Short answer: the KEF Reference 203 for better sound quality, the Focal Chora 816 for the lower price. The KEF Reference 203 ranks #12 of 56 floorstanding speakers at $5000. The Focal Chora 816 ranks #13 at $900, $4100 cheaper.
What the KEF Reference 203 gets right: An unusually accomplished 4-way design for its era: excellent on-axis linearity (within about +/-3dB), genuinely good directivity both horizontally (~55 degrees) and vertically (~40-50 degrees). The catch: This is a 20+ year old, long-discontinued speaker only findable secondhand (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, audio forums) - condition, driver matching, and component aging vary by unit.
On the Focal Chora 816 side: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally even on-axis response with nice bass extension and high sensitivity. Set against that: Some messiness appears between 500Hz-2kHz on-axis, including a dip around 550Hz.
Buy the KEF Reference 203 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Focal Chora 816 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF Reference 203 | Focal Chora 816 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5000 Discontinued | $900 used, Discontinued |
| Ranked | #12 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #13 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 35Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 1067H mm (42" tall) | 40.7"H x 11.8"W x 15.3"D (1033.8 x 299.7 x 388.6 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.6 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 3.2 ohms per manufacturer spec) | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 88dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 91dB (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1x 0.75" supertweeter, coaxial 1" dome tweeter + 6.5" midrange, 2x 6.5" woofers | 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber woofer, 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber midrange, 1" (25mm) TNF Al/Mg inverted dome tweeter |
| Weight | 58 lbs / 26.3 kg (58 lb) | 40.8 lbs / 18.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, with switchable flat/cut/lifted bass ports for wall placement | ported, front |
| Crossover Frequency | 400Hz, 2.7kHz, 15kHz | - |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 55kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Recommended Power | 50-200W | - |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Revel F208 vs KEF R11 Meta
- Revel F208 vs JBL HDI-3600
- KEF R5 Meta vs Revel F208
- JBL HDI-3800 vs Focal Chora 816
- KEF Reference 203 vs Revel Concerta2 F35
The Two Speakers In Full
KEF Reference 203: $5000 Discontinued
Pros: An unusually accomplished 4-way design for its era: excellent on-axis linearity (within about +/-3dB), genuinely good directivity both horizontally (~55 degrees) and vertically (~40-50 degrees), and an estimated in-room response that closely matches what the reviewer actually heard. Distortion is excellent - under 1% harmonic above 80Hz at both 86dB and 96dB, and multitone stays around 1% even at 96dB. Bass reaches a real F3 of 51Hz (F10 37Hz), with in-room extension into the low-mid-40s. The reviewer’s overall listening notes were essentially “nothing stood out bad or good” - a genuinely neutral, accurate speaker with a distinctive rounded-baffle look that avoids the diffraction issues a flat baffle this wide would normally have.
Cons: This is a 20+ year old, long-discontinued speaker only findable secondhand (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, audio forums) - condition, driver matching, and component aging vary by unit, so audition before buying if at all possible. Demands a robust amplifier: impedance dips to about 3.6 ohms with an EPDR of 2.2 ohms. The small supertweeter shows minor breakup artifacts at the extremes of the vertical polar plot and some compression at very high output in the top octave, though neither was audible in normal listening. Discontinued.
Full KEF Reference 203 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 400Hz, 2.7kHz, 15kHz |
| Dimensions | 1067H mm (42" tall) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 0.75" supertweeter, coaxial 1" dome tweeter + 6.5" midrange, 2x 6.5" woofers |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 55kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.6 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 3.2 ohms per manufacturer spec) |
| Recommended Power | 50-200W |
| Sensitivity | 88dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 58 lbs / 26.3 kg (58 lb) |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, with switchable flat/cut/lifted bass ports for wall placement |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Focal Chora 816: $900 used, Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally even on-axis response with nice bass extension and high sensitivity. Predicted in-room response is very good aside from a peak around 8kHz. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±60 degrees is typical and fairly controlled. Distortion is very low at 86dB SPL/1m and still usable at 96dB SPL/1m.
Cons: Some messiness appears between 500Hz-2kHz on-axis, including a dip around 550Hz. Vertical directivity narrows a little, so listening height matters more than with a coincident design. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) shows a fair bit of resonances lingering across the midrange. Distortion rises substantially in the 1-2kHz region at 96dB SPL/1m. Minimum impedance dips to about 3.9 ohms. Discontinued.
Full Focal Chora 816 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 40.7"H x 11.8"W x 15.3"D (1033.8 x 299.7 x 388.6 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber woofer, 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber midrange, 1" (25mm) TNF Al/Mg inverted dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 91dB (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 40.8 lbs / 18.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons