What do I do with KEF Coda. LS3/5A ? Pipe TL? Nothing?

[borish]

Hi all.

I recently had a $10 thrift find - KEF Coda originals with T27 and B110 original drivers and overall in a very good condition. I'd say even almost like new.
So I've been contemplating every since on what to do with them and would like to hear your opinion/experience.
I don't really need another pair of speakers at home as I already have more than I need. I also generally like bass as I listen to a lot of organ music.

Here are my options as I see them:

1) Do nothing. My bosses in their wisdom decided on RTO and the Codas would be perfect for a small desktop setup.

2) Perform a light modification, binding posts, perhaps a crossover update/recap, otherwise 1)

3) Build LS3/5A. That's an expensive endeavor in general. The cheapest rebuild crossovers 15 Ohm go for around $200, and I can expect to spend around $250 for aliexpress birch plywood enclosures or close $400 on UK ones built to spec. I am not sure if I need those myself considering the expense and work investment, so this option is really feasible only if I plan to sell them after to fund other endeavors, however it's not really clear to me how much those Frankensteins would fetch on the market.

4) The most fun option. I've been playing around with AI, and it basically told me that B110 is a perfect candidate for PVC-pipe based transmission line speaker. 2.5 meter of folded pipe from Home Depot. Not sure if AI is hallucinating or not, but it surely sounds like fun without a big investment. And if I don't like the end result I can just return drivers back to Coda enclosure.

What do you think?

 

[DVDdoug]

I don't tell people what to do but I vote for "do nothing" with the speakers and add a subwoofer.

But a subwoofer can be tricky to integrate properly if you don't have an AVR with a sub output and a crossover (AKA "bass management").

I also generally like bass as I listen to a lot of organ music.

I guess it depends on the organ but a small woofer isn't going to reproduce the strong-low notes of a pipe organ or the bass you can feel in your body.

based transmission line speaker. 2.5 meter of folded pipe from Home Depot.

I was fascinated with making a transmission line or labyrinth speaker once because you can tune it as low as you want. But I was thinking about at-least a 12-inch woofer which needs a fatter "pipe" and I was thinking of a pair, and if I was going to do it, I wanted them to go down to 20Hz. It would be too big and just wasn't practical for me.

2.5M is the wavelength for 137Hz, or 67Hz for a half-wavelength, or 34Hz for 1/4 Wavelength. There are different "theories" on how do design one (open, closed, tapered, maybe others) and if a 1/4 wavelengths actually works it might be more practical.

There is speaker design software and that's probably better than throwing stuff at AI. I have WinISD which is FREE but it only does regular sealed and ported designs.

But if you want to build speakers, or a subwoofer, I'd recommend starting from scratch instead of destroying (or disassembling) your perfectly good speakers.

My pair of DIY subwoofers are 15-inch drivers in rather large ported boxes. I forget the volume but maybe 7-8 cubic feet and about 3-feet tall, and tuned to go down to the 30Hz range. They can "rattle the walls" but I have nearby neighbors so I rarely take advantage of them.

only if I plan to sell them after to fund other endeavors, however it's not really clear to me how much those Frankensteins would fetch on the market.

Personally, I wouldn't pay much for someone else's homemade speaker. If it was a bargain I might take a gamble.

 

[borish]

I don't tell people what to do but I vote for "do nothing" with the speakers and add a subwoofer.

But a subwoofer can be tricky to integrate properly if you don't have an AVR with a sub output and a crossover (AKA "bass management").


I guess it depends on the organ but a small woofer isn't going to reproduce the strong-low notes of a pipe organ or the bass you can feel in your body.


I was fascinated with making a transmission line or labyrinth speaker once because you can tune it as low as you want. But I was thinking about at-least a 12-inch woofer which needs a fatter "pipe" and I was thinking of a pair, and if I was going to do it, I wanted them to go down to 20Hz. It would be too big and just wasn't practical for me.

2.5M is the wavelength for 137Hz, or 67Hz for a half-wavelength, or 34Hz for 1/4 Wavelength. There are different "theories" on how do design one (open, closed, tapered, maybe others) and if a 1/4 wavelengths actually works it might be more practical.

There is speaker design software and that's probably better than throwing stuff at AI. I have WinISD which is FREE but it only does regular sealed and ported designs.

But if you want to build speakers, or a subwoofer, I'd recommend starting from scratch instead of destroying (or disassembling) your perfectly good speakers.

My pair of DIY subwoofers are 15-inch drivers in rather large ported boxes. I forget the volume but maybe 7-8 cubic feet and about 3-feet tall, and tuned to go down to the 30Hz range. They can "rattle the walls" but I have nearby neighbors so I rarely take advantage of them.


Personally, I wouldn't pay much for someone else's homemade speaker. If it was a bargain I might take a gamble.

