Do You Buy Speakers Without Hearing Them?

I've had IMF Monitors and now the KEF 104 a/b so i do know the KEF signature sound, just can't pull the trigger. 

In general no. Descriptions of the sound of speakers is only really effective if done in relation to speakers you have heard and know. Otherwise each qualitative statement has little quantitative information. A comment like a bit bright and detailed could mean anything from something you might not hear it to ear shattering, chalk board scraping sound. It is difficult to talk about without common sign posts.

But after three decades of experience and owning a lower tier speaker from Sonus Faber to verify that they had exactly the sound I wanted, the next two upgrades with the same company and doubling or more my investment was very safe. The outcome was exactly what I expected.

i did that with 3 speakers

BW602s2

Triangle Comte

Ref 3A de Capos-had these for 14 years now

As a general rule,I’d never buy anything without hearing it first, although I made one exception.  I have a Hegel H390 and when Hegel was at the shows, they were using KEF speakers for a while.  I figured that Hegel would want to show off their wares in the best light, so I bought a pair of KEF Reference speakers and after two years I’m still pretty happy with them.

All the best.

I really sympathize with folks who live removed from metro areas and have no hi'fi shops.  When one buys new speakers there is always a large loss taken if the speakers are unsatisfactory and have to be sold.  I think I would be OK with buying speakers that I've never demoed off the second hand market.  They can always be sold for break even or a small loss.  Good luck and cheers.