In this video I completely rebuilt the speakers and finished them in a piano black sheen. I should have done a better job on the video work, and in the future I will.
I just found a nice pair with all the rubbers still intact. Also have a pair of C80's also just picked up recently. Supposedly one of the 104's doesn't work. Hopefully it's a simple fix. We shall see. Great Video. New Sub from the SF Bay Area Ca. 4/1/24
They use a manufactured board (MDF) for the cabinet because it is acoustically dead. All good speakers use it. A solid wood would resonate more and color the sound. Thanks for the video. Great job!
Great job sir! I have owned these speakers for 2 years and I cannot get over how great they sound.. I plan on restoring the Fluid in the tweeters soon but I've been very afraid to try it since the speaker sounds so great already.
Thank you very much sir for making this video , i will be picking up a pair of these speakers tomorrow and intend to do exactly the same thing. I love the paint job !
Hi, cool project, which I did it myself (cabs: just oiled the veneers). Unfortunately you left out all the cabs work. The paintjob looks very well but the room is so dark, that it's impossible to see the details on the front due to black color.
I am the original owner of my 104/2 since the early 1980’s. Love them. Thanks so much for sharing all your efforts to rebuild this pair. I have the ferrofluid and donuts to redo mine and your video helps fill in many gaps from all the TH-cam videos I have seen so far. Great video. I have the 104 Cube as well which I believe is rare?
to take out bottom panel, you screw through the spike mounts and it will "winch" itself loose onto the bolt. The foot Spikes sit or terminate on the cabinet. By threading a bolt into the spike mounts you can effectively bring the panel forward without any damage.
Oh No! Well that pair of 104s practically speaking, were resurrected by your labour. That level of damage? Wow! While still standing for something, knowing, when to give up, or to let go, even accept failure, may be just as valid an option, as valuable a life lesson, as any other. :-) I'd like to imagine.... they are serving in another world, as eternal guides for the benefit of others, a gift to every other DIY and aging speaker pair, worthy of a relevance befitting former audio careers. Examples of the best and truest! (Not brightest) Despite untimely endings, and disappointment over a much anticipated career comeback, the sacrifice of the two black 104.2s, which exposed the harsh truths about aging 90's British speakers, will serve as legacy and monument. Beloved pair 0236xxA and 0236xxB gone, but not forgotten.@@buildflow
Have a pair of KEF 104/2 and one speaker doesn't work. It won't 'Tone' for continuity. Will end up opening it up and doing a visual. Wondering if I test the crossover plus(+) minus(-), if it tones out then there is an 'Open' short somewhere. If the crossover doesn't 'Tone', then that's should be where the issue lies. Would I be correct? Anyone here reading this, any input is very much appreciated. Soon to be (in 21 days) 63yo 'Wanna Be' Audiophile from the SF Bay Area, Ca. Speakers owned: KEF 104/2, KEF C80/Series2, Jamo Classic 8, Klipsch Heresy (1978) Many Amplifiers, mostly Sony ES TA-E9000es, TA-N9000es, DA4es, Yamaha CA800 just to name a few.
Dear sir, this is a super nice demo video, very instructive. I have to refurbish my Kef 104/2 35 years old speakers now, certainly I cannot do it by myself. I will start buying spare parts in internet, then I am going to look forward to some certified service center in my country, if any. By the way, The Donuts to replace are particular Kef diameter ones, or can be substituted with other suited marks donuts? Thank you !!
If you search Amazon or eBay and just type “kef 104/2” for your search, you’ll find an assortment of options ranging from one donut all the way to all four of them including the woofer surrounds and the glue. Less than $100 gets you everything.
Hello man; are still repairing the KEF 104/2? I just bought a pair that looks nice but looks are deceiving so in case I need some repairs I’ll like to deal with you. Please let me know I just subscribed to your channel and hope to hear from you again. Thanks
Thanks for your comments, but I am more of an artist than a repair guy and I did those speakers just because I thought it would be fun. Of course, I could always be tempted into doing it again, ha ha ha.
HVLP. The same system that car painters use. It involves the use of expensive equipment and two part paints. Afterwards, it needs to be lightly sanded with 3,000 grit wet sanding, followed by a final clear coat and buffing and polishing.
@@buildflow I have 2 pairs of the Raymond Cooke special editions 104/2's in storage... the cabinets on one pair aren't great, so maybe a piano black gloss finish would be the solutions (a similar finish to some LS3/5a special editions I sold 20 years ago). I was looking forward to a vid on the painting and finishing.
Looking absolutely fantastic at the end, what a superb job.
I just found a nice pair with all the rubbers still intact. Also have a pair of C80's also just picked up recently. Supposedly one of the 104's doesn't work. Hopefully it's a simple fix. We shall see. Great Video. New Sub from the SF Bay Area Ca. 4/1/24
I saw it till the end. Great job dude.
