I would love to do 7.4.4 setup with just R6 meta speakers and KF92 subs, it would genuinely be an amazing setup. Paired with a Marantz AV10 or an 11/13 channel separate’s setup. It’s nice to dream. 😅
Hi Cody'! I hope you will find sometime to answer my question regarding my choice for the kef r series meta speakers. My question is with R6 set up for LCR, will it be to better to use R6 than the R7 or R3 for as L/R. ? My room dimension is W 16 ft L 20 ft and H 10ft. I also have to Rel 1580 subwofers and Monolit amp.and Marantz AV7005 in my system set up. Thank you in advance.
Thanks for the review. I am surprised you presented the review of the speaker as a stereo pair...But I guess that is what KEF sent you. The R6 is very limited in the bass department because it is designed as an LCR Monitor and a subwoofer should be considered as required not optional. Pair 2 x R6 with 2 Kube 12b subs and you have R11 beating performance and by a large margin too. Anybody looking for a pair of speakers to deliver full range sound without a sub should NOT buy the R6. Get yourself R3, R5, R7. If you have R3 and or R5 and need a center speaker get the R2. If you have R7 or R11 get the R6 for center duties. If you want the top tier surround sound get R6 for LCR and R2 for sides and surrounds matched with minimum 2 x kef kube12b and you will have killer system that will out perform everything above.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂👍🏾 Yes, KEF only sent me two so that’s what I reviewed. I agree with your assessment above except two things: 1. I recommend using R6s as surrounds and rears (not the R2) if a person has the space and budget. Emphasis on space and budget. 2. I haven’t tried the K92 in my room do I can’t say for sure how well it performs.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist Here is a shocker. Kube 12b has more output than 92 from 30hz to 80hz. K92 is designed mainly for extension and small to medium rooms. The kube 12b is the most underrated performer in the kef line. People look at the spec and see 22hz as bottom freq. But in room it drops below 20hz with ease. You have been in the NYC Kef thx theater. You know that runs on 4 Kube 12b and the room got THX rating. You can buy 2 kube 12b for the price of 1 K92. (I own 2 x 12B after auditioning a K92) Having had both R2 and R6 in my hands and room I totally agree with you that IF YOU HAVE THE SPACE and the money R6 all round. But if you got R2 as sides and surrounds the price difference would buy you 2 subs. hehehe
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist it's a Centre speaker at the end of the day which is why it has the frequency response of every other center channel on the planet. you would be better off with a bookshelf speaker for the surround effects channels and using the center style speaker as a center only. otherwise, you may have Irish blood inside you, or you are just confused. if kef does advertise these as lcr then obviously that's just their way of getting more sales on a center speaker and you should be able to see straight through that with your own brain and simply ignore it and use it as a center only... unless like I said before if you have Irish blood in you.
I suggest you stick to brands locally produced. The amount of sales and used speakers is insane. For Germany/EU I can recommend Canton, big company with high output, sales nonstop. You can get the 2500€ speakers for like 1200€ almost every few days.
Great review, Cody. I still have my Arendal set, but there's just something about that clean, crispy, hyper detail that I prefer in the KEFs, so I recently acquired a full set, including the R6 Meta. I lean towards Arendal if you need the volume and output, but KEF if you're a lower volume listener like me, and enjoy precision imaging for stereo listening. Keep up the great work!
Hi Cody, I have something in mind, but it sound a bitt strange, what do you think about combination LCR 2x Arendals 1723 and center KEF R6 Meta, I am thinking that this would be perfect combination, or they will not stick very good together, because like that in movies, I would have super detiled voices and dialogue from the center channel, but also for music laid back. ( subwoofer will be used also!)
Interesting question! Honestly I wouldn’t do it because the sound signatures are so different. But….if someone were to do it, I would recommend using the KEF as left and right and Arendal as center. The main reason is because the KEFs are more for music (think stereo music) and the Arendal works best for movies (a large percentage of movies come from the center channel). Hopefully this helps, let me know what you decide. 😁
Thank you for your informative videos. I always wanted someone to compare a Waveguide speaker to a concentric speaker, awesome job! I just bought some q series speakers as well, can’t wait for them to arrive! Keep up the good work!
