KEF C95 wanted to like 'em....took a pass

[TomBig58]

I was curious about these mini towers so I went for a look/listen. Condition was great. He had them set up in the garage and my first impression was they're kind of bassey, not the pure sound I expect out of KEFs. (I have 105.2's and 103.2's)

Armed with research info from here about the coaxial mid/tweet and tweeter problems I gave them the once over. Crisp and clean was the mids and highs. I forgot to bring a toilet paper tube or something to verify the concentric tweets but I'm convinced they were working though for a coax speaker it sure looks like a single driver. No wonder finding and installing replacement tweeters is so maddening.

When I looked behind the mesh screen to inspect the woofer and saw just a reflex port I was kind of taken aback. Are these really two ways with a port? No, I saw three drivers specced on the info sheet. Where is the woofer? Downfacing? Nope. All I can figure is the woofer is internal mounted with some kind of transmission baffles to the front facing port behind the screen. When I first saw images of this speaker I honestly thought the woofer was on top and the coax mid/hi was behind the screen. Can anyone expound on this speaker design? I hold KEF in high regard but this was just kind of weird

With the tone controls flat I thought the bass was just a little overbearing. Due to that and possible future tweeter issues I decided these weren't for me. I made him a low but respectable offer and was kind of relieved when he declined.

Does anyone here like these speakers? They were pretty pricey ($1200) when new. (stock pictures)

 

[darkblue94]

The 8" woofer (B200) is inside the box.

 

[62vauxhall]

I never lived with them but C95 was a stocking model at one of the audio stores I was with. They had been KEF dealers for quite a while and the C series was introduced after I'd been there a couple of years. As you no doubt know, the woofer is contained and braced within the cabinet along the lines of the Reference series from the same period. In my opinion, they were somewhat room/placement sensitive and not at their best in large areas.

But I'm a bit biased as I have no overall fondness for KEF speakers. Some were to my liking but not most and price had nothing to do with it. In the C Series, it was the C55 and in Reference Series it was the 103.3 and 104.2.

Something else shared between the C95 and Reference was being 4 ohm resistive - the amp saw a consistent 4 ohm load. The lower model C series were 4 ohms nominal.

http://www.kef.com/uploads/files/en/museum_pdf/80s/C15_C25_C35_C55_C75_C95_r.pdf

 

[bigx5murf]

These look very similar to my Kef Q90. Drivers listed in specs are very close as well. Except, mine have a bass driver exposed, and a port under it. The tweeters on mine are ferrofluid filled, and when I first got them, I had the same impression of them being bass heavy, the fluid was thickened. I cleaned out the old fluid, and filled with the parts express fluid. They're very neutral afterwards. I also have a pair of the Q10, the fluid in those hardened to the point trying to get to it damaged both diaphragms beyond repair. I ended up replacing the diaphragms on those, and they sound kind of mid forward on my desk. But placed further away, they also sounded quite neutral.

 

[motorstereo]

I owned a pair of C55's briefly many years ago and I couldn't see the attraction either. I haven't had the desire to bother with any Kef's since

 

[TomBig58]

I know having these set up in the middle of the garage wasn't giving them their due. I pushed them a little and stood back to get the full effect and there was certainly some quality sound there. I guess I'm just an acoustic suspension guy. I knew if I brought them home I would need to roll off the bass control for most of my listening. I really like my sealed enclosure KEF speakers, the 105.2 and 103.2, especially the 103's for what they are, small enclosure 2 ways. I told him he should have no problem selling these to the right listener and I guess I was right because the listing was gone a day later. My main reason for posting was my curiosity about the bass driver because most of the ported speakers I know have the driver facing you and the front or rear port reflecting from the back of the driver. These are similar to some Polk towers I had with the powered subs, which ported thru a 360 degree dispersal cone out the bottom and had an internally mounted driver. I know these C95's moved enough air to power a model sailboat through that front port. I hope they found a happy home.

 

[Dazaa]

I've had a few different models from the C series and can honestly say they do not represent KEF's best effort at making speakers.