That's like saying that a car has too much horsepower.
If it's not too far, and you've got the time, go listen to them.
KEF owners thread
- Thread starter matteos
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If it's not too far, and you've got the time, go listen to them.
seannc
Member
Duly notedThat's like saying that a car has too much horsepower.
If it's not too far, and you've got the time, go listen to them.
They’re here! First impressions. They’re bigger than I thought so I’m very glad I only got the 2s.
I’m not very fond of the silver color
it stands out too much. WAF is very low so far. I’m just very lucky in my wife who has not given me a hard time even though I didn’t really tell her about these until they showed up. She’s not a fan of the looks and I can’t say I am either. Maybe a bigger TV is in order…The next thing that hits me is just how great the R900s really are. Truly they are amazing because although these Blades sound better. I have not been blown away at all so far. The bass is better so far and the speakers are cleaner sounding as a whole, but the cohesiveness and overall sound… so far it is not standing out as much as I had expected. Changing the DAC and amp had bigger immediate results. Now I know my placement is not very good. Right now they are tucked as far to the wall as possible so as not to draw more attention.
Much more listening to come though. Still very early into this.
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Okay, after a bit of a listen these are definitely much better throughout the bass. That seems where a lot of the magic is happening. Bass lines are perfect throughout. The R900s could get a little raggedy at times. I think this must be down to the cabinets and driver configurations of the blades. They do sound very good. I think I just have a hang-up with the way they look in my space. Mostly the color.
Ok. A few days later and I’m in love. Even the color is growing on me. They just don’t lose their composure for anything, especially in music that gets complicated with a lot of instruments or big dynamic swings. They just sit there and make it happen.
There’s a lot of little stuff happening. Where before I could hear Jim Morrison making comments before riders of the storm, now it sounds like he’s in the room.
The KEF house sound is pretty similar between the R series and these and I think that’s why at first I was somewhat underwhelmed. I think those speakers (the R900) easily get me 80% of the way to the blades which is a huge accomplishment and on acoustic or simper recordings probably 90%.
I think I had some initial disappointment because they didn’t sound much different on the first few plays. But that’s the house sound and in the treble and midrange it’s a very similar driver so I realize my reaction was a little absurd. Especially because I love the KEF sound and this is an extension of it and it’s great and it’s what I was looking for.
I think in my mind I was at end-game time and I expected to somehow hear something that would blow my mind immediately. These are blowing my mind but in subtler ways and on music I didn’t necessarily expect.
There’s a lot of little stuff happening. Where before I could hear Jim Morrison making comments before riders of the storm, now it sounds like he’s in the room.
The KEF house sound is pretty similar between the R series and these and I think that’s why at first I was somewhat underwhelmed. I think those speakers (the R900) easily get me 80% of the way to the blades which is a huge accomplishment and on acoustic or simper recordings probably 90%.
I think I had some initial disappointment because they didn’t sound much different on the first few plays. But that’s the house sound and in the treble and midrange it’s a very similar driver so I realize my reaction was a little absurd. Especially because I love the KEF sound and this is an extension of it and it’s great and it’s what I was looking for.
I think in my mind I was at end-game time and I expected to somehow hear something that would blow my mind immediately. These are blowing my mind but in subtler ways and on music I didn’t necessarily expect.
cpt_paranoia
Addicted Member
I'm hardly an interior design guru, but I think the silver works well in the rest of your room, with the pale walls and grey curtains. I think they'd be more obtrusive on a dark colour. There's no getting away from the fact that they are big, but, relative to that room, not excessive.
Thanks! I’m getting much more used to their appearance now and so is my wife who hasn’t called them my “space speakers” for a while now.
In the last few days I switched out the feet on these speakers. Before I was using the isoacoustic Gaia feet that I had on my R900. However they weren’t specced high enough for the blade 2. The max weight was 70lbs and these are something like 77. I switched them for some fairly inexpensive feet from Amazon that utilizes 3 ball bearings in a cup design. I have similar ones on my turntable and they are extremely effective.
Once I switched them out the sound improved quite a bit, especially the bass. Also to my eyes they look a lot better as they dropped down an inch and a half or so in height and now the focus is on the speaker rather than the plinth. They look and sound a lot better.
.
WSLco
New Member
Do you have a link for the Amazon feet?
beardsley
Active Member
My humble entry to this thread is a pair of Chorale IIIs. Made in 1983. Efficiency 87 db/W/m. Very small two-ways- 6.2" woofer and fabric-dome tweeter. Sealed, designed to be deployed near a wall. We moved to a small place and I looked for a pair of speakers that would fit. These came up, low price, excellent condition. I absolutely love them. Tonal balance when placed properly is frankly amazing for the size of speaker- no sense of the limited enclosure size at all. Paired with my old Luxman R-1040 (1978, 40wpc)- the combination sings. I can't post images at work, I'll come back later and add some. They are handsome in a totally dated '80s way.
