Our brand ambassador, Johan Coorg, recently received this letter from a Blade client he worked with back in June. Beyond the fact that we're very proud of how he feels about his Blades, there is a wealth of information gained from Paul's experience we thought we should share:
Greetings Johan,
I hope this email is not an intrusion but I felt compelled to write you once again. The simple reason is that this past Thursday I felt like I heard the Blades for the very first time. Perhaps a little explanation is necessary.
I have always approached component purchases using a "weak link in the chain" theory. It was that theory that convinced me to upgrade my Focal Electra 1038Be's to the Blades. That proved to be a very smart move. So in late June 2013, the Blades arrived, I set them up, with some assistance from you and Mr. Oclee-Brown, and I was very pleased with the results. Friends commented how marvelous the system sounded.
Soon enough, however, I really began to see another weak link. The DAC I was using was the Esoteric D07x. I did not think it worked with the Esoteric A02 amp, C03 preamp, Aurender S10 Music Server, Blades, Nordost Odin, V1 and V2 and the other reference components that I was also using. After much consideration I decided to upgrade the D07x to the Esoteric D-02. A DAC that I feel is one of the world's best. It arrived in my home on August 20th and requires 200 hours of break in time. So I loaded up the Aurender S10 and began playing tunes through the DAC. Sometimes with the amp and preamp on, sometimes off. If I actually listened to music I did so at very low volume. On Thursday, August 22nd curiosity won out and I decided to take the system for a test drive. Nothing could have prepared me for what I heard.
With the D07x the bass was adequate but not superior. In fact, I was even thinking about a subwoofer. The mids were also very clean and articulate and the highs were actually very nice. But everything had a "digital" sound. If this makes any sense, cymbals tended to have a "tsss" sound rather than a "chhh" sound. I sometimes felt engaged with the music, sometimes not. What I heard with some of my reference songs played through the D-02 was the most transformative occurrence in my system development to date.
Now the sound from the lowest frequency to the highest is astonishing. The bass has a huge amount of presence, impact, detail and slam. I can actually feel the bass it has so much power. The midrange is full, out front and very much present. The dynamics are very wide. The digital sound is far more analog sounding. Cymbals now sound like cymbals. Detail is razor sharp. Sounds seem to appear from a black space, so much so it is almost erie. The soundstage is far more developed both on a linear basis and also front to back. The music is now so engaging I find myself thinking about how good it sounds throughout the day. In short, the sound is magnificent.
"I now feel like I was only taking the Blades out for a stroll in the park. Now I am taking them out for a fast paced run. And I cannot keep up."
While this may sound like a testimony to a DAC, and it is obviously partly responsible, I assure you it is not meant that way. Previously, I now feel like I was only taking the Blades out for a stroll in the park. Now I am taking them out for a fast paced run. And I cannot keep up. My purpose in writing you again is to let you know that I am stunned how good these speakers sound. Give them something they can work with and it is plainly obvious how wonderfully they can perform. I don't see how it would be possible for me to be more pleased.
I wanted to formally thank you, Mr. Oclee-Brown, the engineering staff, the production and assembly staff and everyone at KEF, UK for a triumph of speaker design and manufacture. I now understand why the Blades have won so many awards and accolades. After hearing them "for the first time" on August 22nd, I can rest easy, I have found my reference speakers. And as one of KEF's ads claim, "prepare to be astonished." I can say that I am.
I would sincerely appreciate it if you could share this with everyone at KEF. I would like them all to know what an outstanding job I think they accomplished and how thrilled I am to be an owner of the KEF Blade.
With Kindest Regards, Paul - Charlotte, NC
Paul eloquently describes the unarguable fact that your sound system is only as good as the weakest component in the chain, and we're super-proud that our Blade speakers strenghthen every audio chain they're connected to!
