KEF Unveils the Blade Single Apparent Source Loudspeaker

**gadgtfreek** · 05-20-2011, 09:55 PM

British loudspeaker manufacturer, KEF, has a pretty strong track record; they are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2011, and have been making some great products of late. Their Uni-Q technology has been implemented in dozens of models which have earned high praise from the audio reviewing press around the globe. KEF has always been a leader when it comes to driver technology and to celebrate its 50th anniversary it has just released the astounding looking Blade, the world's first Single Apparent Source loudspeaker.

The gorgeous looking speaker ($29,999 per pair...ouch) is on the large side; measuring 62.5"H x 14.3"W x 21.2"D and weighs in at 126 pounds per speaker. This is not one you'll be moving by yourself if you value your back. The system is a three-way bass reflex design that utilizes KEF's Single Apparent Source driver configuration; there are four 9" bass drivers (side loaded), one 5" Li-Mg hybrid cone (midrange driver, and one 1" Al dome.

Big Picture Big Sound

**gadgtfreek** · 05-20-2011, 09:56 PM

Hubba hubba.

**CALIBER** · 05-20-2011, 10:49 PM

Man $30,000 for a pair of loud speakers, I just can't see spending that much and I am an audio junkie. I mean If I had the money I could see spending that much on five speakers and a sub.

**gadgtfreek** · 05-20-2011, 10:51 PM

Id just like to have those crazy lookin things in my living room cranked on a lossless track, just to see what happens.

**Loves2Watch** · 05-20-2011, 11:31 PM

If they are like any other of KEF's speakers they will be a real contender with knock out ability.

**CALIBER** · 05-21-2011, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by Loves2Watch

If they are like any other of KEF's speakers they will be a real contender with knock out ability.

Yes, but would it be a $30,000 knock out, I mean I have loved any KEF's I have laid my ears on, but damn $30,000. L2W I am sure you have some experience with speakers of this caliber, can you tell me are they even worth the money? I am not being critical of KEF, I am just curious to know if any two loud speakers could truly be worth $30,000.

**Loves2Watch** · 05-21-2011, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by caliberconst.

Yes, but would it be a $30,000 knock out, I mean I have loved any KEF's I have laid my ears on, but damn $30,000. L2W I am sure you have some experience with speakers of this caliber, can you tell me are they even worth the money? I am not being critical of KEF, I am just curious to know if any two loud speakers could truly be worth $30,000.

Speakers in this price category are rather exclusive and yes, in many cases they are worth the high price. As I have not heard this particular model I can't compare but have found that KEF's in general are exceptional speakers.

High priced speakers, esoteric, if you will, are usually designed more like a fine piece of modern furniture and that adds to the price. That is design over speaker quality. This is not to say that the speakers are not up to par but that the designs and sometimes exotic materials used to build them are the reason for the exorbitant price...

**gadgtfreek** · 05-21-2011, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Loves2Watch

Speakers in this price category are rather exclusive and yes, in many cases they are worth the high price. As I have not heard this particular model I can't compare but have found that KEF"S in general are exceptional speakers.

High priced speakers, esoteric, if you will, are usually designed more like a fine piece of modern furniture and that adds to the price. That is design over speaker quality. This is not to say that the speakers are not up to par but that the designs are the reason for the exorbitant price...

That's what I like. Can you imagine walking into my home and seeing those? Cool!

**Loves2Watch** · 05-21-2011, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by elwaylite

That's what I like. Can you imagine walking into my home and seeing those? Cool!

That would look schweet...

**GOS** · 05-21-2011, 10:18 AM

Elway - can you imagine me walking into you home? Forget the speakers. lmao.

Originally Posted by elwaylite

That's what I like. Can you imagine walking into my home and seeing those? Cool!

**gadgtfreek** · 05-21-2011, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by GOS

Elway - can you imagine me walking into you home? Forget the speakers. lmao.

Beer run!

**gadgtfreek** · 02-01-2012, 10:02 AM

http://www.stereophile.com/content/kefs-blade-action

KEF's The Blade in Action

As one of the Top Five KEF dealers in the United States, AudioVision San Francisco was chosen as the site for the country's first in-store demo of KEF's Blade ($30,000/pair) on January 19. Given that the Blade's previous three quasi-public demos were either at shows—CEDIA 2011, where the environment was reportedly too noisy for anyone to get a good listen, and RMAF 2011, where the room was too small—or KEF's 50th Anniversary Party in the British Embassy in New York City, this was actually the first time that anyone on the West Coast, or any bloke who happened to wander in off the street, had a chance to hear KEF's long-awaited speaker in more supportive surroundings.
Braving the long-awaited rains, which came as something of a shock after what seemed like almost a month of rainy season drought, was not the oft-lamented, homogenous group of lily white, aging audiophiles but a noticeably youthful and middle-aged crowd that included people of different ethnic and racial backgrounds.

**Digs** · 02-07-2012, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by Jason Whiddon

http://www.stereophile.com/content/kefs-blade-action

KEF's The Blade in Action

LMAO at that dealer post Feb. 3 in the comments section!

All that $30,000 speaker needed was a $9,000 cable!

"The final ingredient came in the form of a new and exotic handmade cable ... $9,000.00 speaker cable from a company I never heard of Klee Acoustics. I put this cable in my system and the change was startling, finally the Blades bass was there, the soundstage seemed to wrap around me, and the sound was finally coming alive."