WSLco
New Member
Just installed these.
Much more definition in the bass.
Better melding of the top end.
Thank for the link!
Yesterday I ran up to my favorite crack dealer, Audio Video Therapy of Nashua NH. The mission was to grab their pair of KEF Reference 1 Meta speakers to do a back-to-back demo of my 2019-2021 era Reference 1's, for a fellow member of KEF Enthusiasts group on FB.
I kind of knew going in that the demo pair had been in circulation for just over a year, which means they can sell them at a significant discount. Before I could commit, I wanted to hear them in my room and on my Luxman amp. In the back of my mind was the situation I was in a couple years ago when I owned LS50's and was offered a pair of 2-week old LS50 Meta for $1,100. I bought because I could use one in my office and the other in the guest bedroom that was on its way to becoming a dedicated 2-channel room. I could barely detect a difference and deemed it "not worth the money" to upgrade if paying full price.
The demo Reference 1 Meta are in the same "Silver Satin Walnut" finish as my current Reference 1's. When I brought home the demo pair, the shop had given me the new matching stands but rather than trying to swap two different-shaped stands into the same position, I just swapped speakers on my own original Reference 1 stands. Those are MUCH better-quality stands, and both types of speaker have the exact same bolt pattern and thread.
In less than 15 minutes I knew these Reference 1 Meta were staying. The difference was far more obvious than in the LS50/LS50 Meta comparo. The go-to song I play is "It's A Long Way There" from The Little River Band. The track is a digital one from a CD entitled "The Definitive Collection." The lead guitar riffs can be a bit forward, as can also the lead singer's vocals. Here, the "MAT" (Metamaterial Absorption Technology" treatment on the tweeter of the Reference 1 Meta smooths that out just enough, but in doing so it keeps any back feed from the tweeter from ever reaching the back of the mid-range driver. That works to make the whole Uni-Q driver work more coherently than before, and it's noticeable to even my old ears. Even the bass driver seems to have benefitted, because even that output is cleaner and seems to dig just a touch deeper.
I texted John Rein @ AV Therapy to let him know my older Reference 1's are already sold, and I'll be back on Tuesday or (more likely) Wednesday to return the stands and get the boxes. My room took another step up. Next would be upgrades to the Luxman integrated in the form of an EQ-500 phono stage or a Class A integrated.
I kind of knew going in that the demo pair had been in circulation for just over a year, which means they can sell them at a significant discount. Before I could commit, I wanted to hear them in my room and on my Luxman amp. In the back of my mind was the situation I was in a couple years ago when I owned LS50's and was offered a pair of 2-week old LS50 Meta for $1,100. I bought because I could use one in my office and the other in the guest bedroom that was on its way to becoming a dedicated 2-channel room. I could barely detect a difference and deemed it "not worth the money" to upgrade if paying full price.
The demo Reference 1 Meta are in the same "Silver Satin Walnut" finish as my current Reference 1's. When I brought home the demo pair, the shop had given me the new matching stands but rather than trying to swap two different-shaped stands into the same position, I just swapped speakers on my own original Reference 1 stands. Those are MUCH better-quality stands, and both types of speaker have the exact same bolt pattern and thread.
In less than 15 minutes I knew these Reference 1 Meta were staying. The difference was far more obvious than in the LS50/LS50 Meta comparo. The go-to song I play is "It's A Long Way There" from The Little River Band. The track is a digital one from a CD entitled "The Definitive Collection." The lead guitar riffs can be a bit forward, as can also the lead singer's vocals. Here, the "MAT" (Metamaterial Absorption Technology" treatment on the tweeter of the Reference 1 Meta smooths that out just enough, but in doing so it keeps any back feed from the tweeter from ever reaching the back of the mid-range driver. That works to make the whole Uni-Q driver work more coherently than before, and it's noticeable to even my old ears. Even the bass driver seems to have benefitted, because even that output is cleaner and seems to dig just a touch deeper.
