Review! The KEF R3 Bookshelf Loudspeaker!
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- Link to the KEF R3 White Paper: www.shop.us.kef.com/pub/media...
Intro Music by: Roof - 'So So'
Link to the KEF R3 Product Page:
us.kef.com/r3.html
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Primary Components used in the Evaluation
AMR CD-777 SE
amr-audio.co.uk/products/cd-7...
Cambridge Audio CXA-81
www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en...
Iotavx SA3
www.iotaenterprises.co.uk/pro...
Iotavx AVXP1
www.iotaenterprises.co.uk/col...
Parasound HALO HINT 6
parasound.com/hint6.php
Parasound JC2BP
parasound.com/jc2bp.php
Parasound JC5
parasound.com/jc5.php 
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Ouf. At 17:58, I meant to say "It's not my money and its not my experience". My mind tends to shut down towards the end of these videos. :D.
Sean what are your thoughts on the Alchemy DPA2 amplifier? It’s an Elac product and retails about 1900, but no reviews online anywhere! I think reviewers mentioned that it was a completely unrealistic mismatch to a UB5, but sounded good
Any chance of doing a review on the new b&w 700 series?
almost done....don't blow it....almost...crap.
Sean, I own a pair of KEF R3 bought them about eight months ago and have been waiting since then for your review and opinion. I truly love these speakers which work in my room and connected to a Peachtree Nova 65. Thank you for you honest and and expertises evaluation. I am 62 years old and have recently gotten back to hi fidelity from my younger years. I appreciate what you do to help people like myself to get back into this wonderful age of music and finding great and affordable equipment.....
Cheers Joe! Enjoy the R3's!
Why do you need a review of equipment you already own? Do your own ears not work?
Joe - I’m curious how you’re enjoying your R3s now? Are they still doing for you? I’m 58 and with COVID I’ve built an office in our detached garage and I find myself LISTENING to music again. I currently have a pair of ProAc Studio 1 MK II speakers that bought 25 years ago - I love them but I also have fond memories of a pair of KEF Q90s that I had before them...
@@graydonbardwell4637 Not just trying to say but I still really like these speakers. They are pretty detailed as Sean has said in his video. My last speakers were a smaller pair of Bower & Wilkins CM1 S2 which I say were great and a little more forgiving to most music but they lacked the “ump” when I wanted to turn them up and listen at a higher level when in a jamming mood which can be quite often around our house. My room acoustics and peach tree amp seem to work for these speakers. They will definitely jam at higher levels. My opinion when feeding a good recording to these speakers is when they shine for me. When the recording is not so good they do ok. I have a Rel Sub-Woofer which helps also but these R3 do a pretty good in my room also on the lower end. I went to a BestBuy magnolia room and listened to these KEF R3 and and my B&W’s side by side and made the decision to buy them. I am not a Sean by no means having the audio ear but so happy this set up worked for me. Best of luck and truly hope you find what works for you...
@@sonomaconcho thanks very much, I really appreciate you getting back to me...
you are the best reviewer to teach us, inspire us. Refreshing, honest reviews noting the good and bad of an item, based on your skills & opinions developed over years of exposure. At age 71, Ive been into music and audio since my 20's. Sadly, never met anyone else with a stereo system here in NJ. so you, steve and stereo, jay, darko, zeos, steve guttenberg, and Hans Beekhuyzen each make learning so much easier than reading the stereo rags. Please keep your foot in the door even if you feel the urge to try other hobbies and interests. Steve and jay are still honing their skills. You and the others shares the mantel of leadership serving a real need.
Really like the guitar analogy here. I think it’s such a great way to translate sound for people who might not understand the impact of frequency response type descriptions. Super cool. Love these reviews!
Thanks for your review! I think you nailed the sound and attributes of the R3. I have the R3 paired with McIntosh 252. The warmth of the tube preamp pairs very well with the R3. I have a difficult listening room and the point source you mentioned is spot on.
This is defently the best review of the R3 which describes this speakers very well .
Finally, a KEF review, awesome! This was very helpful, thank you. Next up, Revel! 😉👍
When it comes to reviewing HiFi AV Gears, Zero Fidelity in my top pick. No dragging, no unwanted information and never repeating the specification provided by the manufacturer. You come the point directly. Keep up your good work.
