2. speakers
  3. 135276-2383

Thinking of Kef Blade 2 to replace Revel Salon 2

Is this just a sideways move or an upgrade?  I am leaning partly just for looks.  The Salon 2 is nice and pretty unflappable maybe a little on the ruthless revealing side.  I don't really have the ability to go hear these before I buy and really every dealer audition Ive had has left a very bad taste in my mouth for it.  I like the idea of a speaker that sounds good all around the room not just in the sweet spot as I tend to not listen as much that way. I would hope to not give up to much bass to the Salon 2 with the Blade 2.  
128x128ejlif
tobor007's avatar
tobor007
135 posts
 
At this level, be careful when the seller of a product offers a single fact and says, "of course mine are better". I heard many expensive speakers (for me anyway) prior to purchasing the Salon 2's". My speakers are not better than yours because they use  pure Beryllium and Titanium cones (which they do) they just sound better to me. 
mzkmxcv
777 posts
 
I’ve talked to people who denied mutliole high end speakers, including ones >$50K, they all said the Blades were the best out of all of them.  
  
Only true contender between $10K-$30K is the Salk SoundScape 12. Something like a B&W is the opposite of what you want, they intentially color the sound in the treble.  

steve59's avatar
steve59
1,742 posts
 
So why not just decide to go with the blade2's and build a system around them? I really enjoy my Salon2's, but my first hi end speakers were Kef R105/3's the first uniq Reference speakers from kef and they were pretty amazing once I got the components right and that's the key. My salons sound good to great dependent on what's driving them, my uniq kefs could sound down right nasty with the wrong amps driving them. Just saying, don't connect your new blade2's to an emotiva amp and come back here complaining they're too harsh. The Revels may seem to revealing but they're always musical.
seanheis1
620 posts
 
The Blade 2 is crossed over to the side woofers at 320hz. This eliminates the point source and must create an ambiance effect with the reflections. Interesting design. 
yyzsantabarbara
4,736 posts
 
I owned the Salon 1 in a great room for over 5 years. It was enjoyable but not the best I had heard at that time. I later heard the Thiel CS 3.7 and thought that was a much better speaker than the Salon 1. I then heard the Blade1 and felt that was even better than the Thiel CS 3.7.

The thing I want the most from a speaker is for it to disappear and not feel like the sound is coming from a speaker. The Blade 1 and CS 3.7 did this better than the Salon 1. 

I also think the KEF LS50 has a better top end than the Salon1. The Salon1 has the rear firing tweeter that the Salon2 does not have.

I heard the Salon2 at a dealer and thought it was similar to my Salon1 but with more top end detail.

I will be buying the Blade 2 in the next 6 months.
More to discover