Great Review. I really like sound demo, playing them instantly back-to-back allows us to easily compare the speakers. I'm considering the Kef R3 Meta or Bowers and Wilkins 705 S3, any thoughts?
Thank you for the review. It was very well done. If you didn't already have the Arendals, and if price was not a factor, would you choose the Arendals or the KEFs?
Excellent question! I’d probably choose the Arendals because I prefer their slightly more laid back approach to movies but if I was mostly into music then the KEFs definitely!
Do you think with a subwoofer that these would match or beat the Arendals for movies? Bass can definitely make you prefer one speaker over another identical speaker especially with movies where imo you almost need a subwoofer (ideally 2) to have a good time.
Do U Think These Speakers Will Sound Better than the Klipsch RC 64 iii ??? Center Channel Speakers Per Center Channel Speakers, Who Be Ideal To Listen To For Music, Movies 🎬 Ect.Ect????
I haven’t heard those Klipsch but I suspect these are slightly better for music. Mainly because the mid range is prominent and detailed but that’s just guess. Which one is better for movies? My guess is klipsch but again I don’t know 🤷🏽♂️ Sorry I can’t be more helpful
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist , I Really Appreciate U Touching Base, I Think 🤔 Your 1 Of The Best, I Follow Beings Techno Dad The 1 Who Really Taught Me Alot Over The Many Years, But I've Listen And Tuned Into People Like Yourself, Who Knows Their Stuff!
@@Ctripp2448 Been in the game for 25 years. I have 3 rigs in my place. I've had KEF's. Have two sets of Canton speakers. My ears tell me neutral all the way. Online forums will also back it up.
Just stumbled across your channel. Enjoyed the video. I may be incorrect here but in your audio demos (which was a great addition) I would have all the speakers facing the same direction.
Thanks for watching! Don't forget to like and subscribe! Those were just photos, the actual recording is all the speakers in the same direction, same distance from the microphone.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist Oh wow, I need to go back and watch again. I realize now they weren't even plugged in! There was one combo that sounded so different to me that I just knew it was bc of positioning. Thanks for the reply :)
i been looking at these kef centers for a while now, but they are so large, i got arendal MTM with 5" wofoers, they are 1.5" smaller on the height and twice as shallow. kef can not compete with that.
Thanks for the Arendal comparison and the sound demos! I think Arendal and Kef are both at the top of their game. I'm a bit surprised how much more detail the R6 meta's have. Where was the mic placed for the recordings for each of these?
I was surprised by how close they sounded. The 1723s is more laid back then the R6 but once I listened for a bit, I realized how close they are in terms of quality. The R6 is better butt it’s slight, not a night and day difference. The mic is 7” from the front of the cabinet, radially in between the tweeter and woofer of the 1723s.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist Ahh ok thanks! I'd be curious if the mic was placed at the listening position rather than nearfield. I'm assuming the R6 is coming across more detailed since the mic is placed at the Uni-Q mid/tweeter, where the Arendal is just at the tweeter.
Yea I struggled with where to place the mic radially because of the different driver configuration. This was the best I came up with. I've tried far field from my listening position and there was just too much "room noise" obscuring some detail (even with the air off and music blaring 😁). I got questions/complaints about the room noise so I switched to near field recording and those pretty much stopped 😁. By the way I record, edit, and export the audio at 24 bit 96kHz but then RUclips does it's thing 🤷🏾♂️.
Hey man, great review. Question: Have you heard the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3? And how do you think they would compare to the R6 or the R2 Meta. Do you think it's worth paying 2.5x more for the Kef? Thanks.
My amp is rated at 200w per chanel, I have a fairly large open room, would I benefit getting the R6 center (50-250w) vs the R2 center (rated 50-200w)? and what a GREAT Comparision video!
Thank you for the kind words. The R6 will yield better distribution. So I think you would benefit if you have a fairly wide seating positions in your room. In other words if you have a lot of seats off axis from the center of the room.
great video I would like to set up a system with two R11s and one R6 for the front stage, R8 for the sides, (for reasons of space) but I'm unsure about the rear ones, as they are further away from the listener... which would be better in terms of cost benefit? R8s, R3s or R2s?
