KEF Blade One Meta
Free Shipping On All Orders, No Minimums.
We offer free 2-day shipping on most products within the continental US.
Weekdays - Orders placed by 2pm EST ship same day. Orders placed after 2pm EST will ship the following business day.
Weekends - Orders placed on Saturday and Sunday will ship Monday.
Orders requiring motor freight delivery may take more than two business days. Once your order has shipped, you'll receive a shipping confirmation email with a tracking number for easy tracking.
Orders that contain items that are currently backordered, special order, or out of stock will ship complete once all items are in-stock unless otherwise requested.
If you need it faster, you will have the option of choosing a quicker shipping option when you checkout on the website.
At this time, we do not ship internationally and orders to Hawaii and Alaska may incur an additional shipping charge. Please contact us at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com to confirm.
Rerouting and Address Changes
We cannot make ANY address changes once an order is placed. If you are unable to accept delivery of your package as ordered, we will need to cancel your order, return the package to sender and have you replace your order through our website.
Keep the Box
We suggest you keep the shipping box or boxes for at least 30 days. It is actually a great idea to keep boxes for audio products for the life of the product. Having the box and all packing will increase the trade-in value should you decide to move up and they are handy to have should you ever need to send the unit in for repair.
How To Receive a Motor Freight Order
The trucking company will contact you to schedule a convenient time to deliver the order. Please note that you must be present for delivery.
Visually inspect the box to make sure you see no signs of damage. If you notice any damage at all, take some pictures with your phone and make a note of them on the delivery receipt the driver will ask you to sign. If it is obvious that the product is damaged, please refuse the order and contact us immediately at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com.
Open your box as soon as possible and inspect the product for damage and contact us if you find anything wrong.
uShip In-Home Delivery
Due to current concerns surrounding COVID-19, uShip is able to offer THRESHOLD SERVICE ONLY at this time. To ensure everyone’s safety, uShip is advising carriers to refrain from making room-of-choice deliveries. Threshold service consists of the shipment being brought into the first door of the address or the lobby of an apartment/condo, and does not include set-up, installation, assembly or debris removal.
What to Expect: Most oversized items will be delivered within 2-3 weeks. Your carrier will place your item inside the first door of the address or the lobby of an apartment/condo.
Appointment Scheduling: Your delivery partner will call 24-48 hours prior to delivery to arrange an appointment window.
How to prepare for in-home delivery:
- Determine the clearest path from the street to your home
- Measure entrances and hallways to ensure your item will fit
- Remove any wall hangings or clutter to ensure a clear path and to prevent damages
- Remove old furnishings to allow placement for your new piece
Check your furniture for damages: We rarely expect damaged furniture, but in the instance it does happen, we have you covered. Once your item’s packaging is removed, check for any damages that may have occurred in transit. Take pictures of any damages and notate appropriately on the delivery receipt. Keep possession of the damaged piece and contact us via phone or email and we’ll start the process to repair/replace your new piece of furniture. For uShip customer support, please call 800-698-7447.
At Audio Advice, we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction. We'll bend over backward to make sure you're 100% satisfied and we won't accept anything less. We offer 30-day hassle-free returns and personalized service from real, live people.
If an item doesn't meet your expectations, you may return or exchange it in its original condition and packaging within 30 days for a full refund, minus shipping fees. Items shipped back in like new condition through standard shipping carriers will only incur a flat fee of $15 to return. If the items were initially shipped through free scheduled delivery via motor freight (commonly referred to as LTL), returning them will result in return shipping fees starting at $150. These items include but are not limited to, oversized items such as TVs, certain subwoofers, floorstanding speakers, furniture, and most items weighing over 75 pounds. Return fees will also apply for exchanges. We want to treat your system as if it is our own and want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase.
Please see the instructions below. We only accept returns for any product purchased directly from our website. If merchandise is not returned in its original condition or is missing packaging, manuals, accessories or other parts, or the resale value of the product has been impaired, a partial refund will be given and calculated on a case-by-case basis.
Non-Returnable Items
The following items cannot be returned or cancelled:
- Special/Custom Order Items
- Open Box Products
- Gift Cards
- In-ear headphones cannot be returned once the packaging has been opened due to personal hygiene reasons. Please contact our customer care team if you'd like help choosing.
-
Turntables With a Broken Stylus: All turntables ship out with the stylus intact. If you return a turntable or phono cartridge with a broken or missing stylus you will be subject to a return fee. Please be careful when setting up your turntable and contact us with any questions.
Is It Easy To Return An Item?
