Kef 104.2 Speakers. Suggestions Discussion Forum


KEF 104/2 SPEAKER OWNERS.

Lets have a tips and suggestions forum on how to improve these wonderful speakers.

Topics could include speaker placement, speaker tweeks, best speaker cables (interconnects, power cords etc), best amps (receivers, cd players etc), best compatible center and rear surround speakers, care and maintence, repair shops and more.

Here is a review (see below) that I found on the web concerning KEF 104/2 Speakers.

In over 10 years of doing high end audio reviews, enjoythemusic.com has given out a total of 59 awards for product excellence. The KEF 104/2's were among them. Out of those 59 awards, only 5 were to speakers and that includes speakers in the $10,000+ catagory. The editor has a section he calls "my personal list of products that deserve to be heralded as something truly special" and the KEF 104/2 speakers are included.

The Review summary: Back in the 1980's KEF was a wonderfully British company making their own drivers with a top-notch team. While their top range model was the 107 that produced deeper bass (down to 20Hz), after careful auditioning the KEF 104/2 was the obvious winner. KEF's 104 model saw various versions and the 104/2 was the final result of the product's evolution. This relatively high sensitivity loudspeaker, at 92dB/W/m at 4 ohms, produced frequencies from 55Hz to 20kHz (+-2dB) with five drivers. The tweeter is KEF's T33 25mm (1") silk dome with slight horn loading. It was flanked above and below by the B110 100mm (5") doped Bextrene midrange cone in a D'Appolito technique. Bass was produced by a pair of coupled cavity B200 200mm (8") paper cone drivers with their center magnets connected by a metal pole.

The midrange/tweeter/tweeter panel (weighting about 25 lbs) is completely removable from the woofer cabinet (at nearly 45 lbs) and both loudspeaker cabinets are very rigid. Each midrange is enclosed in its own sealed section to reduce any interaction while the tweeter is press fit to the cabinet via a rear screw. The internal woofers' output exits via a flanged port the same size as the midrange units. And thus the brilliance! The tricks up the 104/2; proverbial sleeve is that the sound wave of the midrange and the bass drivers is the same size, plus add in the point source-like output from the midrange/tweeter/midrange D'Appolito configuration.

As for sound, the highs are smooth and midrange is very well presented. Bass down to about 50Hz is excellent and tuneful. Do not use the KEF Kube, an external box said to enhance bass down to lower frequencies, as this clouds the sound. If you need lots of bass below 50Hz get a separate subwoofer. The soundscape thrown by the pair of 104/2 is remarkable! When present, not only is the sound totally enveloping, but you get height information too.
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I welcome and look forward to your input.
buyfast1

Showing 5 responses by captainjazz

I have a set of KEF 104/2's...I got them at an antique mall in WHEELINGW.Va.For 50.00$$!!They are in very fine condition. I replacedthe nonfunctional dome tweets with 2JBL titanium dome tweets.They fit perfectlyand reproduce high range superlatively. I Have them hooked up to an SAE 2401. 250 watt per ch.Power plant.They are playing in conjunction with a pair of AR-90 tallboys w/a McIntosh MC-2300 power plant......Awesome.Buff said???
The JBLtweeters I put in the KEF104/2 are from a pair of JBL-L-80T,3-way,floor standingspeakers I "parted out"due to exteriorcabinet damage. They are exactly the same size magnet structure.
The JBLtweeters I put in the KEF104/2 are from a pair of JBL-L-80T,3-way,floor standingspeakers I "parted out"due to exteriorcabinet damage. They are exactly the same size magnet structure.
I am a musician, and have a lot of home and professionalpower amps...I hooked my KEF 104/2's to the new penultimate Yamaha 600/600(@4ohms)pro.Amp.It is a new dimension in listening...........The KEF's sound surrealistically transparent and reach amazing, explosive transients with unstrained,undistorted accuracy dueto the high headroom.I did have a Sansui BA-5000 power amp hooked up to them.(300/300 wpc)these KEF's need high headroom to sound their ultimate.
I would like to trade my KEF 102/5 vintage reference speaks-For a set of vintage Acoustic Research AR-90 or Acoustic Research AR - 9 loudspeakers... My KEF's are in very good condition &all drivers are functioning perfectly. Anyone interested should call 304-559-4558....I alreadyown one pair of AR-90 s.