KEF owners thread

[ProfP3PP3R]

If you want to recoat the front cones, something similar to the KEF formulation is actually Elmer's White School Glue. The Borden Co (they started Elmer's Glue) actually supplied KEF the Plastiflex coating for their Bextrene speaker cones. The glue would have to be thinned down with water and best applied by spraying to get an even coat.

Perfect, this answers my question and seems easy to find. Also having to re-apply the dust caps because whoever pushed these in really went ham. Now they are damaged they are just severely pushed in and can't be popped back out (I've tried as hard as i can with lots if methods). They've carefully been removed and will be reapplied in a correct and tidy way. And then I can reapply the PVA coating.

 

[Lou G]

I love kef I really do I just got my adcom gfa 5800 and got the thiels on it. The 104/2 just do not even compare. No wonder why these thiels can go for 2000 at the highest. Bass is extremely deep yet punchy incredibly accurate high end and midrange which is very much tamed by the adcom luxman combo and with extreme clarity. Very much more reference I’d say. The kef tho just have that smooth luxury natural sound with awesome soundstage that I love as well so they won’t be going anywhere either.

Thanks for the comparison. I was just wondering if the ferrofluid was replaced in your KEF 104/2 T33 tweeters. Dried out ferrofluid can result in a somewhat dull sound. When I got my 104/2s from the original owner, they were in perfect shape physically but did sound somewhat dull compared to my other KEF speakers. The first thing I did was replace the dried out ferrofluid and it made a big difference.

 

[Thoft8]

Thanks for the comparison. I was just wondering if the ferrofluid was replaced in your KEF 104/2 T33 tweeters. Dried out ferrofluid can result in a somewhat dull sound. When I got my 104/2s from the original owner, they were in perfect shape physically but did sound somewhat dull compared to my other KEF speakers. The first thing I did was replace the dried out ferrofluid and it made a big difference.

Well on luxman they’re absolutely perfect sounding but on the adcom they’re dulled out. Just seems like an amp sound signature difference thing.

 

[Thoft8]

Anyone else feel like the adcom kef combo is not good synergy?

 

[Thoft8]

Ok so i messed up the top bi-amp posts were loose and not making good connection on the jumpers while the cable was plugged into the bass section. Will try the adcom once again.

 

[Thoft8]

So kef do sound brilliant on adcom. Posts weren’t tight enough on the high connections. I also have the b110 unit for a pair of non bi wire now which is useless. Completely different mounting schemes between the non bi wire version and the bi wire version.

 

[Lou G]

So kef do sound brilliant on adcom. Posts weren’t tight enough on the high connections.

That sounds more reasonable. I was surprised when you said they sounded dull with the Adcom.

 

[Thoft8]

I didn’t have the high/mid bi amp posts tightened onto the shanks properly.

 

[Lou G]

Yes, I read your post. Glad it is sounding good with the Adcom.

 

[Thoft8]

Well here’s the downside. I think my thiels just took out the left channel lol

 

[Thoft8]

Getting an Aragon 2004 for the kef. Get the adcom worked on them sell it, and get the Aragon 8008 for the 3.5. And my 3.5 are measuring three ohms. Wonder what’s up with that.

 

[Thoft8]

Kef 105.4 better than the 104/2 or just “different”?

 

[ProfP3PP3R]

So finally got round to sorting the foams on my 104/2, just wondering if it's normal for the lower of the Woofers (B200) in each unit to be much stiffer (by this it just doesn't move as freely as the other units both taken from the top of the 104) in it's movement? the "issue" is apparent on both units, now when I used them last they sounded fine ofc just with the issues related to foams being damaged and ferro fluid needing changing. Just wondering if this is a common fault etc>
Thanks

 

[Lou G]

I would think they should be the same. Is it the rubber surround that is stiffer on the lower B200 units?