They are more musical, smooth, refined, and closer to neutral when compared to the Klipsch RP-260F line. I still have a pair of the RP-150m bookshelf speakers if I want to listen to Klipsch. But I haven’t because I like the arendals, they’re much better for movies in my opinion.
Yes, this is very True. From what I can hear in my professional Audio Opinion, it is without a doubt that the Arendal's sound is much "Softer" and not quite Clear if you will, as compared to the Kef's Amazing CLARITY when dialogue is present. This R6 Center channel, is ABSOLUTELY a Winner!!
I own the R3 indigo blue, using them in a 2 channel setup. I like them. I haven't heard these but can't imagine they would be worse. I use 2 subs never tried the R3 metas without them, so I can't comment on the bass extension.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist I have the Q750 tower's, the Q650 center and the Q150's as the rears. I thought about the R line, but they are so much more money, and I have young children and I don't trust them around anything expensive lol. The R line is the best looking speaker ive ever seen. Wonder how much of a difference there are between the sound of the Q line and the R line. Am very, Very happy with my Q750's, best speakers ive ever heard.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist thanks! So Arendals had more punch for movie watching? I’m surprised a bit as both have same size drivers but maybe the difference is that one is ported and the other not
2k each? Ouch. Then 6k for a front stage of these? Comical. Someone can get a pair of substantial towers and a great center channel for half that price. Horrible value.
Thats probably true but its no secret that speakers come in all different sizes and price points. Bigger doesn’t necessarily equal better just like more expensive doesn’t necessarily equal better. Depending on the application, use case, and preferences these could be solid. Also, KEF, like a lot of brands, seems to have their fans. People willing to pay a bit extra based on their taste and the kind of modern look of their speakers.
@@danielwander605 it's not probably true....it's a fact. Arendal and Polk towers with center would embarrass these LCR's by KEF. It's hifi/home theater 101. A tower has more drivers and larger drivers with a larger cabinet=more full range sound, dynamics , output. It's physics. And .........at much less of a price. It's a joke that the KEF front stage would be 6k. A ripoff. If you want to go down and looks and fanboy road the older KEF R11 can be had with a center for a little less. Lol.
I would love to do 7.4.4 setup with just R6 meta speakers and KF92 subs, it would genuinely be an amazing setup. Paired with a Marantz AV10 or an 11/13 channel separate’s setup. It’s nice to dream. 😅
Nice! 😊
Hi Cody'! I hope you will find sometime to answer my question regarding my choice for the kef r series meta speakers. My question is with R6 set up for LCR, will it be to better to use R6 than the R7 or R3 for as L/R. ? My room dimension is W 16 ft L 20 ft and H 10ft. I also have to Rel 1580 subwofers and Monolit amp.and Marantz AV7005 in my system set up. Thank you in advance.
Thanks for the review. I am surprised you presented the review of the speaker as a stereo pair...But I guess that is what KEF sent you. The R6 is very limited in the bass department because it is designed as an LCR Monitor and a subwoofer should be considered as required not optional. Pair 2 x R6 with 2 Kube 12b subs and you have R11 beating performance and by a large margin too.
Anybody looking for a pair of speakers to deliver full range sound without a sub should NOT buy the R6. Get yourself R3, R5, R7.
If you have R3 and or R5 and need a center speaker get the R2. If you have R7 or R11 get the R6 for center duties.
If you want the top tier surround sound get R6 for LCR and R2 for sides and surrounds matched with minimum 2 x kef kube12b and you will have killer system that will out perform everything above.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂👍🏾 Yes, KEF only sent me two so that’s what I reviewed.
I agree with your assessment above except two things:
1. I recommend using R6s as surrounds and rears (not the R2) if a person has the space and budget. Emphasis on space and budget. 2.
