dave92029

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
My KEF reference 104/2 are serial numbers 3463 A//B. Don't know how long I have had these, a long time! I'm using a Yamaha 5250 HTR to drive my 104's. I plugged my Apple iPod Touch into the Yamaha and turned up the volume...Wow these speakers are still awesome. As I recall they were expensive when I originally bought them, but considering how long they have provided listening pleasure the price was very reasonable.

I haven't used the KEF's for many years. Jack "The Cat" has gotten used to sitting on top of the "B" speaker. The Cat is very confused, and a bit upset with all the noise coming from one of his favorite perches, but the noise is such beautiful music!. LOL

Clay Craig

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I bought my 104/2s back in the 80s, at a time when my retailer would credit full retail when swapping in speakers toward any speaker upgrade. So, every year, for a coupla hundred bucks I'd upgrade! But, after a few years, when it came time to swap in the KEF 104/2s ... Well, I just couldn't do it. Over the years since, I have auditioned a lot of different gear, but never found another set which sounds nearly so 'effortless.'

I tried both the Kube 100 and 200 with these, but found that a well-integrated sub (Velodyne for me) offered a better solution than either Kube, without the loss of imaging - I listen to a little of everything (except opera), and with an adequate sub, these KEFs will rock steady (You haven't heard "Stop Making Sense" or "Mass Romantic" until you've heard them on a pair of 104/2s!) Plus, I found that these were not nearly so 'touchy' about placement as most speakers - They are happy anywhere within a few feet of the back wall, and give an exceptionally wide horizontal sweet spot (although vertically, they drop off fast off-axis - I saw that someone here had put a 104/2 on its side as a center speaker, but it sure sems to me that would offer an awfully narrow horizontal dispersion).

Serial # on one of mine is 012239A, which (if they number in chrono order) looks to be one of the earlier sets posted here - I can't easily get behind the other one to check it, but they are the older model with the wooden grill frames. Incidentally, my foam surrounds are still in good shape after about 25 years' steady usage. I always kept the grills on, and they never had sunlight on their faces. No other maintenance except vacuuming out the bass cavity every few years, but I've heard there is some goop which will preserve rubber from deterioration (like 303 Aerospace does for vinyl - That stuff is a miracle) - If anyone knows of such, drop me a note?

I always knew that I adored these speakers, and my guests ALWAYS comment on them, but I never knew until now that they were 'legendary'! I recently picked up a KHT 9000 and stand to use as a center channel, and will post comments on that combo once I get it set up.

CC

Presidio2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
My KEF collection composes of two pairs of 104/2 (serial number 002896A/B and 027630A/B) and a 200C for center channel. The sound quality of my two pairs are excellent and very consistent, one pair was built around 1986, one was built around 1993. In case, one pair goes off, I will still have another pair to use. For now, the two pairs works as my stereo speakers A+B and Surround sound's fronts and surrounds. 104/2 is best for classical music more on the granduer side such as Beethoven's 9th Symphony or Bitzt's Carmen and L'Arlesienne. It is also great for opera. I do not demand each speaker to perform exellently cross the full audio spectrum from 20 to 25K Hz. For surround's base, I compliment my them with Velodyne F-1200-B. For classical music, 104/2 is perfect in every way and every frequency range. I usually turn off my subwoofer. Simply let my pairs of 104/2 to perform out their best. For New Age, Jazz and Blue lovers, 104/2 is also great for your need and can live up to your expection and picky ears. Sorry, I don't play Rock and don't know how they perform to Rocks and their long term usage effect.

Many 104/2 have been used or set aside for years since they were introduced in the mid-80's and stopped 15 years ago. They are heavy and not suitable to be moved around. Many 104/2 out there may not be in ship shape. If someone has bad experience with 104/2, especially for those who bought it used, poor comment IS ad hoc and highly personally biased. For there are a wide fan base for 104/2, the demand is high. As result, they are made-shift and mis-matched pairs out there. I have seen a pair with wrong serial number and totally different wiring location. After years of good loving and caring, mine are still in excellent condition. I figure I can get extract another 20 years out of them or may be even longer!

