We first encountered KEF’s Reference 1 loudspeakers in 2018. They impressed us with a truly compelling mix of insightful yet balanced presentation, superb construction and thorough engineering. But it’s never wise to stand still for long in the hi-fi industry, so five years on from that original review, we’re in our testing room, having just unboxed the new Reference 1 Meta.
Technology
We were introduced to KEF’s Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) a few years ago through the company’s updated LS50 Meta speakers. The MAT element sits on the back of the tweeter and is shaped like something similar to a hockey puck. Inside that housing is a maze-like structure designed to absorb the sound coming from the back of the tweeter dome, providing cleaner, less distorted results. KEF claims the technology absorbs as much as 99 percent of this unwanted sound radiation to the rear and is far more effective than the damped chambers most rival designs use to do the same job.
Adding MAT to KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array – where the 25mm aluminum tweeter sits in the throat of the midrange unit – is much more than just putting the technology on the back of the driver. It requires significant reengineering, and the company has taken the opportunity to add a slew of refinements to the array’s structure, motor system, and geometry to achieve better performance. The Uni-Q array is even decoupled from the Reference 1 Meta’s case to reduce the amount of vibration transmitted into the case.
KEF Reference 1 Meta technical specifications
Type 3-way standmounter
Tweeter 25mm aluminum dome with MAT
Mid range Aluminum cone of 12.5 cm
Bass Aluminum cone of 16.5 cm
Sensitivity 85dB/W/m
Impedance 4 ohms (min. 3.2 ohms)
ported? Yes (rear)
Dimensions (hwd) 44 x 20.5 x 42 cm
Move away from the MAT-equipped Uni-Q and the rest of the Reference 1 remains as we remember. That’s not a bad thing. This is a three-way standmount with a dedicated 16.5cm aluminum coned bass driver that rolls below 450Hz. The bass is tuned by a rear-firing port, although there’s a bit of a twist here.
As with the original Reference 1, it’s possible to tune the speaker’s low-frequency performance thanks to a choice of two port lengths. These are made from flexible foam to avoid the resonance problems of typical hard plastic designs and offer the user a choice of roll-off tips. The short port brings the speaker’s low range down to 40 Hz, while the longer one extends that to 37 Hz. Changing the ports is a minute’s work and involves twisting an outer cap that holds the port in place. The sonic difference between the two lengths is relatively small, but in our 3 x 7 x 5 m (hwd) test room, the longer option gives a more even and balanced overall presentation.
To build
The build of the Reference 1 Meta is as stylish as ever. The cabinet feels wonderfully solid thanks to extensive internal bracing, constrained layer damping and the stiff, composite front panel. There is a good choice of finishes, with the cabinet being available in walnut (with silver Uni-Q/bass driver), high gloss black (choice of gray or copper Uni-Q with gray bass driver) and high gloss white (blue or champagne Uni-Q and white bass driver). Regardless of the finish, these speakers are likely to look modern, understated and elegant in most environments.
KEF make a dedicated support, the S-RF1 speaker stands, and despite their hefty price tag of £1000 / $1200 / AU$2000, this is something to seriously consider. It’s a smart, nicely made stand that, as might be expected from something specifically designed to do the job, works well. Cable management has also been thought about, which the house will be proud of. Not you to have to buy these stands, just make sure whatever you get is stiff, low-resonance, and capable of stably supporting the hefty 18.2kg weight of the Reference 1 Meta.
Compatibility
Anything at this level definitely requires premium partner equipment. These speakers are very revealing, so any shortcomings further down the chain will be ruthlessly exposed. Also, the sensitivity of the Reference 1 Meta is on the low side at 85dB/W/m and the nominal impedance is rated at 4 ohms with 3.2 ohms as a minimum, so we recommend that the cooperating amplifier should have plenty of growl.
We’re using our reference Burmester 088/911 Mk III pre/power for the bulk of the testing, but are also giving Naim’s Supernait 3 integrated a chance to see how these speakers perform with more modest electronics. Our main sources are the Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and the Technics SL-1000R/Kiseki Purpleheart turntable.
The Reference 1 Meta isn’t particularly picky when it comes to room positioning. One of the main strengths of the UniQ array is that it produces a consistent dispersion pattern regardless of direction, making it less important where the listener sits. The stereo sweet spot is impressively wide, and once placed at just a slight angle to the listening position, these speakers produce a wonderfully wide and beautifully focused soundstage.
Sound
While listening to Dvořák’s Symphony of the New World it is so easy to determine the precise location of instruments. The soundstage is expansive, layered and stable, even when the music gets busy. With our eyes closed, it’s hard to pinpoint the physical location of the speakers, which says a lot about the carefully designed enclosure.
At 44cm high, these won’t be particularly imposing in most rooms, although their depth of 42cm does give them a fair amount of cabinet volume for a design on a stand. Yet none of that prepares us for the scale and authority of the KEF’s presentation. At the end of our reference system, they sound much bigger than they are, delivering the kind of solid bass you’re more likely to hear from floorstanding alternatives. Sure, rivals like the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 don’t sound nearly as large-scale, muscular or powerful.
The KEFs go loud too. They convey the dynamic shifts of the music with conviction and show little sense of stress. They just stay clean and deliver the sound with the punch it deserves. There’s no lack of refinement either, with the all-metal drive unit free from the harshness and wispy nature of lesser designs.
Tonally, these speakers are nicely balanced and give the music more substance than most others. We are impressed by the amount of detail they reveal and also by the musical way the mass of information is organized and presented. The Reference 1 Meta has a controlled delivery but also manages to convey the passion in the music effectively.
We switch music genres to Major Lazer’s Punch the floor and the KEFs shift effortlessly. With music like this, they sound nimble and punchy, conveying the song’s rhythmic drive with verve. Bass notes kick hard and low notes are delivered in a tight and melodic manner. Move up the frequency range and you’ll find voices come through clearly; every nuance is presented in a clear and proportionate way.
There’s plenty of bite to the top end too, but never to the extent that the speakers turn a less-than-perfect recording into a meal. While there’s no denying the Reference 1 Meta’s high level of transparency, they never sound like highlighting the flaws in the recording. If those errors are there, you will hear them, but there will be no spotlight on them.
Pronunciation
KEF engineers have done a great job with these speakers. The original Reference 1 was great, but the sonic refinements that the Meta upgrade brought are significant. At the time of writing, it’s hard to think of a more well-rounded alternative to something like this kind of money. Be careful with the partner system and these KEF speakers are sure to please.
TO SCORE
- Sound 5
- To build 5
- Compatibility 5
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