KEF Reference 3 Meta Speakers: Worth It for Vinyl?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- In this video, we review the KEF Reference 3 Meta speakers and discuss whether they are worth it for playing your vinyl records. Tune in to find out if these speakers are the perfect match for your vinyl setup!
Dive into the world of high-end audio with Louie V. as he tests the KEF Reference 3 Meta speakers, known for their exceptional clarity and depth, brought to life with a vinyl setup featuring a Rega P10 turntable and a McIntosh MA252 amplifier. Watch as these speakers bring a new dimension to well-loved records across various genres, from the intricate layers of The Alan Parsons Project to the soulful strains of Bill Withers. Subscribe for more insights into audiophile gear and vinyl collecting adventures!
🎶 What we're exploring:
• The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships: Experience the clear separation and concert-like dynamics of this genre-mixing album.
• The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky: Revel in the lush, precise production of this classic album through the KEF speakers.
• Amos Lee - Amos Lee: Feel the warmth and intimacy of acoustic sounds with tracks like "Arms of a Woman."
• Steely Dan - Aja: Discover the exceptional detail and balance in the jazz-rock complexity of this audiophile favorite.
• Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus: Enjoy the rhythmic, soulful vibes of reggae with enhanced clarity and depth.
• Bill Withers - Bill Withers' Greatest Hits: Savor the timeless hits with newfound clarity and warmth.
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal: Experience the power and precision in the rapid rap harmonies and beats.
🔍 Why tune in?
• Detailed Reviews: Get an in-depth look at how these high-end speakers handle a diverse range of music.
• Setup Insights: Learn about the synergy between high-quality turntables, amps, and speakers.
• Sound Quality Analysis: Understand the nuances that make a high-end audio setup worth the investment.
💡 Engage with the Audiophile Community:
Share your thoughts on these speaker and vinyl combinations, suggest future reviews, and connect with fellow high-fidelity enthusiasts. Your insights drive our deep dive into the world of refined audio.
✅ Connect with us:
• Enjoyed the breakdown of each album's sound profile? Give us a like!
• Subscribe for more detailed reviews, comparisons, and in-depth discussions about audio equipment and vinyl culture.
• Drop a comment with your experiences or requests for future audio tests.
✊ Support Vinyl Latte:
Join us on this journey through high-fidelity sound by subscribing and sharing. Every interaction fuels our passion for audio excellence and helps the channel grow. Let's keep the audiophile community thriving together!
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📕Chapters:
00:00 The Last Upgrade?
01:40 Audio Advice Experience
04:01 KEF Reference 3 Meta Overview
06:28 Why Analogue Experience Matters
07:24 My Analogue Setup
08:06 Listening Test: The 1975
09:13 Alan Parsons Project
10:16 Early Impressions: KEF Reference Meta 3 vs Dali Oberon 5's
12:04 Amos Lee
13:22 Steely Dan
15:27 Bob Marley & The Wailers
17:28 Bill Withers
20:40 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
23:16 Are They Worth It?
🎶 Until Next Time:
Keep your vinyl spinning and your speakers tuned. Explore new sounds, rediscover classics, and join us in celebrating the pure joy of high-fidelity audio. Whether it’s the intricate details of a studio mix or the live feel of a jazz club, there’s always something new to hear. Stay tuned for more adventures with Vinyl Latte.
#VinylCollection #VinylCommunity #vinylrecords
I’d love to hear about your gear! Tell me about your setup below! 👇
Giradischi autocosttuito con braccio Audiomos serie six con Nagaoka mp 200,Technics 1500 con Hana ml ......phono Goldnote ph 10 più psu 10 ,preamplificatore Bryston bp25 finali monoblock Audiolab 8300 cdt Audiolab 6000 dac chord qutest ,diffusori kef reference 1 .tutto cablato qed .
Mcintosh MA-252 & XR50 speakers with an REL T-5X sub. Pro-Ject A1 TT with upgraded 30 stylus, a reasonable CD player & a dongle to stream from my phone. Good equipment sounds nice with solid bones. I'm mostly vinyl & use a Humming-Guru on every new purchase. It's a pretty simple setup at one end of a double wide with wood floors and not too much furniture. My comfortable chair is in the sweet spot. 😊
Wiim PRO Streamer.
