⌈ GP-REBLADE is a new Polish brand debuting on our pages, producing loudspeakers whose cabinets are made from recycled wind turbine propellers. Its offer for today includes one model, BLADE HARMONY, which we are testing in the PREMIUM version. ⌋

YOU MAY REMEMBER that quite recently, after the last Audio Video Show in Warsaw, I tested the Deimos Millenium loudspeakers by EPO Sound; more → HERE ˻PL˺. I wrote in their review that one of the ways to stand out in the highly competitive audio market is to offer components that are not only great sounding, functional, perfectly made and finished, because all of these things today are basically sine qua non conditions. Without meeting them, one cannot conquer the market. Therefore, the components should additionally be somehow original.

The latter product feature is particularly important for new brands that need to get their share of the market. And it's all about convincing customers to choose their products rather than well-known brands. In the case of EPO Sound, this originality was based on unique enclosures, for these are created with the use of so-called black, or fossil oak, combined with epoxy resin. TAs a result, colorful, fancy, sometimes semi-transparent enclosures are created that look striking and original, but also, as the listening test showed, contribute to very good sound. This is because it is clear that a feature which distinguishes a product among others cannot have a negative impact on sound quality, and ideally it should have a positive influence on it.

In the case of the GP-Reblade speakers, their name gives us a clue. Once again, we are dealing with highly original products. Interestingly, as Mr. Marcin Sobczyk wrote me, and what also distinguishes this brand from others, the idea behind their creation at the very beginning wasn't “let's make speakers, because there are none on the market that suit us”, but "what can we do with used up wind turbine blades”. Yes, after all, the main business of the manufacturer of the tested speakers is to recycle the latter and look for ways to use them. The first model in the history of this new brand, Blade Harmony, which we present to you, is one, though not the only, possible answer to this question.

A few simple words with...

MARCIN SOBCZYK
CTO

⸜ One of the possibilities to customize the enclosure of the tested speakers • photo by GP-Reblade

THE GP REBLADE BRAND was established by a group of friends who have been in the wind industry for years and recognized a growing problem with recycling wind turbine blades. So, we were looking for ways that would allow us to implement new and unique reuse solutions. The columns we put to the test are by no means the first of such innovations. Indeed, we can already boast about having created a series of small architecture, as well as engineering objects made from wind turbine blades. One of them, which we are particularly proud of, was the world's first footbridge structurally based on such recycled blades.

Looking for new ways to reuse this material, we talked to many people representing various industries, including audio. Those involved in the construction of loudspeakers and familiar with the required properties of the materials needed for their enclosures confirmed our assumptions. Namely, the composite from which the propellers are built is perfectly suited for this very purpose. This is because it is a material that is very rigid and effective in damping vibrations. In addition to the sonic aspects themselves, we also focused strongly on the visual qualities of our columns, wanting to use not only the properties of the material, but also the original shape of the propellers.

⸜ The models that were used to design the final version of the column enclosure • photo by GP-Reblade

In our activities, we are not afraid to tap into the creativity of people outside the company, which is perfectly exemplified by the tested speakers. They were created as part of a competition that GP Reblade organized for young artists. They are the ones who suggested the form and in the future will co-create “custom” versions for demanding customers. As for the technical side of this project, it is the responsibility of a solid, talented and experienced loudspeaker manufacturer – Wilk Audio Projekt.

Let's also explain why we actually used bodies made from wind turbine propellers. As I mentioned before, we were obviously looking for solutions that would allow us to use recycled components, but this was by no means the only reason. The column enclosure made in this way stands out not only for its original shape but also plays a key role in shaping sound. The thing is that the material from which they are made is characterized by its ability to naturally dampen resonances, which makes our speakers offer remarkable sound purity, especially in the midrange and treble.

⸜ The speaker enclosure during the final machining • photo by GP-Reblade

What is more, the material has a unique ability to absorb vibrations, and this translates into incredibly precise sound reproduction without distortion, even at high volume levels. Thanks to the organic, light and airy propeller shape, which is not only original but also pleasing to the eye, the sound from the speakers flows in a natural, spatial way, fully reproducing the dynamics and details. MS

▌ Blade Harmony Premium

LET'S GO BACK to what you have already read above. The Blade Harmony speakers were created in cooperation with artists, concerned with form, on the one hand, and designers from Wilk Audio Projekt on the other hand. The former undoubtedly liked the opportunity to create the unique form of these speakers, which is largely due to the material used, while the experience of the latter was to make the sound as high-quality as the artistic design.

