KEF Updates Flagship Blade and Reference Speakers With Metamaterial Absorption Technology – Audioholics

Backin 2020, KEF announced that its loudspeaker designers had been working with anorganization called Acoustic Metamaterials Group on a new engineering toolcalled Metamaterial AbsorptionTechnology, or MAT. The companyexplained that it would be using metamaterial in this case, anintricately-designed acoustical device to work as a sound absorber inside aspeaker cabinet on an upcoming product. KEF described MAT as a highlycomplex maze-like structure, where each of the intricate channels efficientlyabsorbs a range of specific frequencies. When combined, the channels act as anacoustic black hole, absorbing 99% of the unwanted sound, eliminating theresulting distortion and providing a purer, more natural acoustic performance.At the time of this announcement, no hint was given as to which KEF productwould first be employing this breakthrough tech, but I assumed it would be thecompanys Blade speaker, which is a technological tour de force, and serves asKEFs de facto flagship design (even if the $225,000 Muon technically holds thetop spot). Or perhaps, I thought, KEFs venerable Reference series would befirst to get the metamaterial treatment. Instead, the diminutive and wildlypopular KEF LS50,along with its active, wireless/streaming counterpart, became the worlds firstspeaker to employ metamaterial. While I was surprised that a relativelyaffordable speaker was chosen over KEFs top offerings to receive such acutting-edge update first, I can understand why the decision was made. Theoriginal LS50 was such a ubiquitous, well-known speaker that it would be veryeasy for audio reviewers and potential customers to do a side-by-sidecomparison and hear for themselves the difference that metamaterial could make.Now that reviews of the LS50 Meta are plentiful (and overwhelmingly positive),the audio world knows that Metamaterial Absorption Technology isnt just a gimmick; its a realstep forward for loudspeaker engineering. With that established, the folks atKEF are ready to launch the latest update to their high-end Blade and Referencespeakers.

Thenew Blade and Reference lines have also been updated with KEFs other recentacoustic innovations, including a new high-end version of the brands 12th-generation concentric Uni-Q driver, which placesa 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter (with MAT, and KEFs proprietary tangerinewaveguide) in the center of a 5-inch aluminum midrange driver. For both series,the crossover has been fully reworked with new, low distortion components,according to the company. KEF says that the result of these innovations anddevelopments for both Blade and The Reference is that the Uni-Q with MATreproduces more transparent and life-like sound than previously possible.KEFs less expensive speakers, including the LS50 range, are made in China, butthe Blade and Reference rangesare assembled by hand in the companys Maidstone, England production facility,by master craftsmen. Impressively, each pair is measured to ensure that thespeakers match both to each other, and to the laboratory-maintained linestandard within 0.5dB.

TheBlade began as a concept back in 2006, but wasnt revealed to the public until2009. The final, market-ready Blade launched in 2011. The smaller Blade 2,which was scaled down in size but not in performance, came out in 2014. Now,just over a decade since the first Blade was released, KEFs engineers havemanaged to improve upon a design that was still considered state-of-the-art.The original Blade has been replaced by the Blade One Meta ($35,000/pair),which looks nearly identical, standing the same 62.5 inches tall, and weighingin at the same 126 pounds as its predecessor. (The slightly smaller Blade TwoMeta costs $28,000 per pair.) At $35K, The Blade One Meta is competing with thetop offerings from fellow British brands Bowers & Wilkins and MonitorAudio, newcomers like PerListen and PS Audio, and the usual suspects from Wilson,Magico, YG, and many others. To some people, this might sound like an absurdsum to spend on a pair of speakers, but its a popular and crowded segment ofthe high-end audio market. What sets the Blade One Meta apart from its rivals?At its heart, the Blade One is the most complete realization of KEFs SingleApparent Source technology, which extends the inherent point-sourcecharacteristics of the Uni-Q driver all the way down to the deepest bassfrequencies, while delivering immense dynamic output. As KEFs Head ofAcoustics Jack Oclee-Brown puts it, the whole audio spectrum appears toemanate from a single point in space.

