Well done. I like that you can just say what you want without carefully choosing your words. So many TH-cam reviewers are worried about offending the company that sent them free speakers.
good to see you around again! interesting review.... can't wait for your LS50 meta review! you, more than ANYONE else, knows the LS50 like the palm of your hands. it will be fascinating to see what you think of the new Meta models...especially compared to the old LS50... and in general, of course.... cheers~!
I know the LS50 like the back of my head. LOL. Would like to try it but I'm currently having difficulties with my supplier. Hope we'll sort it out soon, but honestly, i'm not really in a rush for something that most likely sounds the same.
Welcome back. I auditioned the Kef R3 and I agree with your assessment. Would you have any idea why a lot of these 3-way bookshelf speakers with a dedicated midrange driver are not clearly superior to 2-way speakers for vocals?
Thanks for watching. I think it's the other way around, it's harder to get a 3 way to sound as good as a 2 way as it's actually switching drivers at the crossover point. And that's the main argument that full range drivers use, that there's no switching/crossover so the vocals are really pure. But what's important is hearing the speaker as a whole.
Hi I am very confused between R3 and ls50 meta plz help which one I choose my room size is 15x15.what speakers is perfect sound wise why there is so.mich praise of ls 50 meta Sorry for bad English it's my third language
@@NaveenKumar-uh2gk Hi Naveen! Honestly, I don’t understand the hype surrounding the LS 50s! If you can listen to them side by side that would be the best way for you to judge them for yourself. I stand by my write up. I don’t like overly bright speakers; to give you some more info, the Vandersteens would be my choice but I can’t find them in India. I had a pair in the US
Thank you for the review. I like the way you compare singers, songs and genres for each speaker. These comparisons are a lot more useful for me than talking about frequencies and charts. I listen to Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, Beth Hart..., so vocal and clarity are important to me. Do you think with proper EQ the R3 would sound good on vocal ?
Thanks for watching. There's nothing wrong with the R3, and it's mostly flat so you actually don't need a lot of EQ to get it to your desired curve without too much distortion. Best hear for yourself though my preference for midrange clarity and textures move me to ATC.
I like the Kef R3. At almost the same price I am also considering the Totem Sky. With a hybrid amp which is a bit on the warm side. Would the Kef be a good choice? TIA.
I haven't heard the Metas yet; waiting for my dealer to get his hands on the Blue one but apparently finding it hard to get. Hope to have this sorted out soon.
@@TheAudiofool I need your help , am looking for a good integrated Amp around the $500 I can’t find any Onkyo 9150 for sale can you please suggest a good one I have Kef Ls50 Meta at home with the 9150 but at work I but Music for Customers and I have the Diamonds 225 with Marantz 6006 I hate the marantz I need a better amp , I can stretch it to $1000 I also can bring the 9150 to work and you can suggest an amp for the ls50 Meta . its for a brewery / Restaurant, last time I asked you you suggested the b&w 606 with the Rega brio or kef ls50 with schiit Rag , any new thoughts ? I really appreciate you or any one there who can help , my goal is to give Customers a feel of that Audio Nirvana but also be an Engaging sound
I need your help , am looking for a good integrated Amp around the $500 I can’t find any Onkyo 9150 for sale can you please suggest a good one I have Kef Ls50 Meta at home with the 9150 but at work I but Music for Customers and I have the Diamonds 225 with Marantz 6006 I hate the marantz I need a better amp , I can stretch it to $1000 I also can bring the 9150 to work and you can suggest an amp for the ls50 Meta . its for a brewery / Restaurant, last time I asked you you suggested the b&w 606 with the Rega brio or kef ls50 with schiit Rag , any new thoughts ? I really appreciate you or any one there who can help , my goal is to give Customers a feel of that Audio Nirvana but also be an Engaging sound
For 500, can't really see anything much better than the 6006 you already have. If you can find one used, the Brio or perhaps you can upgrade the speakers? that may give a better improvement.