The end result, therefore, are designs that, on the one hand, are original and visually attractive, and on the other hand, combined with high-end drivers and thoughtful design, they are supposed to simply sound great. In a nutshell, the end result is supposed to be a perfect combination of form and function, and to this you can also add the issues of the origin of the material from which the enclosures are made – not only is it recycled, but it also once spun tens of meters above the ground... :)

PREMIUM/CUSTOM • Let's also clarify the issue of the “premium” version. The company is just starting in the market and currently offers only this particular version. In the future, the Blade Harmony model is also expected to be available in its basic version, based on slightly less advanced components. So, it will probably be slightly cheaper. The company is planning to launch, we should add, also a slightly smaller model. The tested speakers are also to be offered in a “custom” version, which was probably influenced to some extent by the co-creator of Blade Harmony, the Wilk Audio Projekt company. This manufacturer specializes in just such designs, in which it is the customer who decides not only on the finish, but also on the components used. At the same time, I would like to add that this brand has recently launched its first series line of speakers, Vega, a representative of which we will also review for you shortly.

The “custom” version of Blade Harmony, in addition to the choice of components, will be able, at the client's request, to be finished individually by artists selected among those who participated in the aforementioned competition, and perhaps others. The producer sent me a picture of such a finish, even with a painted bonsai tree, and I must admit that it is very impressive. Choosing it, the owner will be certain that in their room stands an absolutely unique, one-of-a-kind pair of these speakers, created exclusively for them. This level of customization is not to be expected from large manufacturers, but only from the small ones who approach clients individually.

BASES • Our readers may have also noticed the fact that in the photos sent by GP-Reblade, the Blade Harmony columns are placed on different bases than during the test. Although these are floor-standing columns, they require placement on specially made bases due to their original shape. Those in the photos, to be honest, given the large mass and height of this model, raisedmy doubts regarding stability. Practical considerations must be taken into account, including the possibility of someone from the household or pets knocking over the tall, slender column. The bases must ensure that, even in such situations, there is no danger.

The production version that we are testing arrived with bases in a completely different form. These guarantee unquestionable stability and are to be delivered to customers just like that. Visually, perhaps, the first idea looked even more impressive or original, but practical considerations or, to be more precise, the safety of users (and household members) is more important. The new base means that the columns require a bit more space, but since they are large structures, no one will probably be stuffing them into a very limited area.

TECHNOLOGY • The GP-Reblade Blade Harmony is a large three-way design in an enclosure ventilated by a bass reflex port directed to the rear. The composite enclosure is made from huge recycled wind turbine blades, and the final shape is also inspired by them. An interesting fact is that we get two identical speakers, i.e. despite the irregular shapes, they are not mirror images. Their tops in both pieces are tilted in the same direction, which is dictated by the shape of the blade from which they are made.

In the tested Premium version, the manufacturer used high-quality components. The Scan-Speak transducer set includes a D2604/832002 tweeter, a 15M/4624G00 midrange driver, and two 21W/8555-10 woofers. The internal wiring is made of OFC oxygen-free copper. Two pairs of WBT Nextgen copper speaker terminals are located at the rear, allowing for bi-wiring or bi-amping. The crossovers use film capacitors, Superes resistors, Jantzen components, and air core coils. The crossover points are set at 380 and 2800 Hz.

Blade Harmony are large columns, 159 cm high, and the need to place them on bases makes them even taller. The declared frequency response is from 33 Hz (-6 dB) to 25 kHz, nominal impedance is 4 Ω, and sensitivity is 90 dB. As it turned out in practice, 37 W from my GrandiNote Shinai integrated amplifier was completely sufficient to drive them freely. So, unless they are used in a very large room, they will not require a powerful amplifier. Although, let's add, its class will of course matter, because I can already say that these Polish speakers deserve a high-end accompanying system.

