KEF owners thread

[Hawkeye83]

So, is it just me, or did the very useful KEF speaker history site with specs and driver part numbers, etc. disappear?

Yes! I was also looking for this the other day. Someone needs to contact KEF and see if we can get this put back up or transferred to some sort of legacy KEF Museum site, even if it's separate from their main site.

Thankfully, there's the web archive:

https://web.archive.org/web/20180206152513/http://uk.kef.com/explore-kef/kef-museum

 

[davidslv]

There's also this summary article of the majority of past KEF speakers

https://www.audioaffair.co.uk/blog/reference-crazy-kefs-new-reference-range/

 

[seannc]

There's also this summary article of the majority of past KEF speakers

https://www.audioaffair.co.uk/blog/reference-crazy-kefs-new-reference-range/

Thanks for sharing that link. That's a really good article. I've auditioned some modern speakers lately (Moon, Dynaudio and some others). Still prefer my KEFs!

 

[BilboBaggins]

Yes! I was also looking for this the other day. Someone needs to contact KEF and see if we can get this put back up or transferred to some sort of legacy KEF Museum site, even if it's separate from their main site.

Thankfully, there's the web archive:

https://web.archive.org/web/20180206152513/http://uk.kef.com/explore-kef/kef-museum

Thank you for that link! I just went over there and captured the content I thought was lost forever! I have the 103.2, 105, and 107, and my son has my old Concerto! Which he asked me for when I told him I was thinking of selling them.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

The KEF Museum as we knew and loved is gone. They did recently re-establish a "Product Archive", though it's a little tricky to get where you want. Everything of the old KEF Museum seems to be there, if you click around enough.

Product Archive | KEF USA

 

[SoundsAlike]

 

[Ken Mitchell]

View attachment 2811133 View attachment 2811134

WOW!!!! Can we see the speakers??

What are you going to do with them?

 

[SoundsAlike]

WOW!!!! Can we see the speakers??

What are you going to do with them?

Hold on to them for awhile, rotate them into service and rotate other speakers out of service. More pics coming soon. They're not BNIB, they were in use for several years by an audiophile and moved multiple times across the country, but still in nice shape. In rosewood veneer.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

Hold on to them for awhile, rotate them into service and rotate other speakers out of service. More pics coming soon. They're not BNIB, they were in use for several years by an audiophile and moved multiple times across condition, but still in nice shape. In rosewood veneer.

Of course I expected them to be used, the boxes don't look like "new old stock." It's just that any owner who still has the boxes and original certificate like that probably took exceptional care of them.

I know what kind of money they sell for these days, so I'm curious if you've just bought them or had them for some length of time.

Glad for you, all reports I've ever heard are that they're really good.

 

[SoundsAlike]

Of course I expected them to be used, the boxes don't look like "new old stock." It's just that any owner who still has the boxes and original certificate like that probably took exceptional care of them.

I know what kind of money they sell for these days, so I'm curious if you've just bought them or had them for some length of time.

Glad for you, all reports I've ever heard are that they're really good.

Just picked them up yesterday and a pair of Reference Two, a floor standing 3-way 4 driver loudspeaker, from the same 1990s period.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

Just picked them up yesterday and a pair of Reference Two, a floor standing 3-way 4 driver loudspeaker, from the same 1990s period.

Have you had other KEF speakers before these?

 

[SoundsAlike]

Have you had other KEF speakers before these?

I lucked into a pair of 105/2 that I had for awhile. Which to me sounded alright for the time, but I let them go on to a new home after other speakers I wanted came up for sale.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

I lucked into a pair of 105/2 that I had for awhile. Which to me sounded alright for the time, but I let them go on to a new home after other speakers I wanted came up for sale.

I'm pretty much a dyed-in-the-wool KEF guy at this point. I'm sitting on my end-game 2019-2021 era Reference 1's, can't imagine changing it up at 63. All that's left for me into retirement is completing my Luxman setup that feeds them.

I would jump on a nice pair of Reference 104/2 if they appeared though. They wouldn't be for me but for my younger son. He has KEF Q500/Q200c/Q800ds/Q100 in a surround sound setup, but uses a pair of Boston Acoustics small tower (A100?) speakers in his 2.1 stereo setup. I think a pair of 104/2's in good running condition would blow his mind.

 

[seannc]

With a sub, there is no need to match brands.

Were I to spend that much (the cost of the DEF KC62), I'd get one (or 2) of these. https://www.rythmikaudio.com/

A belated thanks for the recommendation. I got around to experimenting with a Polk PSW10 this weekend (considered a decent sub for the low cost). I got excited by the potential that a sub may bring. The sound was fuller and records that sounded a little thin sounded less so. Anyway, I'm probably not willing to spend what the KEF KC62s cost. The Rhymik subs look interesting. If anyone has any other recommendations or suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

 

[greymatter]

I have visited there museum more times than I can count . It’s sad to see all that info go to the waste side . Especially nice when you need specs on different speaker models . I have 104.2 ,103.4 and some smaller one up at my cottage .

 

[SoundsAlike]

A belated thanks for the recommendation. I got around to experimenting with a Polk PSW10 this weekend (considered a decent sub for the low cost). I got excited by the potential that a sub may bring. The sound was fuller and records that sounded a little thin sounded less so. Anyway, I'm probably not willing to spend what the KEF KC62s cost. The Rhymik subs look interesting. If anyone has any other recommendations or suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

HSU subs are great value on the used market. I have a VTF-3 MK 2 downward firing sub that fills a 20' x 15' room with nice controlled bass.

 

[34dean]

Hi all,
I am a new owner to a pair of 104/2’s. I have a restored/recapped MAC4100 receiver.
I’m considering adding a McIntosh power amp using the 4100 as a Pre. Do you feel this would be a good match?
Or, is there a better match I could use my $2500 budget for?

Thank you!

 

[stereocuuple]

Hi all,
I am a new owner to a pair of 104/2’s. I have a restored/recapped MAC4100 receiver.
I’m considering adding a McIntosh power amp using the 4100 as a Pre. Do you feel this would be a good match?
Or, is there a better match I could use my $2500 budget for?

Thank you!

the KEF 104/2 are very efficient so the MAC 4100 will be more than enough. If you are serious about separates I would suggest selling the 4100 and get a mcintosh preamp and amp. We run our 104/2 with an MC2002 and almost never get out of the 20 watt range. I also would suggest slowing down and listen to what you have before you spend anything. Asking questions all over the net is a great way to get lousy advice

 

[Ken Mitchell]

Hi all,
I am a new owner to a pair of 104/2’s. I have a restored/recapped MAC4100 receiver.
I’m considering adding a McIntosh power amp using the 4100 as a Pre. Do you feel this would be a good match?
Or, is there a better match I could use my $2500 budget for?

Thank you!

Not knowing what sources and other components you have, it's not our place to say exactly what to do there. I do agree with @stereocuuple that only if you were serious about getting out of a receiver and into separates would you be wise to sell off the 4100. I don't think its pre-amp section is exactly stellar, though it is a good match with its own power amp section.

That said, I've paired my modern KEF Reference with Luxman and hope to someday move to their class A separates.

 

[LLV Larry]

I have been a Kef fanatic since the 104.2 came out back in the day and have gone up the Kef food chain since. Currently have Kef Blade II's in my dedicated theater with a 4c, R3's, Reference 1's and R700's in the bed layer and 6 Kef Ci200RR's in the ceiling. Recently, added Reference 1's to my home office with a KF92 sub.