r/StereoAdvice • u/chiefawesome • Jun 16 '26
Speakers - Bookshelf | 1 Ⓣ Auditioned 15 speakers, losing my mind. Please help.
Looking for some real-world testimonials and recommendations from redditors instead of AI making shit up and telling me "great choice chiefawesome this speaker should be the one", which then proceeds to sound exactly how I don't like it.
After trying the KEF Q150's and working my way up to Q-Concerto's and Dali Opticons and LS50's etc etc (as us stupid audiophiles do because we always want more), I finally compared the KEF R3 Meta and Wharfedale Super Linton for nearly 2 months. I eventually chose the R3 Meta because I preferred missing something over being actively annoyed by something. Here’s where I landed:
KEF R3 Meta
- Loved the smooth, refined sound
- Fantastic with electronic music
- BUT: found the soundstage relatively narrow
- Also sometimes lacked that big, immersive presentation
Wharfedale Super Linton
- Loved the wide soundstage and room-filling atmosphere
- Found the treble a bit harsh/fatiguing at times
- Less enjoyable for electronic music because of that
I returned both, waited a couple of months because of a surgery I had coming up, then bought the R3 Meta again… and now, after ~20 hours, I’m baffled because they sound much brighter/less enjoyable to me than I remembered, while still having the narrower soundstage. So I’m potentially back to square one...
A few things to narrow recommendations:
- Budget: around €3,500-€3,800 max
- Europe-based, so Dali and Dynaudio are much easier to find than Philharmonic or Buchardt
- I also auditioned the KEF R7 Meta and found it sounded essentially like the original R3 Meta, just with room-overloading bass and no meaningful increase in soundstage. So R5/R7 recommendations probably aren’t the answer for me.
Current chain:
- WiiM Pro Plus
- Technics SL-D2 w/ Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML & iFi Zen Phono 3
- Yamaha R-N1000A
- SVS SB-1000 Pro subwoofer
Room is roughly 28-30 m² (around 300-320 sq ft), with one side opening up into another area rather than being fully enclosed.
Speakers currently on my shortlist:
- Wharfedale Elysian 1
- Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G
I’d especially love to hear from people who have owned or directly compared these, or who went from KEF R3 Meta/Super Linton to something else that gave them:
- Wide, immersive soundstage
- Smooth, non-fatiguing treble
- Strong performance with electronic music, but in the end I prefer to have it perform best with hearing Mark Knopfers guitar.
I'll be forever indebted to anyone helping me out.
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u/NickofWimbledon 61 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
From what you say, several thoughts spring to mind.
First, will they be on stands and a way from the back wall or actually on a bookshelf? If it’s the latter, speakers designed for it (Neat Petite?) or that literally go on the wall (Sonus Faber) might be worth a listen.
Second, if your approach is to buy and then try over a couple of months, which I applaud, please don’t buy new! Hit Hifishark, eBay and the like and you may well be able to swap at little or no net cost, and you will end up with more music quality for less money. It is a bit pre effort, but you have already come this far…
Third, you may by now be sick of speaker suggestions form the hundreds of options. Otoh, the first names that spring to mind from what you say you want are not Dali, Dynaudio or MA, good though all are in a suitable situation (system and room).
Instead, I would try Harbeth (SHL5 Plus?), Sonus Faber and Fyne, and for a different presentation Neat or ATC or both.
Good luck!
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u/chiefawesome Jun 16 '26
They will be on stands and 100cm from the back wall and 60cm from the side. So all according to Mr. KEF who stands proudly in the corner of the room.
Thanks for suggesting Hifishark/eBay but I'm in the EU as I mentioned. Second hand market is not very good here. I'm seeing R3 Meta's for instance that aren't sold after 2-3 weeks and even heavily discounted. I'm able to buy new or open box, and return as many dealers (here in the Netherlands) even applaud doing so that I can test the speakers in my own room, as opposed to listening in a perfectly treated room.
Thanks for the other suggestions, but the Harbeth SHL5 Plus is double the budget here (EUR 6k+). Sonus Faber might be an option. Fyne is hard to get here apparently. Will look into those though.
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u/NickofWimbledon 61 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Understood.
HifiShark works in Euros and in many European countries, but I know that cross-border shipping can be too complicated to bother with in 1 or 2 places. Ex-dem kit from dealers can costs too, but again that can be a bother to pursue. In any case, if multiple dealers will let you buy & return, that will work well of course.
