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SpeakerTalk
This forum has been set up to facilitate discussion of 1970s KEF speakers and drive units. The owner of the Forum has no connection with KEF Audio.
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Gary
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 279
Location: Toronto, Canada
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 Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 3:21 am Post subject: The "everything KEF Calinda" thread |
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It's always bothered me to see at the top of this forum "The Concerto, Cadenza, Chorale, Cantor, Coda, 104ab, B139, BD139, B200, B110, T27" with no mention of the incredibly wonderful Calinda speaker. Of which I have a pair. 
This great speaker may not match a 104B but I can play them loud, they still sound wonderful after almost 40 years, have lots on "oomph" and I use them almost daily.
B-200 woofer SP 1054, T-27 tweeter SP 1032, B-200 and B-139B passive.
Yet, apart from some posts on this forum (including the cross over schematic!), information is rare and hard to find. Almost as rare and hard to find as the actual speakers themselves. In Canada anyway.
So let's discuss the Calinda.
Any fans? Reviews? How were they received when they were released? Years manufactured? Are there lots in England or the USA? How many were sent to Canada to be sold?
Any preferred amplification? Something perhaps British from a more modern era like Audio lab?
All posts welcomed.
_________________
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) |
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speakerguru
Über Contributor 1000+
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 1192
Location: Green Hut, Tovil
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| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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| The Calinda could, and probably should, be viewed as an improved 104aB, in that it had an aB tweeter network from the start, it had a more amplifier-friendly impedance and the off-axis lobe-ing of third order crossovers was taken into account (hence the tweeter below the woofer). In my view, because the 104aB was still selling well at that time and the "C" series was long in the tooth, the Calinda was not marketed as a "Reference Series" but slotted in as part of the then new C series. |
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Gary
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 279
Location: Toronto, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| speakerguru wrote: | | .... the off-axis lobe-ing of third order crossovers was taken into account (hence the tweeter below the woofer). |
Interesting. The tweeters below the woofer design is unusual but I did not know why. Thanks!
_________________
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) |
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speakerguru
Über Contributor 1000+
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 1192
Location: Green Hut, Tovil
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| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Gary wrote: | | speakerguru wrote: | | .... the off-axis lobe-ing of third order crossovers was taken into account (hence the tweeter below the woofer). |
Interesting. The tweeters below the woofer design is unusual but I did not know why. Thanks! |
Yes, after that we went on to 4th order Linkwitz-Riley/Butterworth squared (acoustic) crossovers where the woofer and tweeter are in phase at the crossover - so no off-axis lobe-ing. |
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SaSi
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 24 Aug 2008
Posts: 256
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| Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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A Calinda fan myself. Found a pair of Calinda cabinets several years ago. They were painted "sugar-cream" white, gloss but were beat up a lot and the undercoat (green) was showing. Got them for next to nothing and the tweeters were both blown (seller said they sounded dull).
I have stripped the paint-job and re-veneered them with rosewood veneer. A tough job.
Recapped crossovers and new tweeters and two layers of bitumen sheets to the inner panels.
I also have a pair of 104s and I can honestly say the Calinda sound fuller and - if not better - equally good.
I also have a pair of Carlton III that are similarly configured but with different drivers. Both are nice balanced speakers (in terms of performance and size) |
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Gary
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 279
Location: Toronto, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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| SaSi wrote: | I have stripped the paint-job and re-veneered them with rosewood veneer. A tough job.
Recapped crossovers and new tweeters |
Wow, that's quite the tale of revival!
Mine were in good shape compared what you started with originally. But Rosewood would make them simply outstanding.
Very cool.
_________________
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) |
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SaSi
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 24 Aug 2008
Posts: 256
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:46 am Post subject: |
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| Gary wrote: | | SaSi wrote: | I have stripped the paint-job and re-veneered them with rosewood veneer. A tough job.
Recapped crossovers and new tweeters |
Wow, that's quite the tale of revival!
Mine were in good shape compared what you started with originally. But Rosewood would make them simply outstanding.
Very cool. |
And if it wasn't tough enough (rosewood veneer must be one of the trickiest to apply), I did the front and back baffle as well. And because there was some left, did the bottoms too.
The front baffle, including the step at the bottom part were a challenge. Trimming the veneer around the driver cutouts was a job by itself.
And now I know why they paint the front baffle black. Sometimes the drivers show through the cloth (black against rosewood) but the overall look with the covers removed is more impressive. |
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trevoraustin51
Introductory Contributor
Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 8
Location: Doncaster
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:00 am Post subject: Re: The "everything KEF Calinda" thread |
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| Gary wrote: | It's always bothered me to see at the top of this forum "The Concerto, Cadenza, Chorale, Cantor, Coda, 104ab, B139, BD139, B200, B110, T27" with no mention of the incredibly wonderful Calinda speaker. Of which I have a pair.