I actually prefer the SCM11 over both as I value midrange and intimate soundstage more than others, but if I have to choose between the 2, probably the special 40 as it has a bit more bass bloom and treble sweetness, and the R3 sounds a bit more boring for my ears.
@@TheAudiofool i have special 40 and pmc twenty 22 and already sell it. And now im consider kef r11 but i cant audition it at my country because of the pandemi, so i think r3 have similar sound maybe but without bass extension? . Atc scm19 on my radar too but i read the review sound similar to pmc twenty 22 and have a bass shy is it true? Because i quiet dont like pmc sound. Maybe not in my taste. Too bright for me. Is it kef tweeter have brighter sound compare to s40?thank you for the answer
@@Rayradityaa Yes, the KEF is slighlty brighter and harsher than the sp40. You may want to think about the REF 1 instead as the r3/11 are downgrades from your pmc and dyns. Yes ATC is bass shy, but for me still brings out the best mids, but if you like bass then probably not a good idea for you. You may also want to consider the Dali Epicons.
i’ve owned 3 kefs the ls50, r3 and reference 1 the r3 is very close to the reference one the differenc is the bass and the soundtage depth and width.. if i have to choose between r3 and ls50 i would choose r3 all day long
That's right, the R3 actually sounds closer to the Ref 1 than the LS50, which is why I like the vocals in the LS50 more than the Ref 1. But that's me, and the Ref 1 and R3 are pretty much technically superior to the LS50s.
@@TheAudiofool it’s very easy is to make the ls50 and r3 shine.. but with ref ones its hard.. you need to pair it with high end gears, i was using parasound hint6 with my ref 1 but before and i thought it was already good until i bought a pass labs separates that setup was a different ball game..
Any chance you can compare Special Forty with P3ESR?. I currently have P3ESR and want to see what doubling my money gets me. I have a small room. Thank you.
Sorry I long sold the Sp40. If you ask me though, I find the P3ESR so much more enjoyable especially for vocals and intimate recordings. I suggest you get a sub and just turn it on whenever you feel the need for bass.
Thanks for the review. My current set up is r3 as fronts and r2c for center. I'm looking for surrounds but there is not many options in the r series. Would the ls50m work well for surround duties. Cheers
If you want to have the same sound all around, then you're best bet is to have R3s for surrounds. For me, I don't really care much about the surrounds as long as there are ones, so I think the LS50 would be fine; maybe even Q150s.
THe Harbeth sound does sound unique, and I think it makes it a niche market... in other words, you really need to hear it for yourself. I would personally go with ATC as I find the midrange to be much clearer and textured.
Farther down the rabbit hole....😀...Let's face it....what you REALLY need is a set of KEF LS50 Metas with a pair of SVS 3000 Micro Subs or...if you want to go ALL THE WAY...a pair of KEF KC62s to fill-out those Metas! 👍🏼😎 Perhaps the KEF R3s would have been more dynamic with a more powerful amp??? The Aegir, although a quality amp for the $, has a rather modest power output. You may have cheated yourself there, no? I am just guessing ...but a more powerful amp could possibly take them from "polite” to downright RUDE! 😂 ...but I am NO EXPERT. THANKS for your informative review! 👍🏼
The 2nd part of the review is the comparison to the Harbeth P3ESR using a 150w Roksan Blak; I've also tried it with a 227w Purifi 1ET400A and my opinions didn't change. This speaker is really for those who chase the neutral analytical sound; while the amp and dac may change things a little, the KEF will still mostly retain it's analytical sound... In other words, if you want an exciting speaker, you should try to find something else.
Hi There! Please tell me which one you like more: this KEF R3 or DALI RUBICON 2 ??? I've got the Dalis now and bought them for a very food price around £650 and i was thinking is the Kef r3 a better speaker?? You have them both and in your opinion which are the superior speaker? Thanks 🙏
That's a fantastic price. Unfortunately, I have no idea what kind of listener you are and what sound signature you like so I can't make a straight recommendation. But for me, I enjoy listening to the Rubicon 2, and even if I had already sold it, I still miss it from time to time, and I am still wanting an Epicon for that last piece of the puzzle. As for the Reference 1, well, I'm not a wanting it. If you do find the Rubicons too aggressive then perhaps the R3s might be a better fit for you, though I will tell you right now that it does not have that Dali signature ultra smooth rhythm.