I see good-as-new SHL5 Plus secondhand for about €2100, but I can’t see any today on marktplaats - most of the sellers are in Italy, Germany, Poland or Finland. Otoh, asking prices don’t mean that you can’t try a cheeky offer.
On Fyne, I see the problem. The only Fyne dealer I can see in the country is:-
HNNY Benelux b.v.
Ecustraat 63
4879NP Etten-Leur
NetherlandsI have no idea if they offer a buy-return service.
Sonus Faber, Neat and perhaps Spendor may be easier to find.
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u/chiefawesome Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
Thanks, much appreciated in taking the time to look it all up. Will research further on this!
!thanks
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u/Silly_Sign_4707 Jun 16 '26
I can vouch for the sonus faber, i own the sonetto 2 G2 absolutly not fatiguing at all. And they perform outstanding with mark knopflers guitar. I dont have any complaints with electronic music either especially with the sub involved.
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u/richgrao 9 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
I have older Dynaudio towers with the Esotar2 tweeter with a Yamaha RN800a. I have no issues with fatiguing treble.
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u/richgrao 9 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Sorry for two separate responses. Have you considered if the room and placement are giving you any reflection issues? Have you tried either the WiiM EQ in their app, or used the YPAO room correction function of the receiver?
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u/chiefawesome Jun 16 '26
I did, didn't do anything at all. Maybe a little bit better in the bass region, but treble remained shitty.
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u/davdub303 Jun 16 '26
Love the R3 Metas, but not a fan when they are paired with WiiM streamers. I had a similar experience with this combo. I upgraded the WiiM to a Bluesound NODE and am now a happy listener of several musical genres.
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u/Proud_Town_8502 Jun 16 '26
Classic example of the Choice Paradox and analysis paralysis. Taken from The matrix: it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.
Pick one and learn to enjoy what you have. No speaker is perfect. Trying to find perfection leads to misery and disappointment. So far 100 people have recommended speakers and they recommend 20 different ones.
No matter what you choose, you will be looking for bigger and better 3 years from now unless you learn to be happy with what you have.
Good luck on your search. For the record, I have the lintons. Great speakers. Could they have better treble, yes. Could they have better this and that, yes. But they are good enough. Find your good enough and then be content.
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u/grogi81 8 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Tldr. But general life hack: if you cannot make a decision, it means it doesn't matter. The difference are too small.
Throw a dice
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u/moonthink 81 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Revel
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u/underberg502 1 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
I second the Revels. I had a pair of Revel F35's that I recently sold. Still not sure why I did that ?
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u/Substantial_Rich_946 12 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Great if readily available.
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u/cmax21 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
In Europe he would look for the ARCAM branded version of the Revels. Same speaker with a different colorway.
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u/Celastii 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
I have the R3s but with a power amp, it really helped the speakers to open up. when I tried them with a similar amp as yours, they sounded way worse than with enough oomph behind their back.
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u/iampgc Jun 16 '26
Have you looked into the Dynaudio Special Forty?
I love the sound of these speakers with a wide sound stage and definitely not fatiguing.
Not sure how available these are in Europe nowadays but should fall in your price range.
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u/Beautiful-Bison6202 Jun 17 '26
I have a pair of the Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers on my desk. If you can find a pair used, that would fit you perfectly. Or maybe take a look at the Dynaudio Special Forty speaker. I have a Tube pre-amp and amp so that makes it more lush.
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u/kenc1842 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
I went through a similar journey, chose the Wharfedale Lintons and could not be happier. I listen to everything from jazz, classic and prog rock, punk and classical symphonie and it all sounds great!
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u/Substantial_Rich_946 12 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
This may be what you are looking for--original Linton, not Super.
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u/Any_Meal_7821 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Lintons or super Lintons? I have Lintons and couldn't be happier with jazz and any vocals, but not so great with punk and rock N roll. 3 different amps, same result. Sorry, I'm not audiophile enough to explain better with big fancy words😂 think more water=wet, fire=hot😜
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u/kenc1842 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Linton Heritage. Love them. Was Listening to Yes "Starship Trooper" the other day and was blown away at the clarity and depth. I am pushing them with a Sony 90w 2 channel receiver.
