WE LISTEN TO THE NEW KEF META SPEAKERS AT NINTRONICS HIFI SHOWROOM AND TALK TO KEF’S VP OF TECHNOLOGY

Established in 2008, Nintronics is a family-owned specialist retailer and installer of HiFi and Home Cinema systems.

As KEF will not be at High End Munich this year to launch their new Meta Blade and Reference loudspeakers, we sent our reviewer Janine Elliot along to the KEF Meta open day at Nintronics to hear the new speakers for herself.

The new KEF Blade One Meta take centre stage at the Nintronics open day

NINTRONICS

Nintronics is in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, just north of London. They offer a relaxed and pressure-free environment for auditioning and buying HiFi, with three demonstration studios, an extensive headphone area and large showroom facilities. Their brand list is carefully selected and reads like the exhibitor list of a HiFi Show that you would really like to go to.

KEF META LOUDSPEAKERS

Back in 2020 KEF, the British loudspeaker brand, announced that they would be using a new Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) in their loudspeakers. MAT is a highly complex maze-like structure, where each of the intricate channels efficiently absorbs a range of specific frequencies. When combined, the channels act as an acoustic black hole, absorbing 99% of the unwanted sound.

The new MAT technology formed part of the KEF Meta upgrades, including the new generation of their famous Uni-Q driver, to some of their most well-known loudspeakers, with the KEF LS50 being the first to benefit. Last month the flagship KEF Blades One and Two got the Meta treatment along with The Reference range of KEF speakers.

The new generation Uni-Q driver assembly of the Meta speakers use MAT technology

KEF BLADE META

KEF first introduced the KEF Blade in 2011, a very different looking floorstanding loudspeaker that has become an iconic design. This was followed by the KEF Blade 2 in 2014, a more compact and less expensive version of the original.

KEF Blade One Meta retails at £30,000 and the KEF Blade Two Meta at £22,500.

You can read more about the technical aspects of the KEF Blade Meta speakers here.

The new KEF Blade One Meta in blue

KEF REFERENCE META

The Reference series encompasses two three-way floorstanding speakers, a three-way standmount speaker, and two three-way centre speakers that can be used as Left-Centre-Right speakers. They feature a bespoke 12th generation Uni-Q with MAT, driver array.

Click here for more info on The Reference range along with the prices.

The KEF Reference 5 Meta floorstanding loudspeaker

DR JACK OCLEE-BROWN, KEF VP OF TECHNOLOGY

Prior to the KEF Meta event at Nintronics, we caught up with Dr Jack Oclee-Brown. Jack has been with KEF for nearly eighteen years working his way up from Senior Research Engineer to his current position as KEF VP Of Technology, he is responsible for the research, development and design of loudspeakers, drivers and acoustic technologies for the British brand.

We asked him about MAT, KEF Meta and a little more about his time at KEF and the music to show off the speakers he works on.

Dr Jack Oclee-Brown, KEF VP of Technology shows off his work at Nintronics

HiFi Pig: In a nutshell, what is MAT and how does it benefit the new KEF Meta generation of loudspeakers?

Jack: MAT is a special kind of sound absorber using metamaterial technology. It is much more effective than conventional materials, such as wool, wadding or foam, and we use it to catch the back-wave from the tweeter much more effectively. This prevents the wave from reflecting back towards the tweeter dome and interfering with the loudspeaker’s output. It’s a key ingredient in the new Uni-Q that has allowed us to make a big step forward in the performance of the new speakers.

MAT is only one part of the story though, the entire Uni-Q for the new Blade META and Reference META loudspeaker is new and there are many other improvements too.

HiFi Pig: You have been with KEF for nearly eighteen years, what has been your most memorable achievement during that time?

Jack: You’re right! It really doesn’t feel like eighteen years. I find it tricky to pick out one particular product or moment, but I’m very proud of the new technology that we’ve developed during that time. And how the R&D team in Maidstone has evolved to take on the new challenges that come with active and streaming products.

