The 705s3 are one of the best sounding of the B&W's. As far as I am concerned, the KEF R3 Meta are just awful sounding - lacking dynamics, excitement, and frequency extension.
B&W 705s3 vs Kef Meta R3
I was at Magnolia the other day and out of curiosity, I asked the salesman to play these 2 speakers back to back. I really couldn't believe how muffled the Metas were compared to the Bowers. I then compared other bigger models of each and heard the same sound signature. What was the problem here? I've owned a ton of different speakers and never heard quite a contrast. I should add that I am biased towards Kef.
Has anyone else out there compared these 2 lines in a real world setting?
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@b_limo Your experience at Best Buy matches mine. B&W outshines KEF at my Best Buy too. I’ve lived with 2 sets of KEF speakers a 1 set of B&W. Like AudioTroy, I also question Best Buy’s receiver pairings. And, I wonder about the switching and cabling situation. That said, OCD Mikey recorded a similar outcome at an audio dealership. |
The B&Ws are mfgr rated at 88db @ 8 ohms; the KEFs 87db @ 4 ohms. Were they or the other pair you auditioned level matched for comparison? It wouldn't hurt to bring your own SPL meter into any serious listening comparison. Generally, the lower the listening volume, the more dramatic the sensitivity benefit Assuming so, these are large, long established & reputable brands with big R&D budgets. If any of their products at any above mass-market prices ever sound like there is something truly wrong, there probably is. Now, I don't mean "the LS50s have almost no 20 hz bass" - I mean when they fail to meet reasonable expectations. You're doing the store a service by pointing it out. It's not just a potential wiring issue - the component(s) being auditioned could be faulty. |
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