As Mr. Sobczyk told me, the columns can have practically any finishing, as long as it comes from the RAL palette. Piano lacquers and veneers are also an option. Additionally, which also sets GP-Reblade apart from most competitors, in most cases this will not involve additional costs. The Blade Harmony is undoubtedly a column that attracts the eye and, due to its size, it will become an important element of the room's decor where it is used. The possibility of "customizing" their finish is therefore very important and is one of the advantages of these designs.

▌ THE LISTENING SESSION

THE WAY WE LISTENED • The GP-Reblade Blade Harmony columns in the Premium version played in my reference system, although two additional components also participated in the listening sessions.

The primary digital signal source was my "custom" passive server with the latest version of Roon equipped with a top-tier JCAT XE EVO USB card powered by Ferrum Hypsos in the Signature version. The card is supported by a Master OCXO Clock Upgrade from JCAT, which also received independent power supply from the same manufacturer in the form of Optimo Nano.

Signal was sent to the LampizatOr Pacific 2 D/A converter and alternatively to another model of this brand, a balanced Poseidon, with a David Laboga Custom Audio Expression Emerald Mk 2 USB cable and then, in the first case, an analog Soyaton Benchmark interconnect, and in the second, a Next Level Tech Ether XLR to the amplifier. In this last role, both my 37-watt transistor operating in Class A, namely the GrandiNote Shinai, and a much more powerful two-component Circle Labs set consisting of a P300 preamplifier and an M200 power amplifier, were used. The amplifiers were connected to the speakers with Soyaton Benchmark mk2 speaker cables, and the double sockets in the speakers were connected with jumpers provided by the manufacturer.

On the analog front, the main role was played by my excellent J.Sikora Standard Max turntable with two tonearms from the same manufacturer, the KV12 Max Zirconium Series and the KV9. The first one had an Air Tight PC-3 cartridge installed, the second one a Le Son LS10 Mk II. The signal from both cartridges was amplified by the GrandiNote Celio Mk IV phono preamplifier. Further on, the signal went to the integrated amplifier or the preamplifier via a Bastanis Imperial RCA interconnect.

As for the LISTENING TESTS OF THE COMPONENTS I REVIEW, I almost always (almost, because there are extreme situations when I simply have very little time to write a review) start them by playing music in the background with them. I did it this time, connecting these quite large speakers to the Shinai. It was late afternoon, and I was supposed to be doing something else, so the volume level was set relatively low. Instead of the expected delicate music in the background, I heard virtually full sound based on large, dense, but also well-controlled bass, which did not dominate the message, but constituted its solid foundation.

This somewhat contradicted stereotypes, which aren't entirely detached from reality. It’s about the view that with large speakers (excluding horns or other very easily driven designs), quiet playing means significant losses in terms of filling, especially, though not exclusively, at the extremes of the frequency range. Here, I was also somewhat concerned by the fact that tweeters in the Blade Harmony were positioned quite high, so that when the speakers were angled towards my ears (as is standard for me), they were playing above my head. Despite this, the sound was full, colorful, juicy, and even across the entire frequency range.

So, already on the very first evening, I quickly set aside my laptop and, instead of working, I listened to a few albums for the pure pleasure of engaging with music. Such a promising start to a listening session doesn't happen all that often. It requires not only "good" sound, but something more, something that distinguishes the device and suits me. In this case, it was the aforementioned excellent integration with my favorite Shinai (and the rest of the system, of course), resulting in natural, smooth, colorful, spatial, full and engaging sound. In a word, such as I like very much, and yet distinctly different from what my MACH 4 speakers offer me on a daily basis.

The next day, PATRICIA BARBER and Cafe Blue landed first on the playlist. This time, I was listening at a normal (for me) volume level, and immediately several things became clear, or even clearer than during quiet, evening listening. Firstly, these large (especially for my room) speakers actually disappeared from it. Usually, small bookshelf models or small floor-standing speakers can boast such a trick. In the case of large designs, the detachment of sound from the speakers is almost never so complete. Of course, it's hard for me to confirm this with complete certainty, but I suspect that the original shape of the Blade Harmony enclosure plays a role here.

Secondly, their disappearance opened up a large, even a very large (also in terms of depth), stage before me. Thirdly, large, three-dimensional apparent sources on that stage were precisely located. What is more, what I heard was sound incredibly open, filled with air, full of resonance and reverberation, and almost "present", true, natural and convincing because of this. With Blade HARMONY, listening to music easily became something more than just playing back some music recorded somehow, somewhere, sometime. It became an engaging, moving experience.

