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KEF's meta material gimmick?

Hi,

A thought just occured to me recently. Is KEF's Meta material just a genius marketing gimmick? I mean everyone and their grandmas reviewed the KEF LS50 Meta and they spent way too much time explaining the purpose of the meta material. I know white papers were published with conclusive results. KEF is beloved by the "measurements first" crowd so nobody bats an eye. The illustrations for the Meta material portray an intricate maze made of a some kind of gel. But isn't that just $1 piece of molded rubber? It's just a coaster relax. 

I wanna bet real money that the 365+ cork coasters from IKEA ($2.50 for 2) would accomplish the exact same thing. Cork is a great sound absorbing material. It's complex. Just glue that at the back of the driver. Mission accomplished? Am I missing something? 

 

128x128kokakolia

Showing 3 responses by nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,577 posts
 

Just wanted to return to Hania Rana's puzzling noises that I kept hearing in some of her tracks. Turns out it's just some looped effects at various levels and not the incidental noises picked up on a mic. 

There is still a fair amount of typical "studio sounds" that are heard.

All the best,
Nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,577 posts
 

I just finished listening to Hania Rana's ESJA CD. What I thought was a poor recording with constant soft, scratching, nick like sounds turned out to be the angle she was playing the keys with on the first two tracks (a guess on my part) They varied in speed and were not always distinctly heard. It could even have been something she wore that kept making contact with something.

The more I listened, the easier it was to hear every movement she made, foot peddle pressure, leg moving in sync, music sheets being turned, even the seat ever so slightly creaking as she moved around on it (she plays on three different keyboard instruments while centrally situated). 

All of this is (I'm assuming) made possible by the clarity of the tweeter with that ARID device lurking just behind the tweeter's dome. If you shine a bright light near it, you can just make out the nautilus shaped vanes of the device. Amazing sound.

All the best,
Nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,577 posts
 

My Revival Audio Atalante 3 speakers use a form of sound deadening behind the dome of its tweeter that does what KEF uses, albeit in a different manner. They call it ARID and It absorbs about 95% of the rearward sound from the tweeter, practically eliminating any standing waves behind it. Straight out of the box, it's some of the cleanest, clearest sound I've heard.

Does everyone think everything's been invented that can be invented?

All the best,
Nonoise

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