Liked the way you ended the clip, it's all about the sound signiture you like. Harbeth I just loved when I first got them. Still do, but yes your right their just to polite to much honey. Not enough sparkle for me.
Everyone has their own ears and have their own likes. The Harbeths have their own brand of sound and know of someone who switched from more expensive Dyn C1s to a P3ESR and never looked back.
I found the R3 too boring and polite as well, and not resolving in the mids, and the bass was a bit too emphasized and one-note (even after extensive positioning and eventually some EQ.) Was very disappointed because I was hoping for an LS50 with more bass.
Well done. I like that you can just say what you want without carefully choosing your words. So many TH-cam reviewers are worried about offending the company that sent them free speakers.
That's because no one sends me free speakers lol. Thanks for watching!
Your reviews are so relaxing and the comparisons so useful.
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching.
Thank you audiofool !! I been dying to try the R3 !! But went for the Triangle EZ comete instead love the Comete !
Got to say, I'll still love watching your comparisons!🤗😉😇
good to see you around again! interesting review.... can't wait for your LS50 meta review! you, more than ANYONE else, knows the LS50 like the palm of your hands. it will be fascinating to see what you think of the new Meta models...especially compared to the old LS50... and in general, of course....
cheers~!
I know the LS50 like the back of my head. LOL. Would like to try it but I'm currently having difficulties with my supplier. Hope we'll sort it out soon, but honestly, i'm not really in a rush for something that most likely sounds the same.
@@TheAudiofool The LS50 Metas may surprise you/us! 🙂 You need a pair of fast punchy subs, too!
Welcome back. I auditioned the Kef R3 and I agree with your assessment. Would you have any idea why a lot of these 3-way bookshelf speakers with a dedicated midrange driver are not clearly superior to 2-way speakers for vocals?
Thanks for watching. I think it's the other way around, it's harder to get a 3 way to sound as good as a 2 way as it's actually switching drivers at the crossover point. And that's the main argument that full range drivers use, that there's no switching/crossover so the vocals are really pure. But what's important is hearing the speaker as a whole.
I did a head to head comparison between the R3s and LS 50 Metas and found the LS50s too bright for me and would definitely require a subwoofer
Hi I am very confused between R3 and ls50 meta plz help which one I choose my room size is 15x15.what speakers is perfect sound wise why there is so.mich praise of ls 50 meta
Sorry for bad English it's my third language
@@NaveenKumar-uh2gk Hi Naveen! Honestly, I don’t understand the hype surrounding the LS 50s! If you can listen to them side by side that would be the best way for you to judge them for yourself. I stand by my write up. I don’t like overly bright speakers; to give you some more info, the Vandersteens would be my choice but I can’t find them in India. I had a pair in the US
@@rogdodge5275 thnx for advice
I have never found the Meta's to be bright, they are very neutral sounding speakers, what amplifier are you using?
The Harbeth P3ESR XD version sound a bit less smooth en more open and balanced. Small dirrences, but in my ears a great improvement !
Thank you for the review. I like the way you compare singers, songs and genres for each speaker. These comparisons are a lot more useful for me than talking about frequencies and charts. I listen to Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, Beth Hart..., so vocal and clarity are important to me. Do you think with proper EQ the R3 would sound good on vocal ?
Thanks for watching. There's nothing wrong with the R3, and it's mostly flat so you actually don't need a lot of EQ to get it to your desired curve without too much distortion. Best hear for yourself though my preference for midrange clarity and textures move me to ATC.
Did you use the original LS50's ot the Metas for this review?
If it's the originals, I wonder how the Metas would fare in this compariosn.