One of the other things you can expect from the tested speakers, although this will probably depend in part on the size and acoustics of the listening room, is how big sound they will present, how well they will fill the entire room with it. Their size, of course, suggests this to some extent, but I think that in many cases they will still surprise you. This is an element of sound that my beloved MACH 4s don't give me to such an extent, even though my room isn't very big. They have a lot of advantages, but they can't fill the room with sound so tightly, they can't create such large (which doesn't mean, exaggerated) apparent sources. They don't produce the kind of acoustic pressure that deepens the impression of being close to the music. The Polish speakers do, and they do it completely effortlessly, as if without trying, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The double bass on Barber’s album was simply huge with them, especially since it was located only three, maybe four meters from me. It could go very low, showing the depth of support of the large sound box, while at other moments the pizzicato sounded very clean, compact and fast. The vocalist's piano is placed deeper in the mix in this recording, so its size is not so obvious, but when I focused on it, I had no doubt that it was a large, heavy and powerfully sounding instrument. Like the double bass, the piano under the artist's fingers also sounded very clean and sonorous.

Of course, it is impossible to overlook the way the artist's voice is presented. Although this is an album from the beginning of her career, her vocal talent was already appreciated at that time, which is not surprising when you listen to these recordings with the tested speakers. The GP-Reblade Blade Harmony had the chance to show their another strength and they used it, excellently capturing the tone, texture, and vocal mannerisms of the singer, most of all impressing me with the naturalness of the sound and the sense of the entire band being present in my room, virtually enlarged due to the depth of the scene. The realism of the presentation was further enhanced by equally natural sounding, yet not easy to reproduce, elements such as finger snapping, perfectly supported by accurately rendered reverberation.

While Cafe Blue belongs to the audiophile canon, the next album, Unplugged 1991-2001: The Complete Session by R.E.M., is definitely difficult to include in it. I've written many times before that, in my opinion of course, high-end components can play any decent recording of good music in a way that makes technical weaknesses simply less relevant. This is exactly the case with this album, every time I play it using a top-of-the-range system. It was also the case this time, when my leg spontaneously tapped the rhythm, and I couldn't resist singing along to some of the tracks with Michael Stipe.

The Blade Harmony are speakers that can play very naturally, smoothly, in a way that is hard to describe other than as relaxed. This has nothing to do with the energy level, as it is high, or with deficiencies in dynamics, because it is impeccable, both on a macro and micro scale. It has to do with sound coherence, fluidity and, above all, with the freedom with which the music flows from these speakers. You can't hear any tension, strain or unnecessary (artificial) flexing of muscles.

The sound is large, powerful, with a very solid bass foundation, but everything happens somehow easily and pleasantly, naturally, one might say, although it has the appropriate scale and grandeur. This is supported by high resolution, thanks to which the amount of readable information, even with such non-audiophile material, is enormous, as well as by excellent differentiation. The large amount of clearly presented information translates, in turn, into a full, colorful and, I will repeat once again, smooth and coherent musical message.

The already mentioned dynamics and energy of Blade Harmony's sound were demonstrated when I played another disc of non-audiophile quality, namely the soundtrack from Predator with music by ALAN SILVESTRI, which I use quite often in tests. This was the first recording where, after a while, I started to straighten up very strongly in the armchair, so that my ears were a little higher, that is, closer to the level of the tweeters. Until now, I hadn't missed the high frequencies, but in these recordings, which sounded great but were clearly lower than I was used to, catching slightly more direct sound of the tweeters proved to be highly desirable.

Once again with this album, I experienced the previously mentioned disappearance of the columns from the room and their ability to build a large stage with sounds appearing not only far behind them but also wider than their spacing suggested. Their way of playing music encouraged increasing the volume, which I eagerly did, reaching levels significantly higher than usual. This had no impact on the clarity and precision of the sound, nor did it cause any negative effects, including listener fatigue. Importantly, the dynamic, full-of-contrast music flawlessly reproduced by the tested speakers convincingly built that unique, dramatically tense, dark – dare I say deadly – atmosphere of the movie.

