New KEF Reference series

BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
As the old cliche goes - "Beauty is the eyes of the beholder"
I personally like sharp corners and if one likes wood finish - they are still available:

 
T

TheHills44060

Junior Audioholic
I very much like the sharp corners, wood finish, black colored woofers and the spiked feet are very clean as well. My problem is the awful colored silvery front baffle. It should be the same color and finish as the rest of the enclosure. From the seating position the front of the speaker is what you see and for it not to be finish matched is inexcusable and cheap. For that reason alone I would never buy them.
 
Steve81

Steve81

Audioholics Five-0
I assume this complements the R line, though I'm curious how they're differentiating it. All I really see is an adjustable port so far.
 
slipperybidness

slipperybidness

Audioholic Warlord
I assume this complements the R line, though I'm curious how they're differentiating it. All I really see is an adjustable port so far.
I'm just thinking.....replacing the R line.....dropping the price on the R....that would be nice
 

havok2022

Enthusiast
The R line was the replacement for the XQ. This is the new Reference series. KEF has had a step between Q series and Reference series for years. That is where R sits.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Those were designed by men and these new ones by women.
LOL. Yeah, my wife does not like fat curvy looking speakers either. She thinks they look ugly - 802D2, 201/2. :D

I suppose women prefer slender taller boxy speakers. :D
 
agarwalro

agarwalro

Audioholic Ninja
What intrigues me is that the Blade has all these rounded edges (for controlled diffraction effects) and yet, all lines below have the hard edges.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
The Reference 1 bookshelf speaker is priced at $7500 per pair (The 201/2 was $6K/PR).

The Reference 3 floorstanding speaker has an MSRP of $13,000.

The Reference 5 floorstander is $18,000.

The Reference Centre center-channel speaker is $7500.

The Reference Subwoofer is $5500.

The Blade 2 is $24,000 per pair.

I guess the $24K Blade 2 is the consumer KEF flagship to compete with the $25K B&W 800D2 and $22K Salon2 (or Salon3 soon).
 
T

TheHills44060

Junior Audioholic
What intrigues me is that the Blade has all these rounded edges (for controlled diffraction effects) and yet, all lines below have the hard edges.
The Muon has curves as well. I guess the prior References didn't sell as well as expected?
 
C

Chewie

Audiophyte
Kef Blade II's are not an upgrade/replacement for Blade

Hi I am new to this forum but I just want to correct the original post that the Blade II's which have been announced along with a refreshed Reference series are not Blade speakers in a smaller form factor with upgraded drivers at a lower price. The drivers will be a slight downgrade if anything, for example 6" bass drivers in Blade II over 9" bass drivers in the Blade and designed differently to match the smaller cabinet. Blade II is designed to fill out the range acting as a bridge between Blade and Reference series. I was told all of this by the KEF representative who delivered and installed my pair of Blade speakers a couple of days ago :)

The previous Reference series design was over 12 years old (first appeared in 2002) with a with the "/2" improved version appearing at least 7 years ago so they just produced versions which incorporate the driver technologies incorporated with Blade which is about time too.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Same here, wonder why?
Who really knows what goes on in a woman's brain. :eek:

Maybe all those severely underweight 1/4 figure skinny bone supermodels have something to do with it. :D

I mean the B&W 800D and KEF 207/2 do look morbidly obese. :D
 
cpp

cpp

Audioholic Ninja
LOL. Yeah, my wife does not like fat curvy looking speakers either. She thinks they look ugly - 802D2, 201/2. :D

I suppose women prefer slender taller boxy speakers. :D

My wife hates the look of the R2D2 800's but get this she loves the look of the Vapor Audio Nimbus series and loves the woodwork of the Tannoy speakers. ps, i heard the Vapor Nimbus and the 800s at RMAF and I would take the Vapor any day, less money for one and great sound.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
My wife hates the look of the R2D2 800's but get this she loves the look of the Vapor Audio Nimbus
No way. They look like a bad cartoon raindrop. :D

Oh, well.

I can see her liking the boxy Tannoy. I'm sure she will also like the boxy KEF R and Reference. Women like boxy. :D
 
J

JonnyFive23517

Audioholic
I'm sure the coaxial mid/tweet sounds fantastic. But the Reference 5 is $18k and is -3db at 40hz? That seems a very weak bass performance for the price, and I wonder why they didn't do more to amp up the bass section.
 

Latest posts

newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top