What is it with the KEF Blade (meta)?

[Crosstalk]

True but do they have the driver of the blades?

why does it matter, if we dont know if the genelecs drivers are as well engineered as a LS50 even?

 

[Vacceo]

The Blade reminds me of the alien ship in Arrival.

They're based on a Brancusi sculpture, Bird in Space.

 

[Pearljam5000]

why does it matter, if we dont know if the genelecs drivers are as well engineered as a LS50 even?

I doubt they're less good than the LS50 drivers

 

[thewas]

LS50 (Meta or not) drivers cannot be even directly compared to Genelec ones as the first are midwoofers with tweeter and the second ones mids with tweeters, which should be compared with the KEF coaxes used in their 3-way speakers.
Till someone measures the individual drivers separately like for example Erin used to do https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/driveunits/kef-r300-drive-unit/ also anything is just speculation, as we only know for now that both of them measure very well in the loudspeakers they are used. And as I wrote before I am sure in some disciplines one will be better and in some the other so noone can say A is better then B and only choose which compromise fulfils better his needs. And in the end only the total system integrations implementation matters not just components, to give another silly car analogy, in my current situation (mainly long relaxed highway driving) I rather prefer a Mercedes although BMW makes usually the better engines.

 

[Morpheus]

LS50 (Meta or not) drivers cannot be even directly compared to Genelec ones as the first are midwoofers with tweeter and the second ones mids with tweeters, which should be compared with the KEF coaxes used in their 3-way.

I own three different UniQs, he ones in the 205 Ref, those on 205.2 Ref, and last gen, non meta R7/R11.
They all sound very different unfiltered, even the 205 and 205.2, wich use the same cone material and are just an update on the same model ( but very diff geometry, suspension and tweeter). The cone size, geometry, materials, and parameters have been tailored both by Kef and Gen to the application. The optimum crossover points and design of the loudspeaker has been both influenced by the units, and their design modded until they conformed to where they thought they wanted to go with the whole design, so its a two way street when you have the ability to design and build your own drive units. The compromises and strenghts of those units are much a function of the way they intended to use them in conjunction of the rest of the speaker, so they are not as easily comparable, since they may have been optimised with slighthly different purposes.
I might look into Erins protocol and try to get some measurements if I have the time..Its a pain, I do not do woodworking, so have to have boards cutted and drilled and its surprisingly hard to it nowadays over here...Traditional wood mills and small carpentry or kitchen furniture shops long gone, and no CNC facilities, just furniture or kitchen cabinetry plants that won't cut you a couple of plates with some rebating and big holes for you.

 

[abdo123]

PJ5k must finally understand that there don't exist black-white answers for the questions he usually asks and a loudspeaker can be only seen as total system so most important is the total engineering and integration of the individual components. For example you can have great drivers but integrate them poorly so a loudspeaker with simpler drivers can be better as a total. Also in the end at such high levels individual preferences, room acoustics and listening distance play a role and can change the sequence of preference.

I mean the answer here is rather “easy”. It’s a perfect point source with the least amount of diffraction possible that can get impressively loud in a domestic space.

If the directivity control is pushed a little lower it basically becomes the holy grail of audio reproduction.

 

[Ron Texas]

They're based on a Brancusi sculpture, Bird in Space.

So they say...

 

[mhardy6647]

Tannoy's been making coaxes for centuries.

 

[Ron Texas]

Tannoy's been making coaxes for centuries.

Yes, before they even had electricity, LOL.

 

[mhardy6647]

Yes, before they even had electricity, LOL.

Ahead of their time. The steam powered amplifiers were a work of art.

Just a little hyperbole. You know what I'm talkin' about!





I still prefer Altec Duplexes (dating back to the mid-1940s) -- but really only because I have a couple of pairs of those.
KEF was very late to the coax party.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

So they say...

I think they say "inspired by" and clearly so. Not just a copy.

 

[Ron Texas]

I think they say "inspired by" and clearly so. Not just a copy.

Well, the ships in Arrival must have been inspired by the same sculpture. I like the way they look although the low bass response could be better. What do I know? I have original ls50's with a pair of Rhythmic L12 subs. I must be used to the cyclops look.

 

[Descartes]

Well, the ships in Arrival must have been inspired by the same sculpture. I like the way they look although the low bass response could be better. What do I know? I have original ls50's with a pair of Rhythmic L12 subs. I must be used to the cyclops look.

The bass response is amazing but then again I am not a bass head!

 

[srrxr71]

I was looking at a typical office overhead ceiling mount speaker. It was a coax sort like a car speaker is. The tweeter was mounted where the dust cap of the midwife’s would normally be. I wonder if such a speaker could be time aligned in DSP to provide a single apparent point source.

 

[Crosstalk]

LS50 (Meta or not) drivers cannot be even directly compared to Genelec ones as the first are midwoofers with tweeter and the second ones mids with tweeters, which should be compared with the KEF coaxes used in their 3-way speakers.
Till someone measures the individual drivers separately like for example Erin used to do https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/driveunits/kef-r300-drive-unit/ also anything is just speculation, as we only know for now that both of them measure very well in the loudspeakers they are used. And as I wrote before I am sure in some disciplines one will be better and in some the other so noone can say A is better then B and only choose which compromise fulfils better his needs. And in the end only the total system integrations implementation matters not just components, to give another silly car analogy, in my current situation (mainly long relaxed highway driving) I rather prefer a Mercedes although BMW makes usually the better engines.

I dont even understand why Mr. Pearl even tries to compare this! If they measure good, they are good. How they acheived it can be using different ideas. Both Genelec and KEF are equally good as per measurements. Taking the driver out and scrutinizing it is pointless, as most of these are purpose built drivers to be used in a certain box. If its flawless in its use case, its good. Simple.

 

[Crosstalk]

Tannoy's been making coaxes for centuries.

Yet they cannot compete with what KEF was able to acheive in 20 years

 

[thewas]

Yet they cannot compete with what KEF was able to acheive in 20 years

Actually KEF released the first generation of Uni-Q in 1988 so its already 36 years, time flies...

 

[steve59]

Tannoy's tweeter is recessed in the voice coil of the woofer so not really similar to the kef.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Mark Levinson is also doing coaxials now

 

[Descartes]

Mark Levinson is also doing coaxials now View attachment 348855View attachment 348856View attachment 348857

It looks like the same driver than the Tannoy’!