The Blade weighs a good 70kg with packaging, and in its "naked" state, just under 60kg remain.
KEF Blade
Due to its size, the Blade setup, which makes it appear even heavier, is definitely intended for at least two people. In this price range (starting at €25,000 / pair), setup at the prospective buyer's home is a matter of course anyway.
After the KEF is unveiled and the spikes are mounted, a flawlessly finished, excellently lacquered speaker is revealed. The bi-wiring terminals feature the same bridging technology as the Q-Series, allowing for switching between single and bi-wiring. The terminals are easy to access and accept bare cables, spade connectors, and banana plugs. This makes connection effortless and straightforward.
KEF Blade
After we precisely aligned and set up the speakers – a spirit level installed in the base helps immensely – we coaxed the first sounds out of them. The electronics used were a Mark Levinson combination with a 532H power amplifier.
With the first tones, two fundamental differences to the KEF Reference series emerged:
The speaker plays warmer/rounder overall, but creates an even larger sweet spot when listening. No matter where you are, the spatial imaging hardly loses anything if you move to the right or left of the optimal listening position.
In addition, the bass quality in our listening room is completely different. The speaker offered warmth and low-frequency fullness right out of the box – the Reference needed several hundred hours of break-in time for that. If the speaker improves even more after break-in (which is to be expected), it will be REALLY exciting. Airiness and detail combined with a powerful but not exaggerated bass reproduction, plus a uniquely brilliant, modern, and almost sleek appearance, promise a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.
KEF Blade
Conclusion: If you want not only excellent sound but also an absolutely unusual, ultra-modern look far removed from the usual HiFi "boxes," you should definitely listen to and see the Blade. We will do so and experiment over time to see which electronics and which feet we like best with the Blades.
Test results: Audio dedicates 5 pages to the Blade, and Malte Ruhnke's outstanding test result is: "If I could take one speaker from the Audio test collection home - it would be the Blade." He particularly praises that detailed resolution AND acoustic comfort are not contradictions. The Blade is a speaker that plays analytically AND pleasantly at the same time. You can read the complete test in Audio 11/2011.
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