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Kef 104.2 Speakers. Suggestions Discussion Forum

KEF 104/2 SPEAKER OWNERS.

Lets have a tips and suggestions forum on how to improve these wonderful speakers.

Topics could include speaker placement, speaker tweeks, best speaker cables (interconnects, power cords etc), best amps (receivers, cd players etc), best compatible center and rear surround speakers, care and maintence, repair shops and more.

Here is a review (see below) that I found on the web concerning KEF 104/2 Speakers.

In over 10 years of doing high end audio reviews, enjoythemusic.com has given out a total of 59 awards for product excellence. The KEF 104/2's were among them. Out of those 59 awards, only 5 were to speakers and that includes speakers in the $10,000+ catagory. The editor has a section he calls "my personal list of products that deserve to be heralded as something truly special" and the KEF 104/2 speakers are included.

The Review summary: Back in the 1980's KEF was a wonderfully British company making their own drivers with a top-notch team. While their top range model was the 107 that produced deeper bass (down to 20Hz), after careful auditioning the KEF 104/2 was the obvious winner. KEF's 104 model saw various versions and the 104/2 was the final result of the product's evolution. This relatively high sensitivity loudspeaker, at 92dB/W/m at 4 ohms, produced frequencies from 55Hz to 20kHz (+-2dB) with five drivers. The tweeter is KEF's T33 25mm (1") silk dome with slight horn loading. It was flanked above and below by the B110 100mm (5") doped Bextrene midrange cone in a D'Appolito technique. Bass was produced by a pair of coupled cavity B200 200mm (8") paper cone drivers with their center magnets connected by a metal pole.

The midrange/tweeter/tweeter panel (weighting about 25 lbs) is completely removable from the woofer cabinet (at nearly 45 lbs) and both loudspeaker cabinets are very rigid. Each midrange is enclosed in its own sealed section to reduce any interaction while the tweeter is press fit to the cabinet via a rear screw. The internal woofers' output exits via a flanged port the same size as the midrange units. And thus the brilliance! The tricks up the 104/2; proverbial sleeve is that the sound wave of the midrange and the bass drivers is the same size, plus add in the point source-like output from the midrange/tweeter/midrange D'Appolito configuration.

As for sound, the highs are smooth and midrange is very well presented. Bass down to about 50Hz is excellent and tuneful. Do not use the KEF Kube, an external box said to enhance bass down to lower frequencies, as this clouds the sound. If you need lots of bass below 50Hz get a separate subwoofer. The soundscape thrown by the pair of 104/2 is remarkable! When present, not only is the sound totally enveloping, but you get height information too.
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I welcome and look forward to your input.
buyfast1
chazro's avatar
chazro
635 posts
 
When I 1st started this journey during the early 80's my 1st pair of spkrs were Ohm Walsh 2's. Owned 'em for a few years than went for a pair of Kef 104/2's. A wonderful spkr, it was interesting to read the comment about the cube, I used it for awhile but wound up taking it out of the system, I felt it muddied up the overall sound. When I got the bug to upgrade I 1st picked up a loaner pair of Thiel 3.5's. Couldn't give 'em back soon enough, the spkr was too harsh to these ears. I wound up buying a pair of Spendor S100's and still own 'em to this day. Always have fond memories of the 104/2's. Don't know if it's due to all the discoveries within my new hobby that I was discovering back then (for instance, for better or worse, I picked up my 1st CD player, I've owned close to 2 dz. since then!) But I know it was a fine spkr, it's cool to see that it's still being discussed!
buyfast1 OP
18 posts
 
Does anyone have a KEF 104/2 MANUAL, that i can get a copy?

Does any owner have any suggestions for proper room placement of the KEF 104/2 speakers (such as distance from back and side walls, toe in, spikes or isolation footers, grills on or off etc)?

thank you
tlenthe
2 posts
 
Per the manual-

"ROOM POSITIONING AND LISTENING WINDOW

As a general rule loudspeakers should be placed about 1 m from the nearest side wall and 50cm from the rear wall, and angling them inwards slightly can be beneficial. The distance between the speakers, and their distance from the listener is also important. Spacing the speakers between 2 (6'-6") and 4 (13') metres apart will allow images to develop fully, and you should sit at a distance at least equal to, and preferably greater than, the distance between them.

