@@vintagehifilover hello, I have tried several. First a Rotel pre and Rotel RB 890 power amp (160 w 8 ohms), which served for many years, then a audiolab 8000 a ( bit short), then a Cyrus two with the PSX power supply 70 w /8 ohms, 125 / 4 ohms, (high current power supply) and that was magical! I currently have a Nad 819 (125 w), which is ok, but it's now on repair. The shop let me bring a Cyrus one ( the vintage model) with only 25 w / 8 ohms and I was amazed with the quality of the sound, specifically the mediums and highs. These speakers are very sensitive at 92 Db. I miss the Cyrus two /PSX combo sound, and I think I will go back to them. Aniway, none of these amps do justice to the speakers, which deserve to be paired with really high end amplifiers, maybe even tube amps, I heard valves combine well with these Kefs. Thanks for your videos and greetings from Portugal
@@vintagehifilover HI, sorry to just now answer to your question, but only today I noticed it. I was using a vintage Mission Cyrus two with the separated PSX power supply with 60 000 uf filtering capacitors (70 watts) and sounded good and quite powerful. But a week ago I purchased a tube amplifier, the Jolida 302 a, also a vintage amplifier, a push pull ultra linear design with EL34 tubes (50 w) and I am amazed with the sound. No more harshness in the highs, great vocals, and realistic sound of the instruments, particularly acoustics. Also claps in live shows don't sound like potato chips frying anymore Also found the bass quite good, even tough some reviews of this amp say the opposite. The Soundstage is much improved too. I think the high sensitivity of the 104.s and almost constant impedance of 4 ohms helps alot with a tube amplifier. Overall the sound is much more natural and fatigue less. I can listen music for hours now with great pleasure. And this a low cost amplifier (500 euros used), imagine with a high end tube amplifier. I had a general repair in the speakers, including woofer foam surroundings and and the ferro fluid of the tweeters replaced 2 years ago, but I am noticing that the right tweeter is getting muffled, so I decided to give a try to a exact copy of the T 33 tweeter specifically for the 104.2 that is for sale on Ebay, but will only arrive here in Portugal by the end of August. I can feedback when I listen to them, if you are interested. I think that with either tube or SS, although sounding great with relatively low cost amplifiers, these speakers really shine with hi end amps, but never had the chance to experiment. You probably already read it, but here is a link to a great article on the KEF 104.2. www.hifi-classic.net/review/kef-model-104-2-477.html I would like to know about your experience with different amplifiers with these speakers. My other components are: Audiolab 8200 CD/DAC Rega Planar 3 with phono stage MM MK3 and Goldring 1006 cartridge Monster vintage and Monster Silver interconnects and Qed Xtube XT 350 speaker cable. Best regards from Portugal Nuno www.hifi-classic.net/review/kef-model-104-2-477.html
My KEF 104/2 sound nothing like these, even after new ferrofluid. I guess I need those new capacitors after all :). Thanks for posting, this was helpful and look forward to mine sounding more like yours.
Well done! Wish more people could appreciate these speakers. They are one of three ref series kef speakers I own. The sound on mine improved the most from two upgrades - first going to seventy five pound class a mono block amps proved the design would take advantage of as much power as you want to feed it. My second change was a dedicated power line from wall to fuse box for each amp. The sound stage became noticeably wider with direct power. Doubt I will ever upgrade these speakers . Scott
UA-cam currently streams audio at 128kbps AAC, if premium you get 320kbps, it is pretty ok and having good headphones can make it sound more exact and true, but it is not perfect, it should be 320kbps as standard. Obviously , it depends on what mics were used to sample these speakers, but I am listening to the recording on old Sennheiser HD-25-I headphones and the recording sounds pretty nice and gives a good idea of the quality of these speakers. It is difficult always without being in the room and having the right amp and room acoustic setup , but it is a useful representation of the high quality of the KEF 104/2 speakers . I think it demonstrates very well how good these speakers are.. Obviously if VintageHifiLover put the FLAC of the recording available for us to get somewhere it may be even more realistic , but then there is all the hassle and all the copyright issues. He recorded it with 24bit/96KHz, so it sounds ok even after going to UA-cam 128 kbps AAC. Get yourself a pair of good headphones and you might see what it is all about. Or just get a pair of KEF 104/2 speakers and a good amp or AV receiver.
@@corcoroli He also recorded it with an X/Y microphone setup. So you get a clear stereo picture, as opposed to just a mono mix. So using headphones helps hear that stereo image. I'm listening on some Phillips Fidelio XHR/2s which are definitely not considered high end yet I can appreciate the difference.
This speakers are legendary.
~These!
I love every minute with my kef 104.2's, naim amps and chord mojo. It's not hifi, it's an event satisfying in every way
I can understand why, they are incredible speakers! Cheers
I have a pair of these for over 25 years and I love them. Paired with right amplifier they sound amazing!
Hi Nuno, which amplifier are you using with your KEFs?