TheBlades low end is provided by four side-firing, force-cancelling 9-inchwoofers. Two woofers are placed on each side of the speaker, allowing thedrivers to be braced against each other in pairs, thus cancelling out vibrations that would otherwise excite thecabinet. KEF claims that you can balance a coin on top of the Blades cabinet,and that it wont fall (or even move), no matter what ear-assaulting bass youpump through the speakers. Each pair of woofers is located in its own chamber,reducing the potential for interference between the drive units, while alsoreducing the need for damping, which can have a deleterious effect on bass quality. The woofers are positionedsymmetrically relative to the Uni-Q driver, and the crossover ensures perfecttime alignment. The result of this design is that low, mid, and highfrequencies all appear to radiate from one point, and all reach the listenersears at the same time. This makes the speaker incredibly coherent, with moreprecise imaging than other multi-driver speakers, according to KEF. The icingon this cake is the Metamaterial Absorption Technologybehind the Uni-Qdriver, which absorbs the tweeters backwave to prevent resonances that wouldotherwise color the sound. The massive, damped cabinet is formed fromhigh-density polyurethane (which, according to KEFs longtime brand ambassadorJohan Coorg, provides a huge sonic upgradecompared the composite of carbon fiber and balsa wood used in the earlyprototypes of the first Blade). The speakers unusual, sculptural shape employsparabolic curves to minimize diffraction. Although its over 5 feet tall, theBlade One Meta is only moderately large compared to some super-speakers, andlooks rather slender at 14.3 inches wide and 21.2 inches deep. But if thosedimensions wont work in your room (or if youre concerned that the Blade OneMeta would overload your smaller listening room with bass), you might insteadchoose the slightly smaller Blade Two Meta, which is designed to deliver thesame experience in smaller spaces. The Blade Two Meta employs 6.5-inch woofersin place of the Blade Ones 9-inch woofers, and its cabinet is smaller, at 57.5inches tall, 13.3 inches wide, and 18.7 inches deep. Both Blade models areavailable in four standard finishes:Piano Black & Grey, Arctic White & Champagne,Charcoal Grey & Bronze, and Frosted Blue & Blue.Fourspecial-orderfinishes are also available:Piano Black& Copper, Frosted Blue & Bronze, Charcoal Grey& Red, and Racing Red & Grey. KEF will be offering custom finishes aswell, starting in June.

Ifthe Blade is the result of KEFs engineers being given a clean slate, theReference series can be seen as the result of decades worth of audio evolution.The Reference DNA can be traced back to the Model 104, which was the first KEF speaker tocarry the Reference tag back in 1973. But it was the ReferenceSeries Model 105, whichdebuted in 1977, that really made waves in the loudspeaker industry, thanks toits radical-looking,form-follows-function design and its high standard of precision imaging andtonal accuracy. Not long after the first Uni-Q driver array appeared on KEFsC35 loudspeaker in 1988, the Reference Series embraced that technology, markingthe start of a new, modern era for the Reference. All of that was a bit beforemy time in the audio industry, but I remember very clearly reading JohnAtkinsons 2008 Stereophile review of the $20,000 KEF Reference 207/2, which hesaid was, to all intents and purposes, without flaw. These days, theReference speakers aim to deliver as much of KEFs engineering prowess aspossible in more traditional-looking (rectangular box) designs that fit wellinto contemporary home environments.

As with the new Blades, the new Referencespeakers feature an updated 12th-generation Uni-Qdriver, with a new motor system and spider to improve linearity, andMetamaterial Absorption Technology to absorb the tweeters backwave.Surrounding this is what KEF calls a Shadow Flare, which the company describesas a specially proled trim ring that extends the waveguide effect of Uni-Qdriver array, resulting in improved clarity, particularly when it comes to thesubtle nuances of plucked strings and other percussive sounds. It achievesthis by reducing the negative effects of diffraction, allowing Uni-Q todeliver a beautifully wide and accurate soundstage, according to KEF.Vibration is addressed with constrained layer damping, while tuned internalchambering prevents standing waves. Adjustable, flexible ports make chuffing athing of the past and allow the user to tweak the speakers bass to better fitthe room. The Reference speakers use more conventional front-firing woofers,with a massive, vented magnet assembly paired with a huge aluminum voice coiland a stiff, yet cleverly damped alloy cone (to ensure that) the Reference isfully capable of achieving pipe-organ depths.

