KEF Reference 2 Meta

The Reference 2 Meta is a centre speaker designed by KEF, which can also be used as a left-centre-right speaker in a home cinema configuration. It belongs to the Reference range, positioned by the brand as the reference in sound reproduction since 1973, and is aimed at installations where available space is limited without sound requirements being lowered.

This model incorporates the 12th generation Uni-Q driver, combined with Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT). The principle of Uni-Q is to make the driver act as a single point source, allowing sound to be dispersed more evenly throughout the room: the notion of the sweet spot, that single listening zone where sound is optimal, disappears in favour of coherent listening from several points in the room. MAT technology, meanwhile, relies on a complex internal maze-like structure that absorbs 99% of unwanted sound emitted from the rear of the driver, thereby reducing distortion and refining reproduction.

KEF also states that each pair of speakers in the Reference range is calibrated to within 0.5 dB of a reference standard maintained in the laboratory, a manufacturing requirement in keeping with the tradition of digital precision claimed by the brand since the early days of this range.

The Reference 2 Meta is aimed at users setting up a home cinema or multichannel installation in a modestly sized room, but who nonetheless seek a high level of sound performance and tonal consistency with the rest of their Reference speakers. Its use in a centre position or in a left-centre-right configuration makes it a sensible choice for systems built around several identical speakers.

When buying used, it is worth checking the condition of the Uni-Q drivers, in particular the integrity of the dome and cone that make up this point source, as well as the absence of deformation or play in the suspensions. Checking the finish of the cabinet, often in careful lacquer or veneer on this type of high-end model, also helps to spot any knocks or signs of use. It is also worth ensuring that the speaker has not been exposed to damp, which can affect the internal materials and the MAT structure.

The speakers in the Reference range, of which the Reference 2 Meta is part, are designed and hand-built at KEF's British workshops in Maidstone, Kent, where the brand has produced its speakers since 1961.