Short answer: the KEF Reference 3 Meta, if you are buying new. The KEF Reference 203 ranks higher than the Klipsch Forte IV (#17 vs #101 of 188 floorstanding speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the KEF Reference 3 Meta, is rated 4.6/5 at $15,999.98 and is still sold new.
The case for the Klipsch Forte IV: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Watch for: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail.
The KEF Reference 203 is the more accurate, deeper-bass pick. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.83 against 3.78 for the Klipsch Forte IV. Its bass reaches about 51Hz before falling 3dB, against 82Hz for the Klipsch Forte IV. 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, so audition before buying if at all possible.
Buy the KEF Reference 3 Meta, the replacement for the discontinued KEF Reference 203; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Klipsch Forte IV.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Forte IV | KEF Reference 203 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,499.98 per pair | $5,000 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #101 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #17 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 37Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) | 88dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1x 12” (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15” passive radiator, 1x 1.75” compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1” titanium compression tweeter on horn | 1x 0.75” supertweeter, coaxial 1” dome tweeter + 6.5” midrange, 2x 6.5” woofers |
| Weight | 117.3 lbs (53.2 kg) | 58 lbs (26.3 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | Bass reflex, with switchable flat/cut/lifted bass ports for wall placement |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms nominal (3.6 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 3.2 ohms per manufacturer spec) |
| Dimensions | 36”H x 16.5”W x 13”D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) | 42”H (1067H mm) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.78 | 5.83 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.72 | 7.84 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 400Hz, 2.7kHz, 15kHz |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 55kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Recommended Power | - | 50-200W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How KEF Reference 203 compares with other leading options:
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs KEF Reference 203
- MoFi SourcePoint 888 vs KEF Reference 203
- Revel F328Be vs KEF Reference 203
- KEF R5 Meta vs KEF Reference 203
- Revel F226Be vs KEF Reference 203
Prices on this page were last checked October 7, 2026 at 9:25 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Klipsch Forte IV: $5,499.98 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Same family: the Klipsch Heresy IV (smaller floorstanding, ranked lower, rated 2.3/5), the Klipsch Cornwall IV (larger floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 2.8/5), the Klipsch La Scala AL6 (larger floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 2.8/5) and the Klipsch Klipschorn AK7 (larger floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 3/5).
Pros: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Genuinely resonance-free cabinet, a clear improvement over the notably boomy, resonant Heresy 4 in the same lineup. Surprisingly wide, expansive soundstage that beat both the Heresy 4 and a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 in direct comparison: images occasionally appeared several feet outside the physical speaker location. Deeper bass extension than the Heresy 4 (F3 of 82Hz, about 10Hz lower). Distortion measures well below 1% at 86dB and stays mostly within 1% even at 96dB. Comes as a factory-matched serial-numbered pair, backed by an unusually generous 10-year warranty. Mostly above 4 ohms impedance, so it’s compatible with AVRs, solid-state, or tube amplifiers. More neutral overall than other Klipsch models the reviewer has tested, making it a reasonable pick for listeners who already like the “Klipsch sound” but want something more balanced. Measured bass extension of 82Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 93.8dB.
Cons: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail. A peak around 6kHz reads as sibilant and “painful” when seated exactly on the tweeter axis; sitting a bit above that axis reduces it somewhat. Klipsch’s marketed 99dB sensitivity figure is an in-room rating that assumes 3-6dB of boundary gain: anechoic sensitivity measures closer to 94dB, which the manufacturer does disclose but can still mislead buyers comparing spec sheets. Radiation width isn’t consistent across all frequencies: a noticeable notch around 2-3kHz interrupts otherwise wide dispersion, which can cause a fundamental tone and its harmonics to image in slightly different places in the soundstage. Uses shallow low-pass crossover slopes (despite Klipsch’s steep-crossover marketing, which applies only to the high-pass side), likely contributing to some of the measured dips and possible cone-breakup artifacts. Some compression shows up around the midrange crossover point at very high output (102dB), though likely only audible at extreme volumes. At around $5500/pair, a significant investment, and still needs a subwoofer for material extending below about 50Hz.
Full Klipsch Forte IV review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 36”H x 16.5”W x 13”D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 12” (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15” passive radiator, 1x 1.75” compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1” titanium compression tweeter on horn |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.78 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.72 |
| Weight | 117.3 lbs (53.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch Forte IV vs KEF Q11 Meta
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch RP-5000F II
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch RP-8000F II
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Dynaudio Emit 30
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch RP-6000F II
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Infinity Primus 360
- See all 47 comparisons
KEF Reference 203: $5,000 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the KEF Reference 3 Meta, ranked lower, rated 4.6/5.
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. Measured bass extension of 51Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 88dB.
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.
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 |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 42”H (1067H mm) |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.83 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.84 |
| Weight | 58 lbs (26.3 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, with switchable flat/cut/lifted bass ports for wall placement |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF Reference 203 vs JBL 4367
- KEF Reference 203 vs Revel F226Be
- KEF Reference 203 vs KEF R5 Meta
- KEF Reference 203 vs KEF Reference 5
- KEF Reference 203 vs JBL HDI-3800
- KEF Reference 203 vs Revel F328Be
- KEF Reference 203 vs MoFi SourcePoint 888
- KEF Reference 203 vs Focal Chora 816
- See all 37 comparisons