How old is too old ?....

Lots of good replies here. Last year I bought a set of Infinity IRS Betas. Originally introduced in 1988. Mine are late production, though I could care less. I've wanted these since new, only pricing kept me away. I'm fortunate in that here in Mass good high-end stores are not far. In fact, just the other day I had the pleasure of listening to M-L Statements on an all-Boulder front end in a proper room. Did I like 'em, sure! My system with the Betas is just as satisfying to me. I remember when I had to have that next "bump". Now I've been satisfied for quite some time.

AFAIC, if you have the desire for new, please attempt to listen before you buy, even if it is difficult. I've got a feeling you'll have to spend way more than you would like to better what you have now. I think it's great that your frontend improvements have been immediately apparent to you with your Kefs. I would upgrade the crossover caps as another poster suggested.

beemer

Some people in this group might tell you I think an insecure few(very few) look to often to others for help with what I think is pretty obvious, but hey, it takes all types. Having wrote that, where do you live that things are so hard to get to to hear? For what its worth, I keep notes on everything that has come through my house(and its a lot) feel free to write and ask mine, and I am sure everyone elses, thoughts on a particular speakers and/or anything else audio wise. Also, what do you want in a speaker, sizewise etc? What music, roomsize etc.? Oh yeah, the hard part, did I mention budget? Give these folks something to work with, opinions here are mostly free and you will get a lot of answers.
Good luck

Mr. Bomarc, once again, makes very good sense. How many axes are there to grind in these pages? The "source" school of thought, the "change passive components" school of thought, the "change passive components with specific premiere brand name" school of thought, mix in the "conspiracy against the paying public, they make more money on speakers so upgrade anything else" school of thought, and throw in the "history as I know it" school of thought. I suggest the following:
if it makes music to your ears, be happy enjoy the tunes;
if you have spare cash, go out and listen to what is available within your budget;
if you do find, try, if at all possible, to hear the speakers with the rest of your components, preferably in your own listening room;
if in doubt, spend your cash on recordings.

Good day.

I too loved the KEF104.2 as they were my first real high end speaker, but I agree with many others that you will allow the quality of your front end and amps shine with a newer model. The tweeters in the 104.2 were as clear as mud and the bass was never that compelling. There are many great used speakers for sale on audiogon. Try Wilson Watt/Puppy 5.1's (selling for a song now that the 7's are out) or B&W Nautilus 802's or ....Too many to list. Good luck.

I have had also a recent expereince as this, although at a different level. The speakers I had were the items that everyone believed were the "weak point", and I would refuse to get new ones because I believed I would have to spend a lot to equal them. As it turns out, I picked up some vandies really cheap, and while they sound initailly better, I don't hear differences nearly as well to the front of my system.
Point that I see here, you don't need to upgrade your speakers to get better. You can definitely get better with better speakers, of coarse, but just because a speaker is old, does not mean it is inherently going to be bettered by a new one.
There is a lot of wisdom to sean's suggestion, being that it would seem to be an improvement without changing anything. Especially if you really like your speakers. Instead of getting different, or different and better, or different and worse and better, you just get better. It's just a step up, period, no matter how much or little.
There is no reason why there should'nt be better speakers out there (there are always better speakers, amps, etc.) There is no reason you should'nt look if you want to. For me thats what this hobby is all about. I'm not a "speaker buff", but I appreciate that some people put more into thier speakers than I do. It seems to me that there are a lot of audiophiles that put a lot more attention into their speakers and amplification, and less into their front end, and make claims that the front end makes little difference compared to the gains in the speakers. From what I can see, these are the ones that usually spend the most money. I condider that audiophiles from these two different "camps" listen for different things.