Hey Sean those are some gorgeous speakers. Love that veneer finish. I have always got some great sound from the KEF speakers. Using my pair of Q100's as elevations over my T1+'s. Always love seeing dual binding posts. I have my Emotiva T1+'s bi-amped with a pair of Adcom GFA-5400's. Thanks for another great review, have a great day man!
EXCELLENT guitar analogy for explaining the sound experience. There are so many different terms that are used to describe characteristics of Hi-Fi and it quickly gets confusing.
Very good review. Clear and to the point. Well done.
Excellent review, thank you for giving an accurate and expert opinion about the speakers.
I have a pair of R 3 about three years from now, they are excellent speakers as you say very real with a balanced and crisp sound, but not a tiring or harsh sound with an over expression of highs.... Reasonable bass, in other words very pleasant and easy listening speakers. Very recommended for anyone looking for a high-quality reasonably sized speakers.
I also have a pair of reference 5 KEF speakers, although that’s another lineage of speakers, they are fabulous and superb sounding out-of-this-world speakers.
As always, an excellent review. It's interesting that you and Zeos came to almost the same conclusion about this speaker and how it compares to the Buchardt's. I'd love to audition both. Very happy to see you say you're planning on reviewing some more higher end gear. Yay!! If I see any more SVS or Emotiva reviews I may have to do something mean. Grrr! Anyway, thanks Sean. You rock!
Excellent review Sean!
Thanks for another great speaker review. Love to have you review the Walsh 2000 Tall.
Awesome as usual Mr. Zero !!!!
Swapped out my P3ESR's for R3's a year and a half ago and never looked back. Made my quads come alive. Was like flicking a lightswitch. Admittedly, probably wasn't getting the best out of the Harbeths but 100% no regrets. Quads and Harbeths have gone but the R3's are still here. Love them.
Very nice review Sean! Well done. I have R300’s with Naim Nait 5si. I love them. Superb imagining and big sound stage.
Sounds like a great combo! Always loved the 5i series. I also proudly own the LS50's. Enjoy!
thank you for the review my man!
Thanks for the review. I had the KEF Q300 and then moved to the R300 since I got a deal on them as they were end of line discounted. I’m now using the Magnepan LRS and couldn’t be happier. The KEF R300 are great speakers but I have a preference to the sound of the LRS. So the R300 are in my home theatre system along with the R200 centre channel
The walnut version sounds warm, the white is cool and the black one is on the dark side
Measurement and BliND ABC CoNFIRMED!
😆
That actually happens. I've forgotten which manufacturer it was (Wharfedale?), but in the 80'ies they tested identical speakers in blue and red finishes, and unanimously, the red ones sounded warmer to the test audience.... we are easily fooled :-)
Erik Dam good looking speakers matter lol I like wooden colours for the most part
Great review as usual.
Excellent and neutral review! I realized as an audiophile I can never be satisfied with one set or type of speakers! I love the Buchards, KEFs, Klipschs, Lintons etc., at different times & so I decided to have them all. Now I hear them at different times based on my mood swings!
That's the way to do, as long as you can afford it, and have the space for them all ;)
Brilliant review, thanks.
Beautiful to die for
Perfect timing. Either R3s or S400s are gonna be my next babies
Good honest review Thanks
I have had the R3 for over a year now…paired with the Rega Aethos, Rega P6, and Aria MK3 phono stage. These speakers handle this setup with ease. Don’t be afraid to throw 125 watts of high current application at these bad boys….I understand now how folks at audio shows say these are married up with the Hegel H390 for demos…they can devour that power. It’s a speaker where amplification will cost a lot more than the speakers themselves to get the most out of them…but you will not be disappointed. I have a REL sub to round out the low end. Fantastic.
I have the R3s with dual REL T9s with a McIntosh amp and I dont think I will ever need anything else. I LOVE the sound.
Have you tried it with t7i’s?
@@oleksiifilippov68 what's the difference between the T9s?
Ustaleone that’s what I’d like to find out
Which amp do you use please ?
Thats the combo i was thinking of never actually hearing either enjoy
Bought my first Kef speakers Q150. The 3D spacial sound is great on a lot of music. I found a few Cd's it was so much separation it was like listening to the Hall EQ setting on a receiver.
Great review!
Very informative good job, thanks.
Wow, I was literally thinking just this week if you would eventually review the R3, and you did! Thank you very much for the comparison to the Buchardt, I tend to prefer a warmer sound with less forwardness, so maybe the R3's are not for me. I'm going to try out the Elac Debut Reference first, and then maybe the S400 if budget allows.