HiFi Pig: How does the long history of KEF influence the design process, is looking back as important as looking to the future and why?

Jack: KEF was founded because of Raymond’s (Raymond Cooke who founded KEF in the 1960s) ambitions to do things differently and apply new materials and techniques to loudspeaker design. We have a product museum in Maidstone right next to our R&D listening room displaying many historic speakers containing significant advancements. On the shelves in the engineering office are lab books from illustrious ex-KEF engineers: Laurie Fincham, Richard Small, Andrew Jones. One of our measurement rooms was custom-built to take advantage of new computer measurement techniques. It’s impossible for us to escape from our history and heritage or ignore how seriously technology and engineering is taken at KEF. This certainly heavily influences how we go about our work on new products and encourages us to be progressive, innovative and look to new technology.

HiFi Pig: What is the one loudspeaker design (not KEF) that you wish you had been involved with and why?

Jack: As a sixth-former, I had a copy of Colloms “High-Performance Loudspeakers” with a photograph of the Nautilus on the cover. Nautilus is an icon of loudspeaker design. Just from the photo you can immediately understand the wonderful clarity of vision that Laurence Dickie had for this loudspeaker: low diffraction, pistonic drivers, low cabinet colouration.

HiFi Pig: KEF won’t be exhibiting at High End Munich this year, do you think that this will just be a pause for 2022 or do you think that dealer events like this and smaller HiFi shows are becoming a more useful way to connect with potential new customers? Has the covid pandemic changed the way that internationally known HiFi brands like KEF communicate with their followers?

Jack: Munich is on pause for us this year, but we may be back in the future. We want to engage with potential new customers on their terms. Munich is great as a celebration of HiFi and as an industry melting pot. Smaller focused events like this one at Nintronics are a completely different atmosphere. We have a lot more time to talk to people one on one and go into some of the finer details of our products. The Pandemic has forced us to do a lot more online, which has been great in some ways because it opens up a very direct dialogue between us and customers. No doubt this will continue to grow in importance. But it’s also really critical for us to be able to give potential new customers the experience of hearing and seeing our products in the flesh, and events and retailers are the key to this.

HiFi Pig: Many brands stick to the safe waters of female vocals and plinkety plonkety jazz when demonstrating their new HiFi products, what three tracks would you pick that would rock the boat and show what the new KEF Meta speakers can really do?

Jack: 1, Killing in the name of (Rage Against the Machine). This was a fan favourite from the Concept Blade launch back in 2009. Blade META plays this effortlessly even at insane levels. Guaranteed adrenaline rush.

2, God give me strength (Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach). Somehow this song passed me by until a colleague recently played it to me. Beautifully written and performed, lyrics that paint a picture, great recording too.

3, Free (Deniece Williams). This track is simply fantastic from the ethereal intro, the incredible vocals and then the groove. Heaven.

JANINE ELLIOT’S THOUGHTS ON THE KEF META EVENT

Long time HiFi Pig reviewer Janine Elliot gives the new KEF Meta speakers a listen, I think she is particularly taken with the KEF Blade One Meta:

“Luckily, I don’t live far from Nintronics in Welwyn Garden City where we were to have a first-hand audition of both the new KEF Blade One Meta and also the new KEF Reference 5 Meta (floorstander) and 1 Meta (stand mount) speaker. As well as plenty of refreshments and sandwiches this HiFi dealer is well stocked with both mid and hi-end stock and their listening rooms were a good size to do some serious listening. Jack Oclee-Brown, VP of Technology for KEF, was still on hand to answer a few questions I had.

After a coffee, the all-important listening was quickly started. I needed to see just how much better the META versions of these iconic speakers were to the previous incarnation. The Nintronics building was busy with customer so I was able to listen to a wide variety of music styles, mostly from digital sources.

