• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Help me to decide what to chose jblm2 or kef blade

Ciobi69

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
400
Likes
254
Hello everyone I am in limbo of doubts, i did maybe found what they could be definitive speakers for me, buying them used , the kef would cost me more i have calculated around 11.5 k Euro and the JBL m2 i did find them at 9k used with the amp, the amp retail used at 1.7k , if i can take the JBL i will sell my 2 monoblock amp for around 4k , Soo kef+ amps is around 15.5k and the JBL m2 it's 9k total, speaking about my needs now , basically i would like a dynamic speaker with a neutral frequency response, they are both great speakers, i would use them for movies/music , in the future i will eventually buy an appropriate center channel, where for the JBL would be I think another m2 and for the kef would be the reference center channel, for now i would have a tv but in the future i would get a projector with a transparent screen, Soo if it was for you, what would you take? I like the idea of keeping around 6k in my pockets and in the future buy a third JBL that's my first reason,the 2nd reason about the kef it's about their design which its a another thing,please help me out ahha
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK
I found M2 a horrible speaker. As bad as a PA speaker. KEF Blade on tge other hand is sublime. I auditioned both a week next to my Salon2 pair.
 

alex-z

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Feb 19, 2021
Messages
910
Likes
1,684
Location
Canada
Two different types of speaker. The M2 has a relatively narrow radiation pattern and can play stupid loud, like 110dB. KEF Blade will radiate a bit wider, and isn't built for the same output levels.

Personally, I would go KEF. A third M2 for a centre channel is a pain in the butt, while KEF sells the Reference 2 Meta and Reference 4 Meta which look much nicer and take up less space. Or you could go with one of their in-walls + the transparent screen. I also like the KEF sound a great deal, their coaxial design lends itself well to rooms which won't have much acoustic treatment on the ceiling,
 

YSC

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 31, 2019
Messages
3,194
Likes
2,570
I would go for the Blade (if possible go meta), it's very neutral, coaxial, almost full range (practical full range if you go with boundary gain with EQ to tame the peaks). so basically in same ballpark with the JBL without the stupidly loud capability which one most likely than not wont need.

and the KEF is much better looking, so it gets eye candy also
 

Trdat

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 6, 2019
Messages
967
Likes
396
Location
Yerevan "Sydney Born"
I want to do the whole "once you go horn you can't go back" expression but I do believe that it can depend on the type of music you listen to. You can't take an F1 car around a rally track or vice versa.

If your listening to bass heavy, techno or live music in particular rock or perhaps what might be deemed as intense music then go the JBL. But if your listening to more mellow, Jazz, studio music then a wide radiating speaker like the Kef would be preferable.

I have two systems, a typical wide dispersion 3 way speaker and PA style speaker horn/CD with a 15 inch and it just depends what music I listen to.

The tough thing is there is no perfect model on this, it can also go both ways but perhaps the others might chime in and agree or disagree if this can be used as one way to help decide which speaker to go with. It's preference, there both totally different speakers.
 
OP
C

Ciobi69

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
400
Likes
254
Ok as i understand all of you prefer the kef, and i may not need the huge SPL of the m2 , measurements wise, it's strange that the kef it's almost perfect and it's designed for hifi , i will keep searching a pair of used blade then!
 

FeddyLost

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 24, 2020
Messages
752
Likes
542
IMO it depends on your use case.
M2s are not ordinary civilian speakers, but more some kind of studio/installation half-stuff. They work well only with DSP presets and you'll not even be able to check speakers without amplification and presets at hand. In case of second hand purchase it's serious limitation.
Also, they are more suitable for big control room or home IMAX than for medium family entertainment room.
I mean, i'm not sure that they will perform much better than Blades in small room at medium SPL. Usually touring kilowatt amps are not the best performers in milliwatt range.

For ordinary civilian entertainment I'd take Blades.
Otherwise i'd take a calculator and thoroughly check all my requirements and possibilities.
 
OP
C

Ciobi69

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
400
Likes
254
IMO it depends on your use case.
M2s are not ordinary civilian speakers, but more some kind of studio/installation half-stuff. They work well only with DSP presets and you'll not even be able to check speakers without amplification and presets at hand. In case of second hand purchase it's serious limitation.
Also, they are more suitable for big control room or home IMAX than for medium family entertainment room.
I mean, i'm not sure that they will perform much better than Blades in small room at medium SPL. Usually touring kilowatt amps are not the best performers in milliwatt range.

For ordinary civilian entertainment I'd take Blades.
Otherwise i'd take a calculator and thoroughly check all my requirements and possibilitiAsounds sound
To sounds reasonable to me. .thanks for your points
 

Vacceo

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 9, 2022
Messages
2,635
Likes
2,753
If you end up with the Blades and eventually expand to a sorround system, I´d be super curious to know what your matches will be.
 
OP
C

Ciobi69

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
400
Likes
254
If you end up with the Blades and eventually expand to a sorround system, I´d be super curious to know what your matches will be.
There is a lot of choice, for example the kef r3 are fine,and i am limited in 5.1 in my space ,for the center they have the reference line, which they are fine, not as good as the blade of course
 

Vacceo

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 9, 2022
Messages
2,635
Likes
2,753
There is a lot of choice, for example the kef r3 are fine,and i am limited in 5.1 in my space ,for the center they have the reference line, which they are fine, not as good as the blade of course
There are no center Blades... Yet. :D

Now, on a more serious tone, I think the Reference or R lines will combine well, but the difference in price and build quality seems to be gigantic. Let us know about performance of the whole set.
 
OP
C

Ciobi69

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
400
Likes
254
There are no center Blades... Yet. :D

Now, on a more serious tone, I think the Reference or R lines will combine well, but the difference in price and build quality seems to be gigantic. Let us know about performance of the whole set.
For surround i think i will not notice, but the center may be a problem i think one is almost obligated with the reference 4 center which is expensive and performant, of course everything will be bought used , i am not in a hurry hehe
 
Top Bottom