Yes, simply give us a call at 888.899.8776 or you can email our support team at support@audioadvice.com. Many times our team of experts can help figure out why the product might not be working like you expected and get things fixed over the phone, so don’t be surprised if we ask a few questions, we love troubleshooting!
If our tech help can not make you happy, we will email over a return shipping label with a Return Number.
Hopefully, you saved all of the original item’s box and packaging inserts. You will want to pack back up your return or exchange in the same way it came out of the original box. Once you have everything packaged correctly, tape the box on the top and bottom to assure it stays together. If Audio Advice shipped the item to you inside a second box, it's a good idea to use that same extra box to help prevent damage on its way back to us. To avoid it accidentally coming back to you, use a magic marker to cross out the old shipping label or just tear it off.
The return shipping label we send you will have our address on it, just make sure you take the box to the right shipper (UPS, FEDEX, or USPS) as per the label.
If you are close to one of our stores, please let us know if it is more convenient for you to return it to us directly. You will still need to get a return number by contacting us and shipping and/or restocking charges may apply.
When Will I See My Refund?
It usually takes around 7-14 days for the refund to show up on the payment method you used. We do inspect all returns for damage and accuracy of the item inside the box before issuing a refund. Some items may be subject to shipping and restocking fees.
Can I Exchange My Purchase For Something Different?
Sometimes those big speakers just don’t fit in the room or you might have bought a small subwoofer and later found out you’d love a bigger one. If you would like to make an exchange within 30 days of receiving your item, just give us a call at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com and we will help work out the details. Additional shipping charges and return costs may apply.
How Do I Cancel An Order?
If the item has already shipped out or is a special order item, it is not possible to cancel the order. Please contact us at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com to start the return process.
What If I Find Shipping Damage?
We need to know right away about any shipping damage. Please contact us at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com within 48 hours of your delivery so we can get the ball rolling on making things right. It’s very helpful to take some pictures and email them to us if possible.
Can I Refuse A Shipment?
You can, but unless the item is damaged, shipping and restocking fees will be deducted from your refund. If your item arrives damaged and you are lucky enough to be there, snap some quick pics and refuse the order. Then contact us so we can get a replacement on the way.
What Happens If My Order Is Defective?
This is actually pretty rare, most consumer electronics work fine out of the box 99.9% of the time. We’d like for you to contact us first by calling 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com so we can help get to the bottom of things. If your item is indeed defective during the first 30 days, we can usually exchange it for a new, replacement unit.
What About Service After 30 Days?
Audio Advice has a great relationship with all of our brands and can help you with warranty service by the brand after our 30-day guarantee period. Even after the warranty expires, we can arrange for service by the brand on products purchased from Audio Advice. Just call 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com.
How Do You Determine A Restocking Fee?
You may not believe it, but sometimes we receive items back that were put in the box with zero packaging and are completely destroyed or are missing many of the pieces that came with the item. We also track serial numbers and will get back different serial numbers. We’ve even seen different items than what we shipped out be returned. However, it’s very important to package your return properly so that nothing goes missing or gets damaged in shipping, which will result in a restocking fee or even no refund at all. If a product is opened and the market value of the product is reduced, then a restocking fee may be applied to the cost of restocking and the reduced market value of the product. The bottom line is if you treat us fairly, we will do the same.
Audio Advice strives to provide industry-leading support and service while also maintaining the lowest prices available on products for our customers. We work hard with our vendors to bring our customers the best products at each price point. As a part of that process, we work with our vendors to provide the lowest pricing in our stores and on our website.
Our prices should always be the same as any other authorized dealer, including big-box retailers and major online retailers.
If you believe that you have found a lower advertised price from a legitimate authorized seller, call us and let us know so we can make sure we can correct any inadvertent error on our side. As a matter of policy, we update our prices automatically if a vendor changes its authorized pricing policies, so we generally have the best prices all the time. Increasingly, there are knock-off copies of products online, usually sold by non-authorized dealers.
Please be sure that the item meets the following conditions:
- The item is brand new, in stock, and available for purchase
- The item has the identical model number, color, etc as the item on our site.
- The seller is an authorized dealer
As always, our goal is to provide a terrific customer experience, including industry low prices. We appreciate your support.
Overview
The High Notes
Uncompromised Innovation
12th Generation Uni-Q Technology
Finished to Perfection
When it comes to audio equipment, few brands can match the reputation and innovation of KEF. Their flagship speaker, the Blade One Meta, is a prime example of their dedication to audio excellence. In this review, we'll delve into the features and technology that make the Blade One Meta a standout speaker. We'll also take a close look at its striking design and construction. Finally, we'll share our experiences from extensive listening and performance testing. By the end of this review, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of what makes the KEF Blade One Meta one of the most highly regarded speakers in the audio industry.
