In this review, we will be comparing Blade One Meta and F328Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Blade One Meta and Revel PerformaBe F328Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Blade One Meta | Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 9" aluminium cone | 3 x 8.0" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-35k Hz | 26-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 57.20kg / 125.8lbs | 51.18kg / 112.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 62.5" x 14.3" x 21.2"
1590 x 363 x 540 mm | 50-15/16" x 13-1/2" x 17-5/8"
1294.0 x 343.0 x 448.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Blade One Meta and Revel PerformaBe F328Be speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
KEF Blade One Meta |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Blade One Meta and F328Be are 3-way speakers.
KEF Blade One MetaRevel PerformaBe F328Be
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF Blade One Meta |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 9-inch
|
3 x 8.0-inch
|
Blade One Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 9" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the F328Be features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Blade One Meta has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz whereas F328Be has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the F328Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Blade One Meta's min frequency of 35Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Blade One Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the F328Be which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Blade One Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Blade One Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the F328Be's is rated at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Revel PerformaBe F328Be a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Blade One Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Blade One Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas F328Be has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Blade One Meta.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
F328Be features 5-way posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Blade One Meta has a Binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare KEF Blade One Meta's and Revel PerformaBe F328Be's external dimensions. KEF Blade One Meta has external dimensions of 1590 x 363 x 540 mm (62.5 x 14.3 x 21.2 in.) whereas Revel PerformaBe F328Be has external dimensions of 1294.0 x 343.0 x 448.0mm (50-15/16 x 13-1/2 x 17-5/8inch).
KEF Blade One Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 20mm wider, 296mm taller and 92mm deeper than Revel PerformaBe F328Be.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the KEF Blade One Meta is approximately 1960.2cm2 / 303.8inch2 and base area of the Revel PerformaBe F328Be is approximately 1536.6cm2 / 238.2inch2. The Blade One Meta requires 28% more surface area than the F328Be which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The KEF Blade One Meta weighs 57.20kg / 125.8lbs and the Revel PerformaBe F328Be weighs 51.18kg / 112.6lbs. This makes the Blade One Meta 12% heavier than the F328Be.
Here is a comparison of how Blade One Meta and F328Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Revel PerformaBe F328Be?
Here are the items that come with the F328Be:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
9 inches
vs
8.0 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
3
|
More woofers |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1294mm
vs
1590mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1536cm2
vs
1960cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
17600USD
vs
35000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Blade One Meta |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
| Brand |
KEF |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
35-35k Hz |
26-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
9" |
8.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1590.0mm (62.6") |
1294.0mm (50.9") |
| Width |
363.0mm (14.3") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Depth |
540.0mm (21.3") |
448.0mm (17.6") |
| Weight |
57.20kg (125.8lbs) |
51.18kg (112.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black/Copper, Piano Black/Grey, Frosted Blue/Blue, Frosted Blue/Bronze, Charcoal Grey/Red, Charcoal Grey/Bronze, Racing Red/Grey, Arctic White/Champagne |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF Blade One Meta costs roughly 2x what Revel PerformaBe F328Be does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be digs deeper - 26Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
A |
KEF Blade One Meta takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be is easier to place; KEF Blade One Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be is cheaper - $17,600 against $35,000, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Blade One Meta
B Revel PerformaBe F328Be
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement or how you will use them.
Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Revel PerformaBe F328Be is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take KEF Blade One Meta if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 35Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Blade One Meta the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.