KEF Reference 1 Meta review

These KEF standmounters deliver a balanced blend of insight, dynamics and authority Tested at £7500 / $8999 / AU$15,000

Standmount speakers: KEF Reference 1 Meta
(Image: © What Hi-Fi?)

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

KEF’s Reference 1 Meta is a superb all-round package that combines excellent sound with clever engineering and impressive build quality

Pros

  • +

    Balanced, refined yet musical performance

  • +

    Fine stereo imaging

  • +

    Impressive bass power and authority

  • +

    Excellent build and finish

Cons

  • -

    Demands an amplifier with plenty of grunt

  • -

    Dedicated stands are expensive

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

We first came across KEF’s Reference 1 speakers back in 2018. They made quite an impression due to a truly compelling blend of an insightful yet balanced presentation, superb build and thorough engineering. But it is never sensible to stand still for long in the hi-fi industry, so five years on from that original review we’re sitting in our test room, having just unpacked the new Reference 1 Meta.

Technology

Standmount speakers: KEF Reference 1 Meta

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

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 at the rear of the tweeter and takes the form of something that looks like a hockey puck. Inside that housing is a maze-like structure that is designed to absorb the sound that comes off the rear of the tweeter dome, so giving cleaner, less distorted results. KEF claims the technology absorbs as much as 99 per cent of this unwanted rearward sound radiation and is much more effective than the damped chambers that most rival designs use to do the same job.

Adding MAT to KEF’s trademark Uni-Q driver array – where the 25mm aluminium tweeter sits in the throat of the midrange unit – is a lot more involved than just plonking the tech on the back of the driver. It involves significant re-engineering and the company has taken the opportunity to add a whole host of refinements to the array’s structure, motor system and geometry to eke out a better performance. The Uni-Q array is even decoupled from the Reference 1 Meta’s cabinet to reduce the amount of vibration transmitted into the enclosure.

KEF Reference 1 Meta tech specs

Standmount speakers: KEF Reference 1 Meta

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Type 3-way standmounter

Tweeter 25mm aluminium dome with MAT 

Midrange 12.5cm aluminium cone

Bass 16.5cm aluminium cone

Sensitivity 85dB/W/m

Impedance 4 ohms (3.2 ohms min)

Ported? Yes (rear)

Dimensions (hwd) 44 x 20.5 x 42cm

Move away from the MAT-equipped Uni-Q and the rest of the Reference 1 remains much as we remember. That’s no bad thing. This is a three-way standmount with a dedicated 16.5cm aluminium coned bass driver that rolls in below 450Hz. The lows are tuned by a rear-firing port, though there is a bit of a twist here.

As with the original Reference 1 it is possible to tune the speaker’s low-frequency performance thanks to a choice of two lengths of port. These are made of compliant foam to avoid the resonance issues of typical hard plastic designs and offer the user a choice of roll-off points. The short port takes the speaker’s low-end reach to 40Hz while the longer one extends that to 37Hz. Swapping the ports is the work of a minute and involves twisting an outer cap that holds the port in place. The sonic difference between the two lengths is relatively slight, but in our 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd) test room, the longer option gives a more even and balanced overall presentation.

Build

Standmount speakers: KEF Reference 1 Meta

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

The Reference 1 Meta’s build is as classy as ever. The cabinet feels wonderfully solid thanks to extensive internal bracing, constrained layer damping and the rigid, composite front panel. There is a good choice of finishes, with the cabinet available in walnut (with silver Uni-Q/bass driver), high gloss black (a choice of grey or copper Uni-Q with grey 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 called the S-RF1 speaker stands, and despite their hefty £1000 / $1200 / AU$2000 price, this is something that should be given serious consideration. It is a smart, nicely-made stand that, as would be expected from something specifically intended to do the job, works well. There is also some thought given to cable management, which will please the house proud. You don’t have to buy these stands though, but just make sure whatever you get is rigid, low resonance and capable of supporting the Reference 1 Meta’s hefty 18.2kg weight with stability.