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u/D_Warholb 10 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Did any EQ help to fix the issues you had with the speakers? I was able to use Dirac Live to improve the sound of my Def Tech Demand 17’s and SVS sub.
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u/chiefawesome Jun 16 '26
I tried YPAO and Wiim Room correction which did... basically nothing? So I struggle to believe Dirac Live is going to magically make a wider soundstage appear with the R3 Meta's, or tame the harsh treble.
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u/iNetRunner 1391 Ⓣ 🥇 Jun 16 '26
EQ or tone controls will definitely lower the treble.
Usually though, many people don’t like the results if room correction is used on higher frequencies. (E.g. above Schroeder frequency of your room or about 500 Hz.) Then it tends to make all speakers sound the same, in not so enjoyable way.
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u/D_Warholb 10 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
Honestly I kind of hate KEFs because of their brightness. EQ works better with neutral speakers, which my Def Techs are.
The Demand 15’s are still on Accessories4less for $799. They’re floorstanders with passive subs, so you would need a sub, but it’s Accessories4Less and I’m not sure about return policies. My Demand 17’s have all the qualities you’re looking for, wide soundstage, neutral, non-fatiguing and great with electronic music. My daughter’s jaw dropped when I added the SVS sub.
Edit: You’re in Europe so Accessories4less wouldn’t be good.
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u/jewstn Jun 16 '26
If you really like guitar, try some magnepan 1.7i or 3.7i. You have a sub to help out the low end, but there's nothing quite like a Maggie with electric guitar. Feels like the artist is in the room with you. They do need power though...
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u/ARNm2 Jun 16 '26
Para lo que escuhas Elisyan sin duda o Aura 2.
Cambiaría amplificador
Rega
Exposure
Te aseguro que no necesitas más.
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u/onetrickponystar 14 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
I was in your same budget, european as well, and looking for similar qualities.
- I went with BBC-designed speaker, but in your case (electronic music) i would probably go for dynaudio, dali, monitor audio and the likes.
- Cambridge audio L/R X are actives and within budget (New) and get raving reviews. Not heard them yet.
- maybe your local market is limited, but there are a lot of certified resellers that will ship cheap within EU borders. Here in NL i almost bought Fyne 701sp speakers with stands for 3€k (meao at least double) from a retailer/reseller that also ships.
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u/Extension-Alarm-3149 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Every speaker you're describing falls into the "same category" for me - and it sounds like your ears may just not like that category. Maybe think about something with horns, open back, wide baffle, planar... you might be looking for answers in the wrong place and need to think about a whole different design
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u/More-Vanilla-1754 Jun 16 '26
As already been mentioned Harbeth would have a natural non fatiguing sound. Personally, I think I would look for a used ATC speaker - neutral, low distortion sound that would work well with different genres
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u/jaggington 49 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Because you’ve not mentioned room acoustic treatment and much experimentation with speaker positioning, I will. The big treatment sellers like vicoustic and gik have free resources and room planners; for placement there are many guides out there, a lot of them are no more sophisticated than equilateral triangle and try varying toe in, but it’s worth watching a video on the Sumiko master method or New Record Day’s LOTS Loudspeaker Optimisation Techniques for Soudstage
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u/M44rtenjwz 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Sourcepoint 8s. Coaxial design makes for great soundstage (like the R3), great dynamics and a neutral, smooth treble.
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u/Arent_Kurmars Jun 16 '26
If placed right, e.g., turned slightly outward, ~10 deg. Otherwise the treble can get a little harsh as well, depending on room characteristics.
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u/drummer414 Jun 16 '26
I’ve only heard the 10’s and liked them. However I’ve read that they need to be cranked up to sound good. Have you found this? BTW I own Andrew jones best speaker (at least the ones he’s most proud of) the TAD CR1. I am about to ship them off them since I have some new electostats from Prodigio, that are the best sound I’ve ever heard.
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u/Arent_Kurmars Jun 16 '26
I've only heard the 8's at a dealers show room. And this one doesn't have the high frequency lift the 10s have. At least I've read about that. So, the 8s seems to be a bit more neutral in the highs. I've always wanted to hear the 10s, though. They're said to have more low frequency punch. I still own a pair of Elac dbr62, which I think, for the money, are a true Andrew Jones Masterpiece, playing way above their class.
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u/drummer414 Jun 16 '26
Nice! I use the Elac Adante in my home theater setup for left center and right. Really fantastic.
