# KEF's new R Series speakers



## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

KEF's Q series of speakers has gotten rave reviews and outstanding measurements in the few months since it's come out. Now they're putting out the next level up in their product line, presumably to replace the XQ series in the range just below their Reference series:

http://www.kef.com/ca/newrelease/rseries

Based on the fruits of their latest research in the Blade project, is their latest series of loudspeakers. Especially interesting is that it appears to use the same tweeter and coaxial, as the $40,000 KEF Blade speaker 

More importantly, I think those bass drivers look so gorgeous


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## pxj (Jun 10, 2011)

Floor-Standing Loudspeakers:

R500 – Three-way floor-standing speaker; 5.25” Uni-Q driver array with 1” HF unit and 5” MF driver. Retail: $1,299.99
R700 – Three-way floor-standing speaker; 6.5” Uni-Q driver array with 1” HF unit and 5” MF driver. Retail: $1,799.99
R900 – Three-way floor-standing speaker; 8” Uni-Q driver array with 1” HF unit and 5” MF driver. Retail: $2,499.99

Bookshelf Loudspeakers:

R100 – Two-way bookshelf speaker; 5.25” Uni-Q driver array with 1” HF unit. Retail: $1,199.99
R300 – Three-way bookshelf speaker; 6.5” Uni-Q driver array with 1” HF unit and 5” MF driver. Retail: $1,799.99


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## alphaiii (Nov 30, 2007)

These new KEFs look good.

Unfortunately, they're above my price range... I'm more in the Q Series price bracket.

I've always been intrigued by KEF's speakers, but still have yet to hear any. I shied away from the Q series in the past since it's not uncommon to see them described as bright...

But at some point I need to give them a fair shake. The newest Q series seems like a good one to start with.


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## warpdrive (May 6, 2007)

I would be interested in the R500 for $1299. you get a three way speaker with the same tech as the others, in a slim tower than could be cross shopped with quite a few 2 way bookshelf speakers with a good stand like the Paradigm Studio 20, NHT C3 etc.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

The new KEF R's look to be a giant killer series.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

alphaiii said:


> But at some point I need to give them a fair shake. The newest Q series seems like a good one to start with.


The Q drivers are really good. And that is where all the money went, because the enclosures are not. Paper thin and resonant has been used to describe them.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

pxj said:


> R700 – Three-way *floor-standing *speaker; 6.5” Uni-Q driver array with 1” HF unit and 5” MF driver. Retail: *$1,799.99*
> 
> R300 – Three-way *bookshelf speaker*; 6.5” Uni-Q driver array with 1” HF unit and 5” MF driver. Retail: *$1,799.99*



That's odd, unless the bookshelf comes with stands.

I wish the industry would drop the term "bookshelf". It encourages bad behavior. :nono:


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

The R300s are 1800/pr, the the R700s are 1800/each or 3600/pr

The 700s also have two 6.5" bass drivers, while the R300s only have one.


The 900s are where it's at though. Two 8" bass drivers == wicked dynamics crossed to a sub


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## alphaiii (Nov 30, 2007)

tesseract said:


> The Q drivers are really good. And that is where all the money went, because the enclosures are not. Paper thin and resonant has been used to describe them.


Shame they skimped so much on the cabinets... Maybe they should've stuck with the curved cabinets of the previous Q series... At least that would help with standing wave and resonances.


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