Reference 1 META

Reference 1 Meta

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.

The benchmark of benchmarks
Since 1973, The Reference has continually set the benchmark for loudspeakers and sound reproduction. Pioneering the use of digital technologies to achieve the highest audio accuracy, every pair can be matched within 0.5dB to the laboratory-maintained reference standard.

Always innovating
Since the first Reference speaker, KEF engineers have continued to innovate using what is possible with The Reference. Ground-breaking in its first incarnation, each subsequent iteration of The Reference has added to the world’s knowledge of the science of acoustics.

Designed, engineered, and handcrafted in UK
Since 1961, KEF has been creating remarkable award-winning loudspeakers at their UK home in Maidstone, Kent. As KEF’s flagship HiFi speakers, The Reference is still being designed, engineered, and handcrafted in Maidstone today.

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.

Reference quality bass
The Reference’s 165mm (6.5 inch) low frequency driver perfectly complements the new 12th generation Uni-Q® driver array. Smart engineering and meticulous attention to detail enables the bass to blend seamlessly with the immaculate midrange and treble.

Engineered to be flexible
The Reference speakers are welcomingly undemanding in terms of positioning and are easy to fine-tune for your listening area by using KEF’s innovative Flexible Port Technology.

The smallest details, revealed
Shadow Flare drastically reduces harmful cabinet diffraction, allowing Uni-Q® to work at its highest level. A precision-designed surface extends the waveguide effect of Uni-Q® for improved clarity, particularly when it comes to the subtle nuances of plucked strings and other percussive sounds.

Computer-modelled cabinet
The Reference’s cabinets are designed using finite element analysis to determine the ideal shape and bracing geometry to minimise secondary radiation. Constrained Layer Damping is then applied to turn what little vibration is left into heat.

Technical Specifications