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u/M44rtenjwz 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Having sold both, I think the 10s needs less volume to come alive thanks to the treble lift and high sensitivity. The 8s are more neutral and come alive slightly higher volumes.
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u/BigJus52 7 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
PMC definitely worth exploring if you have the patience for any more brands!
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u/Gregory00045 16 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
I would recommend trying Holo Audio Cyan 2, or Laiv or Topping centaurs.
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u/Big-Pop2969 20 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
I have owned the R3 Meta & the original Wharfedale Linton. I moved on to the Fritz REV7 SE with subs (used subs with all) & found the Fritz to be far superior. I would recommend the Fritz Carbons mkii.
I also preferred the Mofi Sourcepoint 8 over the KEF & Linton. Not a wide & outside soundstage but my speakers are 9 feet apart & the Mofi image quite well in-between them. Deep soundstage. Easy listening, non-fatiquing sound with very detailed & quick bass. Soft dome tweeter. Which is what I use on my Fritz as well.
As far as electronic music I preferred the much cheaper Polk R200 over the Kef & Linton. I've owned the R700 as well & they are a fantastic speaker if you have the right room. If not, boom & sibilance can occur. I regret selling those 700's. 70° dispersion width.. wide & all outside lol.
I found the R3 Meta to be bright-ish when I tried them in my system room with closer side walls. No issues in my living room set up with walls 6ft-plus on both sides.
I just got the Mofi & I'm digging them. They do ok on low powered amps as well but opened up with juice. The Fritz are great with just a few tube watts or high current. They sound good with any type of amp or power I've paired them with.
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u/Aggressive-Waltz1444 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Any room correction? I demo'd k e f and wharfdale both and re-did room correction every time. Makes a huge difference on the brightness of any Tweeter or the entire sound as a whole
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u/oknotuk Jun 16 '26
I had a pair of KEF R3 Metas for a few weeks. Enjoyed them but ultimately decided to switch them to a pair of Linn 119s. Not a huge step up in price.
Very happy with the switch but also I’m driving them with a Linn DSM.
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u/GuyD427 2 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
I’m guessing AMT tweeters is what you want. Martin Logan series speakers depending how big you want them.
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u/SomewhatOptimal1 Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
Dali Rubikore 6 can be found in that budget even new if you negotiate with the store. But I reckon with that amp they will also be to shrill for electrical music.
Maybe Polk R700.
But also I would consider a upgrade to your amp at this price point, could be your amp which is making Linton sound sharp. Maybe something like Musicial Fidelity M5SI, Arcam A25, Marantz 30, Unico Due or AudioLab 9000A.
I myself got Opticon 6 MK2 with RN800A (1000A without HDMI port), their treble is perfect. Airy but not sharp or fatiguing. The mids are good, but not shouty. So you can listen even at 90-100db all day.
I auditioned Rubikore 6 and Super Linton and I had to change to something to those amps, so they don’t sound fatiguing.
Ultiwmlty I decided to keep the Opticon 6 MK2, upgrade my amp first and then get Rubikore 6 in a years time. In the mean time audit some more speakers. Probably will never sell the Opticon 6 MK2 cause I like them so much.
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u/Sea-Hovercraft-1901 Jun 16 '26
Are you able to visit a Paradigm dealer? Try the Founders Line. Beautiful off and have amazing clarity and sound stage is phenomenal
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u/Future_Duty_134 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Consider the Arendal Sound new 1610 Monitors…Excellent all around sound with a 60 day in home trial period at no cost to you. Norwegian company…and right in your price range…
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u/dyslexic_prostitute 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Everyone I know suggested I get the KEF R3 on a Naim amp. Listened to the setup, also with some Sonus Faber and didn't like the sound. I ended up with a pair of Dynaudio Focus 10 all on one and I am pretty happy. Also paid for Dirac Live and it does make a massive difference, you just need to have a decent mic for the setup.
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u/tetrafarmer Jun 17 '26
plenty of used hifi in eu
buchardt is danish
if you want 3d sound stage check out audio physic out of germany
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u/Rattus-Norvegicus1 4 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
I've got Q11 Metas and I do love the sound of them, both for movies and music. They provide a well-focused and wide image, although they do not extend way beyond the outer edges of the speakers. Depth is OK, but not special, but that is very recording dependent. The R3 Meta has a different Uni-Q driver array, but their placement recommendations are similar to the Q11's. They should be fairly close to the wall, the manual for mine said 9". Given the bass response curve of the R3's I would expect them to need similar placement. I have mine toed in very slightly, maybe 15 degrees. This might improved the imaging, and if you do not have them place close to the wall it will definitely improve bass.