Subwoofer doesn't make any sense with those speakers.
anything that can be built with that type of drivers is something for close monitoring for a few watts of power maximum and it's all about a mid-range.

for serious listening I have TL speakers in a living room (huge and heavy) that go to 30Hz -+3db, I don't expect or contemplate that type of performance from B110 even in TL form.
LS3/5A would be nice to try (even though Amir blasted their design), however it's hard to justify the expense and effort.
And I also wouldn't pay top dollar for custom built speakers myself.

I don't mind playing around with PVC pipes though. AI provided some solid math as well that I can verify.
I am more concerned about other things. like pipe vibrations, etc.

 

[DSJR]

I seem to think the early B110/T27 I heard was the original Cresta, but it was a long time ago and the speakers were old then.

If yours are anything like the above, I'd leave them original, but maybe change any electrolytic caps in the crossover as the types often used in the UK back then really are inclined to drift. 4mm posts on the back may make sense as many early speakers had twin screws which only take small spade terminals (I cheated with my mk1 IMF Compacts and screwed in a 4mm binding post in each terminal as the screw threads were the same...

I can't stand the LS3/5A of any description (I don't know the Stirling ones which used different drivers but balanced to the same basic spec) and feel you'd be downgrading the listening pleasure if you take that route. Lots of money for basically a distortion and hisssss reproducer (that's what they were designed for and if they do music as well to the user's taste, it's a bonus! - my local audio salon loves the Falcon version as 'They're very detailed').

Nah, leave them alone apart from maybe the crossover cap check and enjoy them as they were designed.

 

[mhardy6647]

Nothin' wrong, IMO, with the Codas (Codae? Codi? ) as is.

 

[JeremyFife]

I had a pair of Codas, before I knew about ASR and upgraded (spent more money on something less good ...)

It's a hobby, and it's your call. However, you asked so either do nothing (use some perfectly decent speakers) or have the most fun (transmission line!)

Whatever you do, enjoy

 

[Waxx]

The Coda is a much better speaker than the LS3/5A for hifi use. I would recap the crossover and restore the cabinet if needed. If you want low bass, add a subwoofer with dsp crossover, but don't expect miracles from that. a smaller sub will be enough because that woofer can't handle that much power or go loud.

And if you decide to make something else with it, start with measuring the drivers (rew can do that) for the right T/S specs. Drivers age and change specs during that, especially with driver that are that old you can't rely anymore on the original specs. Once you got those you can see what you can build with it.

 

[sktn77a]

3) Build LS3/5A.

Don't even think about it! Those drivers were never "LS3/5A spec" and by now will be so much further out of spec they will never come even close to an LS3/5A, even with the correct cabinet, crossover, etc. Similarly, I wouldn't waste money on upgrades unless the constitute repairs to failed components.

Then again, If tinkering floats your boat, go for it...... who knows.... you may like the sound of what you end up with!!!

 

[JD666]

Restore the crossover, check woofer for de-lamination and then enjoy them.

Or you could sell the drivers for a pretty penny and get a new pair of modern bookshelf speakers for the $$$ from just the T27 and B110 sale.

 

[kemmler3D]

I would second @DSJR on this one.

 

[polmuaddib]

If you like the sound, keep them. If you don't or get bored with them, sell them.
Just don't butcher them.

 

[DanielT]

Take out the T27 tweeters and B110 woffer and measure them with a multimeter, make sure they show the same Ohm level. So the speakers are matched.
Other than that, I agree with what was said in the thread regarding recap of the crossover and adding a subwoofer.

Yeah, I almost forgot. How is the surface finish on them? Is the speaker cover intact and without holes?

I recently had a $10 thrift find -...first congratulations on the find .. then it's a question of how much money you want to spend on refurbishing them?
But on the other hand if the speaker drivers are in good condition then why not spend a little money on a fun refurbishing/recap project?

Edit:
Keep in mind that the tweeter is old. It can break. It doesn't have that high power handling. See #742 in the thread below:

Post in thread 'Audio Note speakers'

Oct 22, 2024

If you want a pair of similar speakers like those audionote, old Kef are indeed sounding similar, but better. And they are all over the place and relative cheap. I got a pair of Kef Chorales here now to restore that were free given. I need to restore the crossover (will cost me about 25€ to do both new) and some minor cosmetic fixes. I'm sure i can bring them back for about 50€ and they can be sold/bought for 3-400€ in good shape.

Or get the original Snell or Dynaco A25 speakers, they are also easy to find and much cheaper and better sounding (but similar sound signature). A lot of...

• DanielT

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[borish]

Thank you, everyone who commented.
I've decided not to touch anything for now.
As my company demands RTO, I'll use them for my desk sound setup, where I don't need the power or bass.
Will probably recap the original crossover and put speaker cable posts instead of a currently attached cable