 

[ProfP3PP3R]

Yea I thought that too, the rubbers are about the same just when ever it moves up and down it's like there's something stopping it from freely moving, both the lower drivers have the same fault. I thought that it was likely that theres something wrong with them just seems weird both examples would suffer the same fault

 

[Ken Mitchell]

So I picked up a pair of the new LS50 Meta for kilobuck about a week ago. I already had a pair of the original ones (in limited edition Frosted Black/Blue driver) and plan to keep them for now. This gives me good opportunity to compare. The new ones are definitely better! As early reviews have mentioned, any brightness to the tweeter is gone yet nothing is lost. It's not rolled off, just so silky-smooth and extended. The bass output, the jury is still out on that until sometime this weekend when I can move them from the office system up to the acoustically ideal guest bedroom where I have a Bluesound Vault 2 feeding a Carver M-1.5t amp with 350 watts per channel I'd put the original LS50's there when I got the new ones, and the way that amp extracts bass from a little 5-1/4" driver is nothing short of astounding.

The new LS50 Meta are the real deal! I love that the soundstage is less pinpoint, more generous as to where I can sit in my office for maximum effect. More after I can get some serious power into them.

 

[Hawkeye83]

So I picked up a pair of the new LS50 Meta for kilobuck about a week ago. I already had a pair of the original ones (in limited edition Frosted Black/Blue driver) and plan to keep them for now. This gives me good opportunity to compare. The new ones are definitely better! As early reviews have mentioned, any brightness to the tweeter is gone yet nothing is lost. It's not rolled off, just so silky-smooth and extended. The bass output, the jury is still out on that until sometime this weekend when I can move them from the office system up to the acoustically ideal guest bedroom where I have a Bluesound Vault 2 feeding a Carver M-1.5t amp with 350 watts per channel I'd put the original LS50's there when I got the new ones, and the way that amp extracts bass from a little 5-1/4" driver is nothing short of astounding.

The new LS50 Meta are the real deal! I love that the soundstage is less pinpoint, more generous as to where I can sit in my office for maximum effect. More after I can get some serious power into them.

I will probably have to get some Meta some day. I have a real strange relationship with KEF LS50's. I have bought and sold them three times, now getting them again a fourth time!

First pair was the anniversary black/gold (or copper, whatever). Used those for maybe a year? Then wanted some Quad 57's, so sold the KEF.

Then I thought I was going to really get out of the hobby. Sell everything. Just get some LS50's and a Peachtree Decco and call it good. So bought some white/blue LS50's. Liked them but they couldn't replace the dynamics of my KEF 107's. Sold the LS50's. Decided to stay with my larger, more expensive, more complicated setups.

Then wanted to try out the LS50W's for my office. Liked them. Got paranoid about connectivity and amplifier issues, sold them.

Now my brother is replacing his KEF surround setup with Sonos (just for a cleaner, wireless look) so I'm acquiring his LS50's for a price I can't pass up. They will be the white/blue again. They will be my office "change of pace" speakers and also my "back-up" speakers in case any of my 3 main speakers go down (knock on wood). And maybe some day pass them on to my kids when they are old enough to not trash them. Good, small speakers to have around! Especially now that the price is coming way down on the original ones.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

The new LS50 Wireless II are MUCH better than the fluky originals. They improve the app, connectivity and of course added the Meta driver. The only complaints I see are they they deleted the USB input.

 

[infullview]

What is so special about the KEF 101? I just saw an ad on CL for a pair, and they want $500 for them. I checked the specs and they are 90-30K +/-2db with a terrible spl of 81db!? Now compare that to Paradigm Phantom V1 monitors 60 - 20KHz +/-2 with spl at 90db. Independent reviews tested them and got 47 - 20KHz at +/-2.5db at this link http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/paradigm-phantom-490.html The paradigms can be had for about $100 so what justifies this price for the KEFs? I can't imaging many people care much about audio over 20KHz.

 

[Lou G]

$500 does seem high for the KEF 101. What sets it apart from the Paradigm is not its sensitivity or frequency response, but its accurate tonal balance and detailed stereo imaging. It is a very rich, smooth sounding speaker but I would not pay that much for it. Possibly collector status, similar to the Rogers LS3/5a, adds to the selling price.