I haven’t tried the K92 in my room do I can’t say for sure how well it performs.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist Here is a shocker. Kube 12b has more output than 92 from 30hz to 80hz. K92 is designed mainly for extension and small to medium rooms. The kube 12b is the most underrated performer in the kef line. People look at the spec and see 22hz as bottom freq. But in room it drops below 20hz with ease. You have been in the NYC Kef thx theater. You know that runs on 4 Kube 12b and the room got THX rating. You can buy 2 kube 12b for the price of 1 K92. (I own 2 x 12B after auditioning a K92)
Having had both R2 and R6 in my hands and room I totally agree with you that IF YOU HAVE THE SPACE and the money R6 all round. But if you got R2 as sides and surrounds the price difference would buy you 2 subs. hehehe
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist it's a Centre speaker at the end of the day which is why it has the frequency response of every other center channel on the planet. you would be better off with a bookshelf speaker for the surround effects channels and using the center style speaker as a center only. otherwise, you may have Irish blood inside you, or you are just confused. if kef does advertise these as lcr then obviously that's just their way of getting more sales on a center speaker and you should be able to see straight through that with your own brain and simply ignore it and use it as a center only... unless like I said before if you have Irish blood in you.
I have R3s (4x) and an R2C. I am SERIOUSLY considering upgrading my center to the R6 Meta.
I like it a lot!
I suggest you stick to brands locally produced. The amount of sales and used speakers is insane. For Germany/EU I can recommend Canton, big company with high output, sales nonstop. You can get the 2500€ speakers for like 1200€ almost every few days.
Great review, Cody. I still have my Arendal set, but there's just something about that clean, crispy, hyper detail that I prefer in the KEFs, so I recently acquired a full set, including the R6 Meta. I lean towards Arendal if you need the volume and output, but KEF if you're a lower volume listener like me, and enjoy precision imaging for stereo listening. Keep up the great work!
Thank you 🙏🏾! 100% agree with your comments above. I’m glad you have speakers that you enjoy and work for your setup. 🙂
What about for home theater? I would be using 2 or more high-end subwoofers too.
Can you use the kef q250c center speaker with the q350 bookshelf speakers?
Great job and what subwoofer are using? 😎👍
Thanks! Arendal sound 1723 2V.
Hi Cody, I have something in mind, but it sound a bitt strange, what do you think about combination LCR 2x Arendals 1723 and center KEF R6 Meta, I am thinking that this would be perfect combination, or they will not stick very good together, because like that in movies, I would have super detiled voices and dialogue from the center channel, but also for music laid back. ( subwoofer will be used also!)
Interesting question! Honestly I wouldn’t do it because the sound signatures are so different. But….if someone were to do it, I would recommend using the KEF as left and right and Arendal as center. The main reason is because the KEFs are more for music (think stereo music) and the Arendal works best for movies (a large percentage of movies come from the center channel). Hopefully this helps, let me know what you decide. 😁
I purchased the Q650c 6 months ago. Should I upgrade to the new R6?????
I can't speak for your bank account but if money was no object, I'd say YES!
Thank you for your informative videos. I always wanted someone to compare a Waveguide speaker to a concentric speaker, awesome job! I just bought some q series speakers as well, can’t wait for them to arrive! Keep up the good work!
Glad it was helpful! Don't forget to like and subscribe! :)
Thank you for audio samples!!! So helpful
Kef R6-Meta or Svs Ultra Evolution Center which one best movie performance ??
I haven't heard the evolution so I have to default to the Meta
Great Review. I really like sound demo, playing them instantly back-to-back allows us to easily compare the speakers. I'm considering the Kef R3 Meta or Bowers and Wilkins 705 S3, any thoughts?
I haven't heard the B&W so I can't say, sorry. Thanks for watching and enjoying!! 😁
Thank you for the review. It was very well done.
If you didn't already have the Arendals, and if price was not a factor, would you choose the Arendals or the KEFs?
Excellent question! I’d probably choose the Arendals because I prefer their slightly more laid back approach to movies but if I was mostly into music then the KEFs definitely!
That clarity is insane
The r6 has to be the best looking speaker
Do you think with a subwoofer that these would match or beat the Arendals for movies? Bass can definitely make you prefer one speaker over another identical speaker especially with movies where imo you almost need a subwoofer (ideally 2) to have a good time.