They use a manufactured board (MDF) for the cabinet because it is acoustically dead. All good speakers use it. A solid wood would resonate more and color the sound.
Thanks for the video. Great job!
Great job sir! I have owned these speakers for 2 years and I cannot get over how great they sound.. I plan on restoring the Fluid in the tweeters soon but I've been very afraid to try it since the speaker sounds so great already.
Invaluable - I've just started a rebuild of my 1989 speakers. Owned them since 1991, replaced tweeters a while ago. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you very much sir for making this video , i will be picking up a pair of these speakers tomorrow and intend to do exactly the same thing. I love the paint job !
Hi, cool project, which I did it myself (cabs: just oiled the veneers). Unfortunately you left out all the cabs work. The paintjob looks very well but the room is so dark, that it's impossible to see the details on the front due to black color.
I am the original owner of my 104/2 since the early 1980’s. Love them. Thanks so much for sharing all your efforts to rebuild this pair. I have the ferrofluid and donuts to redo mine and your video helps fill in many gaps from all the TH-cam videos I have seen so far. Great video. I have the 104 Cube as well which I believe is rare?
well done they sound good. love kef for many years
Thanks for sharing, really enjoyed. I love my kef 104.2's so much, a daily proformas
Great video. Those connectors are called molex connectors. :)
to take out bottom panel, you screw through the spike mounts and it will "winch" itself loose onto the bolt. The foot Spikes sit or terminate on the cabinet. By threading a bolt into the spike mounts you can effectively bring the panel forward without any damage.
Yep. M6 bolt inserted in foot/spike location. The bolt bottoms out and pushes the panel off.
looks like beautiful work.
What a nice job 😍
My fav speaker
A very sad ending to those speakers after I shipped them using FedEx. FedEx destroyed them😢.
@@buildflow Jesus. So sorry to hear. I've just inherited my friends 104.2 after he passed away. 38 years old and sound amazing.
Oh No! Well that pair of 104s practically speaking, were resurrected by your labour. That level of damage? Wow! While still standing for something, knowing, when to give up, or to let go, even accept failure, may be just as valid an option, as valuable a life lesson, as any other. :-) I'd like to imagine.... they are serving in another world, as eternal guides for the benefit of others, a gift to every other DIY and aging speaker pair, worthy of a relevance befitting former audio careers. Examples of the best and truest! (Not brightest) Despite untimely endings, and disappointment over a much anticipated career comeback, the sacrifice of the two black 104.2s, which exposed the harsh truths about aging 90's British speakers, will serve as legacy and monument. Beloved pair 0236xxA and 0236xxB gone, but not forgotten.@@buildflow
Have a pair of KEF 104/2 and one speaker doesn't work. It won't 'Tone' for continuity. Will end up opening it up and doing a visual. Wondering if I test the crossover plus(+) minus(-), if it tones out then there is an 'Open' short somewhere. If the crossover doesn't 'Tone', then that's should be where the issue lies. Would I be correct? Anyone here reading this, any input is very much appreciated.
Soon to be (in 21 days) 63yo 'Wanna Be' Audiophile from the SF Bay Area, Ca.
Speakers owned: KEF 104/2, KEF C80/Series2, Jamo Classic 8, Klipsch Heresy (1978)
Many Amplifiers, mostly Sony ES TA-E9000es, TA-N9000es, DA4es, Yamaha CA800 just to name a few.
Dear sir, this is a super nice demo video, very instructive. I have to refurbish my Kef 104/2 35 years old speakers now, certainly I cannot do it by myself. I will start buying spare parts in internet, then I am going to look forward to some certified service center in my country, if any. By the way, The Donuts to replace are particular Kef diameter ones, or can be substituted with other suited marks donuts? Thank you !!
If you search Amazon or eBay and just type “kef 104/2” for your search, you’ll find an assortment of options ranging from one donut all the way to all four of them including the woofer surrounds and the glue. Less than $100 gets you everything.
@@buildflow thank you for the tip, bye!
Hello man; are still repairing the KEF 104/2? I just bought a pair that looks nice but looks are deceiving so in case I need some repairs I’ll like to deal with you. Please let me know I just subscribed to your channel and hope to hear from you again. Thanks
Thanks for your comments, but I am more of an artist than a repair guy and I did those speakers just because I thought it would be fun. Of course, I could always be tempted into doing it again, ha ha ha.
How do you paint the cabinets? Spray?
HVLP. The same system that car painters use. It involves the use of expensive equipment and two part paints. Afterwards, it needs to be lightly sanded with 3,000 grit wet sanding, followed by a final clear coat and buffing and polishing.
@@buildflow I have 2 pairs of the Raymond Cooke special editions 104/2's in storage... the cabinets on one pair aren't great, so maybe a piano black gloss finish would be the solutions (a similar finish to some LS3/5a special editions I sold 20 years ago). I was looking forward to a vid on the painting and finishing.