I like the Kef R3. At almost the same price I am also considering the Totem Sky. With a hybrid amp which is a bit on the warm side. Would the Kef be a good choice? TIA.
No Meta yet?
I’d love to see a review on the naim nait xs2 or xs3
Good comparison,,
would you say the same about the LS50 meta being polite and a good boy that’s why You’re sticking with the originals?
I haven't heard the Metas yet; waiting for my dealer to get his hands on the Blue one but apparently finding it hard to get. Hope to have this sorted out soon.
@@TheAudiofool i have the Royal blue Meta's they look amazing
@@hclandscapes how do you like them , did you have the originals before
@@TheAudiofool I need your help , am looking for a good integrated Amp around the $500 I can’t find any Onkyo 9150 for sale can you please suggest a good one I have Kef Ls50 Meta at home with the 9150 but at work I but Music for Customers and I have the Diamonds 225 with Marantz 6006 I hate the marantz I need a better amp , I can stretch it to $1000 I also can bring the 9150 to work and you can suggest an amp for the ls50 Meta .
its for a brewery / Restaurant, last time I asked you you suggested the b&w 606 with the Rega brio or kef ls50 with schiit Rag , any new thoughts ? I really appreciate you or any one there who can help , my goal is to give Customers a feel of that Audio Nirvana but also be an Engaging sound
I need your help , am looking for a good integrated Amp around the $500 I can’t find any Onkyo 9150 for sale can you please suggest a good one I have Kef Ls50 Meta at home with the 9150 but at work I but Music for Customers and I have the Diamonds 225 with Marantz 6006 I hate the marantz I need a better amp , I can stretch it to $1000 I also can bring the 9150 to work and you can suggest an amp for the ls50 Meta .
its for a brewery / Restaurant, last time I asked you you suggested the b&w 606 with the Rega brio or kef ls50 with schiit Rag , any new thoughts ? I really appreciate you or any one there who can help , my goal is to give Customers a feel of that Audio Nirvana but also be an Engaging sound
For 500, can't really see anything much better than the 6006 you already have. If you can find one used, the Brio or perhaps you can upgrade the speakers? that may give a better improvement.
@@TheAudiofool thank you I’ll keep you posted and I appreciate you man but any speakers suggestions then and best amp for $1000
What your favorite between Kef r3 or special 40?
I actually prefer the SCM11 over both as I value midrange and intimate soundstage more than others, but if I have to choose between the 2, probably the special 40 as it has a bit more bass bloom and treble sweetness, and the R3 sounds a bit more boring for my ears.
@@TheAudiofool i have special 40 and pmc twenty 22 and already sell it. And now im consider kef r11 but i cant audition it at my country because of the pandemi, so i think r3 have similar sound maybe but without bass extension? . Atc scm19 on my radar too but i read the review sound similar to pmc twenty 22 and have a bass shy is it true? Because i quiet dont like pmc sound. Maybe not in my taste. Too bright for me. Is it kef tweeter have brighter sound compare to s40?thank you for the answer
@@Rayradityaa Yes, the KEF is slighlty brighter and harsher than the sp40. You may want to think about the REF 1 instead as the r3/11 are downgrades from your pmc and dyns. Yes ATC is bass shy, but for me still brings out the best mids, but if you like bass then probably not a good idea for you. You may also want to consider the Dali Epicons.
i’ve owned 3 kefs the ls50, r3 and reference 1 the r3 is very close to the reference one the differenc is the bass and the soundtage depth and width.. if i have to choose between r3 and ls50 i would choose r3 all day long
That's right, the R3 actually sounds closer to the Ref 1 than the LS50, which is why I like the vocals in the LS50 more than the Ref 1. But that's me, and the Ref 1 and R3 are pretty much technically superior to the LS50s.
@@TheAudiofool it’s very easy is to make the ls50 and r3 shine.. but with ref ones its hard.. you need to pair it with high end gears, i was using parasound hint6 with my ref 1 but before and i thought it was already good until i bought a pass labs separates that setup was a different ball game..
