Pre-Meta KEF Reference 1 or LS50 Meta

The LS50 Meta + KC62 sub is what I decoded to keep vs the similarly priced used Reference 1.  The Meta was a very noticeable improvement over the older LS50. A lot of people say otherwise, but I hear a much better speaker in the Meta over the non-Meta. I figured adding the KC62 maybe a better speaker than the old Reference 1, since it lacks the Meta material.

I have my LS50 Meta on the sidelines for the past 2 months since I put in the Magenpan LRS+ ($995) with the KEF KC62 sub. Both are great in my small office. They sound different and I will alternate.

I use LS50 Wireless II and a pair of KC62 in the living room, with eARC from a TV and coax from an Oppo 205.  I stored a pair of LS50 Metas after being impressed with them when driven by an Ayre A7X integrated, because I wanted to declutter the Roon setup in the living room so chose the wireless speakers that accept Roon.

I think I'll try the LS50 Metas in place of the Reference 1s.  They will be driven by an Ayre VX-5 Twenty amp, augmented by pair of Velodyne HGS-15s with acoustic room room correction, and high-passed at 80 Hz by a passive balanced Marchand filter.  IIRC, KEF recommends a 45 Hz crossover to subs and a 75 Hz high-pass.  It's easy to set LF with the SMS-1 bass manager, but high-pass is fixed at 80 Hz. 

Whatever the Meta material is, it's not magical. The Ref 1 is in an entirely different league. With or without meta material. 

The KEF KC62 with the LS50 Meta plays deeper than the Reference 1. Not sure about sonics being in a different league. I have heard both and own the LS50 Meta and sub. My gear at home is likely better (for my ears) than the gear I heard with the Reference 1.

My assumption is that the Meta material is doing the same thing as the tube in the Yamaha NS5000 and the tubes in Vivid speakers.