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Anyone familiar with this speaker ? Supposedly uses the same drivers as the LS-3/5a (T-27 tweeter/ B-110 mid-woofer). Any comments as to sonic comparisons with the LS ? Current value seems to be ~ 1/2 of the official BBC speaker.Best,
Ross
Follow Ups:
Something nobody has mentioned in comparing the LS3/5a to the 101 is that the LS3/5a was designed as a monitor speaker for small spaces, like a mixing booth, and was designed to be mounted on the wall above ear level. In the overlap region, it launches the sound downward.The 101 does not have this characteristic and so can be placed at ear level. It is also easier to use with a sub woofer in a biamplified system with an electronic crossover. The bass bump in the LS3/5a makes this a much more difficult proposition and is quite demanding of the properties of the crossover.
I bought one of the first pairs of these in, I think, 1979 or 1980. It was the first speaker which really showed me what an uncolored midrange could sound like. I did a direct comparison at that time with the LS-3/5a, the ProAc Tablette, and others (including the hot - at the time - slanted baffle bookshelf speaker whose name now escapes me). I thought the KEF was the most neutral. I agree with the other posters, including the comments about a lack of bass hump compared to the LS-3/5a. I sold my 101s in the mid-80s as I began a steep and lengthy upgrade path. I found and bought a used pair a couple of years ago, though; which I now use for video. I was pleased to find that they still sounded very good to me, especially for this purpose.
KEF Ref 101 used computer matched pairs of B110B and T27, eight ohm impedance, 100 watt power handling and have S-STOP overload protecton (unless the audiophile tweak of disabling it has occured), crossover located in false bottom of a nice heavy well made cabinet. Overall a very nice but inefficient (25-30 watt min, no good for low powered tubes) design that is best compaired to the JR149 speaker, as they both do not have the same bass 'hump' as the BBC design but the treble is less controlled, my pair took about two years to run in. I used a new pair at University with a Quad 33/303/FM3 and an Aiwa ADM800 three head cassette. Have since got another pair and both of the kids are using them with their TEAC mini systems at University at this very moment! Only one problem with them so far the 47 ohm metal oxide resistors in the S-STOP next to the protection relay were starting to corrode - an easy fix. Regards Colin
My wife says that diet soft drinks can kill brain cells. Maybe she's right.I must have killed a few, cuz' I'd forgotten that other stuff about the 101. My favorite in that series was the 103. And we did use/sell the Kefs with Quad electronics.
Best regards,Jim Smith
If this is the KEF 101 that has the small overload indicator (red led) in the front lower corner, this speaker sold in the early 80s for $595/pr. It was voiced pretty nicely, and rather than make an artificial bass with a bump above rolloff, it rolled off pretty smoothly a bit south of 100 Hz.My shop sold a lot of these, often with the high performance electronics of that period. Of course, it needed a tall stand to work properly.
It was pretty inefficient, but I don't remember the spec. The Kef 101 was supposed to be able to handle at least 100w/ch (maybe even 150, I can't remember - I know that the 103 was rated to 150).
Subjectively, this was a forgiving speaker. Dynamics was not its forte. In our shop, it's serious competitor was the Linn Kan, which was much more dynamic and lively, but which could be aggressive with the wrong stuff.
The individual drivers were very tightly matched, so that if one was damaged, you needed to check with KEF to get a replacement that matched. Without the matching drivers, this speaker was OK, but it lost some of its magic.
Therefore, I'd want to be sure that it had the correct L/R matching drivers.
Best regards,Jim Smith
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