking and demands your attention. The Titanium Grey color is lighter than it appears in KEF’s marketing photos, and the quality of the finish is flawless. However, they’re available in Carbon Black, Mineral White, Royal Blue, and Titanium Grey which means you’ll likely be able to find a color combination that looks good in your room. KEF has opted for modern design and finish options so you won’t find any real-wood veneers, nor do they ship with grilles. Unboxing and AppearanceĪesthetically, I think these speakers are gorgeous. I decided to pursue this rationale and put the LS50 Metas into the purest signal chain I possibly could. Less distortion means you’re able to get closer to the music you love. KEF’s implementation of this new technology reduces distortion and resonances emanating from the driver. This acoustic labyrinth acts like a variably tuned Helmholtz resonator, designed to absorb unwanted frequencies radiating from the driver’s backside. In addition to an optimized cabinet design along with a new cone-and-motor system for the Uni-Q driver, the standout “Meta” namesake feature is the addition of Metamaterial Absorption Technology. Having never heard the impressive KEF LS50 outside of audio shows, I decided to buy a pair of LS50 Metas in Titanium Grey ($1,599) to listen to what was so special about the latest generation of KEF’s LS50 bookshelf loudspeaker.

#META SPEAKERS FULL#

A full seven-speaker home-theater array starts at $8,000 if you go with three center channel speakers instead of floor-standing models and ranges up to $12,300 for a system that uses the top-of-the line R11 Meta and R6 Meta speakers.Since the KEF LS50 Meta’s launch in September 2020, these compact speakers have garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews. Obviously, you can ease your way into the KEF R Meta line with just a pair of bookshelf or floor-standing speakers. The R8 Meta surround speaker can be mounted on the wall or sit on top of the floor-standing speakers. KEF suggests that the users who don’t want to commit to floor-standing speakers can use three center channel speakers in a left-center-right configuration. The R8 up-firing speakers are $1,600 a pair.

There are two center-channel speakers in the line: the R6 Meta ($2,000 each) and the R2 Meta R2 ($1,400 each). The R3 Meta bookshelf speakers are $2,200 a pair. The R Meta line has trio of floor-standing speakers: the R11 Meta ($3,250 each), R7 Meta ($2,500 each), and R5 Meta ($2,000 each). The new KEF R8 up-firing speakers can be wall mounted or set atop a tower speaker in a home theater setup.