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Kef 105

F

Fitnessed

pfm Member
Another vintage speaker project....
Delighted with these and sound per pound cant think of anything that beats them......
Sound delightful with a mere quad 405.....


IMG_5832 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr

Naked and some what slimmer......
IMG_5822 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr
Note the top speaker housing lifts off and unplugs very easily.......
IMG_5823 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr

There is a protection and a little led in between the tweeter and mid viewable from the front....
IMG_5826 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr
On full tilt via adjustment knob on the rear,lovely metal work bracketry enabling this...
IMG_5834 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr
 
And a review by Revue du Son:

n6vTDFK.jpeg


mPoWDvX.jpeg
 
Drivers all measured and crossover capacitors will post my findings.
Falcon all- cap kit on way 22 capacitors :) boards all stripped...
Figured whilst im waiting for capacitors to land, may as well tear them down and sort the cosmetics out....
The build quality of the these is really impressive.
The dalek head and bracketry and tilt mechanism must of been very labour intensive,cabinet construction is lovely...
They later moved on to a plastic darlek head and a squarer cabinet and different drivers mainly for the bass.
Interestingly thought the mid-range driver was a b110/sp1003 but it is actually a sp1057.
All drivers are in excellent condition and measure very accurate.
Woofers have no sag or rub,interestingly Kef went to the effort of putting wires in long enough to allow a full rotation and even coiled the slack up nicely..
Judging by the efforts to remove woofers from the front baffle board and tightness of everthing these have been untouched.
Have potential to bi-amp or go dsp,more than likely will run another 405 for the bass...

IMG_5860 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr

IMG_5860 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr

IMG_5879 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr

IMG_5883 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr

IMG_5882 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr

IMG_5865 by Vintage Audioworx, on Flickr
 
tuga said:
And a review by Revue du Son:

n6vTDFK.jpeg


mPoWDvX.jpeg
Click to expand...
Looks like Kef performed some revisions....

I spot individualized crossovers for the tweeters and mid-range and a open arrangement at rear..._
possibly combined tweeter and protection circuit board at the top..
Also appears to not have the tilt mechanism with adjuster on the rear...

Also the flat plate rear panel looks like its metal.
( moulded plastic on my model with a combined circuit board.
Also the mid-range is y has a separate chamber as does the tweeter)..
I read b110 in the review (mine have sp1057)

I count 20 caps for both speakers,yet the falcon kit has 22 wonder if it caters for the individualized board set up or perhaps the protection board...
 
tuga said:
Looks like they're both the same driver:

Click to expand...
nope..

.
B110 A6362 4-8 ohm 1967-early 70's
original unpainted frame, damping on front of Bextrene cone Neoprene rubber surround

KEF Cresta, early Concerto, original LS3/5 1970-74

B110(A)SP1003 8 ohm early 70's-early 90's

some unpainted, mostly black chassis, damped front Bextrene cone Neoprene rubber surround
called B110 or B110A (constructor series)
LS3/5a 15 ohm versions, IMF midranges, many British / DIY speakers

B110B SP1057 8 ohm Mid 70's-early 90's
Black chassis, higher power voice coil materials, Bextrene cone damped on back, PVC surround

KEF Cantata, R101, R105 series/107 series midrange, DIY designs

B110C SP1228 6 ohm 1987-late 90's
Black chassis, higher power voice coil materials, Bextrene cone damped on back, PVC surround, production restarted 2002 in China
 
Quad74 said:
nope..

.
B110 A6362 4-8 ohm 1967-early 70's
original unpainted frame, damping on front of Bextrene cone Neoprene rubber surround

KEF Cresta, early Concerto, original LS3/5 1970-74

B110(A)SP1003 8 ohm early 70's-early 90's

some unpainted, mostly black chassis, damped front Bextrene cone Neoprene rubber surround
called B110 or B110A (constructor series)
LS3/5a 15 ohm versions, IMF midranges, many British / DIY speakers

B110B SP1057 8 ohm Mid 70's-early 90's
Black chassis, higher power voice coil materials, Bextrene cone damped on back, PVC surround

KEF Cantata, R101, R105 series/107 series midrange, DIY designs

B110C SP1228 6 ohm 1987-late 90's
Black chassis, higher power voice coil materials, Bextrene cone damped on back, PVC surround, production restarted 2002 in China
Click to expand...
Very confusing...
 
tuga said:
They had a 105-2 version also with a single woofer and a 105-4 version with 2 smaller woofers.

