KEF Blades - Andrew you are there

[True Blue]

Right, have finished drooling over my keyboard. Couple of questions:-

1. How much???

2. Have you heard them??

These IMO are the most amazing looking speakers I have seen in a long time .

 

[AEJim]

Hah, just looked 'em up, that "Force cancelling bass driver technology" is exactly the same as we put in our AE3's about 6 years ago! Works quite well TBH, though I am not a great fan of the AE3's (nor greatly of the "original" AE1 mkIII - Hence the "SE" version!). Should work well with the UniQ driver at the front, though that's a lot of mass high up in the cabinet, might struggle to pass the 10ø tilt test if the plinth is too narrow!

 

[Andy Clough]

I'm not in Munich, Andrew is, but as it says in the story they're only a concept design at this stage, so there's no decision on whether they'll go into production or not, hence no price.

As to how they sound, assuming KEF is running a working demo at Munich, I'll have to defer to my colleagues at the show.

 

[True Blue]

Thanks for the replies, just love the carbon fibre and the design, be nice if there were a few more designs moving away from the traditional box.

 

[chebby]

 

[chebby]

Not just carbon fibre but Balsa wood too!

 

[Big Aura]

Hi Andy - I've left a comment (question) on the Panny Blu-Ray recorder blog, and was wondering if you knew the answer - or whether it's one of the things your upcoming review will address? Cheers

 

[Andy Clough]

Hi BA

Can't see your question on my blog - what is it?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Andy Clough:As to how they sound, assuming KEF is running a working demo at Munich, I'll have to defer to my colleagues at the show.

Back to back press conferences this afternoon - stories to follow - so may not catch up with KEF today. If I don't, will make sure I do so in the morning.

 

[Big Aura]

Andy Clough:

Hi BA

Can't see your question on my blog - what is it?

Cheers Andy - C&P:

Hi Andy - sorry I missed this, as am quite interested. One thing that I was wondering (and your review may address this) is how it deals with a single satellite input?

(As I can't get a second feed from my dish easily), main concern is how this works in practice...

I know I won't be able to watch BBC1 and record BBC2, but can I watch and record BBC1 at the same time, or can I record BBC1 without having to switch the input cable from "watch tuner" to "recorder tuner"?

Cheers & thanks

Garry

 

[Clare Newsome]

Andy Clough:

I'm not in Munich, Andrew is, but as it says in the story they're only a concept design at this stage, so there's no decision on whether they'll go into production or not, hence no price.

As to how they sound, assuming KEF is running a working demo at Munich, I'll have to defer to my colleagues at the show.

I have just had a sneek peek here at Munich - my, that's a tasty-looking set of speakers

Rumour has it that KEF will decide from the reaction to the launch if/when the Concept Blades go into production.

They are demo-ing the Concept Blade speakers using Mark Levinson amplification - and they are sounding rather special, even by the high standards of this uplifting show.

Right, i'm back off into the halls to a) go 'wow' at something else and b) try and avoid the tempatation of all the vinyl on sale....

 

[Joe Cox]

Big Aura:Andy Clough:

Hi BA

Can't see your question on my blog - what is it?

Cheers Andy - C&P:

Hi Andy - sorry I missed this, as am quite interested. One thing that I was wondering (and your review may address this) is how it deals with a single satellite input?

(As I can't get a second feed from my dish easily), main concern is how this works in practice...

I know I won't be able to watch BBC1 and record BBC2, but can I watch and record BBC1 at the same time, or can I record BBC1 without having to switch the input cable from "watch tuner" to "recorder tuner"?

Cheers & thanks

Garry

You can record the channel you are watching, yes. So as you say, if you only have one connection you will still be able to record what you're watching but lose the ability to watch one channel and record another.

 

[True Blue]

Have just been onto the KEF website and scrolled down to the video on these (cant play it am at work) however the speaker appears to be as tall as the man in the picture? surely not? or is he really short?

 

[Anonymous]

My goodness but they're ugly! Imagine having to live with those behemoths in the living room. Gross.

The new Naims, on the otherhand, are at least tastefully realised, if a touch boring.ÿ

 

[Big Aura]

Thanks Joe (and sorry to all for the mini thread hijack).

 

[Anonymous]

He is around five feet eight inches of pure audio dynamo.
I for one hope we DO get to build these, the pictures do NOT do them justice. Truly stunning to look at.
If enough people ask for them, who knows..?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Never mind Blades Foxon, we're hungry.

 

[True Blue]

Alex Foxon:He is around five feet eight inches of pure audio dynamo.
I for one hope we DO get to build these, the pictures do NOT do them justice. Truly stunning to look at.
If enough people ask for them, who knows..?

Alex, seeing as theyare at the high end show, am going to assume a target price of £6000???? How much interest do you need. Well done to you and all your boffins on this one they are truely stunning.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Had a long listen and a full technical work-up on the Blades today, and will try to put a more comprehensive blog together over the next couple of days, but have to say I was none too impressed.

Of course, it's hard to tell at any show, what with an unfamiliar and very huge room, unfamiliar equipment and a less than ideal listening position - not to mention some clown a few rooms down giving it some heavy subwooferage - but while admiring the stylistic bravery and engineering conviction behind the Blades, I'm not suire I 'got' what the sound was meant to be about.

Of course it could have been the choice of music, but the Blades sounded to me rather 'obvious', and not the triumph I had been led to expect.

As I say, this is only a snapshot opinion, and certainly not a magazine one - I'll try to pop back tomorrow and have another go with th em...