Basis Signature Series turntable with Vector 4 arm with Benz Micro Ruby 3-H Open Air cartridge. ❤️!!
Denefrips Pontus 2 D/A with upgraded board.
Shindo Aurieges preamp, MM with outboard MC for the Ruby.
Quicksilver V4 monoblocks running KT-88 GL output tubes.
KEF Reference 1 Meta. No sub currently.
Endless hours of listening to get here.
PS; We can do espresso dial in talk with my La Pavoni next time. ☕️
Awesome video! We're so glad we were able to help you! Thanks for the shoutout too 😊
So grateful ya’ll exist! Thank you for your patience and assistance. Truly appreciate you guys!
I too have been upgrading my system over the last 18 months and have now got to a stage where I'm really happy with it! My last upgrade to was my speakers a few months ago. I'm playing more in the entry level intermediate bracket I would say. So I just went from the excellent Mission 753 speakers to the Revel Concerta2 f35's. They are just a little more composed than the Mission's but can rock out when they need to :). I think an addition to my system rather than an upgrade would be a pre-amp and I'm seriously looking at the Musical Paradise mp-701 mk3.
I would luv to hear those Kef reference speakers! They are way out of my price range but may look to pick them up in the used market sometime in the future! Same goes with your McIntosh MA252 amplifier which is my grail amp. My last two amps have been hybrid and I think when it comes to "bang for your buck" they take some beating!
Luv your music room btw!! 👍
You got and considering some great gear! Those Revels can perform and I heard some good things about the MP 701.
Regarding the KEF’s, they are next level. I can’t believe they are actually in my listening room. If you get a chance, demo them; then ask if they can call you when they’re ready to sell their floor model 😉 As for the MA252, I love it. It’s sounds and looks amazing, and definitely a conversation starter. I wish it had those gorgeous blue meters, but I may upgrade to a MA352 in the future. I think the KEFs would eat it up and be happy 😆
Truly appreciate the kind comments. I hope you enjoy the upgrade journey and that you come back and share how much you love the MP 701 when you get it. Enjoy the tunes 🎶
Alan parson's project is one of my reference vinyls. The MoFi version must be spectacular. BTW, love your Rega and your Parasound PhoPre! awesome gear...
Thanks so much for kind comments!
I totally agree! APP’s Eye in the Sky and I Robot are both so good. The MOFI pressings are spectacular. It helps that both albums are wonderful to begin with and well deserving of being “reference” records. Can’t imagine what it sounds like on your gear!
The first 30 seconds of the acoustics on IRobot “some other time” track are beautiful. Love me some APP!
@@motuknight5569 such a great album!
Man I hear you. I just ordered mine on Friday. I had the R7 meta for a week, so many issues and flaws. Went and heard the Reference in person and it wasn't even close.....wow. I can't wait for them to get here, I went with the same color combo as you and I am all analog as well. Happy listening! P.S. That Amos album is killer, I remember when it came out, so happy AP did it! Might have to be my first listen now! Again, your not wrong on the BIll Withers, we are two pea in a pod! You're not in CO are you?
Hi there! 👋 Congrats on your purchase! I believe you'll love the Reference 3 Meta's. They are gorgeous, yet simple, sound amazing, and a significant improvement over the R7. I think you'll enjoy re-listening to all your old favorite albums again, I know I definitely am! Both, Amos and Withers, albums are true demo albums and they sound absolutely wonderful on the R3Ms. Enjoy the tunes! (based in NC 😉)
I like the Perlisten S7Ts ;)
They are gorgeous, with that black-on-black look and checkerboard speaker design. Definitely an attractive piece.
Ignore the naysayers! Vinyl in my opinion is a much more visceral experience. For example, do you think a vintage car collector cares that the latest cars can out perform their collection in every metric? Not only that, in my system, the vinyl front end, especially with an audiophile recording sounds much better than the digital. Depends on the source of course but I’ll take a good MOFI or Analog Productions recording over a 24-192 feed any day At least in the current set up. Beautiful speakers by the way! KEF makes amazing stuff. 👍
. Well, vintage cars are nice except if one's a competitive racer. Then fractions matter.