This great speaker may not match a 104B but I can play them loud, they still sound wonderful after almost 40 years, have lots on "oomph" and I use them almost daily.
B-200 woofer SP 1054, T-27 tweeter SP 1032, B-200 and B-139B passive.
Yet, apart from some posts on this forum (including the cross over schematic!), information is rare and hard to find. Almost as rare and hard to find as the actual speakers themselves. In Canada anyway.
So let's discuss the Calinda.
Any fans? Reviews? How were they received when they were released? Years manufactured? Are there lots in England or the USA? How many were sent to Canada to be sold?
Any preferred amplification? Something perhaps British from a more modern era like Audio lab?
All posts welcomed. |
I had a pair of Calidas in the late 70's early 80's and I found them to be a wonderful sounding speaker, had to sell them due to divorce, but then acquired a pair of C80's.
I mounted mine on low stands, but I preferred the sound when they were placed on the floor. |
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Gary
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 279
Location: Toronto, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: The "everything KEF Calinda" thread |
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| trevoraustin51 wrote: | I had a pair of Calidas in the late 70's early 80's and I found them to be a wonderful sounding speaker....
I mounted mine on low stands, but I preferred the sound when they were placed on the floor. |
So if I ever get to the "tweaking" stage, forget about the stands idea?
I've decided that I need another pair but they are fairly rare these days.
_________________
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) |
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trevoraustin51
Introductory Contributor
Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 8
Location: Doncaster
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 7:12 am Post subject: Re: The "everything KEF Calinda" thread |
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| Gary wrote: | | trevoraustin51 wrote: | I had a pair of Calidas in the late 70's early 80's and I found them to be a wonderful sounding speaker....
I mounted mine on low stands, but I preferred the sound when they were placed on the floor. |
So if I ever get to the "tweaking" stage, forget about the stands idea?
I've decided that I need another pair but they are fairly rare these days. |
Just my personal preference, as with all speakers what you here is subjective and reflects personal taste.
Trevor |
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SaSi
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 24 Aug 2008
Posts: 256
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| Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 9:11 am Post subject: Re: The "everything KEF Calinda" thread |
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| Gary wrote: | | trevoraustin51 wrote: | I had a pair of Calidas in the late 70's early 80's and I found them to be a wonderful sounding speaker....
I mounted mine on low stands, but I preferred the sound when they were placed on the floor. |
So if I ever get to the "tweaking" stage, forget about the stands idea?
I've decided that I need another pair but they are fairly rare these days. |
The Calinda is designed as a floorstander. The tweeter is below the woofer and the directivity of the tweeter is (IIRC) 5 degrees upwards, so standing on the floor at the normal listening distance gives you the optimum envelope.
One tweaking point that many disagree upon is the isolation from the floor. Some prefer a thick mat, some others prefer spikes. I suppose both are valid options depending on what you currently have below the speakers. You may have wooden floor planks on studs, wooden floor on concrete, a wooden construction altogether, marble floor on concrete, etc and on top of that you may or may not have a rug/carpet already.
I find that a thick carpet mat on wooden floor works best for me. |
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trevoraustin51
Introductory Contributor
Joined: 29 Jan 2014
Posts: 8
Location: Doncaster
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| Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 12:41 pm Post subject: Re: The "everything KEF Calinda" thread |
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| trevoraustin51 wrote: | | Gary wrote: | | trevoraustin51 wrote: | I had a pair of Calidas in the late 70's early 80's and I found them to be a wonderful sounding speaker....
I mounted mine on low stands, but I preferred the sound when they were placed on the floor. |
So if I ever get to the "tweaking" stage, forget about the stands idea?
I've decided that I need another pair but they are fairly rare these days. |
Just my personal preference, as with all speakers what you here is subjective and reflects personal taste.
Trevor |
I have seen a couple of pairs on eBay recently......keep a look out.
In fact there is a nice looking pair on at the moment with 4 days left to go, starting bid £180, no bidders.
Trevor |
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Gary
Senior Contributor 200+
Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 279
Location: Toronto, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 1:12 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the tip! I will inquire about shipping to Canada.
_________________
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) |
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speakerguru
Über Contributor 1000+
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 1192
Location: Green Hut, Tovil
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| Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Calinda fans look out for KEFTOPICS vol3 no2 "The Calinda and Cantata Loudspeakers" soon to be available from the technical info section of this site. I always knew of its existence but only recently found the pdf lurking in one of my PC archive folders. |
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proffski
Über Contributor 1000+
Joined: 22 Aug 2003
Posts: 1297
Location: Tewkesbury UK
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| Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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| speakerguru wrote: | | Calinda fans look out for KEFTOPICS vol3 no2 "The Calinda and Cantata Loudspeakers" soon to be available from the technical info section of this site. I always knew of its existence but only recently found the pdf lurking in one of my PC archive folders. |
Thank you and thank you again for sharing. I will try and keep my eyes peeled!!! 
_________________
I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a
man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill |
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