Short answer: the KEF Blade Two Meta if sound quality matters most, the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower if price matters most. The KEF Blade Two Meta ranks #3 of 228 floorstanding speakers, rated 4.8/5, at $28,000. The Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower ranks #12, rated 4.6/5, at $5,698, $22,302 cheaper.
What the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower does well: A 3-way bamboo tower with a RAAL ribbon tweeter that measures a 6.97 preference score, bass to 38.7Hz and a nearly flat on-axis response. Watch for: Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.40 and on axis deviation runs 0.286dB average, both trailing the tighter figures posted by some smaller passive AsciLab and Ascend bookshelf models.
The KEF Blade Two Meta is the deeper-bass option. True point-source coaxial design (four 6.5in mid-bass drivers flanking a coincident mid/tweeter) with matched ~50 degree horizontal and vertical dispersion, unusual for a multi-driver speaker. Its bass reaches about 31Hz before falling 3dB, against 38.7Hz for the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower. Watch for: 2dB dip and slight resonance around 200Hz, also visible in KEF white paper and likely cabinet-related.
Buy the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the KEF Blade Two Meta if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
A 3-way bamboo tower with a RAAL ribbon tweeter that measures a 6.97 preference score, bass to 38.7Hz and a nearly flat on-axis response.
Ascend Acoustics $5,698 eBay
True point-source coaxial design (four 6.5in mid-bass drivers flanking a coincident mid/tweeter) with matched ~50 degree horizontal and vertical dispersion, unusual for a multi-driver speaker.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower | KEF Blade Two Meta | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,698 per pair | $28,000 per pair only sold in stores |
| Ranked | #12 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #3 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Enclosure | ported | - |
| Drivers | RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter, 6” SEAS Excel Curv midrange (sealed sub-chamber), 2x 6” SEAS Excel aluminum woofers | 4 x 165 mm (6.5 in.) aluminium cone, force cancelling woofers, 125 mm (5 in.) aluminium cone midrange, 25 mm (1 in.) aluminium dome with MAT tweeter |
| Dimensions | 43”H x 7.5”W x 10.5”D (1092 x 190 x 267 mm) | 46.6”H x 13.5”W x 14.8”D (1183.6 x 342.9 x 375.9 mm) |
| Weight | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) each | 79.4 lbs (36 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB @ 2.83V/1m anechoic (manufacturer) | 86.8dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal | 4 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 400W continuous, 600W peak | - |
| Frequency Response | 36-27,000Hz +/-3dB anechoic (manufacturer) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38.7Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 28.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Warranty | 7 years parts and labor | - |
| Country | United States | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.97 | 6.99 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.42 | 8.11 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, rear |
Frequency Response Compared
Both speakers’ spinorama measurements, overlaid. A flatter line is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. Each curve is shifted so its average from 300 Hz to 3 kHz sits at 0 dB, so loudness differences between the two are removed and only the shape is compared. The two were measured by different sources, so small differences, especially in the bass, can come from the measurement setup rather than the speakers.
Measurement data: Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower (measured by the manufacturer) and KEF Blade Two Meta (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner), via spinorama.org.
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