Opinion-Quick Response: Looking at Celestion and/or Gauss 15" vintage speakers

[RICK KING]

Hi,
Hopeful for a quick response>
Looking at picking up pairs of Celestion and/or Gauss 15" vintage speakers. Both are asking around 200 for the pair.

Both pairs seem to be in great condition. Should I take or pass?
Only images of Gaus.
Thanks

 

[toddalin]

Only take if they are working perfectly. There are NO RECONES (at least that I've ever heard of) for Gauss speakers since they went out of business umpteen years ago.

 

[Nyjblbob]

Back 30 + yrs ago when I was actively Buying selling Trading old pro gear and Tube gear,
An older friend of mine, Former Pro sound set up specialist, and also a speaker Re coner
when I asked him about the Gauss speakers and horns.
He said they were very good quality, close to JBL, better than Peavy,
BUT a Royal Pain to Replace due to the Opposing speaker terminals.
and the Limited availability of cones, and Diaphragms. Probably led to their demise.

 

[RICK KING]

Thanks everyone. I took a pass on the Gauss. Actually wanted more than I thought. I know I can find a better "deal" on a more common pair. The Celestion (also had some Vox) speakers are 16 ohm.

 

[GordonW]

Only take if they are working perfectly. There are NO RECONES (at least that I've ever heard of) for Gauss speakers since they went out of business umpteen years ago.

I have reconed many Gauss speakers. We can get parts that are very close to the originals, for many of their models.

That said- the 5842 should be the same as the 4582. Gauss had a way of "coding" their model numbers by switching digits around, in some OEM applications. Here's the data for the 4582:



Note the TINY X-max rating. These were made to be HORN LOADED, and were very low excursion.

Now, they CAN be reconed with the 4583 kit- which I have done. Here's the 4583 specs:



Those are respectable woofers. Very comparable to the JBL 2225 and such.

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[RICK KING]

Those are respectable woofers. Very comparable to the JBL 2225 and such.

Regards,
Gordon.

Thanks Gordon. Great info.
He is asking 250 for the pair and will not budge. I have bought from him before. I have been to his house. Everything I have purchased has been excellent.
It's not the money as much as the value (not monetary).
You have made me a little more confident and will think about it.
Cheers
Rick

 

[Nyjblbob]

So Rick do you have horn cabs for them?

 

[GordonW]

What is the planned use of those speakers? The Gauss 5842 is going to be a good guitar speaker or in a horn- but they're not made for a hi-fi woofer in a sealed or vented front-loaded enclosure (like most standard home audio speaker cabinets).

Only if reconed as a 4583- THEN they would be a great all-around woofer.

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[RICK KING]

Ok. Understand. I know I am a little over my head. My plan is to build a horned open baffle pair of speakers for HiFi use. What I have now are a pair of Zenith 49CZ924's.
I was talking to the seller and he said he had the Gauss that would work great. This building of speakers is new to me. I am retired and wanted to give it a go.
I taught myself to work on some old amps and want to try speakers.

I like my Cornwall's

 

[RICK KING]

So Rick do you have horn cabs for them?

No. I have a small woodworking shop at home. Have been looking at various cabinet plans from the web.

 

[toddalin]

I have reconed many Gauss speakers. We can get parts that are very close to the originals, for many of their models.


Regards,
Gordon.

Nice to hear. I see Gauss baskets in the LA area, but Speaker Repair Pros doesn't do Gauss nor does anyone local that I am aware of. What does a recone cost, less shipping which I imagine can be quite costly?