[James Romeyn]

Heard the KEF Blade and KEF Reference 201/2. 

Both are favorites.  IMO the Blade's ear-level dual-opposed 8s (four per speaker) replicate the room-loading characteristics of a proper distributed sub array, far more preferable to normal "monopole" with forward firing bass drivers...very nice.     

The 201/2 is certainly one of the best speakers I've heard and with rare quality for a stand mount.  But it appears the Blade's latest all-metal ribbed coincident 5" is a big step up from the 201/2's (copoly?) 6.5". 

Anyone heard of a Ref 201/2 replacement with Blade trickle down technology?  201/2 been with us for at least 5-6 years.     

[youravhandyman]

I have not heard of a reference replacement but they do have the new R series that is using the trickle down tech from Blade.  The R series are really positioned to replace the XQ's which have been discontinued so they technically sit between the Reference and Q lines. 

[mr_bill]

I wonder if we are not close to seeing a replacement to the Reference series.

[youravhandyman]

The next time I see the KEF rep I will ask her.  It would make sense seeing that they are quite proud of the "tangerine" waveguide.

[James Romeyn]

The Blade is among my very favorites...especially compared with other large floor standers it is a winner.

Anyone know the crossover between the Blade 8s and coincident driver? 

An ex-co-worker brought in boot-leg DVDs, occasionally movies still showing in theaters (some almost unwatchable video quality, even at the firehouse).  Whenever someone asked him the source, his rehearsed, laughing reply was, "They fell off a truck". 

I need to come across three Blade coincident drivers that "fell off a truck".   

[Letitroll98]

Anyone know the crossover between the Blade 8s and coincident driver? 

Crossover Frequencies   350Hz, 3kHz

And something else interesting,

Bass units:
LF: 4 x 225mm (9in.) with force cancelling

That result in:
Frequency Response 40Hz - 35kHz +/- 3dB

http://www.kef.com/html/us/showroom/flagship_hi-fi_series/blade/fact_sheet/blade_group/Blade/

Seems a little underwhelming for eight 9" drivers.  Am I missing something?  28Hz - 45kHZ +/- 6dB looks like a very gentle rolloff, more like sealed than vented.  Is it the multiple woofers?

I want mine in Grigio.  I don't know what color that is, but when admirers ask, I want to be able to say, "Why, they're Grigio of course, dahling".

[lonewolfny42]

The Blade is among my very favorites...especially compared with other large floor standers it is a winner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUDb218yGiA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSfJiSsolZ0&feature=related

[AJinFLA]

Anyone heard of a Ref 201/2 replacement with Blade trickle down technology?  201/2 been with us for at least 5-6 years.     

Hi James,

It should only be a matter of time. KEF started the revamp (Blade trickle down tech) with the Q series, then the recently released R (which replaced the XQ). So the REF line is on deck.
And yes, I think the rigid low loss metal composite is a step up from the lossy poly too. YMMV.
Now if they could just start making hi-efficiency/high power pro drivers with that tech....

cheers,

AJ

[James Romeyn]

I auditioned KEF over the years and was always underwhelmed, especially in contrast to the rave press reviews.  Then circa early-mid 2000s heard a Reference Series largish floor-stander (205/2 or 203/2) with better McIntosh components and been a believer since then.

A new mid-size stand mount with Blade technology promises outstanding performance.

At $30k/pr MSRP I feel certain the Blade has little to no competition in large  single-column full-range speakers for two inter-related reasons:

Its bass energizes the room in a different fashion with which no monopole can possibly compete

Its smallish coincident driver apparently provides a more uniform radiation pattern.

The cabinet material appears unique, made possible by the latest manufacturing technology.  The slim cabinet improves wavefront propagation, and the slim design is related to the cross-bracing of the dual-woofer siting, cancelling vibration that lesser designs (Wilson and Magico) can fix only by adding mass to their enclosures (the latest Magico Q7 is stupid heavy, like 750 lbs and over $100k...I admit that Alan Wolf's almost epic stuffiness and stuck-up-ness increases my pleasure in pointing out his design inferiority...I'm also happy to admit the Magico Q7 sounded good at CES, though Magico could not play CDs brought in by show attendees and Blade still loads the room better IMO).  IMO once you get used to the Blade's room-loading and dispersion, all big multi-driver monopoles suffer by comparison.   

Blade cost, for similar performance, is lower because of its cabinet design and materials, especially related to the cross-braced woofers.         

[DS-21]

I have a wild idea that might be close to a "poor man's Blade."

Buy a set of KEF's KHT3005SE eggs. They share quite a bit with the Blade: Tangerine phase plug, dished baffle shape (concave both horizontally and vertically), rigid cabinet, etc. Obviously, the driver is not their latest-greatest, but it's still quite good.

As a proof of concept, maybe use their "feet," which double as wall-mounts, attached to a slim rounded column holding four good 8"-10" woofers. (Perhaps, in your case, four of the Dayton 10's you use in your subs, but in a closed box.) Of course, a rounded cabinet with a recess for the egg that incorporates Blade-style roundovers for the dished baffle would be better, but a lot more expensive.

I've thought about doing a few things with these drivers, including trying an Allison-type on-wall cabinet. They're really very good.