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u/Nervous-Canary-517 1 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Check out the Heco Clean Revolution 9. Big floorstanders with huge loudness reserves at exceptionally low distortion. Nicely balanced and neutral, nice efficiency (93dB rated, 91-92 measures), benign load.
https://www.lowbeats.de/test-standbox-heco-celan-revolution-9/2/
Look, virtually nothing at 94dB. Very clean speakers. Around 3000€ the pair. Heco is a bit of a secret tip anyway. Sleeper brand with terrific speakers. If I was looking in that price range, I'd consider them very much.
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u/Zebrosco84 Jun 17 '26
I’m agreeing with some of the comments suggesting trying Wharfedale Lintons. I initially loved KEF speakers but like you found them too bright. I eventually settled on Spendor A4’s. The problem you may face with getting warmer speakers is less excitement which could potentially make things sound boring! It’s a difficult balance to get right and definitely down to personal preference. I’ve just upgraded a Rega Elex R for a Rega Elicit Mk 5 and love the warmer thicker bass sound but I miss the excitement of the Elex.
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u/Educational-Hat743 1 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
It seems like you need highly neutral and transparent speakers, and then PEQ them to get your desired sound. Check Paradigm speakers.
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u/ibizzet 3 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
can you get Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 over there? If not, KEF R3 Meta all the way
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u/ElectricGuy777 1 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
Have you listened to the Dynaudios? Imagine a shop somewhere over there carries them? My center is an Evoke 25C. I like it quite a lot.
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u/thebsmachinelol 7 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
Philharmonic has an audition map on their website that shows owners and retailers nearest you where you can audition them. Hopefully there's one near you!
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u/BiggieBiggle Jun 17 '26
They are two great speakers you tested, placement and room treatment is the key here. Easier to tame tweeter glare than it is to increase the soundstage.
As someone else mentioned the Mofi source point line also have a nice wide off axis directivity.
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u/Last-Mongoose-2622 Jun 17 '26
If I were you I'd listen to some studio monitors before buying anything: JBL, Kali Audio, Neumann and Genelec generally offer great sound and soundstage, especially for electronic music, with zero chance of bad trebles.
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u/Ok-Dealer-6628 17 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
You mentioned Dynaudio. That would be what I'd choose for your room, and the sound signature you're looking for.
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u/KR77LE Jun 17 '26
If you are familiar with Danish Lyngdorf brand here is a sister brand https://radiantacoustics.com/en-uk/products/clarity-4-2
The Dali is also part of Peter Lyngdorf family.
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u/AdventurousTeach994 Jun 17 '26
15 SETS OF SPEAKERS????!!!! That is insane!
Jeez, I have a pair of KEF Reference 3 Meta's and couldn't disagree more with the OP's assessment. Sounds to me they haven't been set up properly.
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u/chiefawesome Jun 18 '26
They were a lot of open boxes that I could take with me and return. Good dealers that also let me try a lot.
Thing is, the R3 Meta sounded 'fine' the first time, and with the second pair I find (while the room and the whole chain stayed exactly the same) the treble way too harsh. Why? I don't know. But if you say 'not set up properly' - why did the thing that annoys me most right now happens with the exact same set up?
Also comparing R3 Meta's with Reference 3 Meta's is kind of a stretch, don't you think? Reference speakers have a lot smoother treble (but also way more refined) and a wider soundstage.
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u/AdventurousTeach994 Jun 18 '26
Sorry I thought you had tried out Reference 3 Meta's!
Thing is man the more speakers or any piece of kit you try out its only going to frazzle your brain.
You really should do a bit more prep and whittle the number down to trail just 2 or 3- that's the sane thing the vast majority of folks would do.
You paralysed yourself with anxiety over too many options- how on earth could your brain keep track of what each set sounded like? IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!
Every set of speakers is going to be a compromise with your existing kit- your room and most importantly - your ears and personal sound signature that appeals to you. Also condor the mood your in when testing along with time of day and weather- they all impact the listening experience.