Compatibility

Standmount speakers: KEF Reference 1 Meta

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Anything at this level positively demands top-class partnering equipment. These speakers are highly revealing, so any shortcomings further up the chain will be ruthlessly exposed. Also, the Reference 1 Meta’s sensitivity is on the low side at 85dB/W/m and nominal impedance is rated at 4 ohms with 3.2 ohms quoted as the minimum, so we suggest the partnering amplifier should have plenty of grunt. 

We use our reference Burmester 088/911 Mk III pre/power for the bulk of the testing but also give Naim’s Supernait 3 integrated a go 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 record player.

The Reference 1 Meta aren’t particularly fussy when it comes to room positioning. One of the principal strengths of the UniQ array is that it produces a consistent dispersion pattern regardless of direction, so it becomes less critical where the listener sits. The stereo sweet spot is impressively wide, and once positioned with just a little bit of an angle towards the listening position, these speakers produce a wonderfully wide and beautifully focussed soundstage.

Sound

KEF Reference 1 Meta in black

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

As we listen to Dvořák’s New World Symphony it is so easy to pinpoint the precise location of instruments. The soundstage is expansive, layered and stable, even when the music becomes busy. With our eyes closed it is hard to pinpoint the physical location of the speakers, which speaks highly of the carefully engineered enclosure.

At 44cm high these won’t be particularly imposing in most rooms, though their 42cm depth does give them a reasonable cabinet volume for a standmount design. Even so, none of that prepares us for the scale and authority of the KEFs’ presentation. On the end of our reference system, they sound much larger than they are, delivering the kind of chunky bass more often heard from floorstanding alternatives. Certainly, rivals such as the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 sound nowhere near as large-scale, muscular or punchy.

The KEFs go loud too. They deliver the music’s dynamic shifts with conviction and display little sense of stress. They just stay clean and deliver the sound with the punch it deserves. There is no shortage of refinement either, with the all-metal drive unit staying free of the harshness and peaky nature of lesser designs.

Tonally, these speakers are nicely balanced and render the music with more substance than most. We are impressed with the amount of detail they reveal and also the musical way that the mass of information is organised and presented. The Reference 1 Meta have a controlled delivery but also manages to communicate the passion in the music effectively.

We switch musical genres to Major Lazer’s Pon The Floor and the KEFs shift gear effortlessly. With music such as this, they sound agile and punchy, delivering the song’s rhythmic drive with verve. Bass notes kick hard and lows are delivered in a taut and tuneful way. Move up the frequency range and you’ll find that voices come through with clarity; every nuance is delivered in a clear and proportional way.

There is plenty of bite at the top end too, but never to the extent where the speakers make a meal of a less-than-perfect recording. While there is no denying the Reference 1 Meta’s high level of transparency, they never sound like the flaws in the recording are being highlighted. If those flaws are there you’ll hear them but there won’t be a spotlight on them.

Verdict

KEF Reference 1 Meta pair in black

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

KEF’s engineers have done a great job with these speakers. The original Reference 1 were great, but the sonic refinements brought about by the Meta upgrade are significant. At the time of writing it is hard to think of a more rounded alternative for anything like this kind of money. Take care with the partnering system and these KEF speakers are sure to please.

SCORES

  • Sound 5
  • Build 5
  • Compatibility 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4

Also consider the Fyne Audio F1-8

Read our ProAc K1 review

Best KEF speakers: budget, premium, bookshelf and standmount

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  • Johan Bottema
    Apart from the metal front plate the KEF R3 Meta and the KEF Ref 1 Meta look exactly the same. Also the drivers seem to be the same? How do these 2 speakers relate and is the Ref 1 worth the extra thousands?
    Reply
  • Hifiman
    I too am curious how much better the Ref 1 Meta is compared to the R3, especially since the Ref 1 Meta is 50% more expensive than the existing Ref 1 (yes, fifty percent). That’s a lot for a MAT and I wonder if it is really justifiable.
    Reply
  • Deliriumbassist
    The Uni-Qs and the bass drivers between R and Reference are definitely not the same, talking as an ex-dealer (ex as in I left the industry, not that we dropped the brand).

