KEF Reference 207/2s, 3s, or Blade 2s

Two different animals for sure. You'd better listen to both.

The Kef Blade is in a different league from the older 207.2 so if you are looking at a speaker for the next 20 years go find a used Blade.

What is your budget anyway?

I'm 81; my mother and three of her siblings lived to over 100, so 20 years might be the correct period.  The 207/2s are $7K, Blade 2s $14K.

db

@dbphd   Someone on another thread recently posted something very appropos ... (wish I could remember which thread regarding what I will say)....much more elegantly.

Factor time into your equation (hearing ability, life-span, etc) and I'd say the choice is crystal clear. For me, it reverses the $14K or $7K, should either amount be in your comfort zone.

Blade 2s all the way. Or if space, room and aesthetics allow go for the Blade...they are also heavily discounted.

David_len,

Do you men discounted when purchased new or used on A'Gon?

I have seen the Blades on a heavier discount demo/used through dealers, than the 2s.

First of all, I don't have any experience with the  KEF Reference 207/2s, 3s. But, I did hear the Blade 2s at LAAS with the Hegel H360, as well as the Rost and Hegel's reference separates. Basically a three-way shoot out. If you look up my user name you can find my comments from around June. 

Cliffnotes, the Blade 2s with the H360 were very good. The DAC in the H360 sounded very good as well and I could live with that setup pretty easily. The Rost was OK, but the H360 was much better and the separates were only a small percentage better.

I was recently demoed with the Blades vs B&W802d3s
After all the hype round the Blades I was prepared to buy - and I am so glad I did not.
Compared to the  B&W 802d3 I found the blades lifeless and lack of detail
I had earlier heard the 207s at a friend's house (hence demoing the Blades) and was impressed, but he did have powerful Krell monoblocks to drive them - which is probably what they needed.
I am not surprised the Blades are heavily discounted - not a successful  product in my mind

"I am not surprised the Blades are heavily discounted - not a successful product in my mind". 

This is quite a great bit of news for me. I want to get some new Blades and a discount will suit me fine.

tatyana69, the Blades are universally hearalded as being one of the best speakers out there. 

If you heard a set of 207.2 at a friends and was impressed but heard them elsewhere and was not impressed wouldn't that get your spidy sense tingling?

Do you think Kef would have dropped $3-4 million dollars on the Blade project not to outperform a set of 207.2?

We had both speakers and the Blades smoke the 207.2 in every way, the 207.2 does have a slightly richer midrange. 

Blades are not heavily discounted, some of the ones here have been from stores which closed or dealers who lost their franchises. 

The Blades when well set up are fantastic and have excellent detail, a huge soundstage and very deep room filling bass.

What was the dealer using for gear? How were they setup?

So unless you heard both speakers in the same soundroom with the same gear it is impossible to tell why one speaker is souding good to you and another is not based on I would presume to be two entirely different rooms, with completely different gear?

Dave Owner
Audio Doctor NJ

I didn't compare the 207s with the blades
I heard the 207s and was impressed so I thought I would give the Blades a try

I compared the Blades at a dealer vs B&W802d3s

No comparison - so many areas were better with the B&Ws

(I ended up buying the B&W800d3s)