Any chance you can compare Special Forty with P3ESR?. I currently have P3ESR and want to see what doubling my money gets me. I have a small room. Thank you.
Sorry I long sold the Sp40. If you ask me though, I find the P3ESR so much more enjoyable especially for vocals and intimate recordings. I suggest you get a sub and just turn it on whenever you feel the need for bass.
@@TheAudiofool thank you. What about for rock/electronic?
@@DaveSHarris the sp40 will make a lot more bass and make your music have more slam, but i can live without that.
Thanks for the review.
My current set up is r3 as fronts and r2c for center.
I'm looking for surrounds but there is not many options in the r series.
Would the ls50m work well for surround duties.
Cheers
If you want to have the same sound all around, then you're best bet is to have R3s for surrounds. For me, I don't really care much about the surrounds as long as there are ones, so I think the LS50 would be fine; maybe even Q150s.
How does the Harbeth compare to the ATC SCM19? Trying to decide which to get.
THe Harbeth sound does sound unique, and I think it makes it a niche market... in other words, you really need to hear it for yourself. I would personally go with ATC as I find the midrange to be much clearer and textured.
@@TheAudiofool Great to hear. I was leaning ATC myself. Midrange is very important to me, so it seems like a good match. Thanks for your videos!
how much watts you need to power the r3 ?
15w according to the specs, but more than that you need for a 3ohm capable amp.
@@TheAudiofool is the parasound halo a52+ good enough ?
Farther down the rabbit hole....😀...Let's face it....what you REALLY need is a set of KEF LS50 Metas with a pair of SVS 3000 Micro Subs or...if you want to go ALL THE WAY...a pair of KEF KC62s to fill-out those Metas! 👍🏼😎
Perhaps the KEF R3s would have been more dynamic with a more powerful amp??? The Aegir, although a quality amp for the $, has a rather modest power output. You may have cheated yourself there, no?
I am just guessing ...but a more powerful amp could possibly take them from "polite” to downright RUDE! 😂
...but I am NO EXPERT.
THANKS for your informative review! 👍🏼
The 2nd part of the review is the comparison to the Harbeth P3ESR using a 150w Roksan Blak; I've also tried it with a 227w Purifi 1ET400A and my opinions didn't change. This speaker is really for those who chase the neutral analytical sound; while the amp and dac may change things a little, the KEF will still mostly retain it's analytical sound... In other words, if you want an exciting speaker, you should try to find something else.
Hi There! Please tell me which one you like more: this KEF R3 or DALI RUBICON 2 ??? I've got the Dalis now and bought them for a very food price around £650 and i was thinking is the Kef r3 a better speaker?? You have them both and in your opinion which are the superior speaker? Thanks 🙏
That's a fantastic price. Unfortunately, I have no idea what kind of listener you are and what sound signature you like so I can't make a straight recommendation. But for me, I enjoy listening to the Rubicon 2, and even if I had already sold it, I still miss it from time to time, and I am still wanting an Epicon for that last piece of the puzzle. As for the Reference 1, well, I'm not a wanting it.
If you do find the Rubicons too aggressive then perhaps the R3s might be a better fit for you, though I will tell you right now that it does not have that Dali signature ultra smooth rhythm.
Liked the way you ended the clip, it's all about the sound signiture you like. Harbeth I just loved when I first got them. Still do, but yes your right their just to polite to much honey. Not enough sparkle for me.
Everyone has their own ears and have their own likes. The Harbeths have their own brand of sound and know of someone who switched from more expensive Dyn C1s to a P3ESR and never looked back.
Just get a class D Hypex amp or a Purifi amp and you will have more than enough power and current.
I found the R3 too boring and polite as well, and not resolving in the mids, and the bass was a bit too emphasized and one-note (even after extensive positioning and eventually some EQ.) Was very disappointed because I was hoping for an LS50 with more bass.
I didn't find the R3 bass to be as bad as your experience, and I actually like the way the bass is done, but yeah, this is not an LS50 with bass.