The Arendals are extremely well made and sound beautiful, dare I say clinical…. Kef is just better at all aspects.
Do U Think These Speakers Will Sound Better than the Klipsch RC 64 iii ??? Center Channel Speakers Per Center Channel Speakers, Who Be Ideal To Listen To For Music, Movies 🎬 Ect.Ect????
I haven’t heard those Klipsch but I suspect these are slightly better for music. Mainly because the mid range is prominent and detailed but that’s just guess. Which one is better for movies? My guess is klipsch but again I don’t know 🤷🏽♂️ Sorry I can’t be more helpful
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist , I Really Appreciate U Touching Base, I Think 🤔 Your 1 Of The Best, I Follow Beings Techno Dad The 1 Who Really Taught Me Alot Over The Many Years, But I've Listen And Tuned Into People Like Yourself, Who Knows Their Stuff!
Once you hear a neutral response speaker like revel and kef it’s hard to listen to any other speaker
😁 thanks for sharing!
You forgot Canton;)
@@ryanschipp8513 haven’t seen any spin data on them. Where are the measurements posted at?
@@Ctripp2448 Been in the game for 25 years. I have 3 rigs in my place. I've had KEF's. Have two sets of Canton speakers. My ears tell me neutral all the way. Online forums will also back it up.
@@ryanschipp8513 Canton is bright as hell
Just stumbled across your channel. Enjoyed the video. I may be incorrect here but in your audio demos (which was a great addition) I would have all the speakers facing the same direction.
Thanks for watching! Don't forget to like and subscribe!
Those were just photos, the actual recording is all the speakers in the same direction, same distance from the microphone.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist Oh wow, I need to go back and watch again. I realize now they weren't even plugged in! There was one combo that sounded so different to me that I just knew it was bc of positioning. Thanks for the reply :)
Hi Cody, how do you think the larger Arendals 1723 monitor would compare to the Kefs for music ?
i been looking at these kef centers for a while now, but they are so large, i got arendal MTM with 5" wofoers, they are 1.5" smaller on the height and twice as shallow.
kef can not compete with that.
So those r6 have more midbass/punch compared to the r3 ?
A noticeable better system with 3 x R6 vs 3x R3?
The Arendals sound quite cheap compared to the R-Series.
Thanks for the Arendal comparison and the sound demos! I think Arendal and Kef are both at the top of their game.
I'm a bit surprised how much more detail the R6 meta's have. Where was the mic placed for the recordings for each of these?
I was surprised by how close they sounded. The 1723s is more laid back then the R6 but once I listened for a bit, I realized how close they are in terms of quality. The R6 is better butt it’s slight, not a night and day difference.
The mic is 7” from the front of the cabinet, radially in between the tweeter and woofer of the 1723s.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist Ahh ok thanks! I'd be curious if the mic was placed at the listening position rather than nearfield. I'm assuming the R6 is coming across more detailed since the mic is placed at the Uni-Q mid/tweeter, where the Arendal is just at the tweeter.
Yea I struggled with where to place the mic radially because of the different driver configuration. This was the best I came up with.
I've tried far field from my listening position and there was just too much "room noise" obscuring some detail (even with the air off and music blaring 😁). I got questions/complaints about the room noise so I switched to near field recording and those pretty much stopped 😁. By the way I record, edit, and export the audio at 24 bit 96kHz but then RUclips does it's thing 🤷🏾♂️.
Can somebody provide the song name? Thank you.
Hey man, great review.
Question: Have you heard the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3? And how do you think they would compare to the R6 or the R2 Meta. Do you think it's worth paying 2.5x more for the Kef?
Thanks.
Thanks! I haven't heard the 606, sorry. 😞
My amp is rated at 200w per chanel, I have a fairly large open room, would I benefit getting the R6 center (50-250w) vs the R2 center (rated 50-200w)? and what a GREAT Comparision video!