9KoBSsc.jpeg


UNlsySc.jpeg
Click to expand...
The article with the revisions is based on the 105/1 can see where they saved money on cabinet construction.
The moulded plastic head certainly, front baffle panel and fixings.
The 105/1 had a little shelf for the acoustic foam to sit, most 105/1s have the gloopy glue residue left on the top
 
Despite having a 24db crossover cut off, the 105-4s were easy to drive. I used them with a Quad 303, a Nait 2 and a Classé Audio DR3B. They had little grummets on each side of the screws holding the woofers to prevent vibration transfer to the enclosure. Can't imagine how much new ones would cost today!
I thought that the drivers were Kef B-110s and T-27s. In other words, better LS3/5as with added subs.
 
Your 105.4 would originally have been equipped with T33 SP1074 tweeters.

I have owned 105.1 for many years until around 4 months ago, heard my friend's 105.2 extensively for the last 2-3 years, and around 9 months ago got hold of some 105.4, which I have put away for future restoration.

All superb speakers. The sound staging is immense with all 3. Would.write more but I am currently on holiday.

https://flic.kr/p/2oBKydQ
 
TLS said:
Despite having a 24db crossover cut off, the 105-4s were easy to drive. I used them with a Quad 303, a Nait 2 and a Classé Audio DR3B. They had little grummets on each side of the screws holding the woofers to prevent vibration transfer to the enclosure. Can't imagine how much new ones would cost today!
I thought that the drivers were Kef B-110s and T-27s. In other words, better LS3/5as with added subs.
Click to expand...
That was how i kind of thought of them at first,
When u look at b110 etc spec sheets, they talk about 4/9 litre enclosures .
In a 3 way they are a filtered midrange so no extra bass to deal with .and a higher power handling capacity and a tiny enclosure...
Actually another curious test would be to unplug the bass section.
one day just for giggles will plug a jr149 9b110/t27)into lower bass section.
Certainly the tweeters are different in the 105s and looks like the sp1057 mid has a slightly different voice coil for power handling.
Good to hear the faithful 303 being put to use also.
Sounds like you have fond memories of yours...
 
VanDerGraaf said:
Your 105.4 would originally have been equipped with T33 SP1074 tweeters.

I have owned 105.1 for many years until around 4 months ago, heard my friend's 105.2 extensively for the last 2-3 years, and around 9 months ago got hold of some 105.4, which I have put away for future restoration.

All superb speakers. The sound staging is immense with all 3. Would.write more but I am currently on holiday.

https://flic.kr/p/2oBKydQ
Click to expand...
Great picture..
And look forward to your further input ;)

Many years ago i worked in a Manchester hifi shop,doing av installs for years..
Lugging big crt sony tvs and stands and kef reference floor standers ...
I owned KEF 101/1 and 102/2 and still have a boxed set 104/2 bi-wire to go through..
Must admit moved on to other stuff, these have re ignited my interest.
 
Out of curiosity, how do these work up against a rear wall? I've had 104/2, Three-Two & 201/2, although the two latter models had boundary compensation, all three really like to be a bit away from rear walls for best performance.
 
Hoopsontoast said:
Out of curiosity, how do these work up against a rear wall? I've had 104/2, Three-Two & 201/2, although the two latter models had boundary compensation, all three really like to be a bit away from rear walls for best performance.
Click to expand...
Haven't had them tight against against the wall yet as.
i need to make wheeled stands for my 65kg impulse Taus....
When they are recapped and some more extended listening will try them tight.
Certainly sing nicely at moderate volumes
.I think they may go even louder than my ns1000s, a very tight bass on them..
 
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