DivineCurrent
You should try the Wharfedale Denton 85th Anniversary
Leans toward warm sounding, good value
I just received the KEF R3 yesterday and been listening for over 8 hours with multiple position adjustments. Then this review showed up and you’re spot on. My first impression is exactly how you described.
The thing about almost all speakers by KEF is the better the source, the better the sound.
Great review! Would love to see some Spendor reviews someday.
Sean, i appreciate your reviews and this one is no exception: Excellent descriptions. Any advice on amp pairing my Q acoustics 3050? I need more detail in the top end (currently have an old NAD 40watt receiver. Wondering if there is any hope. Thanks up front.
I recently auditioned these, and I was pleasantly surprised that they were more warm sounding than the Q150, 350. The highs are not as "screamy"
Excellent explanation thank you
Great review! Thank you so much! If you had to choose between the R3 and the R5, which one would you choose? I’m not looking for loud auditions, but for something that would sound hifi at low volume as well. My open space living room is about 60sqm, but the distance from the couch to the speakers would be 3 meters. Thank you!
Nice review man.
Thanks for the review! Sounds like they’re quite similar to the r300 that I have. They drag attention, against disappearing in the room, as you described. A bit dry but clear midrange. Interesting experience, pleasure to listen, but I guess I’m gonna try Rosso Fiorentino (or at least ProAc’s) in the future. Do you think Rel T7i can fix somewhat soft base from Ragnarok 2 with Kefs? I really like its refinement, tone and microdynamics in mids and highs.
Lol, Sean has literally given his "hats off" to Kef in this video.
I love your reviews and you are a smooth operator with ample knowledge in the field given your age, keep it up.
@@benjaminqilafku5714 Thanks!
@@ThujanK Thujan you are somebody with competence in this hobby and your under 1G best speakers post with Jay has been very informative. Greetings from Milan,Italy
they haven't been using the woofer as a waveguide since 2007 when their patent expired. the last of their classic Uni Q was the XQ series and the IQXX series. These added the little rim which prevented the widest dispersion from hitting the woofer allowing the woofer to play that range instead without any phase issues between them, but there was still a range between 2 and 3k where you can see a squiggle.
the XQxx and the IQXX were both really good and the best of their classic Uni Q arrays that still DID use the woofer as a waveguide which gave the tweeter and the woofer a more unified sound.
after they finished perfecting the tangerine waveguide which equalized the air pressure across the dome they no longer needed to profile the woofer as a waveguide and their patent had expired anyway so they went ahead and inverted the design.
the tweeter now plays really broad with really even dispersion with only the waveguide doing its job, they were then able to lower the crossover point a lot, allowing the tweeter to shine brightest, the woofer was flattened as was the surround allowing the tweeter to fire clear of the woofer and surround.
then the woofer was re profiled to match the directivity of the tweeter which allowed the woofer to punch much lower.
Excellent review: Thank you
Hi Sean, great review. I'm interested in the R3s. Was wondering any tube amp models that you would recommend for a good match for the R3s? I listen mainly to vocals, pop, acoustic, jazz - all at lower to mod levels. Thanks!
About damn time, I was about to start watching Alton brown videos
Great review Sean! I love your videos. I was actually thinking about buying the Kef R3 or the Buchardt S400 and this video gives me more information to make my purchase decision. However, I still don't know which ones to pick and if I would be impressed if I compare them with my Edifier S3000 Pro. I know it is a different set up, but that is the idea. If I'm paying 2.000 euros (which is almost thrice the price of the Edifiers) for a passive speakers, I really want to feel the difference, a huge improvement. Thanks for the great work Sean
Good point regarding difficult rooms. I've started with Elac UB5s, which i loved, but then i moved to another apartment and i stopped enjoying these speakers, as they were impossible to drive in the new room. Echo all over the place, bass simply non existent. It's a rental, so i didn't do much in regards of room treatment (aside from bringing more stuff here, with hope that it will help with echoing), but i've tried every single placement position that i could come up with... Nothing helped. So i have bought R300s. They only needed one minute to blow me away. My subwoofers were not even connected, but i had to double (well, triple) check that, because i couldn't believe how good & tight the bass sounded. I don't understand how that makes sense, but the echo problem has gotten much smaller. I only face it if i put them in a really wrong position. Overall, i can't express enough how happy i am about these, especially knowing that i've bought them for 700€ second handed from some crazy guy. My best purchase ever.
