When KEF’s Jack Oclee-Brown saw what researchers in Hong Kong were doing with their air conditioners, he knew he was looking at hi-fi gold. Enter a new, budget-friendly speaker that punches 2 (even 3) levels above its price class…
Imagine as your flight descends on Hong Kong at night, it breaks through the fog and reveals the very image of vibrance—a city that glows like a bed of crystals, glistening with yellows, reds, blues, greens.
I like to imagine that’s what Jack Oclee-Brown, the VP of Technology at KEF, saw as he arrived in the far east city a few years ago. On business, of course, but pleasure isn’t far away when you love what you do.
In truth, he didn’t share that part of the story with me. Only the part where he discovered what would be one of the most monumental innovations KEF has adopted in recent years… one that was used to improve their venerated Blade One Meta speakers, which go for $60,000 a pair… and one that’s now present in their most accessible speaker range.
The same revolutionary tech KEF uses in their $60,000 Blade One Meta speakers is now available in their most affordable, everyday range… and the result is astounding.
Before you know what it is, you must know what it does. Rather, what problem it solves. Because there has always been a problem for hi-fi speakers in the budget arena; one that limits the detail, clarity and realism, because the engineers have to work within constraints for cost and space.
Sir Isaac Newton said it best: “Every action causes an equal and opposite reaction.” Speakers play music by pushing (and pulling) the air towards you, right? Well that means air is being pushed (and pulled) behind the speaker too. That equal and opposite movement can distort, even cancel out much of the sound coming forward.
In the bass and mid-range frequencies, this is easily solved by putting the speaker cones in an insulated box. But high frequencies—like a singer’s voice, cymbals, fine details and many other instruments—they have shorter wavelengths that must be resolved in other ways. If they’re not, the delicate details in your music are blurred at the edges… leading to a performance gap between budget-friendly speakers versus their counterparts at 3 or 4 times the price (or more).
That’s why when Jack saw how researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology were innovating in HVAC, a lightbulb (or perhaps a valve) popped up over his head.
These engineers had developed a “maze-like” baffle (seen below) that could silence a noisy "air conditioner" (a big, industrial HVAC system). They were looking for other ways to apply the design; thus a collaboration ensued.
Soon after, KEF had taken the long, cumbersome tube design that blocked about 85% of moving air behind the tweeter—moving air that robs detail from your music—and compacted it into a small “disc” that blocks a whopping 99% of it.
Combine that with KEF’s already space-efficient Uni-Q driver system—two speaker cones on one axis—and you get a dream-come-true of a speaker.
Immaculate, detailed sound from a stylish, compact, and affordable pair of speakers…
It’s called metamaterial, and it works. I know, because I just finished listening to it; I compared the Q1 Meta with the previous Q150—the former fitted with the new metamaterial disc, the latter not. Both models are the most budget friendly variants of KEF’s entry-level Q series. And to call it a jump up in performance might not do… I think it’s more of a leap.
David Bowie’s Loving The Alien is well recorded yet “pop-y;” it blends post-production sound effects with a spacious band mix. And the xylophone… it’s a great track. I started there. Then I followed with System Bleed—a single by electronic group, The Glitch Mob. The intro makes for an excellent showcase of detail in the bass registers, with panning sound effects that reveal soundstage and detail retrieval. And lastly I ran through Just A Little Lovin’ by Shelby Lynn, to see how an acoustic recording would feel.
The previous Q150 speakers made for a nice stereo sound; they always have. Clients who love a warm, room-filling sound with clear, centred vocals always react with an immediate “wow” when they come on. Given how compact and affordable they are, there were no apparent faults. Just subjective considerations: the Q series brings a relaxed, less-punchy mid-range in favor of warmth; tastefully rolled ultra-highs (a smart design move in the budget speaker range); and a bit to want for in bass extension.
Granted, you’re never sure what’s missing until you hear it. Passing each track through the Q1 Meta revealed the same basic difference: a “blacker” background that made details and realism really jump out—a noticeable improvement to vocal dynamics (this really got me in Bowie’s track)—better detail retrieval that would, say, make the snare drum sound more distinct from the cymbals.
The new Q Meta line-up breaks some sort of barrier in the accessible hi-fi arena… they track details unlike almost any other budget-friendly speaker.
Keep in mind this particular demo was focused on the smallest of the bunch. The new Q Meta range has a bigger two-way bookshelf and a three-way bookshelf as well, for those who want more bass-extension and better high-volume performance. Plus two sizes of floorstander, which take that to another level, and give better soundstage and separation.
An important note, the Q Meta is a passive speaker range—they do require an amplifier and cabling. Which brings to mind another benefit of their exceptional detail retrieval: they really showcase the difference between amplifiers. That’s good news. Pair up with a warm amp (like an ARCAM) and you’re in for a rich sound that makes funk, hard rock, and live recorded tunes wildly enjoyable. Go with something crisp and accurate (like a Hegel) and you’re going to get superior resolution and realism.
Now, if these Q Meta speakers interest you…
…then I strongly, strongly recommend you listen to them yourself. You can take a look at them online of course, but seeing and hearing them in the flesh is crucial.
The enjoyment of music comes down to what’s playing it in part, but also the style of music and how it affects you emotionally. It’s subjective, and it’s worthwhile getting it right, so find a quality dealer nearby who can take you through a demo. If you’re in the Sydney area, we’d love to have you in our showroom—we’ve got a set ready for you as I write this!
