Celestion Ditton 66 what amplifier ?

[Ganjor86]

Hello to everyone! This is my first post on this forum and I hope that I will stay here for long time I have Celestion Ditton 66 speakers and Cambridge cxa60 but my friend say that this amplifier is too long quality like for my speakers so I won't buy a "new" amplifier. I'm looking for some vintage amplifier for around 1000£ and like for now I think that Kenwood KA9100 it's a good choice, what you think about that?

 

[onplane]

Hello to everyone! This is my first post on this forum and I hope that I will stay here for long time I have Celestion Ditton 66 speakers and Cambridge cxa60 but my friend say that this amplifier is too long quality like for my speakers so I won't buy a "new" amplifier. I'm looking for some vintage amplifier for around 1000£ and like for now I think that Kenwood KA9100 it's a good choice, what you think about that?

Your Cambridge amp is a good quality unit. I seriously doubt that you'll hear any sound improvements by simply changing amps. Indeed, your "new to you" amp might not even sound as good.

If you want to "improve" sound, here are some ideas :

1. Add a high quality subwoofer (check out SVS and Velodyne)

2. Split the internal networks in your speakers and passive bi-amp. This will gain you enormous control over your speaker's voice.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[Ganjor86]

Celestion Ditton 66 hawe a 30cm speakers so i do not need subwoofer. I hawe a Lenco l75 turntable with ortofon quintet blue and plinth for 12" tonearm is waiting for new tonearm (maybe clone of gray 108) and I will build a "nuda" phono stage so it will improve the sound of turntable. I hear that too get a really good sound from this speakers I need really good amplifier, and I now that my cxa60 is no bad but is it enough good ? I listen jazz and reggae from old records (new are not so good) and I will won't to be shure that my speakers give me the best (or almost the best) sound that is possible from amplifier for 1000£. I don't hawe too many experiences with amplifiers that's why I'm ask.

 

[onplane]

Celestion Ditton 66 hawe a 30cm speakers so i do not need subwoofer. I hawe a Lenco l75 turntable with ortofon quintet blue and plinth for 12" tonearm is waiting for new tonearm (maybe clone of gray 108) and I will build a "nuda" phono stage so it will improve the sound of turntable. I hear that too get a really good sound from this speakers I need really good amplifier, and I now that my cxa60 is no bad but is it enough good ? I listen jazz and reggae from old records (new are not so good) and I will won't to be shure that my speakers give me the best (or almost the best) sound that is possible from amplifier for 1000£. I don't hawe too many experiences with amplifiers that's why I'm ask.

Yes, your Celestion Ditton 66 are good speakers, but remember your low frequency drivers must cover the audio spectrum from 20 to 600Hz. Compare that to this sub:

https://www.svsound.com/products/sb-2000

It has an internal 500 watts rms amp and only has to cover the range from 19Hz to maybe 80Hz (user decides sub upper frequency). With a pair of these you'll be able to trigger a minor earthquake!

As for your current amp ... it is a very good amp! It is so good that you would have to be a dog to be able to hear any differences between your amp and another. There is one trivial exception to this and that is, if you listen at very loud levels. In that case, you might need a bigger amp, but you would gain NOTHING at reasonable volume levels.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[Ganjor86]

I'm not looking a woofer but better amplifier... And I not need earthquake but more air and better stage

 

[onplane]

The Celestion Ditton 66 are a 4 ohm speaker so an an amp that can drive a 4 ohm load with a little more power may help.

Botrytis, his current amp is very good quality, newest technology and rated at 90 wpc @ 4 ohms. For some reason he thinks by upgrading to a 37 year old amp he will get improved sound.

Look at the specs for his current amp:
https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/cx/cxa60

Regards,
Jerry

 

[Ganjor86]

You think that the newest technology is better than hi-fi from 70th's ?

 

[onplane]

You think that the newest technology is better than hi-fi from 70th's ?

I think the newest technology is better in everything. How many of your friends watch 1970's TV's or have 1970's phones?

There are some who will argue the old stuff is better. I don't believe it for a minute. Even if it was (which it was't) electronics that old are well beyond their life expectancy. You can expect problems due to component value drift over time plus plain old aging like cold solder joints. Some folks enjoy resurrecting old gear and it's a great hobby. I admire their patience and perseverance.

I prefer to listen to music.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[c_dk]

I actually sold the 66s when they were new back in '78. Your 60 watt amp would have been a ggod match for the 44s or 33s with it"s 60 watts.

The Celestion line up was a bit forward sounding so they made a nice counter to the McIntosh speakers we also sold back then.

I set up the demo of the 66s with either a McIntosh MC2125 amp of 120watts or the DAA15DC from Mitsubishi a 150 watt amp.

A quality separate amp of 120-200 watts with a matching preamp was and would be my choice.

Years ago when I was drinking lunch with Ken Kessler he remarked that American amp companies owned the high end, the Asian manufacturers owned the mass fi and the Brits always came up with the small budget audio designs that punched way above their weight. I will never forget his quote about"Maggie" changing the tax structure and maybe then British audio would move up market along with the American product.

The 66s are large 4 ohm speakers and need a substantial amp to run/control them correctly......a vintage Threshold, Levinson, or such would be the correct direction from what I remember from almost 40 years ago.....

I seriously doubt any Kenwood integrated is a high enough current amp to properly control a pair of 66s.