KEF 104.2.....Fix 'Em or Not?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Blair G., Mar 28, 2015.

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  1. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    After spending months trying to find the right integrated amp for my trusty old KEF 104.2's, a "donut" is shot on one of the woofers which means I'll need to repair all 4 woofers.
    We have an excellent shop in town so they know what to do but it's a difficult, laborius repair.
    Price: $500

    Already spent $150 having them refurbish the tweeters in 2013.
    And if I have them ripped apart now maybe I should recap the crossovers, that's another £92 ($175CDN) for the proper parts from Falcon Acoustics in England.

    I'd have between $650 and $825CDN (if I do the crossovers) invested in 29 old speakers.
    I'm questioning the wisdom of that.

    Do I fix them or say goodbye?
     
  2. Jack Flannery

    Jack Flannery Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Heard anything that knocks your socks off for $800? Or whatever amount you might like to spend? If not, there's your answer.
     
  3. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    Good point, haven't heard anything that thrills me over the last few years and believe me I've tried.
    Epos, Harbeth, Spendor.

    Bringing home a demo pair of KEF R700 today and thought the Revel F206 I heard recently were pretty good.

    Edit: there was one speaker I loved, the Penaudio Cenya.
    But I don't want a stand mounter and their equivalnet floor stander is way too much $$
     
    PROG U.K. likes this.
  4. apman55

    apman55 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sandy OR US
    I would do it in a heart beat if the cabinets are still in good shape.
    I have always lusted after the 104's after having the 103/3's for many years. I doubt you will find anything better in that price range.
    Do it, you know you want to!
     
  5. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    Other than a couple of very minor scratches, the walnut cabinets are like new.
    Grilles are perfect.
    They have been babied since new
     
    Rick58 likes this.
  6. Rick58

    Rick58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, ID, USA
    Nice that there's a competent repair shop there, doesn't sound like a LOT of money to get 'new' 104.2s ... they certainly are well-regarded speakers. My old boss bought some with a Carver Receiver when they were both new, may still have them too.
     
  7. The Good Guy

    The Good Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    £443 pounds in uk money . Unless you can buy a better speaker immaculate 2 nd from a reliable source then get them repaired.
     
  8. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    Has anyone out there actually replaced the donuts and if so, was there an improvement in bass performance?

    Having searched for new speakers the last few months, the experience and sticker shock have me seriously considering the repair. In fact there are a few brave souls out there who have done it themselves
     
  9. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    If you can get something you like just as much for say a grand, toss those KEFs to the trash; they seem to be becoming a major PITA. While a fan of vintage gear, I'm an advocate for modern speakers.

    OTOH, it's hard to part with a piece of gear you dig and your ears are used to. I can't talk myself into selling my vintage Pioneer receiver although I drool at Yamaha modern receivers.
     
    The Seeker likes this.
  10. The Seeker

    The Seeker Forum Resident

    While I think Waxfreak's comment may have been a little strong, I think he has a valid point. On the other hand, I absolutely love certain vintage speakers when they're restored and/or working properly. The biggest reason, however, that I agree with Waxfreak is that I've found the KEF 104.2 to be a very poor sounding loudspeaker. The older KEF 105 and Cantata, for example, dance circles around them, IMO, but that is simply a matter of personal taste. I've never heard the Penaudio Cenya, but the design looks extremely promising and I am very familiar with the SEAS 19 TFF1 tweeter they use, of which I have a pair still sitting on a shelf from older DIY projects of mine. In fact, it's the tiny cousin of the tweeter used in the Harbeth Monitor 30 and looks very similar on paper. Look at how smooth and flat it is!:

    http://www.seas.no/index.php?option...le&id=50:h0737-08-19tff-1&catid=45&Itemid=462

    And finally, for the money you're sinking into repair costs, you'll never break even if you ever decide to sell and upgrade. My vote is that you look for something else rather than fixing your current speakers.
     
    The Pinhead likes this.
  11. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    It's all about the sound. Can one obtain speakers that pleases the OP?

