In this review, we will be comparing Blade Two Meta and Blade One Meta, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Blade Two Meta and KEF Blade One Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Blade Two Meta | KEF Blade One Meta |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT | 1" aluminium dome with MAT |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone | 4 x 9" aluminium cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-35k Hz | 35-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 50-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.50kg / 78.1lbs | 57.20kg / 125.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 57.5" x 13.3" x 18.7"
1461 x 338 x 475 mm | 62.5" x 14.3" x 21.2"
1590 x 363 x 540 mm |
|---|
Blade Two Meta and Blade One Meta are members of KEF's Blade META series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
KEF Blade META Series
History
What size room are the KEF Blade Two Meta and KEF Blade One Meta 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 Two Meta |
KEF Blade One Meta |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Blade Two Meta and Blade One Meta are 3-way speakers.
KEF Blade Two MetaKEF Blade One Meta
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 Two Meta |
KEF Blade One Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 9-inch
|
Blade Two Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2200Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Blade Two Meta has a frequency range of 33-35k Hz whereas Blade One Meta has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Blade Two Meta can go slightly deeper then 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 Two Meta and Blade One Meta have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Blade Two Meta sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Blade One Meta's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF Blade One Meta a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Blade Two Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Blade Two Meta and the Blade Two Meta can provide this impedance level.
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 Two Meta and Blade One Meta have the same power range of 50-400 watts.
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
Blade Two Meta features Binding posts type posts and Blade One Meta has a Binding posts type posts. None of these speakers 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 Two Meta's and KEF Blade One Meta's external dimensions. KEF Blade Two Meta has external dimensions of 1461 x 338 x 475 mm (57.5 x 13.3 x 18.7 in.) whereas KEF Blade One Meta has external dimensions of 1590 x 363 x 540 mm (62.5 x 14.3 x 21.2 in.).
KEF Blade One Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 129mm taller and 65mm deeper than KEF Blade Two Meta.
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 Two Meta is approximately 1605.5cm2 / 248.9inch2 and base area of the KEF Blade One Meta is approximately 1960.2cm2 / 303.8inch2. The Blade Two Meta requires 18% less surface area than the Blade One Meta which gives it a small advantage 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 Two Meta weighs 35.50kg / 78.1lbs and the KEF Blade One Meta weighs 57.20kg / 125.8lbs. This makes the Blade One Meta 61% heavier than the Blade Two Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Blade Two Meta and Blade One Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Minimum Impedance |
3.2 ohms
vs
2.8 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1461mm
vs
1590mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1605cm2
vs
1960cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
28000USD
vs
35000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
9 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
KEF Blade Two Meta |
KEF Blade One Meta |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
50-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
2.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-35k Hz |
35-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
9" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
aluminium cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
aluminium dome with MAT |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2200Hz |
350Hz and 2000Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1461.0mm (57.5") |
1590.0mm (62.6") |
| Width |
338.0mm (13.3") |
363.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
475.0mm (18.7") |
540.0mm (21.3") |
| Weight |
35.50kg (78.1lbs) |
57.20kg (125.8lbs) |
| 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 |
Piano Black/Copper, Piano Black/Grey, Frosted Blue/Blue, Frosted Blue/Bronze, Charcoal Grey/Red, Charcoal Grey/Bronze, Racing Red/Grey, Arctic White/Champagne |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
Siblings in KEF's Blade META series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (33Hz vs 35Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
KEF Blade One Meta is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (400W vs 400W). |
| Size |
depends |
KEF Blade Two Meta is easier to place; KEF Blade One Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
A |
KEF Blade Two Meta is cheaper - $28,000 against $35,000, about 20% less. |
A KEF Blade Two Meta
B KEF Blade One Meta
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?
The usual trade-off: KEF Blade One Meta measures better, KEF Blade Two Meta costs about 20% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KEF Blade One Meta is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.