Bryston A1s vs Kef Reference 5 Meta
Kef brags on its site, “The flagship model that all other high performance loudspeakers compare themselves against.”
OK. Let’s compare.
Kef Reference 5 Meta $22k Per Pair
Built in UK, 5 year warranty
55.2h, 12.7w, 18.4d, 133 lbs, 4 ohms
1” Aluminum tweet, 5” Aluminum mid, Four 6.5” Aluminum woofs
40-35k +/- 3dB, SPL 88d
Bryston A1 $4990 Per Pair
Built in Canada, 20 year warranty
47.5h, 9.25w, 17d, 70 lbs, 4 ohms
1” Titanium tweet, 5” Anodized Aluminum mid, Three 6.5” Anodized Aluminum woofs
31-20k +/- 3dB, SPL 88dB
Compare Contrast
This Kef is made in the UK with 5 year warranty- a distinct advantage over its main line which is made in China.
Bryston is made in Canada with 20 year warranty. All Brystons are made in their own house in Canada.
Both speakers have powerful bass. Bryston goes a tad deeper.
Both companies have a solid engineering pedigree. Bryston graphs every speaker to be sure it meets spec. We trust Kef will meet its specs too.
Both speakers go higher than your dog can hear.
Kef’s coincident mid/tweet arrangement horn loads the midrange. You may prefer its more pronounced (cupped hands) midrange character- or not.
Bryston has distinctly separated mid and tweeter drivers, each is housed within its own chamber within the enclosure.
Kef has a heavy rectangular cabinet that features two rear bayonet ports. Kef offers the user the option of switching port tube lengths on the fly to tune the bass.
Bryston has a heavy cabinet with NON PARALLEL walls, that features rear ports that are FIXED as solidly as can be- short of using a cement cabinet. Bryston is not a fan of twist/turn port tubes as they cannot be fully secured so they may buzz. Bryston ports can be tuned by covering or damping the ports.
Bryston cabinets use a complex array of vertical and horizontal bars, braces and struts. This matrix of structural support helps derive deep, tuneful bass response. Bryston doesn’t produce one note bass.
Kef is hard selling its MAT (Meta Absorption Technology) tweeter disc as some very sophisticated tuning. You can see the plastic disc here with a tiny maze built in. Sticking this behind a tweeter diaphragm is high science? Really boys?
Bryston provides magnetic grills that you can use, or not.
Bryston is available in dozens of wood finishes.
Kefs are available in white or black- with a couple of midrange color options. They offer one wood finish. You’re going to see the cyclops mid/tweet array, no grills.
Both speakers sound outstanding. You get to make the choice. I’ve already chosen Bryston.