Same is true for some audiophiles of course. Vinyl is great but just keep in mind the wider dynamic range of digital is necessary for today's synthetic instruments.
Ciao molto belle le kef,prova ad allontanare i diffusori dalla parete di fondo ,fai bene a tenerle parallele ,io ci ho messo parecchio a trovare la giusta posizione ma ne è valsa la pena. Hai mai ascoltato l'album Lady Blackbird ??? Ciao dall'Italia
Ciao! Grazie per i vostri suggerimenti. gli altoparlanti sono a circa 0,3 metri dal muro. non sembra nel video. Anche loro sono paralleli. Sono sicuro che se avessi più spazio, potrei posizionarli meglio, ma in questo momento suonano benissimo. Sono felice di sapere che ti piacciono i tuoi, sono davvero dei bellissimi diffusori. Per quanto riguarda Lady Blackbird, ho cercato Black Acid Soul nei negozi locali e non ne ho ancora trovato uno. Suona davvero così bene?
Nice. Is it a rega power supply and an eversolo streamer I see ? Anything else in your system?
Great eye! Yes, Rega PSU and a Eversolo DMP-6A Master Edition. On top of the pre-amp is a SweetVinyl SugarCube SC-1 Mini. Using AudioQuest Water for interconnections and Transparent Super for speaker cable. 👍
@@VinylLatte Beautiful. that’s a really cool system, enjoy ✌🏼
Much appreciated! 🙏 May I ask about your setup?
@@VinylLattewould like to tell you, but I’m starting over from scratch, so out here looking for inspiration. 😊
🤫 I’m working on a video about that very topic! Depending on your timeframe of purchasing, it may be useful. Hope to have it released in 2 weeks or so.
Keb’ Mo’ , “Every Morning”, 1994. On my KEF Ref 1 Meta off my tube gear is heaven. The Ref 3 is great but technically the Ref 1s are cleaner. I went from electrostatics to the 1s and lost no clarity, believe it or not. The 3s are much better in large rooms to be fair. Play with the tuning ports to best integrate with the entire range. Enjoy your music and all the best. Love your enthusiasm!
I’ve been experimenting with the port, so far I prefer the short ones. 👍 Enjoy those KEF 1s and the music they serve!
@@VinylLatteThe Ref 3s are a much bigger sound than the Ref1 but in my room the 3s just over load the room too much. The speakers need time to break in so don’t settle on a port just yet. My 1s didn’t seem to open till at least what seemed like 300 to 500 hours for the tweeter/midrange open up and for the base to fully develop. Takes times, placement is not as hard as with other speakers to sound good. 0 to 15 degrees toe in is suggested by KEF. The guys out of NJ recommended 0 toe in, and as wide set apart as you sit back. Long port after my breakin but as you did start I liked the short port early on. You have two ports? The reference 3s are a speaker you will keep for a long long time.
Thanks, again, for your post. Currently I have them at 0 toe. With my space requirements, I can’t toe them in their existing place. What you can’t see in the video is that there is an electric grand piano off to the side, which needs room for someone to sit at. The beauty of the KEFs is that they sound great at 0. It does have two ports, both using the short option. Like with any new component, it will take a bit to set everything up properly. And while it’s not “there” yet, the sound is nothing short of stunning. I played Steely Dan Aja UHQR last night and it was nothing short of an experience. I thought it sounded amazing before, now 🤯. It’s going to be fun hearing all my old records again for the first time. 😉
The bottle neck is the parisound phono stage give a Tom Evans anniversary Mk 2 if it's in your budget make your system sing
The unfortunate part of upgrading Y is X is now the bottle neck. It’s a never ending cycle for sure, but a fun one! I’ve shortlisted the Gold Note PH-1000, but will check out the Tom Evans. 👍
You should add Mighty Sam McLain Give it up to Love on Audioquest. It’s spectacular but hard to find.
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll see if I can find a copy 👍
@@VinylLatte Oh and my system is a pair of Linn Keilidh’s, aktiv biamped with Linn Lk100s, a Project debut carbon Evo, Wiim Pro, Topping E30II, Project phono-box. Wiim will be replaced with Wiim Ultra in the future.
Sweet setup! You must enjoy the heck out of it!
