KEF is today launching an update to its high-end loudspeaker lines, Blade and The Reference. The two high-end speaker ranges have been updated with acoustic improvements, including a 12th Generation Uni-Q with Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MATTM), and redesigned crossovers with low distortion components.
Both Blade and The Reference lines are hand-assembled in Maidstone, England and tested to match within 0.5dB of each other, according to the company. The latest Uni-Q driver technology in the new lines ensures sound will be reproduced with “utmost clarity” and the metamaterials deployed, unlike conventional speaker materials, promise to absorb 99% of unwanted sound. The net result of these advances mean “more transparent and life-like sound than previously possible.”
KEF Blade Meta floorstanders with Frosted Blue finish
Blade speakers adopt a Single Apparent Source tech, while extending the driver array and expanding the benefits of Uni-Q across the frequency range. The positioning of the bass drivers allows them to be braced against each other, cancelling out damaging vibrations and enabling more detailed and powerful bass performance. The Reference line, meanwhile, promises to deliver clean and articulate bass combined with a wide and accurate soundstage. A huge vented magnet assembly, aluminum voice coil and damped alloy cone ensure “pipe-organ depths” can be achieved.
The Blade ranges comprises two ranges, One and Two, with the latter suited to smaller listening environments. A host of standard, special order and custom finishes are available. Among the Reference line, which is also available in a number of standard finishes, Reference 2 (center channel pictured in header) and 4 are primed for home theater use as LCR speakers. No pricing has been shared yet, but visit KEF for more information on specific lines and product details.
Martin, a seasoned journalist and AV expert, has written for several notable print magazines. He’s served in key roles at Lucasfilm’s THX Division, NEC’s digital cinema division, and has even consulted for DreamWorks. Despite his illustrious career, Martin remains rooted in his passion for cinema and acting, with notable appearances in several Spielberg films, Doctor Who, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. He currently resides in San Francisco.
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