Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

KEF Adds Second Blade, New Reference Series

Munich, Germany – KEF went to the High End Munich show to launch a smaller version of its flagship Blade speaker and upgrade its Reference series of speakers.

The products will ship in the U.S. in August or September, a spokesman said.

The Blade Two and new Reference speakers are “enhanced by new technologies and advanced materials that didn’t exist previously,” said global brand ambassador Johan Coorg.

The Blade Two is a smaller and, at $24,000/pair, less costly version of the original $30,000/pair Blade. Both the original and Blade II combine sculpted cabinets and multiple technologies, collectively known as Single Apparent Source technology, to create speakers whose entire frequency range is said to radiate from one point in space. The technologies include force-canceling side-firing woofers and proprietary coincident tweeter/midrange driver array.

The Blade Two’s cabinet is made from high-density polyurethane to provide curved shapes and increased cabinet rigidity. Cabinet rigidity, combined with drivers decoupled from the cabinet, ensure sound is generated only from the drivers and not from cabinet vibrations, the company said.

Blade Two incorporates proprietary Uni-Q “point source” driver array consisting of 25mm vented aluminum-dome tweeter placed at the acoustic center of a 125mm midrange driver, dispersing high- and midrange frequencies response evenly within a room, the company said. The drivers are complemented by four 6.5-inch bass drivers.

KEF said it used new bass technologies and the latest version of its Uni-Q driver array with tangerine waveguide.

Blade Two will be available in Piano Black, Snow White, Racing Red, Warm Metallic Gray, Light Metallic Silver, Frosted Blue and Frosted Copper Black.

The Reference series consists of five speakers. They are the Reference 1 three-way bass-reflex bookshelf at $7,500/pair, the Reference 3 three-way bass-reflex floorstander at $13,000/pair, the Reference 5 three-way bass-reflex floorstander at $18,000/pair, the Reference three-way bass-reflex center channel at $7,500 each, and the Reference 1,000-watt subwoofer at $5,500 each.

They feature the latest version of KEF’s Uni-Q driver, 6.5inch bass drivers, and a front baffle made from laminated aluminum and resin composite formed in extreme temperature and pressure. The material adds rigidity to the cabinet and provides acoustic damping, KEF said.

 The dual-driver subwoofer uses force-canceling technology, enabling both drivers to operate more effectively, thus delivering greater definition, the company said.

New bass drivers used in the speakers feature large vented magnet assembly and what KEF said is an “exceptionally” light and rigid aluminum cone

Reference will be available in Piano Black, gloss rosewood, and satin American walnut as well as in Blue Ice White and Copper  Black Aluminum.

Featured

Close