Metamaterial Absorption Technology

[marvin]

The pity about market-speak is everything gets lost in the translation from reality. I'm willing to believe the engineers may have come up with something useful, but we may never know what it is. It also makes a sad comment on what KEF thinks about their buyers' intelligence.

Steve Guttenberg directly compared the LS50 to the new Meta version and reported a marked improvement.

KEF was quite benevolent to throw in the Meta technology for the same price as the original!

[fpitas]

Steve Guttenberg directly compared the LS50 to the new Meta version and reported a marked improvement.

KEF was quite benevolent to throw in the Meta technology for the same price as the original!

Hey, that's great! But still doesn't excuse the market speak...

[Dukk]

These remind me of those silicone type sound absorbing discs that Cascade Audio was marketing 15-20 years ago.

edit: VBlok. Dang, that was kinda hard to find...

[fpitas]

These remind me of those silicone type sound absorbing discs that Cascade Audio was marketing 15-20 years ago.

Were they straight out of the world of science fiction, too?

[Dukk]

Were they straight out of the world of science fiction, too?

HA! Considering what they market (sound deadening and absorbing products), Cascade kept the marketing bullflop under control. I actually really liked their products and used their mat and spray product a lot. I only encountered the VBlok pads a few times (expensive) but they were super soft silicone feeling things that were VERY hard to glue to an enclosure or car door.

[fpitas]

HA! Considering what they market (sound deadening and absorbing products), Cascade kept the marketing bullflop under control. I actually really liked their products and used their mat and spray product a lot. I only encountered the VBlok pads a few times (expensive) but they were super soft silicone feeling things that were VERY hard to glue to an enclosure or car door.

Yeah, maybe clean with acetone and use RTV? Sounds tricky.

[Dukk]

It was a long time ago but I expect that we wound up using some kind of RTV/Silicone product.

[tvrgeek]

Steve Guttenberg directly compared the LS50 to the new Meta version and reported a marked improvement.

KEF was quite benevolent to throw in the Meta technology for the same price as the original!

That is what it comes down to. Do they SOUND better. Considering what Kef charges these days, I would not say benevolent though. An improvement is an improvement if it is even though it is not a meta material any more than when I mill a piece of a tree into a plank.

[andykriech]

tvrgeek, I actually like your unusual speaker stands. Different and attractive (imo).
Though the plant looks like it needs a little medical attention...
Andy.

[billfitzmaurice]

Steve Guttenberg directly compared the LS50 to the new Meta version and reported a marked improvement.

A review without a single measurement is as useful as mammary glands on a male bovine. I'd be quite surprised if Guttenberg's technical knowledge extends any further than what he reads in advertising copy. And to suggest that a speaker can remove the echo and reverb from John Lennon's voice on a recording is just plain ludicrous. Next up: Which tastes better, Coke or Pepsi?

[a4eaudio]

Now you are just going too far! If I order a Coke and they say "is Pepsi okay", I usually just get a water.

[fpitas]

A review without a single measurement is as useful as mammary glands on a male bovine. I'd be quite surprised if Guttenberg's technical knowledge extends any further than what he reads in advertising copy. And to suggest that a speaker can remove the echo and reverb from John Lennon's voice on a recording is just plain ludicrous. Next up: Which tastes better, Coke or Pepsi?

Yeah, to my knowledge Guttenberg wouldn't know how to measure anything. I treat his reviews as entertainment, at best.

[Zach C.]

... It also makes a sad comment on what KEF thinks about their buyers' intelligence.

Your point is well taken, but I feel like it's a little more widespread than that.

When pretty much every company uses these techniques, I think we need to accept that it's "what they know about their buyers' behavioural makeup."

Engineering departments do their best to make good products within a block of constraints, but you can't deny that it's not the central reason people buy.

[fpitas]

Your point is well taken, but I feel like it's a little more widespread than that.

When pretty much every company uses these techniques, I think we need to accept that it's "what they know about their buyers' behavioural makeup."

Engineering departments do their best to make good products within a block of constraints, but you can't deny that it's not the central reason people buy.

Dunno. Most of what I buy is for engineering. They try to send us pretty glossy mindless stuff, but we throw it all away and ask for datasheets. It kills the sales guys lol!

[billfitzmaurice]

Yeah, to my knowledge Guttenberg wouldn't know how to measure anything. I treat his reviews as entertainment, at best.

If you mean he's good for a laugh I agree.

[fpitas]

If you mean he's good for a laugh I agree.

Still better than that 6 Moons guy. Those articles are just impenetrable with meaningless BS.

[Billet]

A well designed TL is supposed to acoustically dampen the resonance of its driver. I imagine that they are doing this for their tweeter, less resonance = better sound IMHO... You just have to ignore the hyperbole and see what they actually have. At least they have nice pictures and/or diagrams which show the basic concept.