I had to refoam a pair of 105/3s so that I could sell them to a friend. My Garrard 301 TT came in very handy when applying the glue to the cleaned cones.
I watched a Video on YouTube on how to remove and replace the surrounds and donuts on a KEF 104/2 (same process as the 105/3’s). He used a “Lazy Susan” to evenly apply the glue and there’s also an applicator available to smear on top of the donuts from ever rotting again.
These things are sounding better the more I listen to them. Without proper EQ on the “Cavity Coupled” Bass Drivers, they were smothered in Bass. It was horrible. Once I Bi-Amped and brought the miniDSP curve into the Bass Drivers. My friend has the “Cube” but told me it was noisy.
I’m running a PS Audio S300 @ 4Ω (300WPC) into the 105/3’s Midbass/Uni-Q/Midbass “Pods” (I guess that’s what they are called) and a PS Audio M700’s on the L & R Cavity Coupled Bass Drivers @ 700W each !
Just read up on them here, those miniDSPs seem to be very useful for this kind of adventure, replacing old analogue eq solutions must make quite a difference
At $100USD a pop (without enclosure, add $20 with) and a 48/24 DAC for processing. These things thing are great. Can be configured as LPF, BPF, and HPF modes as well as Parametric EQ with up to 20db boost at either end.
If I didn’t have the Behringer DEQs, I’d definitely be playing with these
You get more boost / cut and a much wider range of types of filter algorithms with these too.
Looking forward to following your journey with the KEFs. I had a good friend that purchased the 105/3s while I was in college in early 90s and I was really impressed with them.
All four 104/2’s Woofer Donuts (Butyl rubber surrounds were fine) and Tweeter Ferrofluid replaced. I added an extra pair of Binding Posts for additional Bi-Amping and bypassed the 8" Coupled Cavity Woofer’s Crossover section. Added a miniDSP that replicates the original KUBE Equalizer but tuned to my room. Not as Bass Intense as the 105/3’s, but better suited for our Apartment Living Room.
Can’t wait to get a real house later this and fire up the four 105/3’s as my main & surround speakers, one 104/2 (the other has a Woofer with a lazy voice coil. Works fine if you don’t push it to hard). The mint working 104/2 will be the Center Channel and I’ll hang four of my 901’s as the Dolby Atmos Channels. My friend gave me a pair of Ohm 2000 series on wall Surround Speakers (perfect for Side Surround Channels).
As brilliant as Laurie Fincham’s design’s are, the Uni-Q drivers are the weakpoint WRT reliability after 30 years ! I’ve managed to burn all the Uni-Q Tweeters (watched one actually smoke…LOL) in all four 105/3’s and 3 of the 4 Uni-Q midrange sections are either NFG or on their way to becoming NFG.
I’ve eliminated the whole Concentric point source of the original 105/3’s and am using the black pair of 105/3’s as donor components for red pair. I also was given a pair of Fabric Dome Morel Tweeters that are drop in replacements (sans faceplate) for the Tweeters in the 104/2’s. Since I replaced the Ferrofluid, the Morels were collecting dust…until yesterday.
Using an Orchard Audio BOSC Amplifier module rated at 300W@4Ω to power the dual Midbass Drivers, the Morel Tweeter, and a donor Midbass now connected to the 105/7’s Bandpass filter to act as a midrange. The Coupled Cavity 8" Woofers are power by a ICE Power 1000W@4Ω Amplifier from Parts Express (on sale $249USD each).
Literally sticking the Tweeter (with industrial strength 3M two sided tape) in between the midbass and midrange drivers and placing them as mirrored pairs helps keep the audible illusion (ya…I’ve heard of the Company) that a Uni-Q is still being utilized.
Not having an enclosure on the Tweeter didn’t detrimentally effect things sonically. It blends well with the Mibass/Midrange Drivers.
All this fed from a BAT VK-50SE “Supertube” Preamp.
MiniDSP for the KEF KUBE Curve, Orchard Audio BOSC Amplifier (buried), and the two Crossover boards make for a tight fit but safe in that hardly any heat is generated
that looks most excellent
i have a pair of tannoy dc2000s
the concentric tweeters need their ferrofluid doing but i have considered just replacing them tweeters with some separate dome tweeters.
i now feel confidant in just sticking the tweeters to the side of the cabinet with sticky tape