    Did he check out other vintage KEF speakers? I presume the OP likes the KEF sound! :)
     
    The Seeker likes this.
  12. bluemooze

    bluemooze Senior Member

    Location:
    Frenchtown NJ USA
    I love my Kef 104.2s. They are my main speakers. Midrange heaven. IMO, don't spend any money on fixing them if you don't hear anything wrong with the sound.

    If you are handy with tools, then you can find extremely detailed instructions on how to replace the foam, with plenty of photographs, on AudioKarma.
     
  13. Sam

    Sam Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    The REAL question that you should be looking to answer is HOW MUCH will they cost me on ebay in similar condition? Are they the same costs? If so, then I would have yours fixed. Of course, that's assuming that you have listened to other speakers and still like the sound of the KEF's.
     
  14. Jerry

    Jerry Grateful Gort Staff

    Location:
    New England
    Say goodbye. I spent $600 on a new pair of Magneplanar MMG's two years ago, after I thought great speakers would cost me two grand. I'd shop around for new speakers. Good luck!
     
    ether-bored likes this.
  15. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I've refoamed several sets of speakers, it's not that hard.

    If the surrounds are shot the bass performance will suffer and the voice coil will start rubbing causing even more damage.
     
  16. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    The butyl surrounds are fine, it's just the donuts that are starting to go.
    I've heard other speakers I like but nothing better so far IMHO for much under 5K.
    Maybe I'm so used to these old timers I'm unable to appreciate something new LOL.
    Fixing them buys me time. Could get new speakers 2 or 3 years from now and should be able to recoup at least some of the repair costs if and when I sell them.
    Going to keep looking but I'm running out of options locally.
    Will listen to Focal (though never a fan of their speakers the Aria line is supposed to be smoother).
    ELAC, Spendor and ProAc are also available locally, will listen to them too
     
  17. rpd

    rpd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    I replaced the donuts on my 105.3's. Really not that hard....
     
  18. Mike from NYC

    Mike from NYC Senior Member

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
  19. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    Yeah, replacing surrounds is not that hard. You can get a complete replacement kit for your speakers on ebay for $30. A couple hours of work and you're done. You're proud to have learned a new skill and your speakers are renewed. All you do is remove the driver, scrape off the old surrounds and glue on the new ones. It's pretty easy and there's a good margin for error. I'm the crappiest workman in the world and I've refoamed about 8 pairs of speakers -- being sure several times I was doing a hack job -- and they all came out fine.
     
  20. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    So, we are not talking surrounds, what in the world are donuts??? The centers?
     
  21. plexi0

    plexi0 Well-Known Member

    keep 'em and replace the surrounds. those are nice neutral speakers. typical british sound like my missions (older). they are a bit bass shy but linear sounding and unoffensive with nice snappy but polite dynamics...i've heard some kef's of similar vintage as well. nice speaks
     
  22. bluemooze

    bluemooze Senior Member

    Location:
    Frenchtown NJ USA
    Are you familiar with these speakers? :)
     
  23. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    "What one man can do, another man can do.

    [​IMG]

    Per the poster of the video: "It is about a 2 hour job plus glue drying time, if you haven't done it before."



    Do I think someone should be paid $250 an hour to refoam a speaker? No. A screwdriver (metric, I'd guess) some wire cutters (maybe) and some fun! That's how I see DIY audio repairs. Especially when you're at the point of: "Keep 'em or trash 'em?" What have you got to lose? You know how many GREAT pairs of speakers I've rescued because someone thought they were toast because a $18 set of foam surrounds were shot? Let's see, there were the AR3s I got for $5 at the thrift shop....
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2015
    The Pinhead likes this.
  24. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    Wow.....I think I'll refoam mine when the time comes....if I can get the original spare parts, that is.
     
  25. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    Interesting you mention the Penaudio Cenya.
    That's the very speaker the dealer used when I demo'd the amp I bought.
    I loved them.
    But they're stand mounted and expensive. Those demos are on sale.......for $3600.
    The floor standing Penaudio Sara is much more.
    If, as waxfreak suggests, I could find a speaker I liked for 1K then the answer would be easy.
    But I can't find I speaker I like as much for 4K.

    I'm obviously biased, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but you are literally the first person I'ver met who thinks they are poor sounding.
    But that's cool.......I've heard my share of well regarded speakers that I thought were highly overrated.
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2015
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