New or Old

WHY, after 6 months, is the owner flipping them? I would want an explanation I find believable. Something might be amiss.

Nearby, you can mask up and hear them? If not, and cannot return, no way would I risk it.

Take your most bass heavy source to push/hear the woofers, and what you know best for full range evaluation.

I have re-coned my woofers, and new surround of a sub cone, I know some of what’s involved. It's more time consuming removing the old glue, not too tricky. I would ask to see his shop, that will give you a feeling about how handy/skilled he is.

Be sure to get close, off to the side while playing, and listen for any noise from the coils, if not centered right, the coil can rub in the gap. If not, they were done right. Feel/listen, any air movement at the edges?

If you don’t have any bass heavy content, even if that’s not what you listen to, you gotta know. Consider, you might sell them yourself some time.

You could get hold of some of these (CD versions) pronto to test the bass. (all keepers anyway)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Bass_(album)

and crackling drums

https://www.discogs.com/Mickey-Hart-Planet-Drum/release/9697860

and frequencies and imaging of 3 guitarists (side 2, tracks 2,3)

https://www.discogs.com/Al-Di-Meola-John-McLaughlin-Paco-De-Lucia-Friday-Night-In-San-Francisco/mast...

my favorite female voice for mids (and wonderful music/musicians)

https://www.discogs.com/Cassandra-Wilson-Blue-Light-Til-Dawn/release/3188976




Most KEF’s are ineffieient, needing lots of power, this model is a fairly easy efficiency of 90db/1m/1w,

so the KEF’s can be driven by mid powered amp IF the amp can easily handle the KEF’s 4 ohm rating.

I would pick the KEF’s over the JBL’s, however, that is a heck of a sale on the JBL’s, and you can return therm.

SEAS new high tech drivers are  tried and proven.
, Old is old, dated, My Thors are cerca 2002 and still command top performers. 
I thought my Philips 2 ways from 1981 were top top dawgs,,til I got the Thors next to them, and like WOW,,, then i heard just how shoddy the Philips were. 
However I bet those Philips with high Mundorf caps, would perform alot better than the original stock caps,, So to answer, look to new high tech speakers for true fidelity. 

In its day the KEF 107 was a very good speaker. The Kube is terrible and should be rebuilt if not just tossed. I cant remember if the tweeters use ferro fluid and if so the fluid might need to be replaced. I have never heard a JBL speaker that I liked and think that the KEFs would be much more natural sounding if not a bit too polite in the highs. The other member makes a good suggestion listening for problems with the woofers. 

 

107 or 107/2? The .2 was a bit bright, but a good speaker. No new replacement drivers so I wouldn’t invest to much.

Thanks for the responses and suggestions.
It looks like he has a number of ads up, so selling quite few pairs. Not sure if that is good or bad news. Is he a collector/audiophile playing with many options, does he do a lot of yard sales, is he well practiced at repairs. I asked more questions of him, waiting on the response.

I have repaired subs myself, so hopefully can spot if there is an issue, if he will take the top/bottom off for visibility
Otherwise it will be down to the audition, I am not buying them without hearing them for sure.

Yup, ferrofluid, but there is guide to refilling, so I can likely do that myself. When you say you have not heard a JBL you like, have you heard the Studio range, they do seem to get good reviews?

They are the originals, 107. Online reading suggests the 107/2 were not sold in the same numbers and are hard to find.

I guess it is going to come down to my gut feeling on meeting the seller and then the audition.