SpeakerTalk

lt2525

Hi all,

I am new to this forum but have read with interest many of the past posts. (' Very Happy

')

I am the owner of a set of Monitor Audio MA-10 speakers which I originally purchased in the late 70's. From the info I have on these speakers, they use identical drivers to the KEF 105 for top and mid (T52 SP1049 and B110B SP1057). The woofer is a round unit that I believe was made under license from Monitor Audio made by Dalesford.
I can't find much on the web about these speakers, even on Monitor Audio's home pages and would be interested if anyone had any additional detail or info regarding them.

My specific problem at this time is that the B110B's have deteriorated.(' Sad

') It seems impossible to find any replacements ( not a big surprise for a 30 year old speaker) nor any substitutes.
I have contacted a company in Florida who says they can re-cone these using original KEF parts. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with re-coning these and how it worked out.

Thanks

Very Happy

Lee in Montreal · Senior Contributor 200+ Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 231

Hi fellow Canuck.

The B110 is usually very sturdy and will last a long time. If I were you, I'd rather look for a good used set rather than having a set reconed. It will be cheaper and will still be original.

On top of the model (B110) you need to find the actual particularity of the speaker (sp####). Most Kef afficionados will have a few spare sets. So, look for them. They are out there.

_________________
Current line up
2 sets basic Kef 104/2
2 sets bi-wire Kef 104/2
Plenty of KEF components for a few fun builds

lt2525 · Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:37 am Post subject:

Gary · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:33 am Post subject:

Dalesford again, eh?

I have a pair of SP 1014's but they seem to be a "common" spare part....
_________________
Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?" Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."
-- Charles M. Schulz (as Charlie Brown)

Lee in Montreal · Senior Contributor 200+ Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 231

B110 sp1057 is quite common as it found its way in many speakers as mids. 101, Cantatas, 105/2 have them, as well as many others. It was also available from the Construction Serie. There's a pdf file on this forum highlighting the history of Kef drivers and where they were used.

One for sale on FleaBay too
http://cgi.ebay.com/KEF-B110-SP1057-mid-bass-driver-suitable-for-LS3-5a_W0QQitemZ150381332288QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Hi_Fi_Speakers?hash=item23036d0740

I have two barely used units (under 100 hours) but am keeping them until my second set of 105/2 is assembled ( I have 4 sets in total in different enclosures).
_________________
Current line up
2 sets basic Kef 104/2
2 sets bi-wire Kef 104/2
Plenty of KEF components for a few fun builds

ColinR · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:23 am Post subject:

lt2525 · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject:

Lee in Montreal · Senior Contributor 200+ Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 231

Notice the black gunk around one of the grills. A pair of heads at $600 is a nonsense, especially that eBay has a complete set of 105/1 for the same price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kef-105-Reference-Speakers-Original-Vintage-Audiophile_W0QQitemZ230387593828QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Electronics_R2?hash=item35a42bb264

As for the "orphan" woofer, I already bought the heads, wiring and crossovers that comprised the full 105/2. The other B300 has coil rub. Currently working on buying the cabinets.

Currently following the crazyness on eBay. How much will that set of 105/2 bring? 2 hours before end, they are $1200usd. Which means my own sets are now worth 50% more than what I thought...Don't invest in gold, buy Kef speakers.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300356414735&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching
_________________
Current line up
2 sets basic Kef 104/2
2 sets bi-wire Kef 104/2
Plenty of KEF components for a few fun builds

lt2525 · Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:02 pm Post subject:

Lee in Montreal · Senior Contributor 200+ Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 231

lt2525 · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 3:43 am Post subject: B110 - white belly?

Still looking for a pair of B110 SP 1057's and have run into a couple of people who have mentioned the "white belly" version of this driver.

Could anyone comment on what the difference might be between the white belly and the non-white belly (black belly?).

Thanks

ColinR · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:58 am Post subject:

Poor cosmetics resulting in snake oil mythology.

http://www.hifiloudspeakers.info/speakertalk/viewtopic.php?t=562&highlight=whiite+belly
_________________
This post or any other information supplied to this website or any other by myself is not available for any form of commercial purpose i.e. to hi-fi magazines or as sales and marketing material for sleezeBay or Audiodogging pimps and the like.

lt2525 · Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 9:11 pm Post subject:

Well, attempting to repair these speakers has been an interesting journey.

So as posted elsewhere in this forum, I encountered someone with a pair of B110's SP1057 taken from a Meridian system. While I was speaking with him another person with whom I had spoken earlier ended up accepting an offer I had made on a pair of more traditional looking SP1057's. So now I actually have two pairs of drivers enroute to me. Should prove interesting to compare the performance of the two sets!

Also while I was looking for these drivers, I actually managed to pick up a pair of vintage KEF 105's for a very good price! I have been enjoying them while I was scrounging for the repair parts for the MA-10's.

Once I upgrade the crossovers and replace the damaged drivers in the MA-10's I believe comparing the two sets of speakers will be very interesting. As I believe I mentioned further up the line, the MA-10's use the the same high and mid range drivers as the 105 and the base is what looks to be a Dalesford clone of the 105 base driver. I am curious as to what I will hear given both the common features and the variables involved.

Stay tuned!