SpeakerTalk

[Lurer]

Hi!
I am the happy owner of a pair of Calindas i found on a fleemarket last weekend
Im very happy with them, but i know there is some things i would like to do; Change terminals, internal wiring and look over the crossovers.
My problem is that i can't find a crossover schema for SP1053. Is it the same as for SP1054?

Do you have any examples of things i should check on them? Things that is known to be of not so good standard as it could be, or to improve the original configuration.

Also the dome of the tweeter on one speaker is pressed in a little bit. Is there a safe way to get it out and will it affect the sound in any way?

Espen,
Norway

[ColinR]

[Lurer]

Thanks for the reply Colin.
Well, one terminal is already replaced by a previous owner, so ill get two alike anyway..
Maybe internal rewiring is a waste. I'll leave it for now. I never got caught in the "lets buy expensive loudpseaker cables and get good sound"-crazyness, but i do have some good speakercables (2,5 or 4 mm2 solid core installation cable. Like you got in your house probably), and they beat the cables i have tested. Like my pair of Kimber 8PR. Beat them by a big margin even.

For crossovers.. Im no expert, so i will listen ot good advice. Everything is working right now, but i would think someone did have some experience in upgrading or replacing some components looking for better sound?

Thanks for the link for the crossover. I have seen it, but i thought thought it was for Type1054. These model and type names are still very new, and i must have miss understood

Espen

[Lurer]

I have read that the speakers were designed to give a good listening experience for as many listening positions as possible, and that the placement of elements in the cab is very important.
It was also said that even though the speakers are small, they were meant to give correct vertical dispersion at 3 meters.

I dont have more than 2,5 meters, and also think the speakers look very small compared to what im used too. Will it affect the sound in a negative way to put them on a thick slab of stone, or rising them even higher, lets say 10 inches of the floor, on a custom made foot or stand?
And if its no negative effects, can i expect any positive effects?

The plastic knobs on them now are not doing a good job with my floor. I need something new under there in any case.
_________________
So, this is how Vintage KEF sounds like

[audiolabtower]

they were designed as floor standers so I would not raise them too far, particularly since the vertical "lobe" of flat response through the crossover points upwards so listening at tweeter level might be somewhat dull compared to B200 or top of cabinet level and too far off the floor maybe a little bass light though you may prefer a "faster/lighter " bass?

Now some spikes and a couple of concrete slabs could well be a very good idea worthy of experimenting...

[SaSi]

There is only one thing I would consider for a pair of Calindas (or any other KEF speaker from that era).

They utilize bitumen pads attached to the inside of the enclosure for dampening vibration. After 30+ years these pads have lost their flex and became unflexible and brittle.

Its likely they have lost the effect they were designed to provide and perhaps replacing them with new pads would deliver an improvement, back to original specs.

OTOH, since the pads are now so stiff and also very well attached to the panels, it is also likely they perform differently offering not dampening but increasing the stiffness of the panels, to a similar effect of reducing coloration.

Anyway, removing these is a messy job and I decided it's not worth doing and risking damage to the enclosures.

Regarding connectors and cables, I found the wires connecting the binding posts to the crossover to have corroded and accumulate lots of dirt. I'm not sure if that is detrimental to the signal but nonetheless it's easy to just cut the ends of the wires and re-solder new wire with new solder to the binding posts after a good cleaning.

Out of curiosity, what is the internal filling of your Calindas? Is there thick foam attached to the panels? Is there loose fibre stuffed inside? Or is there a thin layer of white fibrus material stapled to the panels?

I'm asking as I suspect that someone fiddled with the stuffing of a pair of Calindas I obtained and am restoring.

[ColinR]

[proffski]

[Lurer]

Thanks for the tips guys.
Right now im in the middle of another project, so restoring the Calindas will have to wait a while.
Im very impressed by the sound of them (compared to my current speakers at least), so they'll get a good long life in this house.
_________________
So, this is how Vintage KEF sounds like

[SaSi]

[ColinR]

[SaSi]