How to improve your KEF 105 MK1
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- Опубліковано 1 гру 2024
- If you want to improve the sound of your wonderful KEF 105, this is the simplest and cheapest way.
This is the last change I´ve applied to my beloved 105´s and the result was not big but noticeable. Is a nearly free improvement, and if you don't like, just reverse the process
It probably would be useful for KEF 105/2, KEF 107 and KEF 105.4
Hmm, the adjustable head unit’s feet never make contact with the woofer cabinet, so I’m jaded that what you’re suggesting has any audible benefit.
Hi Steven
The head has a L shaped chasis from which the head assembly is supported and allows the head to tilt.
This L frame, at its base, has a pivot in order to allow the rotation of the head and some felt pads. These pads are in contact with the bass cabinet and I tried with cork with good results in my opinion.
Today I use an isolation material used in automotive, that black material used in the body panels, and I like it even more
I've another mod that results in an audibly flatter response. The midrange driver does not perfectly hand off to the woofer, so there is a small but measurable dip at around 500 hz. Audibly it manifests as a slight leaness to the lower mids. This applies only to the mk1 version of the Kef 105.
In the mid driver crossover's high pass section, increase the capacitance value by aprox 15%. It's as easy as adding a small value capacitor in parallel to the one on the board to give a 15% increase in total capacitance. This has the effect of subtly lowering the crossover point of the midrange driver and fills in this audible dip in response. The result is a flatter response and slightly warmer sound. All my audio buddies agree it's a noticeable improvement. It is of course easily reversable should you prefer it stock.
Thank you Cali.
I’ve upgraded this with pads made with the absortive material used in automotive body and doors. This is even better y than cork.
Hi Socksumi
Many thanks for your comentary, it’s very interesting and be sure I’ll try it.
Another mod that I’m going to try with a friend is bypassing the rumble filter of the bass xover in order to know if a more direct signal path does increase speed and accuracy. What do you think about that ?
The next step will be the improvement of the mids and highs caps with Mundorf instead of the Solen’s I’m using today.
Coils will be improved too with Jantzen Iron core in the bass xover in order to lower the resistance and air core coils for mids and highs
Hi i have a question about their crossover design. I read .... Crossover Frequencies: 400, 2500Hz It is that 400Hz that leaves me perplexed. I see that many more recent 3 ways high end speakers have the transition from woofer to a cone midrange set lower ... like 120-150Hz. Of course with a more robust midrange driver. 400Hz is not too high ?
The low Hz and the mid Hz are very different in nature and they have different requirements. I would dedicate to the woofer only the very low Hz ... from 100Hz down. For me this of the optimum transition from woofer to mid is a very important design choice ... probably the most important of all. I conclude saying that i read that in order to get a very good coverage of all audio spectrum 4 ways is the minimum (i mean with conventional drivers ... not planar and similar ... in that case 2 ways are enough?). Thanks and regards, gino
Hi Gino
The crossover desingn remains the same in my speakers because I think that Laurie Finchan and his team were genius.
This speaker was revolutionary at it’s time and the sound, if propperly feeded, is natural, clean and with a huge and stable soundstage.
Probably this crossover point of 400hz may be a bit too high, but there aren’t any audible flaws.
The resolution is not the best but with high quality source, amplification, cables and higher quality xover components, this little flaw is minimized
Trust me, the sound is natural, powerfull and huge. Close your eyes and the speakers will disappear.
@@audiobiker Hi thank you very much again A friend of mine has one pair of this very first edition and loves them. I understand they were main monitoring speakers in some recording studios ? that would say a lot indeed. A pro tool with a great sound.
Very very nice. Thanks again and kind regards, gino
@@gino3286
My main pair of KEF 105 will be improved again with air coil inductors and Mundorf Caps in Highs and better coils in the bass section
Tell your friend that these speaker have great potential of improving sound with high quality amplification with 200w or more. Improving caps and coils improve the sound even more
@@audiobiker Hi thanks a lot again I will do for sure. He replaces surrounds ... fixes drivers He does some work on speakers.
Even if with this kind of monitors i would think to try biamping with electronic crossover.
In this way i could use a very powerful amp on the woofer and a more refined one on the mid-high head. The modification should be quite easy. I will check how much is the price of a pair of these amazing speakers now. Thanks again and kind regards, gino
@@gino3286
Is very unusual in this generation of Reference speakers to be necessary the surround replacement. I have 3 pairs ( 2 pairs and a center channel and a subwoofer made with 105’s pieces) and none of them have had surround issues.
I use McIntosh C2300 preamplifier and McIntosh MC402 and the bass control is nearly perfect and the highs are detailed and sweet
With the Subwoofer, the sound is complete, powerfull and tight, with a response down to less than 20hz
Socksumi, have you seen my video with al the improvements made to these speakers ?
clever