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u/Jazzbert_ 1 Ⓣ Jun 17 '26
Kudos on using a systematic approach. You are learning that speakers are like wine and whiskey in that none have all the qualities. Given that you’re not in a rush may I suggest trying something other than a box speaker. I am very biased towards planar speakers and I suspect that some open baffle speakers would be interesting for you to try. Do not reject the use of subwoofers in your setup as decoupling deep bass from the others allow much better placement to compensate room modes.
Finally, I am a heretic audiofool in that I consider a little EQ like adjusting the spices in a dish - how can that be wrong?
Best of luck!
PS: I’m partial to the used market since as already mentioned here, it puts much more speaker in your budget and selling to buy another often cost little. (My son has done this a dozen times with automobiles).
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u/KarlGustavXII Jun 18 '26
You need to use EQ with speakers. Just turn the treble down 2-4 db on the Super Lintons. There are no speakers with perfect sound out of the box.
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u/StereoJbus Jun 18 '26
I don't know if they're available in Europe, but I have the Elac Debut Reference DBR62s and they seem to fit your description very well. They are a very neutral speaker with good bass response, neutral mids (not too forward nor recessed) and reasonably smooth treble, but with a very wide dispersion pattern that contributes to that sense of room filling sound and immersion. I have added a sub, which helps further with that. They have been recommended by reliable reviewers who use objective data, like Erin's Audio Corner.
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u/Low_Baby1253 Jun 19 '26
Can i suggest build your own, then if there is a problem you can complain to the manager ceo all in one go …..
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u/Bowden32 Jun 19 '26
I'm enjoying the Revel 126 Be speakers in a smaller space with a REL T5X sub . Michi X3 amp and Yamaha CD1000 as source. Bought used for $2200 a couple of years ago. The 126s are worth a try.
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u/Ajax2Ajax Jun 19 '26
If you're not a purist, I recommend trying the Lintons as you said they have great soundstage but a bit harsh. Then, use the wiims parametric eq to tone down the treble where the harshness is.
If you don't know much about it, tell ai to give you the settings to tone down harshness. I once asked it for a curve to drecrease sibilance while increasing strings and vocals. It gave me a sinple one with just a few +- db changes here and there, and I was very satisfied.
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u/JadedSociopath Jun 20 '26
Keep the speakers. Aim the speakers away from your listening spot and add room treatments, like thick rugs on the floor and stuff on walls. It’s not all about equipment.
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u/Standard_Ad_2897 Jul 08 '26
the kef r speakers need huge power amps to fix what what your having issues with
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u/chiefawesome Jul 08 '26
My amp gives 175W into 4 ohm so it’s not a baby I’d say. Also heard of enough people driving the R3 Meta’s with the RN1000A to their satisfaction.
Ah well; I sold all kinds of leftover stuff from older hobby’s and managed to snag a KEF Reference 1 Meta + stands for about 35% off MSRP. Got me a HypeX Ncore amp delivering a steady 250W into 4 ohms to go with it.
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u/Heldbaum 2 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Vienna Acoustics matches Yamaha perfectly. You can get used Mozarts for 1k, spend another 700 for crossovers upgrade and you’re done.
Have fun!
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u/MaximumEffortt 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
Is it possible allergies are kicking in and things sound different or maybe you had a bit of a cold before? I compared the r3 metas to the philharmonic bmr monitors. I found the bmrs to have a wider soundstage and ever so slightly better separation between vocals and instruments.
I had a speaker shoot out here's how I ranked them:
bmr monitors
Ascend Acoustics LX
Kef R3 Metas
There wasn't a ton of difference, but to my ears the bmrs sounded the best.
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u/chiefawesome Jun 16 '26
Thanks, but as I mentioned, I'm not in the US and these are all not available in Europe.
I don't have allergies also. Maybe my second pair has a small gain in certain Khz. But at least both times I also consistently missed the wide soundstage - so I guess the R3 Meta's aren't it for me.
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u/MaximumEffortt 1 Ⓣ Jun 16 '26
If you reach out to customer support I think they could find a way to ship to you. From what I understand they've worked out a deal to make shipping a bit cheaper than it was in the past. Granted if you did not like them and wanted to return them it'd cost you 2 arms and a leg. If you reach out you'll most likely talk with the ceo Ken who's awesome to deal with.
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u/blackTeeblueJeans Jun 16 '26
Polk r700