KEF owners thread

[david1111]

Hi Dave,

I use the M8 700m monoblocks on my 4.2’s which are well over recommended amplifier power levels but as long as you are respectful with the volume control they 9sound amazing. I love the fact that the sound just gets louder with no degradation to sound quality. Let us know what you find when you try something with more grunt as I would be interested on your findings? Cheers.

The friend of mine with all the equipment got his hands on an Ayre V-3 that's in excellent condition, with all of the factory upgrades done to it.
I listened to it at his place and it sounded very good. He was just going to sell it on, so I had to make a quick decision and just bought it. That was only yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to listen to it in my system yet.
From what I've read about it so far, it's supposed to be a very nice sounding amplifier. I'll get it hooked up this week, and after I've had a few days to listen to it, I'll post what I hear.
It's supposed to be very musical, like Musical Fidelity and Naim, etc., which is good cuz I do love the British sound. It's only 100 WPC, but it weighs 55 lbs, and supposedly doesn't have a problem driving almost anything. It's 200 watts into 4 Ohms which will be better for the Kefs. It runs quite hot cuz it's largely Class A apparently.
Anyway, I'll let you know how it is. I'm hoping it's THE amp I've been searching for. He also has one of those Musical Fidelity Class A integrated amps, but it's only 60 WPC, so hopefully the Ayre does the trick.
Thanks again for your input.
I'd love to hear your MF monoblocks, but alas, I live in Toronto. I notice you're in the Isle of Man. My sister had a nanny who was from the Isle of Man. Both her and her sister had been, 'Miss, Isle of Man'. This was about 35 years ago. She was, of course, quite fetching.
Cheers.

Dave

 

[yesshows77]

KEF 107's here.

 

[nerdorama]

I got the 103/3's finished yesterday, donuts and ferrofluid. Had a nice listen today. I used a graphic EQ option in Foobar2000 on my server to emulate the Kube using a curve posted in another AK 103/3 thread. The EQ surely makes them sound more natural. My tube amp wasn't up to running them so I hooked up a 68w/chan chip amp. That worked much better. I measured the impedance of each speaker with Woofer Tester. They have some differences in the bass and I don't know what's going on but will have to pull the woofers to find out. Right now I'd rather just use them for a bit.
John

 

[JohnnyNapalm]

The friend of mine with all the equipment got his hands on an Ayre V-3 that's in excellent condition, with all of the factory upgrades done to it.
I listened to it at his place and it sounded very good. He was just going to sell it on, so I had to make a quick decision and just bought it. That was only yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to listen to it in my system yet.
From what I've read about it so far, it's supposed to be a very nice sounding amplifier. I'll get it hooked up this week, and after I've had a few days to listen to it, I'll post what I hear.
It's supposed to be very musical, like Musical Fidelity and Naim, etc., which is good cuz I do love the British sound. It's only 100 WPC, but it weighs 55 lbs, and supposedly doesn't have a problem driving almost anything. It's 200 watts into 4 Ohms which will be better for the Kefs. It runs quite hot cuz it's largely Class A apparently.
Anyway, I'll let you know how it is. I'm hoping it's THE amp I've been searching for. He also has one of those Musical Fidelity Class A integrated amps, but it's only 60 WPC, so hopefully the Ayre does the trick.
Thanks again for your input.
I'd love to hear your MF monoblocks, but alas, I live in Toronto. I notice you're in the Isle of Man. My sister had a nanny who was from the Isle of Man. Both her and her sister had been, 'Miss, Isle of Man'. This was about 35 years ago. She was, of course, quite fetching.
Cheers.

Dave

Hi Dave,
That sounds like a good move. I will await your update when you have had a chance to listen to it in your system. I have family near Toronto and came over to visit 30 or so years ago. Stayed with them in Cambridge and we spent a day in Toronto. I always remember going up the CN Tower and visiting a Club near them called Ballangers. Blue Monday had just been released by New Order. It was good times and spent 6 weeks in your country and still often think about my time their. Cheers.

 

[nerdorama]

Just to add a little data to the conversation, here's a plot of impedance and phase for my pair of 103/3's, s/n 6735 A & B. The green curve is A and yellow is B. They are pretty well matched after all and except for the peak around the mid to tweeter crossover area the impedance is quite flat which corresponds with KEF's claims for a compensated impedance. I used Woofer Tester 2 earlier today and got very different results between the two. This plot is from Arta which is much quicker.

 

[yesshows77]

If anyone here has a line on a KEF 107 KUBE or the fabric grills "hats", please send me a PM. Thanks.

 

[david1111]

Hi Dave,
That sounds like a good move. I will await your update when you have had a chance to listen to it in your system. I have family near Toronto and came over to visit 30 or so years ago. Stayed with them in Cambridge and we spent a day in Toronto. I always remember going up the CN Tower and visiting a Club near them called Ballangers. Blue Monday had just been released by New Order. It was good times and spent 6 weeks in your country and still often think about my time their. Cheers.

Sounds like you had a good time in Ontario. I've only been up the CN Tower once myself. Cambridge is a nice place, and Toronto hasn't changed much, but the traffic is a lot worse now.
30 years, wow! I was, like, 33 then. My life was so different. We were in a recession then. That was about when I went up the CN Tower. Hey ... I think I remember you in the elevator ...
Speaking of travelling, I've always wanted to come over for the TT's. My buddy, who's from Manchester, always gets the CD of the yearly events, so I've seen a lot of them.
I can't quite remember ... is it James Cameron? Something like that. I always liked his style. He's won a bunch of times. And one of the Dunlop brothers is always in it, and does well.