Thank you for the kind words. The R6 will yield better distribution. So I think you would benefit if you have a fairly wide seating positions in your room. In other words if you have a lot of seats off axis from the center of the room.
great video
I would like to set up a system with two R11s and one R6 for the front stage, R8 for the sides, (for reasons of space) but I'm unsure about the rear ones, as they are further away from the listener... which would be better in terms of cost benefit? R8s, R3s or R2s?
Probably the R8s to be consistent with your surrounds.
I was expecting Arendals to be better then Kef R6, but I'm a bit surprised!
I prefer the arendals for movies but r6 for music. The r6 is really really good! 😀
O Kef tem mais clareza, e é bem mais rico em detalhes.
How do they compare to the Klipsch you use to have. Do you miss Klipsch speakers.
They are more musical, smooth, refined, and closer to neutral when compared to the Klipsch RP-260F line. I still have a pair of the RP-150m bookshelf speakers if I want to listen to Klipsch. But I haven’t because I like the arendals, they’re much better for movies in my opinion.
The Arendal towers sounded muffled to me
That's something I've never heard anyone say about Arendal speakers.
Where did you hear they sounded muffled?
Yes, this is very True. From what I can hear in my professional Audio Opinion, it is without a doubt that the Arendal's sound is much "Softer" and not quite Clear if you will, as compared to the Kef's Amazing CLARITY when dialogue is present. This R6 Center channel, is ABSOLUTELY a Winner!!
I own the R3 indigo blue, using them in a 2 channel setup. I like them. I haven't heard these but can't imagine they would be worse. I use 2 subs never tried the R3 metas without them, so I can't comment on the bass extension.
Thanks for sharing!
At $2k/speaker, it's only for well off people. But if you have the cash, why not? Still, I'd rather get tower speakers for the mains.
Agreed! 2k each is silly.
You get what you pay for, yes its alot but believe me when i say it the sound quality is superb, dare i say insanely good
@@DjBunito countless tower options out there that will sound just as good for less.
What an amazing review!!!! Keep up the great work!!!!
Thanks a ton!
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist I have the Q750 tower's, the Q650 center and the Q150's as the rears. I thought about the R line, but they are so much more money, and I have young children and I don't trust them around anything expensive lol. The R line is the best looking speaker ive ever seen. Wonder how much of a difference there are between the sound of the Q line and the R line. Am very, Very happy with my Q750's, best speakers ive ever heard.
I’m happy you’re enjoying your speakers. 😁😁 That’s what really matters. Enjoy them!!!!
Great video as always.
Glad you enjoyed it
The KEF R6 C are phenomenal!
Bought the old R11 and R2c speakers on mega clearance. Can’t believe the Metas are worth that much more. Good review! 👍🏼
I love the title, I know, I very much agree!
😁😁😁 thanks!
FYI, I was the 300 LIKE!
😁
How do R6 perform in stereo music?
Great!!! I enjoyed them with music more than movies. It's a smooth experience that excels on presenting details.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist thanks! So Arendals had more punch for movie watching? I’m surprised a bit as both have same size drivers but maybe the difference is that one is ported and the other not
Is that a McDowells T-Shirt?
Eagle eye! 😂😂 yes it is!
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist love that movie
2k each? Ouch. Then 6k for a front stage of these? Comical. Someone can get a pair of substantial towers and a great center channel for half that price. Horrible value.
Thats probably true but its no secret that speakers come in all different sizes and price points. Bigger doesn’t necessarily equal better just like more expensive doesn’t necessarily equal better. Depending on the application, use case, and preferences these could be solid. Also, KEF, like a lot of brands, seems to have their fans. People willing to pay a bit extra based on their taste and the kind of modern look of their speakers.
@@danielwander605 it's not probably true....it's a fact. Arendal and Polk towers with center would embarrass these LCR's by KEF. It's hifi/home theater 101. A tower has more drivers and larger drivers with a larger cabinet=more full range sound, dynamics , output. It's physics. And .........at much less of a price. It's a joke that the KEF front stage would be 6k. A ripoff. If you want to go down and looks and fanboy road the older KEF R11 can be had with a center for a little less. Lol.
@@ryanschipp8513 One of those. Got it.
@@ryanschipp8513lol
Ok sure Mr tightwad.