Reference 1 Meta and Reference 5 Meta

Thenew Reference series comprises five models with easy-to-remember names: TheReference 1 Meta, The Reference 2 Meta, The Reference 3 Meta, The Reference 4Meta, and The Reference 5 Meta. But its not quite as simple as it seems. TheReference 1 Meta, 3 Meta, and 5 Meta are free-standing speakers, meaning theyare intended to be used in a stereo pair, away from room boundaries. TheReference 2 Meta and Reference 4 Meta are designed to be used as center-channelspeakers in home theater environments, or as left and right speakers wherebookshelf or cabinet mounting is required. Lets look first at thefree-standing speakers. The Reference 1 Meta ($9,000/pair) is a 3-waystand-mounted speaker that combines the Reference Uni-Q with a single 6.5-inch woofer in a rear-ported cabinet. Its fairlylarge for a stand-mount, at 17.3 inches tall, weighing 40 pounds each. The Reference1 is intended for use in smaller listening rooms, where they would benefit fromroom gain (and where larger speakers might produce an excess of bass). The new S-RF1($1,200/pair) is a dedicated floor stand for the Reference 1 Meta, featuringbolting points and cable management. The Reference 3 Meta ($15,000/pair) is thesmaller of two floorstanders, at 47.5 inches tall, and weighing a substantial113 pounds each. It employs a pair of 6.5-inch ported woofers, one above andone below the Uni-Q. As you might guess, its designed for use in medium-sized rooms.Larger spaces might be better served by the Papa Bear of the range, theReference 5 Meta ($22,000/pair), which places a pair of 6.5-inch woofers above the Uni-Q, and another pairbelow it, delivering an in-room bass response reaching down to 25Hz (-6db). TheReference 5 Meta stands just over 55 inches tall, and weighs about 133 poundseach.

Ifyoure an old-school 2-channel audiophile, you can stop there. But the hometheater crowd will surely be interested in the Reference 2 Meta ($6,000 each)and Reference 4 Meta ($8000 each), which will serve as center-channel speakers,or LCR speakers, depending on the requirements of the system and the room. Thedrivers in both of these models are symmetrically arranged, so that thespeakers can be used either horizontally or vertically with no change to tonalbalance and no undesirable effects. However they are oriented, these speakersare optimized for use either in free space or positioned close to roomboundaries, such as a wall or entertainment center. They include adjustmentsfor bass and treble balance to help compensate for changes in their sound thatmay result from proximity to the wall behind them, or from being mounted behinda projection screen. The Reference 2 Meta is a sealed-cabinet design, with asingle 6.5-inch woofer on either side of the Uni-Q. The larger Reference 4 Metaemploys a pair of woofers on either side of the Uni-Q, and is a ported design,so it does require a bit more clearance in order for the port to work properly.The Reference series is available in three standard finish options: SatinWalnut & Silver, High-Gloss White & Champagne, and High-Gloss Black & Grey. Thereare also two special-order options: High-GlossWhite & Blue, and High-Gloss Black & Copper.

Withthe addition of Metamaterial Absorption Technology, new drivers, and newcrossovers, this new generation of KEFs high-end offerings packs a lot ofengineering into familiar-looking packages that might easily be mistaken forthe older models. That said, both the new Blades and the new Reference speakerscan be had in a variety of extremely stylish color combinations, and thecompanys approach to industrial design makes sense to me. If you wantsuper-modern looks and extreme performance, go with the Blades. Meanwhile, theReference series offers nearly the same level of technology in a wider range ofsizes and configurations, all packaged in a more traditional design that willwork in more living spaces. Would you choose the flashy, hardcore Blades, orthe more timeless, elegant Reference speakers for your own system? Share yourthoughts in the related forum thread below.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.

gene posts on July 29, 2022 03:19

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KEF Updates Flagship Blade and Reference Speakers With Metamaterial Absorption Technology - Audioholics