Heard the new KEF Blades today, and I believe it may have been the first public outing in the UK for the ones you can shortly buy – as opposed to the concept models that have been touring the shows.
Brief reminder if needed:-
- Price 20,000 GBP per pair
- 3-way bass reflex, with tweeter and mid-range drivers in KEF’s Uni-Q configuration, plus four (yes, four!) 9 inch woofers arranged in opposing pairs on each cabinet side.
- Almost 1.6m tall and 60kg each – phew!
The full spec is on KEF’s website, and there is a dedicated brochure. The USP is the single apparent source achieved by the driver layout.
The system auditioned was Audio Research CD player and bridged Devialet amps (yes, one per channel). Probably overkill as the speakers are rated at 91db sensitivity, but it is very easy to get carried away!
We listened to a variety of commercial and other CDs (nothing streamed or vinyl) covering many genres, including Hyperion’s recent recording of Rachmaninov’s 1st piano concerto (with Stephen Hough), and Nitin Sawnhey’s 1999 recording ‘Beyond Skin’.
So, what did they sound like, bearing in mind the unfamiliar room? As effortless and soaring as you would imagine for such a large speaker, with no obvious box or cabinet sounds. Maybe not that surprising given these must be the most un-box-like speaker I can recall, save for a few panel models. Definitely what I would call accurate, in a studio monitor sort of way, with even-handed timbres, great bass pitching (no obvious emphases) and a wide bandwidth. However, I was surprised how little I was aware of the varying acoustics of the venues/studios. Maybe they were being conveyed very authentically, but I couldn’t escape the feeling that the overall impression was a little dry and unvarying in style – a sort of subtractive colouration, if you get my drift.
I’m only too aware how glittering highs or projected mids can be entrancing yet ultimately wearisome - the Blades had no such aberrations. The dynamic range was pretty colossal too, surely at the top end of what is possible domestically. But I did miss that hairs on the back of the neck thing, when something really moves you, emotionally. I got none of that sense, despite hearing both familiar and unfamiliar recordings, and recognising an unerring cleanliness of presentation throughout. Admirable rather than lovable, you might say.
I’ve only heard the Devialet once before, and it seems to me the closest thing to a ‘piece of wire with gain’ that I’m ever likely to encounter. Utterly grain-free and transparent, it makes most other amps seem mechanical by comparison. That previous audition was with the Sonus Faber Cremona M, which are about one-third the price of the new KEFs. Recognising I am a SF user, and have always loved them in their various incarnations, I would prefer the Cremonas in my home even if there were no price difference. I’m referring only to the sound, mind you. Loving the style and finish of the Italian speakers, I’d choose them on looks too, though these particular Blades were probably not done any great favours being finished in what I took to be the standard black. They would surely look fabulous in a bright colour, and they certainly cut a distinctive profile. You cannot select a Blade in a wood finish, however.
If you like the look of the KEFs and want some outstanding British engineering, and a state of the art design, then do try to hear them. If you want to be touched by your music, you might want to cast your net wider.
Brief reminder if needed:-
- Price 20,000 GBP per pair
- 3-way bass reflex, with tweeter and mid-range drivers in KEF’s Uni-Q configuration, plus four (yes, four!) 9 inch woofers arranged in opposing pairs on each cabinet side.
- Almost 1.6m tall and 60kg each – phew!
The full spec is on KEF’s website, and there is a dedicated brochure. The USP is the single apparent source achieved by the driver layout.
The system auditioned was Audio Research CD player and bridged Devialet amps (yes, one per channel). Probably overkill as the speakers are rated at 91db sensitivity, but it is very easy to get carried away!
We listened to a variety of commercial and other CDs (nothing streamed or vinyl) covering many genres, including Hyperion’s recent recording of Rachmaninov’s 1st piano concerto (with Stephen Hough), and Nitin Sawnhey’s 1999 recording ‘Beyond Skin’.
So, what did they sound like, bearing in mind the unfamiliar room? As effortless and soaring as you would imagine for such a large speaker, with no obvious box or cabinet sounds. Maybe not that surprising given these must be the most un-box-like speaker I can recall, save for a few panel models. Definitely what I would call accurate, in a studio monitor sort of way, with even-handed timbres, great bass pitching (no obvious emphases) and a wide bandwidth. However, I was surprised how little I was aware of the varying acoustics of the venues/studios. Maybe they were being conveyed very authentically, but I couldn’t escape the feeling that the overall impression was a little dry and unvarying in style – a sort of subtractive colouration, if you get my drift.
I’m only too aware how glittering highs or projected mids can be entrancing yet ultimately wearisome - the Blades had no such aberrations. The dynamic range was pretty colossal too, surely at the top end of what is possible domestically. But I did miss that hairs on the back of the neck thing, when something really moves you, emotionally. I got none of that sense, despite hearing both familiar and unfamiliar recordings, and recognising an unerring cleanliness of presentation throughout. Admirable rather than lovable, you might say.
I’ve only heard the Devialet once before, and it seems to me the closest thing to a ‘piece of wire with gain’ that I’m ever likely to encounter. Utterly grain-free and transparent, it makes most other amps seem mechanical by comparison. That previous audition was with the Sonus Faber Cremona M, which are about one-third the price of the new KEFs. Recognising I am a SF user, and have always loved them in their various incarnations, I would prefer the Cremonas in my home even if there were no price difference. I’m referring only to the sound, mind you. Loving the style and finish of the Italian speakers, I’d choose them on looks too, though these particular Blades were probably not done any great favours being finished in what I took to be the standard black. They would surely look fabulous in a bright colour, and they certainly cut a distinctive profile. You cannot select a Blade in a wood finish, however.
If you like the look of the KEFs and want some outstanding British engineering, and a state of the art design, then do try to hear them. If you want to be touched by your music, you might want to cast your net wider.
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