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Amps for KEF Blade 2

I am looking for advice from owners or dealers of the KEF Blade 2 loudspeakers. I am concerned my current pair of amps will not be sufficient for the B2s because of an article written about the original Blades published on July 5, 2013 in The Absolute Sound:

"The Blades have a nasty kick in their crossover that will suck an amplifier dry quicker than a student downing free tequila shots ... Just don’t be tempted to cheapskate on the driving amps, or you’ll live to regret it. Tube amps at least have an output transformer to hide behind, but when the Blades suck out a solid-state design, they celebrate by spotlighting their tweeter something chronic. To give you some idea of the lengths required, the otherwise excellent Rowland 625 [550 watts into 4 Ohms] wasn’t up to the job, it taking a pair of the 725 monoblocs [650 watts into 4 Ohms] to restore order. "

Are the Blade 2s just as demanding as the original Blades in terms of amplification? I would guess not due to the smaller 6.5 inch woofers, but this is just an uneducated guess. I own a pair of Benchmark AHB2 amps, which according to the manufacturer produce “a little over 500 watts into 4 Ohms”. Will this be enough?
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styxrogan's avatar
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styxrogan
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I am running my blades with Mcintosch mx123 and mc8207.  

steve59's avatar
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steve59
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I did buy the Blade 1's and my hegel h360 has plenty of power to drive them. I was thinking of upgrading to the h590 but the h360 is really getting it done.

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steve59
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H590 in the house! I’ve been talking to the shop owner that sold me the h360 since I got the blades last summer. The blades didn’t sound starved for power but the h590 does raise the bar across the board. This unit is said to be new in box for axpona and demo discount applies, at least I think so. If this is the same price as the other store demos I’ll probably buy it. Bass is tighter and everything else is just more. The 590 sounds like it has more control at all fq’s, more than I would expect an additional 50 wpc to sound like. I’d bought a project s2 digital to piggyback the h360 for full mqa and a new dac but I think the card in the 590 is acquitting itself nicely. More to come.

yyzsantabarbara
4,808 posts
 

The amp I am looking at if I ever get space for the Blades is the new KRELL KSA-400i. I never heard it and it is very expensive. However, I own the KRELL XD175 and this new amp is priced 5x more than my amp, has great power, and the same plus more features as my amp.

There was a review in Tone (I think) of the Blade by Roy Gregory (sp?) and he described his journey with power and the Blades. He needed more power than he initially tried.

My KRELL Dou 175XD likely is under powered for the Blade. The new KSA-400i, is not and it likely sounds like an even better version of the 175XD.

I sold my CODA #8 today after reading about the new KRELL. I was originally thinking of using the CODA with a future Blade.

 

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steve59
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There's nothing wrong with trying as many combos as possible b4 deciding. My 4 hour demo overnight has me really pumped about the h590, It isn't subtle though. everything on the recording will be presented in a sensory overload condition. Maybe like my 1290 sdr some throttle control will let me appreciate some of the finer things the hegel does, but right now the way the blade throws a 'stage and the thrust from the 590 make everything sound very real, I After hearing the h360 on the blades I would pass the h390 by and go straight for the 590 for the blade. it's worth it, in fact if I couldn't afford the h590 I would sell the blades and down size to something my h360 could manhandle, again. going to usam to remove my listing now.

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