KEF Blade One Meta - A surprise!

[CKKeung]

The KEF Hong Kong Office gave a pair of the new Blade One Meta to Hiendy.com for review and publicity.



I went there for an audition last night.




What a surprise!!!
KEF's previous Blades are not my cup of tea. I personally think that they are a bit clinical and uninvolving.

This pair of Blade One Meta is a totally diff story.
They perform excellently on all hifi aspects : dynamics, freq extenaions, denaity, soundstage ...etc, and most important of all, they are exceedingly musical!


Certainly other components of the system contributed to the performance.
They are : ReQuest Audio Raptor server+dac ; Karan Acoustics Master Collection flagship preamp & mono poweramps ; Audience Au24 SX speakerwire.


For xlr inconnects, they were Nordost Odin Gold and Odin2.


In simple words, KEF delivers.
All WBF brothers who are looking for floorstanders in the price range, please don't forget to go to audition the new KEF Blade Meta Series.

 

[howiebrou]

The KEF Hong Kong Office gave a pair of the new Blade One Meta to Hiendy.com for review and publicity.

View attachment 94262

I went there for an audition last night.

View attachment 94263
View attachment 94264

What a surprise!!!
KEF's previous Blades are not my cup of tea. I personally think that they are a bit clinical and uninvolving.

This pair of Blade One Meta is a totally diff story.
They perform excellently on all hifi aspects : dynamics, freq extenaions, denaity, soundstage ...etc, and most important of all, they are exceedingly musical!


Certainly other components of the system contributed to the performance.
They are : ReQuest Audio Raptor server+dac ; Karan Acoustics Master Collection flagship preamp & mono poweramps ; Audience Au24 SX speakerwire.
View attachment 94265

For xlr inconnects, they were Nordost Odin Gold and Odin2.
View attachment 94266

In simple words, KEF delivers.
All WBF brothers who are looking for floorstanders in the price range, please don't forget to go to audition the new KEF Blade Meta Series.

I think the interconnects cost more than the speakers!

 

[CKKeung]

I think the interconnects cost more than the speakers!

Yes, very irrational, but we wanted to know how good the Blade One Meta could be.

 

[howiebrou]

Yes, very irrational, but we wanted to know how good the Blade One Meta could be.

Of course. Will there be a Meta Muon soon??

 

[steve59]

bump. I changed components in my Kef Blade 1 system and the difference was fascinating. I went from a 300 wpc integrated to 600 watt monoblocks, very old and affordable wires, but for comparison sake having already invested in the blades I think I'm safe in suggesting the cost going from the blade to blade meta used to upgrade the components will offer more audible results. Now if I could find a pair of meta's to bring home and compare to my current speakers I could give you a direct comparison. Our OP's opening statement saying the original blades weren't his 'cup of tea' is meaningless in the context and can be said about every product at 1 time or another.

 

[Alpha121]

Given that the woofers on these just eat current, the Blades really need to be set up biamped. If I had them I would put high end Class A on the tops, high output Class A/B on the bottoms and then see how they do.

Stereophile clearly shows the impedance issues.

But they can also do well with single amps, depending. I know a guy who put a pair of Pass X600.8s on his and it transformed them.

 

[puroagave]

bump. I changed components in my Kef Blade 1 system and the difference was fascinating. I went from a 300 wpc integrated to 600 watt monoblocks, very old and affordable wires, but for comparison sake having already invested in the blades I think I'm safe in suggesting the cost going from the blade to blade meta used to upgrade the components will offer more audible results. Now if I could find a pair of meta's to bring home and compare to my current speakers I could give you a direct comparison. Our OP's opening statement saying the original blades weren't his 'cup of tea' is meaningless in the context and can be said about every product at 1 time or another.

I acquired a new pair of Blade One Meta's 5 mos. ago that are now fully broken in. They are a significant step-up from the orig Blade. The tweeter is less 'hashy' with better detail and extension. I wouldn't think it possible but it also cleaned up the mids. which taken as a whole really improved the SQ. In emails to Jack Oclee-Brown, he confirmed the crossover is completey redesigned to take advantage of improved tweeter/meta tech. He also confirmed my question that if vertically bi-amped (passively) the impedance is roughly doubled and an easier load for tube amps

 

[steve59]

In my case upgrading the electronics made a substantial improvement in low to mid volume listening I doubt I would have realized by only upgrading the blade to blade meta's.

 

[Audiophile666]

Excellent speaekrs