The most important change since the original 2011 Blade is MAT – Metamaterial Absorption Technology – and it was clearly evident in my listening that the new 12^th generation mid/high Uni-Q driver on the front of the Blade One Meta was creating a much more precise and accurate rendition of the important mid and high frequencies. Manufacturers of speakers and IEMs/Headphones are well aware that as well as sounds heading out to your ears, there are sounds and energies going in the opposite direction which need to be removed, normally with foam. Jack told me that for the Uni-Q there would need to be half a meter of foam to do the same as the MAT tweeter absorber. This is a flat cylindrical plastic unit with a maze of corridors for sound to exit (looking similar to that game you used to play as a child where you get the ball-bearing to the centre of the maze) that sits to the rear of the tweeter vent. In all my listening, both on the Blade and Reference, the mids and tops were even more accurate and quick than they were in the original speakers.

That Uni-Q design has advanced much since its beginnings in 1989. Indeed, cymbal crashes and hi-hat taps were particularly clean and accurate, and mid frequency vocals, such as “Billy Jean” from the Civil Wars was expertly furnished across the sound stage. Having crossover points at 350Hz and 2000Hz enabled the vocal pair to come across smoothly and very musically rich, with the transients from the acoustic guitar coherent and spacious. Whatever volume the music was set at there was a perfect balance of all frequencies. Those four 9” bass units on the sides of the Blades gave an excellent account of the music, especially the explosions on Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture (Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati  Pops Orchestra). The extension to lowest lows was only to be expected from this calibre of a speaker, and I wasn’t to be disappointed, even though I was told the Blade wasn’t yet run-in. The bass was just right, emanating beautifully across the room.

Accompanying the KEF Blade One Meta were Gryphon Essence pre and power amps and the Dutch Pink Form Streamer 2.16. Music was precise and very coherent. Whether I was listening to classical or jazz the sound just flowed into the room. I wasn’t listening to loudspeakers. Rather I was in the concert hall or recording studio. Having the 9” bass drivers on the side not only makes the thin unit look like a knife blade, hence the name, but it allows the bass to fill the room without hitting you in the face! Whether bass drums or canons firing in Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, this £30,000 marvel sounded every bit its worth, and audibly improved from the earlier model, particularly top frequency precision. This Blade One Meta was in black, but there is a choice of 8 colours. It would look lovely whatever you chose for your music room. Even the Uni-Q driver comes in a selection of colours to choose from. And, if the Blade One Meta or its smaller sibling the Blade Two Meta are out of your price range, then the cheaper Reference speaker on display, the KEF Reference 5 Meta, gave a good account of itself, notably to be expected the mid and top frequencies. Amplification for the Ref 5 was McIntosh with the excellent Linn Klimax streamer completed the system. Vocals from “Eye in the Sky”, Alan Parsons, were excellently crafted across the soundstage and equally front and back.

This was an interesting and enjoyable listening session at Nintronics with a good turnout, and whilst the Reference 5 and 1 were both excellent, the KEF Blade One Meta – not surprisingly – was the star of the show”.

KIT LIST

System 1
KEF Blade One Meta
Gryphon Essence Pre (with phono stage)
Gryphon Essence Power
Pink Faun 2.16 Streamer
Bergmann Galder Turntable – Odin Arm, Ortofon Windfeld Ti cartrdige
Jorma Design cabling

System 2
KEF Reference 1 Meta
Innuos Zen Mk3
Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC
YBA Signature Pre
YBA Signature Monos

System 3
KEF Reference 5 Meta
McIntosh C12000 Pre
McIntosh MC1.25Kw monos
Linn Klimax DSM

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HIFI DEALER

At HiFi Pig, we have been championing bricks and mortar HiFi Shops and showrooms for years and we always encourage our readers to attend the fabulous events that they put on and make use of the fantastic services that they offer customers. You can find out more about our ‘Support Your HiFi dealer’ campaign here and if your local dealer isn’t on the map, ask them to get in touch with us.

Support Your Local HiFi Dealer!

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