KEF R8 Meta Atmos Speakers (Pair)

KEF R8 Meta atmos speakers are surround rear atmos speakers, designed to integrate with other speakers in KEF’s latest R series range and feature Metamaterial technology. Three finishes are available to match - black gloss, white gloss and walnut.

The speaker can be angled upwards to bounce sound off the ceiling for Dolby Atmos systems. It can also be used as a rear speaker. As with the rest of the R series, the R8 uses the two-in-one Uni-Q driver array for accurate 3D sound.

A New Paradigm with MAT

MAT (Metamaterial Absorption Technology) was developed in association with Acoustic Metamaterials Group. Metamaterials have properties that have been modified so that they perform differently from their solid form. In the case of the Meta speaker range, ABS plastic has been modified into a foam-like structure in a way that gives it an almost perfect sound absorption characteristic. A shaped piece of this material is placed behind the tweeter – this in turn reduces distortion and is designed to make the sound more natural.

Top Performance Surround Speaker

R8 Meta features the unique Uni-Q driver array. This is a two way unit, with a combined tweeter and midrange unit. The tweeter is a 25mm aluminium domed unit while the midrange is a 125mm unit. Notably, the Uni-Q is a single point source driver, this evenly distributes the sound around the room. The motor system has also been upgraded with a shaped and undercut pole, and symmetrical aluminium demodulation rings. This is designed for a clean and uncoloured sound.

Surround Sound and Dolby Atmos

The R9 Meta is designed to go with the centre speaker and subwoofer from the R series range. It can also be used on top of one of the floor standers, to provide the height channel in a Dolby Atmos system. Dolby Atmos is a surround sound system that places sound objects in 3D space. It can have up to eleven channels that include height channels.

Unique Shadow Flare

All of the R series features a shadow flare ring around the drivers. The ring reduces cabinet diffraction. Diffraction can cause distortion. The shadow ring prevents this by creating shadow regions that damp any diffraction. As a result clarity is improved. The most noticeable effect is with subtle sounds such as a plucked string.

New Cabinet Features

Constrained Layer Damping bracing is used with the R series cabinets. The bracing is attached to the box by a material that absorbs any vibration. Moreover, the bracing creates a strong, inert and resonance free structure. As a result the platform for mounting the Uni-Q driver is solid and vibration free. Consequently, The sound becomes very accurate and clean with no colouration.

KEF R series Meta Range

The R series consists of the R3 Meta stand mount speaker and three floorstanding models – the R5 Meta, R7 Meta and R11 Meta, along with a choice of R2 Meta and R6 Meta centre speakers. All of these are designed to voice together perfectly in a multi-channel setup and the R8 Meta is a perfect match for these.