Short answer: the KEF Blade Two Meta if sound quality matters most, the Magnepan LRS+ if price matters most. The KEF Blade Two Meta ranks #3 of 188 floorstanding speakers, rated 4.8/5, at $28,000. The Magnepan LRS+ ranks #149, rated 3.5/5, at $1,300, $26,700 cheaper.
The case for the Magnepan LRS+: Thin, two-way planar-magnetic open-baffle/dipole panel design (about 48” tall, just 1” deep). The catch: Extremely current-hungry and power-hungry: even a pair of 600W Macintosh monoblock amplifiers only averaged about 90dB output.
The KEF Blade Two Meta is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. 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 measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.99 against 1.27 for the Magnepan LRS+. Its bass reaches about 31Hz before falling 3dB, against 74Hz for the Magnepan LRS+. The catch: 2dB dip and slight resonance around 200Hz, also visible in KEF white paper and likely cabinet-related.
Buy the Magnepan LRS+ 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| Magnepan LRS+ | KEF Blade Two Meta | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1300 per pair | $28,000 per pair only sold in stores |
| Ranked | #149 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #3 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.8dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | Full-range planar magnetic dipole panel (48” tall x 13.5” wide); quasi-ribbon design, two-way with separate mid/bass and tweeter ribbon sections | 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 |
| Weight | 30 lbs (13.6 kg) | 79.4 lbs (36 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | open baffle | ported, rear |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 48”H x 13.5”W x 1”D (1219.2 x 342.9 x 25.4 mm) | 46.6”H x 13.5”W x 14.8”D (1183.6 x 342.9 x 375.9 mm) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.27 | 6.99 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 4.32 | 8.11 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How KEF Blade Two Meta compares with other leading options:
- GR-Research NX-Treme vs KEF Blade Two Meta
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint V10 Master Edition
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint 888
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs Revel F328Be
- Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 vs KEF Blade Two Meta
Prices on this page were last checked October 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Magnepan LRS+: $1300 per pair Magnepan eBay
Pros: Thin, two-way planar-magnetic open-baffle/dipole panel design (about 48” tall, just 1” deep). Delivers a uniquely dramatic and enveloping soundstage with genuinely three-dimensional depth effects that work across all music genres, not just classical or orchestral material as commonly assumed. Extremely tight, locked-in center-phantom imaging when set up correctly. Open-baffle design avoids the “boxy” enclosure coloration of conventional cabinet speakers. Multitone distortion is remarkably consistent from low to high frequency, a characteristic the reviewer hasn’t observed in conventional cone-and-dome speakers. Compression at high output stays modest (about 0.5-1dB) through the midrange and treble, giving roughly 20-26dB of usable dynamic range in that region. At its price, a strong contender for a dedicated secondary listening room, even if not a main-system replacement. Measured bass extension of 74Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85.1dB.
Cons: Extremely current-hungry and power-hungry: even a pair of 600W Macintosh monoblock amplifiers only averaged about 90dB output. A robust, high-power amplifier is essentially mandatory, and budget amps won’t cut it. Bass rolls off very quickly (F3 74Hz, F10 67Hz, described as falling off “like a rock”), making a subwoofer an absolute requirement for any low-end content. A roughly 3dB dip in the mid-bass (100-300Hz) region thins out vocal body and fullness compared to a conventional bookshelf speaker. A resonance/bump around 400Hz adds a mild boxy quality, though it responds well to about 2dB of EQ correction. Extraordinarily fussy about exact positioning: both seating height (must align with the acoustic reference point between the panel’s lower tie-down points) and horizontal aiming are unusually critical; moving just a couple of inches can cause treble content above roughly 500-600Hz to nearly vanish. Distinct off-axis cancellation zones exist directly to the sides of the panel, where very little sound is audible at all. Fails badly under extreme dynamic-transient testing in the bass, and the reviewer blew fuses pushing the speaker during testing: not built for high-volume or highly dynamic playback. A genuinely different category from conventional hi-fi speakers, requiring more setup patience and experimentation than a typical monopole design.
Full Magnepan LRS+ review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 48”H x 13.5”W x 1”D (1219.2 x 342.9 x 25.4 mm) |
| Drivers | Full-range planar magnetic dipole panel (48” tall x 13.5” wide); quasi-ribbon design, two-way with separate mid/bass and tweeter ribbon sections |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.27 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 4.32 |
| Weight | 30 lbs (13.6 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | open baffle |
- Links
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KEF Blade Two Meta: $28,000 per pair only sold in stores eBay
Same family: the KEF Blade One Meta (larger floorstanding, ranked higher, estimated 4.8/5).
Pros: 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. Fully rounded, edgeless cabinet eliminates baffle diffraction. Frequency response holds within about 2.5dB across the listening window. Extremely low harmonic and multitone distortion even at 96dB, with under 0.5dB of compression at full output, rivaling the KEF Reference 1 Meta and JBL 4367 in dynamic range. Reviewer described the imaging and soundstage depth as revealing recording details other speakers he tested (PS Audio Aspen FR10, MoFi SourcePoint 8, Neumann KH80) masked. Available in any custom finish at no extra charge. Measured bass extension of 31Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.8dB.
Cons: 2dB dip and slight resonance around 200Hz, also visible in KEF white paper and likely cabinet-related. Bass rolls off fairly quickly below its 31Hz F3. Horizontal dispersion (~50 degrees) is narrower than the reviewer preferred 70-80 degrees; benefits from toeing out 10-20 degrees to open soundstage without losing image focus. Needs a separate power amp, not AVR-friendly.
Full KEF Blade Two Meta review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 46.6”H x 13.5”W x 14.8”D (1183.6 x 342.9 x 375.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 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 |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.8dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.99 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.11 |
| Weight | 79.4 lbs (36 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs GR-Research NX-Treme
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint V10 Master Edition
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs MoFi SourcePoint 888
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs Revel F328Be
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs Magico S5 2024
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs KEF R5 Meta
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