KEF R11 META - PAIR

Kef R11 Meta are the definitive floorstanding loudspeakers of the renewed Meta R Series. These floor-standing speakers are in a 3-way rear bass reflex configuration, with Uni-Q composed of a 25 mm tweeter and a 125 mm midrange, 4 165 mm woofers and now also integrate the innovative Meta technology. With a frequency response ranging from 46 Hz to 28 kHz and a sensitivity of 90 dB, they are perfect for providing sound to large rooms both in stereophonic configuration and for Home Cinema systems.

Description

Kef R11 Meta High End floorstanding HiFi speakers

Kef R11 Meta is the top-of-the-range floorstanding HiFi loudspeaker of the renewed and always much acclaimed R Series. Already winners of the EISA 2019-2020 award as best High-End loudspeakers – in the previous edition – they are positioned above R5 Meta – floor standing speaker input – and the high-performance R7 Meta, while maintaining a slim and elegant form factor.

The Kef R11 Meta model is the flagship of the Meta R Series, effectively reaching its stylistic and acoustic pinnacle. Thanks to the combination of the 12th generation Uni-Q driver with its four 165 mm hybrid aluminum woofers, this speaker sinks in bass like never before and thus offers an exceptionally clean, deep and musical performance in the low frequencies.

Indeed Kef R11 Meta is capable of going 2Hz lower than the more compact model, the R7 Meta (and a full 4Hz lower than the smaller R5 floorstanding speaker) thus reaching 46Hz at +/- 3dB, for a truly breathtaking listening experience.

Furthermore, Kef has exceeded all expectations by integrating the innovative Metamaterial technology into this famous series of speakers, to offer an extremely natural soundstage in this price range.

The result is a completely neutral HiFi loudspeaker, capable of reproducing the subtlest details of music with grace and refinement, as well as providing the power and energy necessary both within 2.0 or 2.1 Hi-Fi systems, but also in multi-channel installations. Unlike the proposal of American school loudspeakers which typically emphasize the bass a lot, R11 Meta in fact remain delicate and precise even when listening to difficult instruments such as the piano or in vocal reproduction, without emphasizing any frequency.

R11 Meta uses the innovative MAT™ technology

Maidstone engineers continue to relentlessly improve the performance of their speaker series year after year. In this new R Series Kef got a significant “Meta” update with the addition of MAT™, the technology that uses a round plate behind the driver and milled with a highly complex pattern, applied for the first time on the iconic LS50 Meta and Wireless II as well as on the LS60 Wireless, Reference and Blade flagships, winning the award for innovation of the year 2020 according to What Hi-Fi? magazine.

The labyrinthine channels of the "damper" plate are in fact capable of absorbing and effectively eliminating as many as 99% of unwanted frequencies from the tweeter emission, mainly in the frequency range from 620 Hz to 40 kHz, thus creating what Kef call it “an acoustic black hole.” The result is undoubtedly a purer and more natural sound, closer to the true intentions of the artist.

The Kef R11 Meta loudspeakers are High Fidelity floorstanding speakers, like the rest of the series. For excellent sound quality but with a more moderate price, we recommend turning to the entry-level series of the English brand, the Q Series.

The famous Uni-Q coaxial driver in its 12th version

If we had to define the heart of the R11 Meta, this would certainly be its coaxial driver: Tweeter and midrange, merged into the Uni-Q unit, allow the sound to be generated by a point emission source, exactly as in reality. The philosophy behind this patent, which has been in development and refinement for almost 40 years, is inspired by the basic physics of waves: this is why it offers the most accurate reproduction available, creating a much wider listening field and a flatter frequency response . Any other technology that provides for the division of tweeter and midrange is necessarily "far from reality" and can only try to compensate for this distance with mechanical devices or software.

Kef's R Series has now become Meta and has been re-designed to bring all the features that have made it so famous over the years to a higher level and above all to best integrate new technologies with the twelfth edition of the famous Uni patent -Q used to equip all models, including of course this top-of-the-line R11 floorstanding speaker.

