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Kef Blade1 Meta

Purité Audio

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Kef Blade1 measured by Hi-Fi News, still can’t help thinking that an active version of this…

Keith
 

Jasperous

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It would be way too expensive, LS60 is their answer to this question… it’s a tempting prospect
 

Tangband

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Kef Blade1 measured by Hi-Fi News, still can’t help thinking that an active version of this…

Keith
Yes, an active version would be better sounding if done right . But audiophiles are conservative.
 

Tangband

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It would be way too expensive, LS60 is their answer to this question… it’s a tempting prospect
It takes know-how to do a really good dsp crossover. With that said - the actually cost of the passive crossover components inside the Blade is probably higher than the cost of a good dsp crossover .
Future loudspeakers will probably force companies like Kef to make all their speakers dsp actives, because its cheaper, and ultimately better sounding.
 

Jasperous

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It takes know-how to do a really good dsp crossover. With that said - the actually cost of the passive crossover components inside the Blade is probably higher than the cost of a good dsp crossover .
Future loudspeakers will probably force companies like Kef to make all their speakers dsp actives, because its cheaper, and ultimately better sounding.
You are likely very correct in your analysis. Controlling the sub 60 Hz response on the fly so as to control cabinet response is far less expensive then over building a cabinet to mitigate for all circumstances
 

phoenixdogfan

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Really looking forward to Amir or Erin getting their hands on an LS 60. As for the Blades, could their performance be rendered more economically with an active version? Probably, but most people stepping up to a speaker like that have probably already invested heavily in audiophile electronics and will not want to sell it at secondary market prices and take that loss.

Blades will perform superbly with that gear, and allow audiophiles to mix and match to their hearts' content.
 

Ilkless

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Not impossible, just expensive and warranty voiding, to disconnect the passive XOs, and run the XO with something like Acourate with an Okto/Exasound/Topping multichannel DAC and Benchmark AHB2s/Purifis.
 

Kal Rubinson

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Not impossible, just expensive and warranty voiding, to disconnect the passive XOs, and run the XO with something like Acourate with an Okto/Exasound/Topping multichannel DAC and Benchmark AHB2s/Purifis.
Sure but can you define what you think needs improvement/correction in the stock passive product? Is the effort justifiable?
 

phoenixdogfan

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Sure but can you define what you think needs improvement/correction in the stock passive product? Is the effort justifiable?
Kal, that's such a good question. I don't know how often it's written read in these pages and elsewhere that active speaker are so inherently superior in performance that passives are obsolete, yet you, Amir, and AFIK Floyd Toole and others use passives in your reference systems. While there is no doubt, actives represent a teriffic solution offering top tier performance, some of these passives seem to be pretty good as well. I personally think the quality of the implementation (passive or active) will have more of a bearing than anything else. As for the Blade Metas, hard to see what they might need. Does not look like they need any eq, so hard to see how making them active would be an improvement over driving them with Behringer AHB2s or Purifi Eigentacts.
 

Tangband

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Kal, that's such a good question. I don't know how often it's written read in these pages and elsewhere that active speaker are so inherently superior in performance that passives are obsolete, yet you, Amir, and AFIK Floyd Toole and others use passives in your reference systems. While there is no doubt, actives represent a teriffic solution offering top tier performance, some of these passives seem to be pretty good as well. I personally think the quality of the implementation (passive or active) will have more of a bearing than anything else. As for the Blade Metas, hard to see what they might need. Does not look like they need any eq, so hard to see how making them active would be an improvement over driving them with Behringer AHB2s or Purifi Eigentacts.
My guess: An audible improvement in bassquality below 350 Hz can probably be done with an active crossover with a good poweramp. This would be beneficial for all music . If its done right .
 
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Kal Rubinson

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Kal, that's such a good question. I don't know how often it's written read in these pages and elsewhere that active speaker are so inherently superior in performance that passives are obsolete, yet you, Amir, and AFIK Floyd Toole and others use passives in your reference systems.
I will pervert Yogi Berra's "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is" and say:
In theory, active speakers are inherently superior in performance such that passives are obsolete. In practice, their obsolescence is theoretical.
My guess: An audible improvement in bassquality below 350 Hz can probably be done with an active crossover with a good poweramp. This would be beneficial for all music . If its done right .
Perhaps but I'd like a hard-core modeling of the specific improvement before taking such a step.
 

steve59

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If the partnering amp has enough power to drive the passive speakers then there really isn't much to talk about. A passive pair of speakers with bi-amp ability only need a 2nd bass amp to match what an active speaker will do. 200 watts up top 400 watts on the woofers, a db meter and a bit of roon dsp attenuation for room balance and enjoy.

But the Kef Blade's are pretty efficient, a well executed design I think to measure so well, sound so good, and only need the average amount of power for a full range speaker.
 

Descartes

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It takes know-how to do a really good dsp crossover. With that said - the actually cost of the passive crossover components inside the Blade is probably higher than the cost of a good dsp crossover .
Future loudspeakers will probably force companies like Kef to make all their speakers dsp actives, because its cheaper, and ultimately better sounding.
I wish but I don’t see it happening any time soon
 
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