Features & Technology
KEF's pursuit of audio excellence has led to some of the most groundbreaking speaker designs in history. In 2009, their engineers were given complete creative freedom to develop a speaker that would showcase KEF's technological leadership and innovation. The result was the revolutionary Concept Blade, the world's first Single Apparent Source loudspeaker. They used their ninth generation of the Uni-Q driver array that they first developed in 1988 to make this possible. In 2011, the Blade series became available to serious audiophiles, and since then, KEF has continued to refine and innovate. The Blade One Meta is the latest and most advanced iteration of this iconic speaker design.
KEF Uni-Q Technology
Traditional loudspeakers have drivers producing various frequencies that radiate from separate points, causing interference as they interact. Single Apparent Source technology eliminates this interference, resulting in a crystal-clear and accurate sound that is more realistic and immersive. This is accomplished with KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array, where all frequencies radiate from one single point, resulting in remarkably precise imaging and highly accurate sound over a wide listening area.
To achieve the acoustic ideal of a point source, four low-frequency drivers are placed back to back to cancel out any kinetic forces and are arranged in symmetrical pairs around a two-way Uni-Q driver. In addition, every set of low-frequency drivers is positioned in a separate chamber to minimize the possibility of interference and decrease the need for damping, which can negatively impact bass performance. With the woofers and Uni-Q drivers sharing the same acoustic center, the mid and high frequencies merge seamlessly with the low frequencies, creating a coherent, point-source-like sound that is only achievable with this unique driver configuration.
Uni-Q Driver Array
The Single Apparent Source technology relies on the innovative Uni-Q driver array, which is the foundation of KEF's distinctive sound signature. Uni-Q technology is designed to optimize sound dispersion throughout a room by precisely positioning the tweeter at the acoustic center of the bass/midrange cone. By working in tandem as a single point source, this configuration eliminates the typical "sweet spot" limitation and allows for a more even distribution of natural, detailed sound. As a result, everyone in the room can enjoy the same exceptional audio experience, regardless of their seating position.
And in the Blade One Meta’s they are using their latest 12th generation Uni-Q design. The 12th iteration of the Uni-Q now includes Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which reduces coloration and distortion, and comes with a range of new features such as strengthened ribs behind the Tangerine Waveguide, a redesigned tweeter gap damper, Mk2 Cone Neck Control, and an improved mid-frequency motor system.
At Audio Advice, we just love when engineers push the limits of sound and believe that this technology is a true masterpiece of modern-day engineering. On top of that, KEF has used this research to trickle down this technology into many of their other speakers, such as the LS60, LSX II and their new R Meta Series of speakers.
Uni-Core Technology
Uni-Core is an innovative system that effectively addresses performance issues associated with placing force canceling drivers into a smaller cabinet. By combining both back-to-back drivers into a single motor system, Uni-Core® enables more driver excursion than other force canceling designs. This is achieved through overlapping, concentrically arranged voice coils, which provide greater output and depth from a compact space.
The Blade One Meta’s feature two force-canceling woofer arrays, making four 9” woofers in total. The midrange driver is 5 inches, with the aluminum tweeter that sits in the middle being 1”.
Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT)
Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT™) is a game-changing technology in KEF's acoustic toolbox. It features a complex, maze-like structure that efficiently eliminates unwanted sound waves from the rear of the driver. This results in a more natural and pure performance, making MAT™ a truly revolutionary tool in the audio industry.
KEF Blade One Meta's Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT™) features tuned channels that effectively absorb up to 99% of unwanted sound from the rear of the driver. This advanced technology outperforms other loudspeakers that use different approaches, which typically only absorb around 60% of unwanted sound.
Design & Build Quality
KEF has been producing award-winning loudspeakers since 1961 at their UK headquarters in Maidstone, Kent. Blade, their flagship HiFi speaker, is still designed, engineered, and handcrafted in Maidstone by their in-house KEF product design team. Working with Eric Chan of ECCO Design, the team created Blade's distinctive visual identity inspired by Brancusi's "Bird in Space." The cabinet's slim proportions, tapering gracefully from top to bottom and front to rear, give Blade a sculptural presence. It is available in eight finishes, with five cabinet finishes blended with six Uni-Q driver cone colors, including high-gloss and matte satin cabinet finishes.