But I digress. I've only had some initial listening tests with the Ayre V-3; but so far, it has sounded very good, and a big step up from my Adcom GFA 555ii. The soundstage is much better and the difining of the individual instruments is much improved. And the music just has so much more presence. It's more involving. Very musical.

I usually find that whenever I add a piece of audio gear, I have to shift my speakers a little and adjust the toe-in, to accommodate the change in the sound. I haven't had a chance to mark their current location, and do any adjustments yet, but it's bound to have an effect.
And, from what I've read, I'm supposed to drop the ground on the amp, and this will, apparently, greatly improve the soundstage.
We'll see. I have to call the Ayre factory regarding this, and I'll let you know how it all turns out.

I very happy tho, that it's a positive change so far, cuz I was getting so disenchanted with the overall sound of the system, that I was actually toying with the idea of replacing my Kef R107's (shudder). But even at this point, the music sounds so much better.
So I'll keep on making any of the adjustments that I've read about, or any recommendations the Ayre factory suggests, and I'll post the results. So, I'll talk to you in a week or two.
Happy listening, till then.
Cheers.

Dave

 

[CouryT]

Hi guys! Since 5pm yesterday I'm 100 bucks poorer, and the proud owner of a pair of kef 105.4s!

... I also was looking at KEFs website, and the 105.4s they have pictured are on speaker stands. Mine are on casters... I would like to acquire the original stands. Are they hard to come by

After acquiring a pair of 105.4s this year (for quite a bit more than $100!), I saw that same photo on the KEF site and became curious as well. I have a pair of speaker stands that are roughly the same configuration, so I decided to try them out. KEF must have put them on stands for a reason besides looking photogenic, right? For what it’s worth, I didn’t think it was an improvement. In fact, I thought they sounded worse on the stands — less full, less coherent. So I don’t believe they’re worth pursuing, if they ever were really produced.

I haven’t recapped the crossovers yet either, as I think they sound very good, and finding the correct replacement caps appears to have gotten more difficult.

One thing I’d like to do is rotate the woofers to avoid droopage — but when I tried to do it on one of the lower units, its wires weren’t long enough to stay connected, so I ended up putting it back in its original position. Anyone have advice on that? I guess I could add wires...?

 

[JohnnyNapalm]

Everyone has gone out. Time to enjoy my KEF’s. DBA level is correct as app calibrated. Enjoy a little SASH.

 

[sbaudio]

Anyone here have a pic of the 107 frames and covers? I would like to see about making my own out of hardwood and a pic of the frames without the cloth would be very helpful. Thanks, Lee.

 

[nerdorama]

Got an email that a 103/3 Kube was on the auction. Already sold by the time I looked. Hope someone here got it.
John

 

[blandis]

Would like a set of "hats" as well. Some time ago I remember seeing a post of a gent who made them. Not sure if I am correct but believe he had the first name Randy... that stuck because it is my fathers first name. For the life of me can not dig it up. May have been on one of the other forums possibly.

If someone makes a set, I would be in to help in any way possible or purchase a set. Seems as if I am not the only one who is wanting a set. Could we put a group buy together to make it worth a person while to make "X" number of sets?

 

[david1111]

If someone makes a set, I would be in to help in any way possible or purchase a set. Seems as if I am not the only one who is wanting a set. Could we put a group buy together to make it worth a person while to make "X" number of sets?

I could use a pair of 107 hats as well. So, the quantity is rising.

Dave

 

[Andyman]

I have a set of Q80s I'm selling and just picked up another set of RDM2s yesterday, which are bass shy, but quite nice sounding in a short hour listen last night

 

[rickb119]

I picked up a pair of 104/2's a couple of months ago. Very impressed!

Just finished replacing the ferro-fluid (they were quite dry). A relatively easy procedure and rather fun to watch the drops move diagonally. I don't think I can tell any difference, but then my hearing is completely gone by 9K so who am I to say. At least I won't fry them now.

Also ordered and received the cap kit (all 10%) from Falcon and I'm a little disappointed. I measured several caps using 2 different Flukes. One is calibrated annually, but they both read the same. All 100u read between 114-117u.
The 120u,30u and 50u were all within spec, or close enough. The biggie was the 600u that read 490u, 499u, 557u and 667u. That's all I've measured so far, but will test the others at some point. (Not gonna be re-capping for a while.)

I'm seriously thinking of reordering the far out of tolerance caps from a different source. Any thoughts, viewpoints, ideas or suggestions?

 

[slimecity]

Does anyone here know how the mid/tweeter assembly in the 103.4 can be removed?:

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/kef-103-4-mid-tweeter-dissembly.880183/

 

[newzealand]

We don't have an overall KEF thread here... Just threads for specific models like the LS50 and 107... And posting in those seems like thread jacking.

So I guess I'll start one. I love this brand. Post pics of your KEFs! :thmbsp:

i love this brand also ,if its not kef its not a speaker that is welcome in my home lol

 

[uteman1011]

KEF K120's here. I got them for free with an HK tube amp a few months ago. I finally hooked them up to my HK 330B yesterday and am loving them. Nice for the master bedroom.

 

[Ezd]

Looks like a comfortable listening room...Nice.

 

[uteman1011]

Just picked up a pair of KEF C40's a couple days ago. I'm LOVING these. I have a line on a pair of matched 107's locally but not sure I want to spend $1650.00 right now.