Short answer: the Revel F208. It ranks #14 of 56 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $2400; the KEF R11 Meta ranks #19 and costs $3499.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Revel F208 side: CEA2034 spinorama shows a fairly even on-axis response with sensitivity matching spec at ~87-88dB. Set against that: Some directivity error and tweeter-response ripple right at the 2.2kHz crossover point.
What the KEF R11 Meta gets right: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response with good directivity and very deep bass extension (F10 of 30Hz). The catch: 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.
Buy the Revel F208. It ranks higher for sound quality than the KEF R11 Meta and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel F208 | KEF R11 Meta | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2400 used, Discontinued | $3,499.99 |
| Ranked | #14 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #19 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 24Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 31Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 64Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 46.6"H x 13.5"W x 14.8"D (1183.6 x 342.9 x 375.9 mm) | 51"H x 12.2"W x 15.1"D (1295.4 x 309.9 x 383.5 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured, Audio Science Review) | 4 ohms |
| Drivers | Dual 8" (20 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers, 5.25" (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange, 1" (2.5 cm) Aluminum Tweeter with Acoustic Lens Waveguide | 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 |
| Sensitivity | 88.2dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 88.5dB manufacturer specified) | 89.5dB |
| Weight | 79.4 lbs / 36 kg each | 80.5 lbs / 36.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL HDI-3800 vs Focal Chora 816
- KEF Reference 203 vs Focal Chora 816
- KEF Reference 203 vs Revel Concerta2 F35
- KEF R11 Meta vs PSB Imagine T65
- Revel F208 vs JBL HDI-3600
The Two Speakers In Full
Revel F208: $2400 used, Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a fairly even on-axis response with sensitivity matching spec at ~87-88dB. Predicted in-room response is a smooth, textbook-quality downward slope that should translate well to most rooms without correction. Early reflections sum so cleanly with the direct sound that side-wall absorption isn’t recommended - it would work against the speaker’s naturally well-integrated off-axis behavior. Distortion stays below 0.5% from 100Hz up at 96dB/1m, with all distortion components falling below audible threshold above 200Hz. Very wide horizontal directivity of about ±75 degrees. Measured performance was judged very close to Revel’s own flagship Salon2, and Revel’s speakers (including this one) are developed using Harman’s double-blind listening test methodology. Preference score of 6.6 (7.7 with a subwoofer added).
Cons: Some directivity error and tweeter-response ripple right at the 2.2kHz crossover point. A notable on-axis dip at about 4kHz, attributed to probable cabinet diffraction. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) shows an unexplained resonance around 4-5kHz that the reviewer couldn’t pin down a clear cause for. Vertical directivity shows narrowband interference nulls just above and below the tweeter axis (roughly 2-3kHz), typical of a non-coaxial tower with vertically separated drivers, so listening height matters more than it would with a coincident design. Minimum impedance dips to 3.4 ohms, calling for a robust, high-current amplifier. Distortion climbs substantially below about 80-100Hz (up to ~5% in the deep bass) when driven hard, an excursion-limited trade-off typical of towers at high output. Isolating the woofers alone shows their usable range ending around 500-700Hz at the crossover, with somewhat elevated (though still low in absolute terms) 2nd/3rd harmonic distortion in the 100-300Hz region. Discontinued.
Full Revel F208 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 24Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 46.6"H x 13.5"W x 14.8"D (1183.6 x 342.9 x 375.9 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | Dual 8" (20 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers, 5.25" (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange, 1" (2.5 cm) Aluminum Tweeter with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 88.2dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 88.5dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 79.4 lbs / 36 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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