The new Uni-Q – now in its 12th update – was born as always from the union of a 125 mm midrange and a 25 mm aluminum dome tweeter, but has been redesigned and rethought for integration with Metamaterials, starting from the magnetic group, passing through the waveguide that couples the dome of the tweeter to the new metamaterial absorber that positions two rings of porous materials, up to the midrange and its very low distortion motor.

All this contributes to a greater excursion of the driver. It goes without saying that the final result leads to an even more natural and dynamic sound.

R11 Meta – Design and integration in the environment

The generous dimensions of these loudspeakers, combined with the power released by the four latest generation woofers and the new bass reflex ducts make the R11 Meta ideal for large rooms, up to 60 m2, both in the classic Hi-Fi configuration for listening stereophonic and as front speakers in a high-level multi-channel installation. This refreshed line also includes a Dolby Atmos speaker and two LCR models, which are also perfect as center channels. Just add a subwoofer to the setup to bring the magic of great cinema into your living room!

For lower volumes, it is better to move to the R7 Meta model.

In the new R11 Meta, the use of more compact and dynamic drivers has allowed exceptional performance while maintaining a slim chassis, already judged to be the most modern and elegant on the scene. This brings great benefits in terms of pure aesthetics, but also in relation to the versatility of positioning within the listening room.

The Kef Serie R Meta collection is now available in three finishes: glossy black piano lacquer, glossy white piano lacquer and real natural walnut. All the colors available, from the drivers, to the feet, to the shadow flares are built tone on tone. Everything in the diffuser recalls the dominant color palette.

In this renewal, a special Titanium Gloss finish has also been added for the R7 Meta (with Red driver) and Indigo Gloss (with gold Uni-Q) for the R3 Meta bookshelf model.

Each R Meta Series speaker also features magnetic and removable microfiber grilles.

Once again Kef demonstrates its attention and passion for beauty that has driven it for over 60 years to combine its latest generation technologies with a truly captivating design, thus creating speakers with impeccable sound that blend perfectly with a modern environment.

R11 Meta offers the best grids ever

The protective grilles of the R11 Meta – like the rest of the line after all – are an absolute masterpiece. These front grilles are created by heat fusion of 13 layers of composite materials and microfiber. The new type of protection is ultra thin, rigid, sonically transparent and, a touch of class in Kef style, with tone-on-tone finishes with the rest of the speaker.

The new acoustic grilles of the Kef R11 Meta are made with 1,801 laser-cut holes for each of the different drivers, making these innovative "masks" not a simple accessory but rather an integral element of the speaker, which enhances its sound characteristics and design .

Shadow Flare for maximum dispersion in R11

In the R11 speakers Meta Kef has implemented a new technology that derives directly from the Reference Series. The Tangerine Waveguide, the waveguide (and damage protection) of the Tweeter typical of the Uni-Q, is supported by the "Shadow Flare", the special outer ring that connects the driver to the chassis. This innovation plays a decisive role in completely reducing the diffraction effects that are created when the sound reaches an edge of a loudspeaker.

The combined use of Uni-Q and Shadow Flare allows Kef to create a monolithic and elegant speaker, with an ultra-modern design, which however sounds exactly like an ideal speaker with a rounded cabinet.

The resulting sound reproduction is totally convincing and allows you to take the sound realism to the extreme without spending too much money to get elaborate chassis shapes. This way more resources are allocated where the sound is actually generated. And it is thus possible, at the same cost, to have an absolutely extreme Uni-Q: the driver at the heart of the R Series.

New Meta R series woofers

The speakers dedicated to low frequencies of the Meta R Series were completely redesigned in the previous 2018 edition with the aim of improving their "punch" but always with absolute control of the sound, even reaching a double excursion of the woofers compared to the past. This guarantees absolute performance and great tolerance to pressure excursions. In fact, Kef R11 Meta are perfect for those who love listening to loud music or movies!

New Meta R series woofers

The speakers dedicated to low frequencies of the Meta R Series were completely redesigned in the previous 2018 edition with the aim of improving their "punch" but always with absolute control of the sound, even reaching a double excursion of the woofers compared to the past. This guarantees absolute performance and great tolerance to pressure excursions. In fact, Kef R11 Meta are perfect for those who love listening to loud music or movies!

