Imaging, realism, build quality, looks, reputation.

None. I really did try hard to think of something.

I have had my eyes on this speaker for many years. I have the benefit of being fairly local to KEF and worked in Maidstone for 4 years. During a visit there to see if I could get some KEF automotive tweeters looked at (which were replaced with new ones there and then) I was left mentally scared by the beautiful speakers in the reception area, I wanted some! I did some looking around on the web and realised that the speaker I needed was the 104.2! I'd never heard them but I new that so many people couldn't be wrong. I've been looking on Ebay and various other private adverts for a perfect example and it wasn't until a few weeks ago that i found them...A beautiful pair of 1997 Raymond Cooke special edition 104/2's. They're black ash, which I find blends into the background visually more than the rosewood... and they are mint! So, what is all the fuss about, what do they sound like? It's hard to describe, after all, I'm no audiophile, but the only way I can describe it is real. The imaging is amazing and they don't seem to have a "sweet spot" more a "sweet area". Sit anywhere on a 3 seater sofa in front of these and you'll be smiling (and this is in a fairly small 13'x 11' room). The base is amazing, very real and in control. KEF customer service left me smiling again, Thanks to Clive, 2 days after Emailing them, I had what i wanted sitting on my doormat...Outstanding! The price I paid was worth every penny, what can you get new for £1K these days that matches these....in fact, what can you get for £5K. Anyway I'm off to treat myself to another listen and to polish the gold plaques on the back!

Similar Products Used:

NAD, Marantz.

Beautiful rosewood cabinet,base you can feel.

floor killing spikes.

I owned these great speakers in the late 1980s all the way into the 1990s,until movers destroyed them.They were the best ive ever owned.The base was crisp and unforced,the highs were clear as a bell.Ive found that the price i paid for these new was the deal of the century.If you get a chance to pick these up,it would be hard to do much better!

Clarity, tight bass, uncolored, beautiful midrange and highs

They don't make them anymore... :-(

I bought the 104/2's back in 1985. I compared these to everything in the store and everything I could find at other stores. It came down to the 104/2's against the 105.2's and B&W Nautilus. The 104/2's blew them all away with there clarity, deep tight bass and wonderful uncolored mid's and high's. I listen to a lot of different types of music, I love classical and hard rock, but trying to listen to classical on hard rock speakers doesn't cut it. To audition speakers I always use a digital recording of Beethoven's 5th, Berlin Philharmonic from 1985, the 2nd movement. About 1 min into the 2nd movement some french horns come in, with any other speaker except the 104/2's the horns sounded harsh and will hurt your ears on most speakers, but not with the 104/4's they sounded beautiful. It really blew away the sales folks. In the last 17 years I have yet to find a pair of speakers near the price I paid for these new that sounded as good. I could probably sell these for about what I originally paid ($1250), does that tell you anything? I am currently in the process of building a home theatre. I use the 104/2's for the front, a KEF 100C for the center (matches very well with the 104's) and get this KEF 103/2's for the surrounds. This KEF combo ROCKS! I don't need a sub with these speakers. They already rattle the windows and shake the walls with just 1watt of power. When I play a DVD-A with this setup, we are talking "you are there". I can't recommend these speakers highly enough. If you can find them BUY THEM! There is nothing else on the market that can touch them at $1000. I would even go so far as to say I haven't heard any speaker at any price that I would trade them for...

Similar Products Used:

KEF 103/2, KEF 105/2, Mission, B&W Nautilus, B&W 802, many, many American speakers that color the mid to high range

An openness that belies the fact that the music is coming from any sound source. It's just there. Superb bass, fabulous soundstage.

They're scarce and not made anymore.

Reading about these legendary speakers over the years, I have always been aware of the 104.2's but never had the opportunity to hear them. That changed about two months ago when a local hi-end dealer had a mint pair listed for sale. In short, after auditioning them for 1/2-hour in the store, I was totally sold! But the real treat was when I brought them home and set them in my den, replacing a pair of Wharfdale Pi20's, temporarily I thought, as they weren't even one year old. Welll, the KEF 104.2's totally blew me away. Not with spectacular pyrotechnics, sizzling highs or bloated midrange and bottom end, but with a seductive naturalness that I found hard to tear myself away from. Sorry if I sound like the rest of the KEF converts here, but it's difficult to find words to top what they already said. These masterpieces are totally natural, devoid of a harsh or false note. I listen for long periods of time and have never gotten fatigued or wanted to turn them off. I'm falling in love with my music collection all over again. What more can I say? They're incredible and a bargain at three times what I paid for them, even they're over 14 years old. Anyone who has the opportunity to hear them, treat yourself to what audio is all about. No gimmicks, just pure, lovely music.

Similar Products Used:

Wharfdale, B&W, Martin Logan

Dynamics. Separation. Bass. Mids. Highs. Looks. Musicality. Range. Depth.

Placement is important, but that just makes them flexible.

