Kef upgrades Blade and Reference to Meta level

KEF has upgraded its iconic Blade and The Reference loudspeakers, with bespoke 12th Gen Uni-Q drivers and Metamaterial Absorption Technology (aka MAT). A joint development with the Acoustic Metamaterials Group, MAT is said to absorb 99 per cent of unwanted sound, to eliminate distortion for a more natural performance.

The Blade Reference, so named because every pair can be matched within half a decibel to the laboratory-maintained reference standard, encompasses two three-way floorstanding speakers, a three-way standmount speaker, and two three-way centre speakers that can be used as Left-Centre-Right (LCR) speakers.

The models iconic design remains largely unchanged. The distinctive front radius tapers from top to bottom and from front to rear, while the cabinets are curved to eliminate standing waves.

The speakers are available in a palette of eight finishes, created by blending five cabinet finishes with six driver cone colours. Customers can also create their own customised speaker cabinet colour scheme by supplying a Pantone of their choice for a truly unique Blade. Every speaker in Blade and The Reference ranges is hand-built in Maidstone, Kent, UK.

The cabinets are finished in high-gloss or pair-matched wood veneers. Five finishes are available, a combination of three cabinet finishes and five driver cone colours: Satin Walnut/Silver, High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper.

At the heart of Blade lies the Single Apparent Source technology. Single Apparent Source extends the iconic Uni-Q driver array; the technology aims to achieve the acoustic ideal of a point source, where low, mid and high frequencies radiate from one point.

Kef Blade Meta and Reference Meta prices:
Blade One Meta: £30,000
Blade Two Meta: £22,500
Reference 5 Meta: £17,500
Reference 3 Meta: £11,500
Reference 1 Meta: £7,500
Reference 4 Meta: £6,500
Reference 2 Meta: £4,750
S-RF1 Floor Stand: £1,000
REF 8b Subwoofer: £6,000