The sound pressure generated by R11 is really impressive! The four 16.5 cm drivers benefit from a completely new motor with very low distortion, as well as new baskets and new cones, stiffer and lighter. The result is class-leading bass performance that delivers plenty of power, depth, and increased speed. Rock ball? No problem!

Cabinet in R11 Meta

The extremely slender cabinet, with a consequent reduced front panel allows the speaker itself to interact less with the listening environment, i.e. it does not dirty its sound.

Plus placing a pair of slimline speakers in a living room is so much easier!

The extremely rigid cabinet of the R11 Meta was created using an innovative technique characterized by the use, in specific points, of soft damping joints.

The result is a totally inert chassis, which has the function of dampening the already minimized vibrations created by the driver's engine. Basically this – Flexible Decoupling Chassis – represents the ideal location for the new woofers and Uni-Q.

Bass Reflex ducts in R11

The R11 Meta loudspeakers have two bass reflexes with Flexible technology on the rear panel: The ports are carefully positioned off axis with respect to the drivers, have a precise profile and are characterized by walls with a flexible design.

This incredible patent, developed thanks to computational fluid dynamics, also used on the Blade Meta and Reference Meta reference lines, has the simple objective of hindering the coloration of the sound, in particular of the medium frequencies.

All this is possible by preventing the creation of turbulence or resonances and keeping the pressure inside the ducts constant, at any level of volume and frequency. The speaker will thus be able to return a truly pure sound to the ear. With Kef a bass reflex is always something more.

Tried and recommended pairings

The level of neutrality, combined with the dynamics and soundstage that the R11 Meta is able to release is absolute, but we always recommend a good break-in time to make them perform at their best.

It is also very important that the R11 Meta is combined with neutral amplifiers, with equal dynamics and good power control. In terms of ideal pairing, both Kef itself and Hifight offer Hegel amplifications. In this case, the model that offers the right power is the H390. Alternatively, other suitable combinations can be found at Cyrus, with the top of the range i9 XR integrated amplifier, or at Cambridge Audio, an excellent solution is the Edge A amplifier.

The reference High-End amplifications proposed by Chord Electronics should also be taken into consideration.

For those who want something ultra modern and "designed for digital streaming" we recommend Lyngdorf integrated - the right model here becomes the more powerful TDAI-3400.

With regard to power cables, with R11 Meta Hifight undoubtedly recommends the Chord Company brand, starting from the Shawline series but, for truly high-level performance, it is better to opt for Epic.

Up-grade for the best sound result

It should always be remembered that the positioning of the speakers within a room is a fundamental aspect to take into consideration.

Not only the position, but also the support on which they are placed can greatly affect the quality of the sound reproduced by the Hi-Fi system.

For example, by choosing to use IsoAcoustics' Gaia II floorstanding speaker decouplers, it will be possible to isolate the loudspeakers, taking advantage of the innovations patented by this American company specializing in acoustic isolation.

This way, you will get a deeper soundstage, more detailed reproduction and cleaner bass, as well as a reduction in reverb that allows you to enjoy a more transparent sound in the upper mids.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

WEIGHT 36,5 kg

DIMENSION (H X W X D) 1249 x 200 x 384 mm with terminal*

DIMENSION (H X W X D) 1296 x 311 x 384 mm with terminal with plinth*

DESIGN Three-way bass reflex

FREQUENCY RANGE 30 Hz – 50 kHz (-6 dB)

TYPICAL IN-ROOM BASS RESPONSE 26 Hz (-6 dB)

FREQUENCY RESPONSE 46 Hz – 28 kHz (±3 dB)

HARMONIC DISTORTION (90 dB, 1m) <1% 33 Hz and above; <0.5% 80 Hz – 20 kHz

SENSITIVITY 90 dB

MAXIMUM OUTPUT 113 dB

AMPLIFIER REQUIREMENTS 15 – 300W

NOMINAL IMPEDANCE 4 Ω (min. 3.2 Ω)

DRIVE UNITS Uni-Q Driver Array: HF: 25 mm vented aluminium dome with  MAT, MF: 125 mm aluminium cone

BASS DRIVER LF: 4 x 165 mm hybrid aluminium cone

CROSSOVER FREQUENCY 330 Hz, 2.5 kHz