Полочная акустика — KEF Q4 Meta

The Q4 Meta is the on-wall model of the KEF Q Series Meta, a range of eight speakers announced on 26 September 2024. KEF describes it as a speaker that can work in any of the three front positions or as a surround without taking floor space, and it carries an integrated wall mount. The price is USD 500 per unit, and it became available in winter 2024/25, later than most of the range. Buyers choose between Satin Black, Satin White and Walnut.

Key specs that matter

Electrically the Q4 Meta is a passive two-way unit with a reflex port. Its 12th generation Uni-Q array places a 25 mm vented aluminium dome in the throat of a 130 mm aluminium mid-bass cone, and the two cross over at 1.8 kHz. KEF rates the response at 65 Hz to 20 kHz within plus or minus 3 dB and 52 Hz to 20 kHz at -6 dB, and a usual bass extension in a room of 44 Hz at -6 dB. Sensitivity is 86 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, and the speaker reaches 108 dB at 1 m. Nominal impedance is 4 ohms, falling to 3.2 ohms, and KEF lists 10 to 150 W as suitable amplifier power. Harmonic distortion at 90 dB and 1 m is below 2% from 145 Hz and below 1% from 170 Hz to 20 kHz.

Engineering and use context

The cabinet is shallow at 142 mm deep, with a height of 400 mm and a width of 250 mm, and weighs 5.7 kg. Behind the dome KEF fits its Metamaterial Absorption Technology - a maze of channels, each tuned to absorb a specific frequency, which KEF says removes 99% of the unwanted rear output. This is the same driver technology used in the costlier R Series Meta. A conical waveguide links the dome to the absorber, and a re-engineered gap damper with two rings of porous material controls tweeter resonances. KEF developed the crossover using over 1000 measurements taken in an anechoic chamber. Magnetic grilles in the cabinet colour are part of the package. The Q Concerto Meta, Q11 Meta, Q7 Meta and Q6 Meta in the same series use three-way designs with a separate bass driver, whereas the Q4 Meta keeps the two-way Uni-Q layout, and the other models of the range arrived on 10 October 2024.

Pairing

At 4 ohm nominal the Q4 Meta asks for an AV receiver or amplifier that is stable into 4 ohm loads. Three units can form the front left, centre and right channels of a wall-hung cinema system in a 20 m2 room, and the Q8 Meta Atmos surrounds from the same series can add the height layer.

Alternatives

The KEF Q1 Meta is the most compact bookshelf model of the same series and sells for USD 600 per pair.