In this review, we will be comparing Blade Two Meta and Reference 5 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 Reference 5 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Blade Two Meta | KEF Reference 5 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| 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 6.5" aluminium cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-35k Hz | 40-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 50-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.50kg / 78.1lbs | 60.20kg / 132.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 57.5" x 13.3" x 18.7"
1461 x 338 x 475 mm | 55.2" x 12.7" x 18.4"
1402 x 323 x 467 mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Blade Two Meta and KEF Reference 5 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 Reference 5 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.
Drivers
Both Blade Two Meta and Reference 5 Meta are 3-way speakers.
KEF Blade Two MetaKEF Reference 5 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 Reference 5 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 6.5-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 Reference 5 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 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Blade Two Meta has a frequency range of 33-35k Hz whereas Reference 5 Meta has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Blade Two Meta can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 5 Meta's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 Reference 5 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 Reference 5 Meta's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF Reference 5 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 Reference 5 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
Both Blade Two Meta and Reference 5 Meta features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 5 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Reference 5 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 Reference 5 Meta has external dimensions of 1402 x 323 x 467 mm (55.2 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.).
KEF Blade Two Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 15mm wider, 59mm taller and 8mm deeper than KEF Reference 5 Meta.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. KEF Blade Two Meta is 59mm taller.
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 Reference 5 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2. The Blade Two Meta requires 6% more surface area than the Reference 5 Meta 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 Two Meta weighs 35.50kg / 78.1lbs and the KEF Reference 5 Meta weighs 60.20kg / 132.4lbs. This makes the Reference 5 Meta 70% heavier than the Blade Two Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Blade Two Meta and Reference 5 Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
1402mm
vs
1461mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1508cm2
vs
1605cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
22000USD
vs
28000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Blade Two Meta |
KEF Reference 5 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 |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-35k Hz |
40-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
aluminium cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| 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 |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1461.0mm (57.5") |
1402.0mm (55.2") |
| Width |
338.0mm (13.3") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
475.0mm (18.7") |
467.0mm (18.4") |
| Weight |
35.50kg (78.1lbs) |
60.20kg (132.4lbs) |
| 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 |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 years |
Both are KEF, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | KEF Blade Two Meta digs deeper - 33Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KEF Reference 5 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 | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF Blade Two Meta: bi-amping; KEF Reference 5 Meta: bi-amping. KEF Reference 5 Meta sits in a wider range (5 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KEF Reference 5 Meta is cheaper - $22,000 against $28,000, about 21% less. |
A KEF Blade Two Meta B KEF Reference 5 Meta
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF Reference 5 Meta much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KEF Reference 5 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.