I made some point source speakers with hotted up full range drivers and 10" woofers (and also some bass coming from the FR driver). Balancing the woofer with that is crazy. The wave response between the two drivers affects the sound a lot. And just by changing the resistance of the woofer (by a half an ohm) you get a completely different sound. That much difference in resistance hardly effects bass output, but the wave response between the FR driver and the woofer does (with really small changes in woofer resistance).
I really want to try these!
That's what she said
I may not be a fan of KEF but this makes me want give these a listen. Great job!
Based on your reviews, it seems like the Parasound Zonemaster 2350 would be a good match; or do you think the class D topology would exacerbate the dry sound?
Great review Sean:) Since you brought up a 2k bookshelf speaker. I cant help myself. Canton Reference 9.2...4k MSRP are at accessories4less for $1499. Incredible value. Sparkling highs with tons of detail...yet not metal sound..they are ceramic. A sweet sound. Strong bass, rich midrange. 25lbs each. Gorgeous piano black finish. Canton has over 45 years of hifi experience.
Crazy value at $1499.....yes I own them:)
Ryan Schipp I'm curious about the Cantons. What is your frame of reference? I like a nice sparkly top end. I've owned Paradigm S2, Dynaudio X12, Monitor Audio RX2, B&W 805D, DALI Rubicon 2, Revel M16 and Joseph Audio Prism. I currently still own the last 3. I was considering the R3 but after Sean's review, not so much. As I mentioned, I enjoy a sparkly treble. I own a pair of Revel F208 and F228be driven by Parasound amps. Wonderful speakers. My next set for my 'man cave' will likely be something from Focal but you piqued my interest with your mention of the Cantons. They get no 'love' here in the U.S.
Medium listening room 25 m2 : Have the KEFs R3 with their Stands (all white) + Mytek BROOKLYN DAC+ DAC / PREAMP + ROKSAN K3 POWER AMP, and they are biwired (ECOSSE Cables) ... WOAW ! Love the sound 🙏🏻 They HIT and Imaging is FANTASTIC ! Source : NUPRIME CDT-10 CD Transport, or MacBook Air + Audirvana + SYNOLOGY NAS 2 x 4TB for "Hi-Res" Files. Couldn't be happier at this time 😋
Nice review honoust and much more revealing then the written ones from the 70ies and 80ies...who were a bit too commercial most of the time
I own these speakers and love them with my Arcam SA20. Perfect for me as they're very revealing and as Sean mentioned really capture micro dynamics. I also own a pair of Totem Hawks which are equally fantastic in their own way.
I have sa20 is it powerful enough to feed the r3s?
@@kwokwong2444 absolutely.
@@stephengriffie8143 Thanks for sharing! Have an SA20 as well and I'm about to pull the trigger on a pair of R3s, R5s, or R7s (can't decide yet) for lower volume, small rom listening. What stands do you use for the R3s? Thanks!
Does Cambridge Audio CXA81 will be good match with kef R3 ??
Sound quality discussion starts at 4:46
Nice description at 8:30 well said
Love your reviews man. Can you please recommend good speakers for metal? I want to feel the wall of sound. People have said Klipsch before but I find them almost intolerable (too bright) at high volumes.
Tekton. Pendragons at 2k. Double Impacts at 3k.
Thank you! What do you think about KEF R3 vs B&W 706 S2 for a home theater setup, focused on movies?
I'm torn between these KEF R3s or Polks L200. Which would you pick?
Thoughts about pairing these with Burson Funk for very close listening? literally 3 to 4 feet away from me?
hi Zero , Do you suggest the Yamaha A-s801 with the R3?
*QUESTION* How do you feel about metal coned subwoofers crossed over at 200 Hz or lower?
Wonder how the R3 compare to the Dali Rubicon 2's???
Would these speakers be a good choice to place on or very near to my computer desk to listen while working? If not, what kind of speakers should I be looking into. Please advise, newbie here.
kef seem to make only one coaxial speaker ,smaller or bigger they seem to be the same??
What's the amp he mentions that would work well for these? I can't make out the make.
My Kef's sound great about a foot from the wall with the foam plugs in the ports
hows the bass
Wonder how the kef r3 would sound with a schiit freya plus with 2 aiger amps running as monoblock?