Awsome. I bought these unheard and based on reviews like the ones here. The first thing you notice is the build quality. My son asked if the were new! Then the sound. Helps one understand intuitively the meaning of those esoteric audiophile terms -- separation, dynamic, soundstage, musical, upfront, unforgiving. Yeah. I like the bass, but I could see how others wouldn''t. It has to be tamed on acoustics like Dave Holland. Moving them from the wall helps. In fact, that seems to improve the overall sound. Verry sweet and detailed. Full-bodied and accurate. Engaging and never harsh. I can listen to these all day and not fatigue (and I have -- several times already). My entire music collection must be heard anew. What I love most about them is the clarity at loud volumes. Crank then and they just get better. no harshness; everything remains separated -- just louder. This feature beats every other speaker I''ve tested. I can''t wait to upgrade my other components to match these babies. Oh, I also bought a sub for theatre and to fill in below the 104.2s 55Hz bottom, but I may return the sub. Is adds punch down low, but not much more than the KEFs. The 104/2s really can shake the house on their own. I love owning classics. I rank these with my ''87 BMW, my 1910 signed Lamberts and my antique Javanese alter table. Some things are destined for greatness. I''m a proud owner. What more can I say.

Similar Products Used:

Tested Linn, B&W, DefTech, in the below $2000 price range.

Midrange, soundstage

Bass does not go as low as some. Coupled with a good sub it''s hard to beat at any price

I have been well served by the reviews here and wish to return the favor. I have yet to hear a speaker which can compare with this one at under $1000 (used)M. The midrange is superb, the highs are smooth and defined without fatigue, the bass has excellent transients. This speaker still compares favorably with those costing $3000 and up (new). If you want audiophile sound on a budget, do yourself a favor and buy them even if you cannot audition them first! I did.

Similar Products Used:

At this price point: ACI Saphire II, Van der Stein 2ce (both great speakers)

from low,mid,highs unquestionably fantastic, reproduction of the actual size of the performance, underpriced and overspeced!

none, maybe its just really hard to find!

These speakers are the best sounding speakers I''ve heard so far. It is the most neutral and accurate speaker there is and it has avery reasonable price tag. There is no coloration or if there is, very minimal from the low frequenciesto the highs. These speakers has just arrived and I truly am impressed. See i am the sort of audiophile that hates coloration. I hate it when a pair of speakers exagerates the actual performance or performs below par. All I demand from a speaker is accurate and neutral reproduction of the actual sound. There are a lot of high end speakers that are available that are made to even improve the performace its reproducing, they have FAVORABLE COLORATIONS. These speaker have none. These are like big BBC monitors. They''re fantastic!

Similar Products Used:

KEF C95, Harbeth HL5, KEF 103/4 etc...

Extremely accurate imaging, midrange, bass (down to about 50Hz or so).

Originally the cost. I paid about $1000 each.

Before buying them, I brought them home with 3 other contenders. Set them all up and conducted double-blind tests with several friends. On classical, rock, pop, country, the 104/2 defeated all contenders hands down. Only one listener chose the B&W 801 over the KEF for classical. Fourteen years later I still haven't heard anything I like better, although more stuff is coming close (or am I just getting older?). Absolutely astounding speaker!

Similar Products Used:

B&W 801, AR many, Polk many,

So solid,clean,and balanced with great definition.

Not available any more.

Well once again I must say that it is tough to get a better value for the investment even for a used pair of these units. I own 2 matched pairs of these speakers[Rosewood & Black] that supply me with a full circle of sound complimented by a Model 200 center speaker for my A/V system.When the DVD player was added it brought a new meaning to the video end of my setup,just think 5 KEF speakers driven by 5 monoblock amps with an excellent picture,Excellent!!
The back-up of a solid subwoofer makes any persons dream come true to a full rounded event of audio enjoyment! So all I can say is that it is a good thing I was able to secure a second set of 104/2,don't you think!

Great build quality, silky mid and high range, and deeply satisfying bass..an unbeleiveable speaker

they aren't made any more!!

As an enthusaiast, I don't have the money to be an Audiophile yet, I have to say that these speakers are truly legendary. Full respect must go to the late Raymond Cooke and his team for thinking up such a well designed loudspeaker. I have had two pairs, the very first ones from 1985 and recently aquired a pair that was amoung the last to be produced. The later models had improved damping and used gold plated binding posts, also the grilles were attached with magnets and not dowels as the first models were. The two do sound different in that the bass is more controlled on the newer version, as well as having a deeper soundstage in the midrange band. My main point is though, I purchased both pairs second hand, and for the price that I paid for them, there is now way I could ever get a similar speaker, even if I spent ten times that amount. KEF no longer make this speaker so it's the second hand market only for these beauties..so, find someone who is willing to part with a pair and you will be richly rewarded...I had never heard these speakers before I bought my first pair and I was NOT disappointed..believe the hype folks..these speakers are gonna get rarer and for those in the know, they are the best kept speaker secret that I have ever heard. I will never get sick of hearing these speakers, they don't play, they sing! They sound excellent with all types of music in almost all conditions, at 4 omhs and 92 dbs sensitivity they are easy to drive and use and have such a classic look, even KEF have modelled their latest Reference range on them. IF you can get these speakers for a good price then audio bliss is guaranteed.
Happy listening!

Similar Products Used:

KEF 105.4, Tannoy Sixes series