I need to add the size of my room and the sound barrier arrangement to my equation of 104/2 performance. I have high ceiling and large room, ceiling to floor curtains. Spikes to my 104/2. All those contribute to the quality of sound. I haven't mention the size of my wires and receiver models. When reading audioreviews, one has to be careful to map out the whole story and fill in the missing pieces.

KEF 104/2 is indeed legendary has its own place in history. No matter what, beauty will age. Good TLC can slow that process. If you are reading my review before plannig to buy one, please make sure serial number matches with the same number followed by A and B for they were factory paired by KEF technician. The wire connecor is located 12" from the bottom. Exam the exterior carefully. Ask the seller to remove both unit's grill and visually check out tweeters. Never buy without listening to its sound. Bring with your own CD. If you don't know what CD to bring, try to take Karajan Berliner Philharmoniker's Bizet Carmen -Suite No. 1. The very first beat will tell you the quality of the speakers. The sound has to be clear, crispy and decisive!

csacred

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.40 of 5, 5.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
After extensive comparison with used speakers (fully broken-in) retailing from $3000 to $5500 (Gershman, spendors, B&W, Harbeth... to name a few) I am stunned to say that I still prefer the Kef 104.2! Most speaker I tried excelled at one thing or another but none of them sounded as consistently Beautiful as the Kefs regarless of the associated equipment or music style.
Here are 3 combos I highly recommend:
1) VTL it-85 integrated tube amp / empirical Audio interconnect / Rega Jupiter CD / Z1 monster speaker cables (smooth / warm / detailed non-fatiguing sound. Great for Voices, Acoustic, Jazz and other small ensembles...)
2) Preamp Linn 5103 / Linn Chakra amp / Linn silver interconnect / Linn K400 speaker cables / connected via optical to good Transport of lossless library ( World class spooky transparency / imaging sound that fits all styles. Not as laid back as tubes but as revealing, fairly non fatiguing and warm for solid state)
3) Same set up as above with Linn Klout amp instead of the Chakra. ( effortless & dynamics "round" sound (as opposed to sharp). Less transparency than Chakra but plenty of finess in the details and some sweet deep bass. Never harsh or fatiguing, sounds great with everything, my preferred set up.
The Kefs are the only speakers able to consistently sound great on the above setups.
Those now very affordable speakers will bring much joy to the music lover.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Strengths:
***Natural sound = clear, detailed, smooth and cohesive on the entire frequency (no disconnection between the bass and mids for instance). ***Efficient = easy to match /sounds effortless. ***Best with voices, Jazz, accoustic, world...still excellent with everything else! ***easy positioning and can be few inches from the back walls (as opposed to 3 feet into the room like many speakers)

Weaknesses:
I'm not crazy about their look with the grills on. The Black casing around the mids & black vent would look nicer if in wood (instead of black). *** inner bass Woofers foams degrade over time (it doesn't seem to affect the sound though, the bass are still strong, fast and deep!)

Similar Products Used:
Rogers Ls3/5a. B&W P5, 705, 802, 803 III, 805. Celestion. Cabasse brick. Gershman RX20. Yamaha NS1000, CS635. Kef C40. Beolab 2500, 3, 4500. Beovox S75, M75, 3000. Harbeth Monitor 30. Spendor se5i. Totem Model 1, Avalon, Aelon Lotus, Audio Physics... ... ...

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buton6

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Price Paid:  $800.00 from Ebay

Summary:
Wow what an amazing speaker set, almost 20 years old. Very detailed, not bright at all soundstage is so amazing you can stand behind the speaker and still enjoy the great sound. Very very impressed by these, but probably won't keep them long, the WAF is little they are boxy 80's look, although in real live especially after you feel how solid they are you appreciate and come to like the way they look. Very very solid speaker well worth the $800 I spent on it.

It did have rotting but the original owner of them had them replaced. Bass is very adequate and not overbearing just right.

Strengths:
Everything, finish, looks (to me) solid build like a tank, sound tightness, imaging, what else is there, I like everything

Weaknesses:
OLD but that is what makes it special.

Similar Products Used:
KEF 203 reference, IQ3, Cerwin Vegas AT12, POLK LSI,