Short answer: the KEF R11 Meta for better sound quality, the ELAC DF63 for the lower price. The KEF R11 Meta ranks #19 of 56 floorstanding speakers at $3499.99. The ELAC DF63 ranks #27 at $649, $2850.99 cheaper.
On the KEF R11 Meta side: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response with good directivity and very deep bass extension (F10 of 30Hz). Set against that: A dip around 1-1.2kHz on-axis is attributed to a diffraction effect, and shows up as a smaller dip in the predicted in-room response.
What the ELAC DF63 offers: Three-driver floorstanding layout: two 6” dedicated midbase drivers plus a separate 6” mid-range driver (confirmed by measuring different driver impedance/inductance) and a 1” dome tweeter. Watch for: A genuine measured resonance around 200-300Hz (visible in frequency response, impedance, and group delay) causes an audible “droning” coloration on female vocals.
Buy the KEF R11 Meta if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the ELAC DF63 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF R11 Meta | ELAC DF63 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,499.99 | $649.00 |
| Ranked | #19 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #27 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 29Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 71Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 51"H x 12.2"W x 15.1"D (1295.4 x 309.9 x 383.5 mm) | 43.1"H x 7.7"W x 10.6"D (1094.7 x 195.6 x 269.2 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms nominal (3.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 4 x 165 mm (6.5 in.) hybrid aluminium cone woofers, 125 mm (5 in.) aluminium cone midrange, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with MAT tweeter | Two 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 6.5" Aramid Fiber midrange, 1" Aluminum Dome tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 89.5dB | 86.6dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 80.5 lbs / 36.5 kg each | 58.2 lbs / 26.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
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- JBL Studio 698 vs KEF R11 Meta
- KEF R11 Meta vs Polk Reserve R500
The Two Speakers In Full
KEF R11 Meta: $3,499.99 Amazon
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response with good directivity and very deep bass extension (F10 of 30Hz). Predicted in-room response is very smooth aside from the small 1-1.5kHz dip. The coaxial Uni-Q driver gives excellent, symmetric vertical directivity, unusual for a tower speaker. Distortion is incredibly low even down to 30Hz at 86dB SPL/1m, and stays low even at 96dB and 102dB SPL/1m - the reviewer found essentially no audible tonality change across that whole output range.
Cons: A dip around 1-1.2kHz on-axis is attributed to a diffraction effect, and shows up as a smaller dip in the predicted in-room response. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±40 degrees is on the narrower side, though the transition from wide to constant directivity is smooth. Minimum impedance dips to 3.2 ohms around 580Hz, calling for an amplifier comfortable with a demanding load. 4-ohm nominal impedance overall.
Full KEF R11 Meta review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 51"H x 12.2"W x 15.1"D (1295.4 x 309.9 x 383.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 4 x 165 mm (6.5 in.) hybrid aluminium cone woofers, 125 mm (5 in.) aluminium cone midrange, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with MAT tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 89.5dB |
| Weight | 80.5 lbs / 36.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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ELAC DF63: $649.00 Amazon
Pros: Three-driver floorstanding layout: two 6” dedicated midbase drivers plus a separate 6” mid-range driver (confirmed by measuring different driver impedance/inductance) and a 1” dome tweeter, each woofer given its own stuffed chamber inside the cabinet. The dedicated midrange driver keeps distortion low even at higher output, avoiding the intermodulation grain typical of two-way bookshelf designs. The waveguide keeps high-frequency directivity well controlled, and overall horizontal directivity is good up to about 2kHz. Harmonic distortion looks good at both 86dB and 96dB, and multitone distortion stays below the reviewer’s 3% threshold. A shallow bass rolloff (F3 71Hz, F10 29Hz) lets it extend fairly low without a hard cutoff. Preferred by the reviewer over the similarly-priced Polk R500 (too much high-frequency narrowing, less neutral) and considered ahead of the Polk R700 as well.
Cons: A genuine measured resonance around 200-300Hz (visible in frequency response, impedance, and group delay) causes an audible “droning” coloration on female vocals. A mild peak around 10kHz makes shakers and similar high-frequency percussion jump too far forward in the mix; needed about 2dB of EQ to tame in testing. A dip in the 1-3kHz range gives the speaker a warm, slightly veiled character - the reviewer suspects the tweeter crossover point (around 2-3kHz) is set a bit high and could be lowered to fill this in. Directivity shows a noticeable handoff mismatch around 2.5kHz where the midrange driver hands off to the tweeter, though it’s minor at the -6dB point. Vertical directivity is narrower than horizontal, so listeners need to stay close to the tweeter axis. Low EPDR (about 1.5 ohms minimum) means a Class AB amplifier should be well-ventilated. Best positioned pointed directly at the listener and closer to the front wall - toeing it out into the room causes too much high-frequency rolloff.
Full ELAC DF63 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 71Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 43.1"H x 7.7"W x 10.6"D (1094.7 x 195.6 x 269.2 mm) |
| Drivers | Two 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 6.5" Aramid Fiber midrange, 1" Aluminum Dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 58.2 lbs / 26.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons