Mapman, I can't answer that question directly. I can only compare the
experience of
listening to the Blade system at that show and to my system at home. Well,
based on two completely different settings, systems and music, I did not find
the Blade system as engaging as my system built around the Magico Mini 2. It
sounded more diffuse, less image specific and less grounded.
Timbre was not as natural. It was not as dynamic and there was less
presence.
In terms of similarities, I would say that both the Blade and the Magico
speakers that I have heard are both very coherent. Kef has developed that
coincident driver and the side firing woofers send that energy away where it
spreads out and is heard as reflection. My Mini 2 and the Q3, Q5 and Q7, and
the V2 and M5 are all
very coherent. I did not find the V3 to have this coherence. Perhaps because
the bass drivers are far removed from the mid and tweeter or the demo was
just too nearfield so the drivers didn't integrate well.
The Blade did sound slightly bigger and was very slightly more extended. I
didn't notice many similarities. In short, it did not sound as convincing and I
lost interest in the music. I know that the Blades have many fans and that
they have been well reviewed. I'm sure in a carefully set up home
environment with the right equipment, they could sound very good. I also
know that Magico is not for everyone.
Whether this was a result of the room, the set up, the other equipment, I can
not say. Nor are my comments a direct comparison between the Mini 2 and
the Blades, there are just too many variables involved. My earlier post was in
reference to the three systems which had Kef speakers in them, and what I
thought of the sound in general and in those settings, nothing more. I was
happy to put my LPs back on and to listen to my system when I returned
home.