I texted John Rein @ AV Therapy to let him know my older Reference 1's are already sold, and I'll be back on Tuesday or (more likely) Wednesday to return the stands and get the boxes. My room took another step up. Next would be upgrades to the Luxman integrated in the form of an EQ-500 phono stage or a Class A integrated.
seannc
Member
Thanks for the review! Exciting to read how much you like the Reference 1 Metas. Awesome looking listening room, too
Latest KEF-related activity for me was to find a pair of classic KEF Reference 104/2 for my son, for his 34th birthday. While he's got a killer-sounding 7.1 system in their family room consisting of KEF Q500/Q200c/Q800ds/Q100 & SVS PB2000, he also has a 2 channel system in his cellar, just steps from his woodworking shop. There he's got an Emotiva USP-1 pre-amp, matching UPA-1 power amp, Pioneer PL-518 w/AT LS500 cart, and Boston Acoustics A250 speakers.
These Reference 104/2's will put the Boston Acoustics speakers to shame by every measure except price. I got the KEF speakers for $320, have spent $70 with Midwest Speaker Repair and he'll spend about $350 on new Rosewood veneer.
These Reference 104/2's will put the Boston Acoustics speakers to shame by every measure except price. I got the KEF speakers for $320, have spent $70 with Midwest Speaker Repair and he'll spend about $350 on new Rosewood veneer.
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BilboBaggins
Addicted Member
My latest change in my system was to move the R105s out of the living room into storage(they weren't being used), replace the speaker cable for one of the R107s to match the other, and move it down the long wall to the end. Not ideal, but much better than before. It is quite a long wall, and I would prefer to have them out in the room more, but that won't be happening. I also moved my Sony PS-X600 up from the basement after I had a bit of flooding earlier in August. The rest of the gear that was down there is stored away. I wanted the second turntable so I could play less that perfect records in this system. I have to say it does sound much better! Still have wall furnishings to put in place (my wife and I are having troubles agreeing on how to do it) and area carpetting still to be decided upon. It's amazing how much more patient we get when we get older! Ten years ago, I could never have waited so long.
Today I worked on restoring the four 8" woofers for the KEF Reference 104/2 speakers I had bought recently as a gift for my son. Most of the KEF fans on this thread know about the design of the 104.2 and similar Reference models, but for those who don't...some explanation follows.
These speakers are capable of hitting down to 20hz (-3db) with the use of their Kube equalizer (or equivalent) because of their "coupled cavity" design. What fails over time is the foam "donuts" on the woofers that is used in place of a simple, solid dust cap. They need this because the design requires coupling the two woofers to each other with an aluminum rod, inside the cabinet. You can see the aluminum rod in one of the photos. Note that there's an error in the cutaway view photo, because they only use two of the 6" round foam disks, mounted just below the upper woofer. That's why you can see the rod in the front view photo.
I replaced the 4 donuts. I would have also replaced the ferro fluid in the T33 soft dome tweeters if Midwest Speaker Repair had actually included that which I paid for in the package they sent. Grrr...
That chore will have to be next weekend, if they can get it to me.
These speakers are capable of hitting down to 20hz (-3db) with the use of their Kube equalizer (or equivalent) because of their "coupled cavity" design. What fails over time is the foam "donuts" on the woofers that is used in place of a simple, solid dust cap. They need this because the design requires coupling the two woofers to each other with an aluminum rod, inside the cabinet. You can see the aluminum rod in one of the photos. Note that there's an error in the cutaway view photo, because they only use two of the 6" round foam disks, mounted just below the upper woofer. That's why you can see the rod in the front view photo.
I replaced the 4 donuts. I would have also replaced the ferro fluid in the T33 soft dome tweeters if Midwest Speaker Repair had actually included that which I paid for in the package they sent. Grrr...
That chore will have to be next weekend, if they can get it to me.
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orsen
Jukebox Hero
i have one for my 104/2 but have never used it, some day i will have to try it
arcamguy1
Active Member
Hi group,
Anybody own, or have listened to KEF R3 Metas? I’m considering buying a pair. I’m downsizing my system and selling some heavy floorstanders. If anyone has listened to the R3 Metas, I’d appreciate your thoughts.
I’m a jazz/vocals/R&B/rock/classical guy. I’ve been intrigued by the reviews, which have largely been very positive. I’ve owned KEF in the past and like them.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Anybody own, or have listened to KEF R3 Metas? I’m considering buying a pair. I’m downsizing my system and selling some heavy floorstanders. If anyone has listened to the R3 Metas, I’d appreciate your thoughts.
I’m a jazz/vocals/R&B/rock/classical guy. I’ve been intrigued by the reviews, which have largely been very positive. I’ve owned KEF in the past and like them.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Check recent YouTube videos from "Erin's Audio Corner"! He's a really good, honest fella who has a Kippel measurement set-up, and recently put out reviews of R3 Meta and Reference 1 Meta, then another where he discusses the merits of each.
Full disclosure: I'm a big KEF nut, and own Reference 1 Meta speakers and have the KEF Enthusiasts Group on Facebook.