Every Blade speaker is built as a pair by one single craftsman from the very start to the end. And this is clear when you look at the details in the finishes on this speaker. Every line and curve is well thought out and pieced together with precision. It stands 61 inches tall and weighs 126 pounds. There are two force-canceling woofer arrays, making four 9” woofers in total. They have a sensitivity of 88 dB and an impedance of 4 ohms. Their frequency range is from 35 Hz to 35 kHz (+/- 3 dB). Their spikes are well-made and are easily adjustable to get the speaker perfectly level.
Performance
Cigarettes by Noah Gundersen (2014 album, Ledges)
There’s something about a musical performance that is so true to the artist, you can not only hear it in their voice but feel it in your bones as they sing. Noah Gundersen’s song, Cigarettes, is a hauntingly beautiful, melancholic, and introspective folk song that explores the emotional side of addiction, love, and heartbreak. Acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, vocals, violin, and drums all play out in a stripped-down arrangement with a raw emotional power behind every note.
On the Blade One Meta’s, this song was emotive and expressive with slow, mournful guitar and somber, breathy vocals that were rendered with exceptional detail and clarity that really allowed us to appreciate the nuances in this track. The subtle harmonies floated beautifully in the background while the lead vocals were front and center with a sense of intimacy that really drew us into the song. The soundstage was wide, with great instrument separation even as we moved around the room to listen. There was a sense of depth that made it feel more like a live performance and allowed us to appreciate the complexity of the song as it progressed, with more rich, full-sounding instruments being added throughout the song.
Mirror by Madison Ryann Ward (2018 album, Mirror)
This song has beautiful vocals that are perfect for testing the Blade One Meta’s midrange. Madison’s vocals were detailed and accurate and really shined while still having a well-defined low end from the bassline. Striking clarity and realism in Madison’s voice puts you in the middle of her performance as if she was in front of you recording the song. The piano was rich and resonant, with each press of every key producing a well-defined and accurate sound.
The sound of a piano comes from the vibrations of strings, which creates a rich and harmonic structure that can be difficult for a speaker to reproduce faithfully. They cover a wide range of frequencies, and the speaker needs to be able to handle the fundamental notes along with the overtones, which are the higher-pitched harmonics that give pianos their distinctive sound. The Blade One Meta’s handled the piano and all the instruments on this track by Madison extremely well, with no detail being lost in the mix.
Lingus by Snarky Puppy (2014 Album, We Like It Here)
The KEF Blade One Meta speakers delivered a stunning presentation of Lingus by Snarky Puppy, highlighting the intricate rhythms, complex harmonies, and wide dynamic range of the track. The Uni-Q driver array of the KEF Blade One Meta speakers created a seamless and coherent soundstage, allowing for easy distinction between the various layers and instruments of the track. The speakers excelled at reproducing the brass and woodwind sections of the song, which can often sound muddled or unclear on lesser speaker systems.
Moreover, the KEF Blade One Meta's unique cabinet design, engineered to eliminate resonance and reduce unwanted vibrations, enabled the speakers to deliver this track with a high level of clarity and detail, particularly in the midrange frequencies.
Experience The KEF Blade One Meta Speakers Live In-Person!
Our award-winning Raleigh showroom currently has a pair of these incredible speakers on display for you to test in person and see what you think! Stop by anytime Tuesday - Saturday, 10 AM - 7 PM, and our expert sales team would be happy to give you a demo.
Overall Recommendation
In conclusion, the KEF Blade One Meta speakers are an exceptional addition to any audiophile's sound system. With their advanced technology, unique design, and meticulous engineering, they offer an unparalleled listening experience that truly immerses the listener in the music. Whether you're listening to classic rock, jazz, or modern funk, the KEF Blade One Meta speakers deliver an astonishing level of accuracy, precision, and clarity that allows you to fully appreciate the details and nuances of your favorite tracks. With the KEF Blade One Meta speakers, you can experience music the way it was meant to be heard, with every note and beat delivered with unparalleled fidelity and clarity.
We’re here to help!
Audio Advice has been in the industry since 1978, and throughout the years, we’ve developed a team of professionals who live and breathe all things audio and video. We spend countless hours testing and reviewing every product we sell to be sure it stands up to our extremely high-quality standards. With our state-of-the-art home theater audio lab, we can become experts in our products and provide our customers with in-depth, honest feedback.
When you buy from Audio Advice, you’re buying from a trusted seller since 1978. We offer Free Shipping, Free Returns, Lifetime Expert Support, and our Price Guarantee. We look forward to serving you!