Great review. Wish you would review the Tekton Impact-Monitor for comparison.
Nice video Sean
Hi Guys
I need a help. I have a cambridge audio cxa80 and cxc . I planning to buy Kef r3 but i am not sure is my system “good” enough to pair with the kef or not?
What is your opinion? ( room size 20m2)
Thanks
Sean, Which matches this speaker better from your amps... Unico Primo or Music Fidelity M6i?
I’ve got the outlaw RR2160 rated at 165 watts at 4 ohm. Should that be enough for most low 3 too 4ohm?
Dear Sean, I've become a regular listener of your channel, that I love. I have a question. Can I put the R3s upside down to have the tweeter level with my ears? Would this ruin anything like imaging and soundstage? Thank you!
Ummm... Try it?
Did you had a chance to listen R5 ? I’m curious about your opinion
These are great, high quality, gorgeous speakers that are totally wrong for me.
Seem like an awesome speaker! Would you say it would safe to pair them with the Parasound Hint 6?
Yep. A very solid match!
these or amphion argon 3s?
I actually thought these were on the larger size for a bookshelf until Sean was in the frame with them.
Finally !!!! Kef speakers !
Thanks for a great video! Buying these speakers soon. Do you have any specific recommendations for a tube amp in the price range $1000 - $1500?
I would try the Willsenton R8 with these.
What is most admirable and uncommon at this price point is the quality of the cabinet.
Good evening sir, my question for you is this, would you buy the KefR3 for 2 grand, or save another 1k and buy the Tekton double impact. Does the 1k higher price bring you a much better sound? Depth? Soundstage? Midrange? Clarity in your opinion ,,,,please.
So ... if I spend 1000€ on McVoise Amp will be fine? As soon as I spend at least 1000€ is ok?
Can use/match with Marantz HD-AMP1 ?
Looking at a pair of R5 mini towers and the R2C center for my new main living room system. The beautiful box/driver/grill is likely to carry the day with the wife in my public space. I just have to find a way to hide the big sub.
Maybe I missed it in the review, but the grills on these are lovely and really set em off.
Want your input! I want detail, no smear... but need a softer top end cuz I have terrible tinnitus. Kef Q100 with Yamaha component is very detailed but just too harsh for music I listen to, mostly trio jazz and classical. Any ideas for speakers and component? Price no object but would prefer system sit below 5k.
I listen music for long and like transparent, clear beats, will add 12" SVS sub for punchy bass also, now Which speaker i shoud go for NAD t778
very beautiful and elegant speakers!
Yes they are! Lol
Audio Electronics
Very attractive enclosures, but sonically they fail for me. Just my opinion
I'm with you on the metal driver comments.
Using R3's with the NuPrime IDA-16 streaming Tidal, Audiosource transport and a Rega P3 turntable, subs are SVS SB3000. I alternate between the R3's and my Magnepan .7's. Different presentation and both are a lot of fun to listen. Before the R3's I had the Revel 126BE, which cost twice as much. I actually enjoy the R3's more. The Revel's high tech tweeter was far from friendly regardless of the amps I tried and there were something up in the mid-bass that could make them sound boxy and slightly boomy on some material. The R3's seem to like whatever I throw at them, though they don't image nearly as well as speakers like my old Merlin TSM's.
I own a Pioneer Elite VSX-33. It is about 10 years old. The standard setup is 8 ohm and can be adjusted to 6 ohm.
110 Watts x 7 Advanced Direct Energy Amplification
(20Hz - 20kHz, 8 ohms, 0.08% THD - FTC)
Placement in a large 20x18 room with 20 foot ceilings. I would need to port the rear because they will be situated only 12 inches from the wall.
My concern is the 4 ohm speaker specs with my Pioneer Elite. Will my amp be a good match in your opinion?
11:29. “One must know thy self” this is the zero fidelity golden rule.
Brilliant speaker, end of story. Most likely best in class.
@Denes Szerdahelyi China does a damn good job piecing these beasts together. *tip my hat*
Again, the comparison (very valuable segment), helps me to make up my mind, if this product is for me. With the distinctions made clear with the S400, I'm tempted. But at US$2000, the difference you've mentioned does not outweigh the price. That's obviously subjectively my value equation in my mind.
Viva la KEF!
Paired With Unison Research Unico Nuovo would be good or bad?