KEF R8 Meta Dolby Atmos Speakers Black Gloss (Pair)

The R8 Meta is the Dolby Atmos enabled surround and height module in KEF's R Series, the seven-model range that sits directly below The Reference and inherits its Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) and 12th generation Uni-Q driver array. Alongside the R11, R7 and R5 Meta floorstanders, the R3 Meta standmount and the R6 and R2 Meta centres, the R8 Meta is the model that adds overhead and rear channels to an R Series home cinema. This listing is for a pair in Black Gloss.

Design and Placement

Each R8 Meta is a compact two-way closed-box cabinet measuring 174 x 175 x 259 mm and weighing 4.5 kg. KEF describes it as a versatile solution: placed on top of another speaker it works as an up-firing Dolby Atmos module, bouncing sound off the ceiling for height effects with no custom installation needed, while the integrated wall mount feature lets it serve as a surround or rear speaker. The manual shows it sitting on the R11, R7 and R5 Meta floorstanders or on an R3 Meta standmount, in 5.1.2 and 7.1.2 layouts with a single pair on the front speakers, or in 5.1.4 and 7.1.4 layouts with a second pair on top of the rear speakers. For surround use, wall mounting is shown separately: two keyhole fixings on the rear take two screws, and a template is supplied. A Dolby Atmos capable AV receiver or processor is required. Rubber feet and magnetic microfibre grilles are included, and the same Black Gloss, White Gloss and Walnut finishes are offered as on the rest of the range.

Uni-Q and MAT

The R8 Meta uses the same 12th generation Uni-Q array as every other R Series model: a 25 mm vented aluminium dome tweeter mounted in the throat of a 130 mm aluminium cone, crossed over at 2.6 kHz. Uni-Q acts as a single point source, dispersing sound evenly through the room and removing the narrow sweet spot. Behind the tweeter, MAT is a maze-like structure that absorbs 99% of the unwanted sound from the rear of the dome, eliminating the distortion it would otherwise cause, and a refined tweeter gap damper and Flexible Decoupling Chassis further reduce resonance and vibration. Because identically sized Uni-Q arrays are used across the series, every channel shares the same sound character and the focus stays on the film rather than the equipment.

Performance

Frequency response is 97 Hz to 17.5 kHz (±3 dB), with a -6 dB range of 88 Hz to 19.5 kHz, and sensitivity is 85 dB (2.83 V/1 m). Nominal impedance is 4 ohms (3.2 ohms minimum), maximum output is 106 dB and KEF recommends amplification of 25 to 150 W. A single pair of speaker terminals is fitted; unlike the rest of the R Series there is no bi-wire option.

In the Box

One pair of R8 Meta loudspeakers in Black Gloss, one pair of grilles, rubber feet, user manual and warranty information.