KEF REFERENCE 1 Meta
Bookshelf Speakers

The benchmark of bookshelf speakers

The one standmount model in the Reference series could be the only loudspeaker you ever need. A three-way model boasting KEF’s 12th generation Uni-Q® driver array with MAT™, Reference 1 Meta is capable of delivering expansive, high-performance sound that goes way beyond what its relatively compact size would suggest was possible.

Now with Metamaterial Absorption Technology

The Reference has continually set the benchmark for loudspeakers since its launch in 1973. The perfect reproduction of recorded sound is what The Reference has always stood for. Pioneering the use of digital technologies to achieve the highest audio accuracy, every pair of The Reference series can be matched within half a decibel to the laboratory-maintained reference standard. Exact pair matching delivers perfect stereo reproduction, so these revolutionary speakers won acclaim for the superior acoustic precision. Hence the method became the name: The Reference.

Since the first generation, The Reference has been continuously enhanced by new innovations and technological developments. In the latest evolution, The Reference incorporates KEF's latest innovation: Metamaterial Absorption Technology1 (MAT™) and continues to be the supreme expression of KEF’s philosophy, where advanced engineering meets inspired design.

The Reference are loudspeakers for serious audiophiles who aspire to the perfect enjoyment of music and movies. Whether used in a traditional two-channel HiFi or a multi-channel home theatre, listeners will be able to experience the realistic, immersive sound with breath-taking dynamics, and levels of accuracy that reveal details never noticed before.

A class apart

The Reference range encompasses two three-way floorstanding speakers, a formidable three-way standmount speaker, and two three-way centre speakers that can be used as Left-Centre-Right (LCR) speakers. The Reference combines phenomenal high-fidelity performance with complete multi-channel versatility.

And now new technological advances make The Reference range even more impressive. At the heart of The Reference range now sits a bespoke 12th generation Uni-Q with MAT driver array. This new addition truly puts The Reference range in a class of its own.

12th Generation Uni-Q with MAT™ delivers

The 12th generation Uni-Q with MAT in The Reference is a bespoke driver array engineered to deliver pristine performance across this exceptional range of loudspeakers. It’s the result of decades of accumulated in-house knowledge and the application of cutting-edge simulation and analysis tools. The developments are many and all play a part in The Reference’s pristine performance.

As a starting point, KEF engineers re-engineered the tweeter gap damper to maximise the space at the back of the tweeter for the new metamaterial absorber. Optimising the cavity shape and strategically placing two rings of porous material effectively tame the resonances and imperfections, thus greatly improving detail and clarity.

A new ultra-low distortion midrange motor design uses a copper ring embedded into the motor gap to minimise inductance and variation of inductance with coil position. This lowers the midrange THD and reduces thermal compression, leading to improved efficiency.

The Uni-Q driver array is fully decoupled to prevent unwanted vibrations from muddying the sound. A new flexible decoupling chassis is designed to reduce vibration and remove coloration. It ensures that any vibration generated by the mid and high-frequency motor system is not transmitted to the loudspeaker cabinet.

A new driver surround is designed to allow longer excursion without causing diffraction and extending the frequency range of the mid-frequency. Plus, the contours of the dome, midrange horn and surround are all computer-optimised to ensure a perfectly smooth transition to the cabinet.

KEF’s patented tangerine waveguide technology manages the airflow to recreate the wide, even spread of a natural sound field, dispersing the astonishingly pure high-frequency imaging throughout the room.

The result of these innovations and developments is that this bespoke 12th generation Uni-Q with MAT offers a sound that is more transparent and life-like than previously possible.

Total attention to detail

Every speaker in The Reference range exudes the sense of sheer quality that comes from being hand-built by KEF’s master craftsmen in Maidstone, Kent, UK. They are designed to be acoustically exceptional, attractive to look at, and each speaker is meticulously built to KEF’s exceptional standards.

All the cabinets are designed using finite element analysis to determine the ideal shape and bracing geometry to minimise secondary radiation from the sides, with Constrained Layer Damping applied to turn what little vibration is left into heat.

Furthermore, the expertly engineered cabinets are finished in a sumptuous high-gloss or richly detailed, pairmatched wood veneers to complement the strikingly distinctive front baffle, which is designed to eliminate anomalies caused by diffraction. Five finishes are available, a combination of three cabinet finishes and five drive unit colours: Satin Walnut/Silver, High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper.