The Q4 Meta is the on-wall model in KEF's Q Series with MAT, the ninth generation of the range since 1991 and an eight-model line-up. It is the first on-wall speaker the Q Series has offered, introduced alongside the Q Concerto Meta. Built around the same 130 mm (5.25 inch) 12th generation Uni-Q driver array with MAT that KEF developed for the Q1 Meta, Q4 Meta and Q8 Meta, it works as a left, centre or right (LCR) speaker or as a surround, without taking up any floor space. This listing is for a single Q4 Meta in Satin Black.
Uni-Q and MAT
Uni-Q places the 25 mm vented aluminium dome tweeter at the acoustic centre of the 130 mm aluminium bass/midrange cone, so the speaker behaves as a single point source and disperses sound evenly across the room. Behind the tweeter sits Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), a maze-like structure that absorbs 99 per cent of the unwanted sound radiating from the rear of the tweeter, removing a source of distortion. KEF has also enlarged the tweeter's rear chamber vent by 250 per cent so more of that energy reaches the absorber, and the 1.8 kHz crossover was refined from more than 1,000 measurements in KEF's anechoic chamber in Maidstone, UK.
Design and Mounting
The Q4 Meta is a two-way bass reflex design measuring 400 x 250 x 142 mm including the terminals and weighing 5.7 kg. At 142 mm deep it has by some margin the shallowest cabinet in the Q Series, and the Q Meta user manual includes a dedicated wall-mounting section for it. Sensitivity is 86 dB (2.83 V at 1 m) with a nominal 4 ohm impedance, and KEF recommends amplifiers of 10 to 150 W.
Home Cinema Flexibility
Sharing its Uni-Q driver with other Q Series models, the Q4 Meta mixes and matches freely within a system. KEF illustrates a compact 3.1 layout with Q4 Metas across the front, a Q6 Meta centre and a Kube 8 MIE subwoofer, and a 5.1.2 layout in which the Q4 Meta handles surround duties behind Q7 Meta floorstanders, a Q6 Meta centre and Q8 Meta Dolby Atmos modules. KEF quotes a typical in-room bass response of 44 Hz (-6 dB) for the Q4 Meta on its own.
Finish and Grille
The Satin Black finish is a contemporary minimalist satin with carefully selected driver unit colours. A colour-matched magnetic grille is supplied, giving driver protection with a secure, precise fit in keeping with the clean, seamless styling of the range. The Q4 Meta is also available in Satin White and Walnut.