These are also columns full of apparent contradictions. It cannot be denied that I particularly "enjoyed" acoustic recordings with them, especially those full of reverberation, echoes, with well-captured acoustics of the places where the recording was made. On the other hand, I also had a great pleasure listening to rock or "big" film soundtracks, because these are columns that, like my Ubiqi, enjoy (though they don't have to!) playing loudly. The Blades like to showcase their great bass capabilities. They are able to generate high acoustic pressure, creating an impression of physical interaction with the music that can be felt deep in the bones. Moreover, in sophisticated acoustic pieces, they perform just as well, taking care of tonal and dynamic contrasts also at the micro level. In addition to this, they accurately reflect the color and texture of instruments and vocals, so what flows to us from the speakers is simply superbly natural.

It's just that – as I mentioned earlier – the GP-Reblade Blade Harmony, although large and equipped with four drivers, including two bass woofers, are not at all particularly difficult to drive. Thanks to this, they play both well and loud also at low volume levels. So, you can have fun during the day, listen loudly to thick, dense music, but you can also calmly listen to something atmospheric in the evening. Of course, in both situations, the rest of the system and especially the amplifier must provide the tested speakers with appropriate operating conditions, but this is true for any speakers (although these ones, because of their own class, will well demonstrate the capabilities of the accompanying components).

My last listening session before returning the Blade Harmony was dedicated to classical music. Everything the GP-Reblade speakers had shown so far suggested that they would easily handle even music that is most difficult to reproduce. And that's exactly how it was. Listening to MOZART's symphonies under Mackerras, performed by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, I turned up the volume again. Just like before with rock, this didn't intimidate the Polish speakers. They played with large, saturated and weighted sound, with flair and freedom, clearly, transparently and spaciously. The presentation delighted me with its dynamics and energy, which further authenticated it.

Even with such music, it was confirmed that the center of gravity of the tested speakers is positioned lower than I am used to, perhaps even a bit lower than with my Ubiq speakers (which doesn't happen often). Importantly, in no genre of music did this bother me; the lower part of the bandwidth did not dominate over the rest. Rather, it provided excellent support for everything happening above. Especially with classical music, this even allowed the speakers to better convey the power of the orchestra's sound, whether chamber or symphonic, their scale, dynamics and grandeur of performance, filling the room tightly, but also the space far beyond its walls, with music that was dense, bubbling with energy, rich in detail and subtlety.

▌ Conclusion

THE ORIGINAL LOOK, high-class components, and well-thought-out design of the Blade Harmony Premium speakers translate into a final effect that is attractive not only to the eye but also to the ear. These are very successful speakers serving high-end sound, both when playing quietly and calmly, and when we want to go wild listening to rock or classical music. They are surprisingly easy to drive, so they do not require (although this probably changes in the case of large rooms) any particularly powerful amplifiers to drive them. Even with the 37-watt GrandiNote Shinai, they offer exceptionally full, dense, low-pitched sound in which nothing is missing.

This is refined, coherent and highly natural sound. Despite their density and saturation, the speakers are also clear and rich in information, including the smallest details. They also have an unusual ability, for speakers of this size, to disappear from the room, and the sound, perfectly detached from them, completely fills it, creating a huge, deep soundstage.

The GP-Reblade Blade Harmony are not an option for everyone, although, based on my experience, I am convinced that many people would like to have them. The limitations (apart from the price) result from their size. These are columns for large living rooms offering 30, 40 and probably even 100 m2, preferably also high, although in my 24 m2 room, thanks to the height of over 3 m, they also performed excellently. The Blade HARMONY are a great example of a clever and successful combination of form and function, and above all, they are superb columns! From us, they get the ˻RED FINGERPRINT˺. ●

▌ Technical specifications (according to the manufacturer):

- frequency response: 33 ( -6dB) to 25,000 Hz
- sensitivity: 90 dB ( 1W/1m )
- impedance: 4 ohms
- power handling: 180 W RMS
- crossover slopes: 12/12/18 dB per octave
- crossover points: 380 / 2800 Hz
- dimensions (H x W x D): 159 cm (excluding mounting base) x 30 cm x 45 cm

THIS TEST HAS BEEN DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES adopted by the Association of International Audiophile Publications, an international audio press association concerned with ethical and professional standards in our industry, of which HIGH FIDELITY is a founding member. More about the association and its constituent titles → HERE.

→ www.AIAP-online.org