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Concept CE-2 - photos posted

N

Njord Noatun

Super Member
Banned
I recently purchased a set of Concept CE-2 speakers to match my 2QD TT and 16.5 receiver. The speakers had already been refoamed, but needed new passive radiators and a cabinet refurbish. This work is now complete and I have attached some photos of the speakers for the record. The speakers are pretty scarce (I only know of one AK'er with them - EVBoy), so I won't get hurt feelings if this thread doesn't grow much past my initial post!

Concept was the premium brand of the West-Coast based Pacific Stereo chain. Apart from a highly regarded line of receivers with outputs from 20 to 165 wpc (manufactured by Radio Shack), Concept also offered a turntable (2QD) and two decks (ELC and ELC II), both products manufactured by Toshiba.

The line of speakers consisted of CE-M ($1,200), CE-1 ($900) and CE-2 ($700). They were all designed by Pacific Stereo and manufactured by ESS, and were all two-way with a Heil AMT tweeter, 10-12" woofers and 10" passive radiator. As you can see from the photos, the Concept speaker features a brushed aluminum strip, matching the face plate and trim on other Concept components, containing high and low frequency controls, as well as a set unique LED power draw lights: Green light for power draws of 2-10 watts, red for 28+ watts (needless to say, the red light doesn't come on a whole lot in normal playing conditions!). The red/green LEDs lights match similarly colored LEDs on the other Concept components, notably the receiver. The CE-2 base measures 14"x14". The speaker has a slightly sloping front and is 25" tall.

All in all a handsome speaker, IMHO, matching my other Concept components nicely in coloring, lights and materials. Enjoy.

Rgds,
 

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These are, roughly, based on an earlier ESS bookshelf model called the Evaluator, which was ported instead of passive-radiatored, had the same intermediate-size "dual-plate" Heil, and ducted the rear radiation from the Heil straight through the cabinet to the back rather than absorb it. It suffered from the same problems any two-way would have trying to make a big woofer reproduce well into the midrange, but made very nice noises indeed, and I'll bet this CE one does likewise.
 
Interesting newspaper ad from 1976

wualta said:
These are, roughly, based on an earlier ESS bookshelf model called the Evaluator
Click to expand...
I had been told that the CE-2 was essentially similar to the ESS AMT 1b, but that may not be a conflict with your statement - both statements may be true!

After having messed about the Internet, I came across the below ad in Ubyssey, the student newspaper of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, from 1976. Not only does it contain the ad for the Evaluator, but for many other good speakers, including Dynacos, Altecs, and KLHs.
 

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Njord Noatun said:
I had been told that the CE-2 was essentially similar to the ESS AMT 1b..
Click to expand...
Well, no, since the CE series used a smaller Heil, the "dual-plate" and the CE-2 used it as a monopole-- the Heil is set into a plastic cup. [Thanks to saggman54 below for the correction.] Very different from the big freestanding dipole Heil sitting atop the cabinet of the amt-1 series.
Concept CE-2 front and rear.jpg
If I had to pick an ESS model that's like the CE-2, the closest would be the later passive-radiator version of the amt-10b, which was equipped with a 10" Bextrene-cone woofer.
Interesting ad! Yep, the Evaluators date back almost to the beginning of ESS's use of the Heil. If you come across a pair, buy 'em.
 
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A vintage ad in craigslist brought in a call for a pair of Evaluators offered for sale. The seller admitted to replacing both woofers with Realistic ones and not saving the originals, but keeping the original cardboard boxes. I asked him to look for the originals even if damaged. He said he paid over 600.00 the pair and now wants 160.00 even with the non original wqoofers. Any thoughts on this deal? Have not auditioned them yet. Noticed Nord's copy of a speaker ad circa1976 430.00 retail Canadian? Thanks, Ron
 
The original woofers in the Evaluator were inexpensive CTS fiber-cone jobs, nothing special. The Radio Shack ones might be better, might be worse. A ported speaker is much less forgiving of bad tuning than a sealed one. So be sure to listen before you buy if you're interested.

$160/pr would be a steal if they're in good shape and the grillcloth doesn't look as if cats had peed on it. Make sure the Heils work and aren't intermittent.
 
Thanks Njord and Wualta a lot more info here than Google but then I'm not an expert Googlertruth be told. Are these the much touted JBL 100 killers that I read about? Can't help but feel an alnico pair of JBL woofers with an extended high range would better the Realistics together with Jubal midis. Oops there I go again tring to convert every box I see into a Jubal! Trying to set up the weekend for the audition. Thanks again.
 