@@VinylLatte I do thanks. Also forgot to mention I have a Meridian CD 500 transport for spinning CDs. Your system is outstanding. Enjoy!
Sweet! I have a large collection of CDs but nothing integrated into the system yet. Perhaps one day. I just don’t have space to go down another rabbit hole 😂 Thanks again 🙏
Have you heard Yes's "Going for the One" LP? Especially "Awaken"? This should be on anyone's reference list.
Thanks for the recommendation. Is there a particular pressing you recommend?
@@VinylLatte I bought my copy in 1977, shortly after the album was released. It might be a first run.
Thanks. I’ll try to find a good example. I did pick up the AP-45 of 90125 and it sounds amazing.
@@VinylLatte Yes. My copy sounds good too.
I love music, audio, etc but no speaker or amp or any single piece of gear is worth 15k, and i can afford to spend 150k on a pair of speakers but what I can't do is justify it.
Glad you love them though, you should for 15k, you almost have to 😉
Fair enough. It wasn’t a light decision, and yeah… have to love them at this price point 😉
Why wouldnt you want a subwoofer with records though? It would still be an analog signal and even the KEFs wont hit all the frequencies vinyl can do. Vinyl records can hold info down to 7hz
Great question! Besides the general challenges of placement, blending, and adjustment, subs for vinyl playback can demand constant tweaking. There’s options like SVS that allow you to tweak on demand through an app, but it can be a lot of hassle to constantly “fine tune” based on the pressing, genre, and release year.
For me, I was less worried about that. What limited me was space. I would require something like a pair of SVS 3000 Micro subs. At that price point, I’m investing more than the Dali’s that I had previously.
For the time being, the KEFs get plenty low enough for my space. In the future, when I have a larger space, I’ll take another look at subs. 👍
Lovely gear but I suspect your speaker placement is really holding you back.
Thank you. It’s a really tight space. I wanted a pair of speakers that will last many years. As I look to move in the near future, my hopes are the KEFs will only get better when positioned in a larger space.
Your video volume seems low.....just saying. It's time for you to try an OB open baffle speakers. Pay less get more, click on my name to listen to one prototype. Get away from the box coloration.
I think I’m gonna try these for a while, especially since I just got them. I’ll check out that open baffle concept though, thanks for sharing.
Another reviewer pushing vinyl sales!! Funny how he didn’t share how much those albums cost. And why is anyone spinning vinyl buying speakers so low in sensitivity!!? There is a streamer in your set up, but no comparison to the streaming counterparts of the show msg you listened to. 15,000 bucks for vinyl… and less than 92db…
Being a vinyl channel, wouldn’t this be akin to a vinyl reviewer pushing hardware sales? Just food for thought. 💭 Besides, I don’t gain anything if someone goes out and purchases these speakers, I’m simply sharing my buying experience and outcomes.
Do you still buy records? Wow, those were dead to me as soon as cassettes, and especially CDs, came out. I basically digital stream now. I haven't even had any record player since 1985. And you spent $15,000 on speakers for outdated analog records? Wow, you wasted your money
I’m not sure where you been but vinyl sales have been increasing since 2007, record stores are busy again, wax outsells CDs year-over-year, and vinyl accounted for 11% of all music sales last year (which doesn’t include pre-owned/used sales). So ya, people still buy wax, and for good reason. I have a hi res streamer and my records sound way better than most digital FLAC files offered by high-end streaming services like Tidal. If you prefer digital, that’s fine. Some people just want to hear a song, I prefer to listen to it.
Yup!!!!
Skittle 🧠
It’s not “Wax”, it’s plastic, original Wax recordings could be played only once. Vinyl outsold CD’s in revenue. In Europe CDs still rule, and if you add used CD’s your “facts” have clear asterisks behind them. Vinyl is a waste and proven, sonically inferior to Digital playback. If you like tonearm resonances which add color/unreal “warmth” to music then you’re a happy camper. No where in the Musical creation is their Plastic involved, or so many degrees of separation from the first Master Disc cutting to the mass pressing disc…. Information is lost!! And it’s that information loss that smoothens out both the top and low ends… and that’s what you people love about vinyl but don’t even understand why!! It’s laughable.
@@Tendervittle 🤷