    In US dollars, Reference 1 was $7,500/pr back in 2014, the new ones are $9,000/pr. Take inflation into account, and they are actually cheaper now in real terms. And it's not 'just for MAT' - it's a totally redesigned Uni-Q and crossover, going by their white paper.
    Reply
  • Johan Bottema
    Deliriumbassist said:
    The Uni-Qs and the bass drivers between R and Reference are definitely not the same, talking as an ex-dealer (ex as in I left the industry, not that we dropped the brand).

    In US dollars, Reference 1 was $7,500/pr back in 2014, the new ones are $9,000/pr. Take inflation into account, and they are actually cheaper now in real terms. And it's not 'just for MAT' - it's a totally redesigned Uni-Q and crossover, going by their white paper.
    Yeah but the Uni-Q meta drivers are so good already ... what would they increase cost on to make it sound better?
    Reply
  • Deliriumbassist
    Johan Bottema said:
    Yeah but the Uni-Q meta drivers are so good already ... what would they increase cost on to make it sound better?
    There is no one Uni-Q. The way I was explained, the different generations are like research cycles, and within that you have 'cousins'. I had the original R Series, last Reference and last Blade Uni-Qs out of their cabinets once, and they (or at least two of them) were the same generation, but VEEEERRRRYYYYY different to each other. Also, this particular speaker came out early last year. The R Series is brand new, so that Uni-Q is likely to have a bunch of trickle down or lower cost adaptations.

    I'd also wager that KEF didn't do much in terms of price increases since 2014, unlike many other brands, making the increase seem more of a jump because it was in one go rather than increments.
    Reply
  • npxavar
    KEF is on a roll ...
    Reply
  • Hifiman
    Deliriumbassist said:
    There is no one Uni-Q. The way I was explained, the different generations are like research cycles, and within that you have 'cousins'. I had the original R Series, last Reference and last Blade Uni-Qs out of their cabinets once, and they (or at least two of them) were the same generation, but VEEEERRRRYYYYY different to each other. Also, this particular speaker came out early last year. The R Series is brand new, so that Uni-Q is likely to have a bunch of trickle down or lower cost adaptations.

    I'd also wager that KEF didn't do much in terms of price increases since 2014, unlike many other brands, making the increase seem more of a jump because it was in one go rather than increments.
    It appears the fluctuations in exchange rates since 2014 have helped mitigate the KEF price increases in the US. In the UK, the home of KEF of course, the launch price of the original Refs was £4,500. The new model is now £7,500, or 66% more. This still makes me question if this is justified. I understand if, along with many other hifi manufacturers recently it seems, KEF‘s business model wishes to make more profit from fewer Items sold but I doubt I, for one, will (literally) buy into it.
    Reply
  • npxavar
    Hifiman said:
    I understand if, along with many other hifi manufacturers recently it seems, KEF‘s business model wishes to make more profit from fewer Items sold but I doubt I, for one, will (literally) buy into it.
    What you are referring to is "Elasticity of Demand" and it is possible to measure it and increase prices with a great degree of confidence.
    Reply
  • KenM10759
    Johan Bottema said:
    Apart from the metal front plate the KEF R3 Meta and the KEF Ref 1 Meta look exactly the same. Also the drivers seem to be the same? How do these 2 speakers relate and is the Ref 1 worth the extra thousands?

    There are a tremendous amount of differences! The Reference 1 gets a larger, heavier, better-damped cabinet. It gets totally different (MUCH better) Uni-Q driver and woofer. It gets the "Flexible Port Technology." The finishes are far better. And in the end, the sound is in a completely higher strata.

    Yes, it is totally worth the investment. Like in any audio-oriented discussion, personal values, one's own ears, and acceptance of diminishing returns for the money spent is always there as decision factors, but I own the 2019-2021 Silver Satin Walnut Reference 1 (non-Meta) and for me they stomp the R series, LS50, and LS50 Meta which I owned all of at the time I bought the Reference 1's. All the others are now sold.
    Reply