Considerable changes can be made to the sound of your hi-fi system by altering the position of the loudspeakers relative to the walls, sometimes by only a few inches. Changing the angle at which they are placed can significantly affect the focus of the stereo image.

The listening room is the most variable and unpredictable element in the hi-fi chain and it cannot be emphasised too strongly that the only way to achieve optimum performance is through many hours of critical, aware listening both on speech and music, whilst adjusting the speakers' position.

Removing the grille will not 'improve' the speakers' performance. The special design ensures best performance with the grille in place.

The Model 104/2 is designed to stand on the floor, it does not require any other form of stand or support. If the speaker is to be used on wood or tiled floor, use the feet as supplied. On thick carpet however, stability will be considerably improved by removing the caps and using the pointed feet, fig 8. Place the speaker in its chosen position and level it by screwing the rear feet fully in and adjusting the front, using the additional washers as necessary to level the speaker. Tighten the screw firmly when levelling up is completed. Only in rare cases of very uneven floors should you need to adjust the rear feet.

The tonal quality and clarity of the reproduction, and above all, the sharpness of the stereo image, are determined by the sound that reaches the listener directly, without reflection from walls, floor or ceiling.

Reflection from nearby walls, windows, mirrors, even the TV set can spoil stereo definition by confusing the primary image. Large items of soft furniture can cause absorption of midrange and high frequencies.

Electrical time delay in the dividing network is designed to tilt the listening axis up 10° from the horizontal. This ensures that the ears of a listener seated 3m (10') from the loudspeaker are on the axis, at a height of 1.2m (4') above floor level. Reference to fig. 9 will show that accurate stereo information is maintained over a wide area both horizontally and vertically. There is no one 'stereo seat' with Model 104/2."

Happy listening!
buyfast1 OP
18 posts
 
QUESTION TO KEF 104/2 OWNERS:

The Kef 104/2 speaker owner's manual discusses how to determine the correct polarity. Has anyone done this?

This is what the manual says: Correct polarity is vital to the proper operation of the system. Once you have made the connections described above (red and black speaker cable connections) you can check the polarity in the following manner. Place the two loudspeakers close together facing each other (2'-3" apart). Play a recording which has plenty of deep bass such as an organ solo, operating both speakers simultaneously with the amplifier switched to "mono". Repeat the test after changing over the connections on one loudspeaker. Correct polarity is indicated by firm, full bass. When polarity is incorrect, the bass will be noticably much weaker. Keep the speakers facing each other and, after establishing correct polarity as above, again reverse the connection on one loudspeaker. Using the same piece of music and keeping the signal in "mono", rotate the balance control on your amplifier on either side of "center". You will hear a point at which the signal almost disappears. At this point the output from both loudspeakers is the same. In an ideal symmetrical listening set-up this should be the setting adopted, (don't forget to corect the polarity change you have just made!). You may need to use the balance control to compensate for an "off center" listening postion, or asymmetrical speaker positions within the room. Model 104/2 imaging capabilities are outstanding and it is worthwhile spending some time in achieving the correct balance between the two speakers from your normal listening postion.
buyfast1 OP
18 posts
 
I found this information on the web (but it is not verified). Can any one verify?:

This relatively high sensitivity loudspeaker, at 92dB/W/m at 4 ohms, produced frequencies from 55Hz to 20kHz (+-2dB) with five drivers. The tweeter is KEF's T33 25mm (1") silk dome with slight horn loading. It was flanked above and below by the B110 100mm (5") doped Bextrene midrange cone in a D'Appolito technique. Bass was produced by a pair of coupled cavity B200 200mm (8") paper cone drivers with their center magnets connected by a metal pole.
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