@@vintagehifilover hello, I have tried several. First a Rotel pre and Rotel RB 890 power amp (160 w 8 ohms), which served for many years, then a audiolab 8000 a ( bit short), then a Cyrus two with the PSX power supply 70 w /8 ohms, 125 / 4 ohms, (high current power supply) and that was magical! I currently have a Nad 819 (125 w), which is ok, but it's now on repair. The shop let me bring a Cyrus one ( the vintage model) with only 25 w / 8 ohms and I was amazed with the quality of the sound, specifically the mediums and highs. These speakers are very sensitive at 92 Db. I miss the Cyrus two /PSX combo sound, and I think I will go back to them. Aniway, none of these amps do justice to the speakers, which deserve to be paired with really high end amplifiers, maybe even tube amps, I heard valves combine well with these Kefs. Thanks for your videos and greetings from Portugal
@@vintagehifilover
HI, sorry to just now answer to your question, but only today I noticed it. I was using a vintage Mission Cyrus two with the separated PSX power supply with 60 000 uf filtering capacitors (70 watts) and sounded good and quite powerful. But a week ago I purchased a tube amplifier, the Jolida 302 a, also a vintage amplifier, a push pull ultra linear design with EL34 tubes (50 w) and I am amazed with the sound. No more harshness in the highs, great vocals, and realistic sound of the instruments, particularly acoustics. Also claps in live shows don't sound like potato chips frying anymore Also found the bass quite good, even tough some reviews of this amp say the opposite. The Soundstage is much improved too. I think the high sensitivity of the 104.s and almost constant impedance of 4 ohms helps alot with a tube amplifier. Overall the sound is much more natural and fatigue less. I can listen music for hours now with great pleasure. And this a low cost amplifier (500 euros used), imagine with a high end tube amplifier. I had a general repair in the speakers, including woofer foam surroundings and and the ferro fluid of the tweeters replaced 2 years ago, but I am noticing that the right tweeter is getting muffled, so I decided to give a try to a exact copy of the T 33 tweeter specifically for the 104.2 that is for sale on Ebay, but will only arrive here in Portugal by the end of August. I can feedback when I listen to them, if you are interested.
I think that with either tube or SS, although sounding great with relatively low cost amplifiers, these speakers really shine with hi end amps, but never had the chance to experiment. You probably already read it, but here is a link to a great article on the KEF 104.2.
www.hifi-classic.net/review/kef-model-104-2-477.html
I would like to know about your experience with different amplifiers with these speakers.
My other components are:
Audiolab 8200 CD/DAC
Rega Planar 3 with phono stage MM MK3 and Goldring 1006 cartridge
Monster vintage and Monster Silver interconnects and Qed Xtube XT 350 speaker cable.
Best regards from Portugal
Nuno
www.hifi-classic.net/review/kef-model-104-2-477.html
Love KEF - Love Dire Straits
KEF + Dire Straits perfect combination ;)
I wasn't appreciating this video until I plugged in my headphones :)
that's the way, Thanks 👍🏼
My KEF 104/2 sound nothing like these, even after new ferrofluid. I guess I need those new capacitors after all :). Thanks for posting, this was helpful and look forward to mine sounding more like yours.
You're welcome! The KEF 104/2 do deserve some TLC and would benefit from upgraded crossovers for sure, definately worthwhile. Cheers
Well done! Wish more people could appreciate these speakers. They are one of three ref series kef speakers I own. The sound on mine improved the most from two upgrades - first going to seventy five pound class a mono block amps proved the design would take advantage of as much power as you want to feed it. My second change was a dedicated power line from wall to fuse box for each amp. The sound stage became noticeably wider with direct power. Doubt I will ever upgrade these speakers . Scott
Nice. I need to go for some decent power supply unit though..
Since writing this comment I have added high end power cords which have made a substantial difference.
@@martlet530 what type?
audioquest- working my way up their product chain - getting near top
@@martlet530 I will consider, heard some good reviews...what type and how much ££?
Найс
👍🏼
Resored or original condition?
Fully restored by its previous owner about 5 years ago.
how the hell does listening through head phones or anything else help ?
Decent headphones are more accurate than 99% of the computer speakers that folks will be listening on.
UA-cam currently streams audio at 128kbps AAC, if premium you get 320kbps, it is pretty ok and having good headphones can make it sound more exact and true, but it is not perfect, it should be 320kbps as standard. Obviously , it depends on what mics were used to sample these speakers, but I am listening to the recording on old Sennheiser HD-25-I headphones and the recording sounds pretty nice and gives a good idea of the quality of these speakers. It is difficult always without being in the room and having the right amp and room acoustic setup , but it is a useful representation of the high quality of the KEF 104/2 speakers . I think it demonstrates very well how good these speakers are.. Obviously if VintageHifiLover put the FLAC of the recording available for us to get somewhere it may be even more realistic , but then there is all the hassle and all the copyright issues. He recorded it with 24bit/96KHz, so it sounds ok even after going to UA-cam 128 kbps AAC. Get yourself a pair of good headphones and you might see what it is all about. Or just get a pair of KEF 104/2 speakers and a good amp or AV receiver.
@@corcoroli owned a pair since the 1980's
@@corcoroli He also recorded it with an X/Y microphone setup. So you get a clear stereo picture, as opposed to just a mono mix. So using headphones helps hear that stereo image.
I'm listening on some Phillips Fidelio XHR/2s which are definitely not considered high end yet I can appreciate the difference.
@corcoroli Yep, you're spot on!