KEF Q11 Meta Review
One year before the first Uni-Q chassis saw the light of day, Sting sang in “An Englishman in New York” about the unshakable composure of a true gentleman. Obviously, Kef took this to heart during development.
by Frederick Heinz
Acoustics: Neutral, Reverberant
Placement: Wall proximity, Freestanding
Recommendations: Place freely or close to the sidewalls, with a greater distance from the rear wall. Neutral acoustics, listening distance from 2 meters.
With all the courtesy and gallantry, a true gentleman is above all characterized by maintaining his composure in every situation. “A gentleman will walk but never run,” as Sting aptly says in the song.
Especially in the hi-fi sector, composure is crucial. Loss of control inevitably leads to undesirable effects such as thin, bloodless sound, sound-damaging resonances, and shrill, inharmonious distortions. To prevent them, sufficient power reserves and consistent avoidance of reactive loads are necessary.
One of these reactive loads is the sound radiated to the rear. While it can be controlled and used positively in the bass range, the situation is noticeably different in the treble range. There, these rearward sound waves sometimes develop an undesirable life of their own that negatively affects the sensitive tweeter membrane because it is uncontrolled.
For 37 years, Kef’s engineers have been refining the coaxial point-source Uni-Q driver. The 12th and latest generation of this complex high-tech chassis has incorporated metamaterial absorption technology, which is intended to deliver an even more balanced frequency response.
Meta for the Masses
No wonder these reactive loads are a thorn in loudspeaker manufacturers’ sides, and they tackle them by various means. Kef’s developers invented Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) to effectively absorb unwanted sound components, which has been used in the Uni-Q chassis since 2020.
Loudspeakers equipped with these high-tech discs can be identified by the “Meta” designation in the product name, which now also adorns Kef’s entry-level Q series for the first time.
Until now, the award-winning LS50 Meta with a pair price of $1300 marked the most affordable entry into Kef’s audiophile Meta world. Now, the Q1 Meta for $550 per pair cuts that entry price in half.
The question naturally arises about how well the entry-friendly Q series compares to the more upscale R series, which features Meta Uni-Q chassis in all its models. In order not to compare apples to oranges, we ordered the top model of the Q series, the Q11 Meta, for our test.
With a pair price of about $2200, on the one hand it starts where the R series ends. On the other hand, it holds its own best when compared to the R7 Meta.
The biggest difference is in the smaller Uni-Q chassis, already familiar from the LS60 Wireless. In these, the tweeter measures 19 mm and the midrange driver 100 mm, versus 25 and 125 mm in the R series. Aluminum is used for both the tweeter dome and the midrange driver. Apart from the size, the design is identical to that of the other Uni-Q chassis.
In the bass range, the same 165 mm hybrid woofers are used as in the R series. Here, too, the British remain consistent and rely on aluminum as the cone material.
While the R7 Meta uses two such woofers, the Q11 Meta is equipped with three. They are supported by a short bass reflex port that’s flared like a trumpet on both ends.
Kef applied cost-saving measures in the Q series with great care, mainly to “details” like bass reflex ports, terminals, feet, and cabinet finish. The crossover likely received a sensible downgrade as well.
No matter which music, no matter what volume, the Q11 Meta always sounded confident, seasoned with relaxed smoothness.
Ultimately, how these necessary cost-saving measures affect the sound was revealed in the eagerly awaited listening session.
Three-Dimensional and Balanced
Point-source drivers fascinate with their ability to reproduce a sonically correct and three-dimensional sound image. Not without reason do full-range drivers, despite occasional tonal drawbacks, enjoy a large following. With the Uni-Q chassis, Kef managed to transfer the strengths of full-range drivers into a two-way system—without having to grapple with their weaknesses.
The Q11 Meta produced a precise three-dimensional soundstage with a wide stage and excellent depth layering. Similar to James Cameron’s 3D masterpiece “Avatar,” the strength of the Q11 Meta lay in utilizing the depth of the room. This proved far more relaxing and pleasant than an immediately forward sound image that places the musical action well in front of the speakers. “Pleasant” is indeed the right adjective to describe the Q11 Meta’s sound. Its warm tuning, which rolls off gently and linearly toward the highs, along with bass that is contoured yet not overly tight—rather slightly springy—ensured a consistently harmonious and comforting sound, regardless of music genre or amplifier used.
Despite all its smoothness, the Q11 Meta resolved even the finest details precisely and could attack powerfully when necessary—yet always with the required composure.
As for positioning, the Q11 Meta was pleasantly uncomplicated thanks to its excellent dispersion. There was neither a pronounced sweet spot horizontally nor vertically. You just shouldn’t banish the Q11 Meta into a corner; even the included bass reflex plugs aren’t much help there, especially as they tend to be launched straight out of the port at higher volume.
Measurement
With a 3 dB bass boost and a gradually falling response from 2 kHz onward (6 dB), the Q11 Meta is tuned warmly. The frequency response itself is smooth; neither on-axis nor off-axis measurements show prominent peaks or dips—KEF has nicely matched the crossover and coax driver. The parameters for the lower cutoff frequency (33 Hz/-6 dB), maximum SPL (102 dBspL), and sensitivity (83 dB/2 V) are very good for the cabinet size. Timing is good; no resonances are visible in the waterfall diagram (not shown). Amplifiers between 50 and 100 W (4 ohms) are a good fit. AUDIO index: 6.7 (out of 10)
KEF Q11 Meta Specs
Category: Floorstanding Speaker
Distributor: GP Acoustics GmbH
Website: www.kef.com
Warranty: 2 years (5 years on drivers)
Dimensions: 21 cm (W) × 106.1 cm (H) × 38 cm (D)
Weight: 22.5 kg
Finish Options: Black, White, Walnut
Design: 3-Way Bass Reflex
Special Feature: Includes bass reflex plugs
Verdict
Pros & Cons
✅ Excellent spatial imaging
✅ Well-balanced tuning
✅ High volume handling
✅ Engaging and immersive sound
❌ Slightly recessed treble
Performance Ratings
| Category | Score (out of 20) |
|---|---|
| Neutrality | 15 |
| Resolution | 14 |
| Imaging | 17 |
| Dynamics | 15 |
| Bass Response | 16 |
Overall Scores
- Sound Quality: 77 / 100
- Lab Analysis: 40 / 50
- Build Quality: 40 / 50
- Total Score: 157 Points
The Q11 Meta is hot on the heels of the R series, impressing with its extremely three-dimensional and utterly effortless sound. Only the slightly smaller aluminum dome (causing a stronger treble roll-off) and the somewhat more uneven frequency response prevent it from catching up to the significantly more expensive R7—Congratulations, well done.
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