Beanstocks said:
Are these the much touted JBL L100 killers that I read about?
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Well, they certainly were meant to resemble the JBL studio monitor version of the L100, though they sure weren't built as well, and the woofer, which had to handle a good chunk of the critical midrange, wasn't a JBL woofer by any stretch. Still, they made an awfully impressive noise, which I much preferred to the L100, which was seemingly everywhere at the time.

I coated my woofers with PVA, retuned the duct, added fiberglass to the interior, sealed all the internal cabinet joints (there are a lot of 'em due to the Heil's "tunnel" that sends its backwave out the rear of the cabinet), damped the Heil, and biamped the sons of guns, but I still wasn't satisfied, and I maintain this was entirely due to the woofer. Still, I only sold 'em because baby needed a new pair of shoes, if you catch my drift.
ESS Evaluators.jpg ESS EVALUATOR_(1a).jpg
 
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I've had a pair of CE-2's that I bought brand new from pacific stereo. also picked up a pair of CE-M's a few years back for 25.00. had to replace the diaphragms and refoam the speakers and passive radiators.
the CE-1's and CE-M's are both have openings on the back and sides for the heils. still looking for a pair of CE-1s
 
I have a pair of the Pacific Stereo ESS speakers with a the 10" and mid-sized Heil. The surrounds (rubberized) were shot. They are ported and there is no passive radiator. They were used in something someone tried to cobble together and there was a pair of CE-2 (IIRC) crossovers also. They used the 10", added the great Heil, and an 8" mid in a separate cabinet and did not use the crossover or mid-Heil in the cabinets. I bought them for the Great Heils which came from a 1D.

BTW, these now just sit and could use a new home. The cabinets and grills are actually very attractive.

This is what I did with the great Heils.
 
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Found a 6 page full color brochure on the 3 Concept speakers on the internet. Tried to load it on AK, but they say the file is too big.
This is the last page which gives the specs of the speakers. I do have it downloaded and now cant find it again on the web. Maybe someone else without my technology challenges can do better.
ESS Concept specs.jpg
 
Working on them...

saggman54 said:
I've had a pair of CE-2's that I bought brand new from pacific stereo. also picked up a pair of CE-M's a few years back for 25.00. had to replace the diaphragms and refoam the speakers and passive radiators.
the CE-1's and CE-M's are both have openings on the back and sides for the heils. still looking for a pair of CE-1s
Click to expand...
 

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wualta said:
Well, no, since the CE series used a smaller Heil and used it as a monopole at that. Very different from the big freestanding dipole Heil sitting atop the cabinet of the amt-1 series. The CE does resemble the amt-10b bookshelf, but the 10b had a plastic 10" woofer.

Interesting ad! Yep, the Evaluators date back almost to the beginning of ESS's use of the Heil. If you come across a pair, buy 'em.
Click to expand...
The CE-1 and CE-M are both open in the back and sides of the AMT's. I've owned a pair of CE-2 I bought new in78, a pair of CE-M's I aquired in 09 and just recently a pair of CE-1's
 
Hello saggman54 and all. I also recently acquired a pair of CE-1's and also have CE-2's ( which have been modded and need restoration ) coming in a couple of months. I like the sound of the CE-1's so far but some tweaking needs to be done for some music. I have not opened them up to check and inspect yet, would like to get as much info as possible before doing so. If anyone has anything to share this Oldiophile would appreciate it.
 
The frequency response for the "mid-Heil" in these speakers is totally different than the response in the "Great Heils" most probably because of the closed backs.
 
Thank you toddalin, I can use all the info I can get since Concept didn't provide service manuals on their equipment. This is my first exposure to Concept speakers but I have a number of receivers including the 16.5, 12.0 & a 11.0 bought new in 1978 along with a 2QD turntable and tape deck. Looking forward to spending more time on the forum and thanks again.
 
billgraves22 said:
Thank you toddalin, I can use all the info I can get since Concept didn't provide service manuals on their equipment. This is my first exposure to Concept speakers but I have a number of receivers including the 16.5, 12.0 & a 11.0 bought new in 1978 along with a 2QD turntable and tape deck. Looking forward to spending more time on the forum and thanks again.
Click to expand...

Need a couple more? I have a pair but woofer the surrounds are shot. I'm in Orange County.
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BTW, isn't this your crossover?
80-dsc_0060_d6e0ae745b57dc0a54a6f75f0b73f1968fc75852.jpg
 
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