The Celestion Owners Thread

[Lavane]

Indeed. Sliver lining to this pandemic has been sorting out our stuff..

yes the metal cabs will need a smudge of car body filler. Couple of small dents on the back edge.
Still have no idea what finish I’m going to do really..
sorting crossovers tomorrow. I will need to experiment with wadding as the SL600 inner foam has disintegrated

I've used eggcrate foam with good results. Its dense enough.

 

[ditton works]

I've used eggcrate foam with good results. Its dense enough.

Celestion used two different grades of acoustic foam in these and more importantly in the 300’s (transmission line) these 600’s will require a bit of trial and error I think.

 

[Lavane]

These 250's had thick sense poly fill and lots of it since it's a sealed cabinet. I would like to find a schematic for the crossover. Three coils and 5 caps. I had to hot glue that huge 60uf film cap to the bottom and back.

 

[ditton works]

Thankfully this doesn’t happen often!!
Pole has moved!!

 

[Lavane]

Thankfully this doesn’t happen often!!
Pole has moved!!

Ouch. Polk Audio is known for this to happen. One AK'r used a piece of PVC pipe with some bolts and nuts to centering and regluing the magnet.
That speaker must have taken a pretty good hit or drop at some point.

 

[ditton works]

Ouch. Polk Audio is known for this to happen. One AK'r used a piece of PVC pipe with some bolts and nuts to centering and regluing the magnet.
That speaker must have taken a pretty good hit or drop at some point.

Indeed, I have seen old Wharfedale 12” unit do this.. unfortunately the voice coil was fried too.. no issue as I have a few spares.. unlikely it took a fall, the magnet isn’t chipped and the cabinet is fine. Very strange

 

[ditton works]

I’ve been using these SL6’s for about a week now.. my HiFi has been on most days as I’m working from home..

I am really pleased with them.. one of the best sounding speakers I’ve had in this house..

the SL600’s (once finished) will need to be exceptional to knock these off my stands..
I’ve still got (and will keep) my A1’s but they sound terrible in this house.

 

[Lavane]

Indeed, I have seen old Wharfedale 12” unit do this.. unfortunately the voice coil was fried too.. no issue as I have a few spares.. unlikely it took a fall, the magnet isn’t chipped and the cabinet is fine. Very strange

Not enough glue maybe. I don't see Ditton's very often where I live. Mostly just the smaller bookshelf models like the 250's i have. I've seen a few Ditton 300's, but can't really find anything about them.

 

[ditton works]

Not enough glue maybe. I don't see Ditton's very often where I live. Mostly just the smaller bookshelf models like the 250's i have. I've seen a few Ditton 300's, but can't really find anything about them.

Ditton 300’s Are like a late Ditton 33 as the Ditton 150 is a late Ditton 15xr. They came out just before the DL range.. someone told me DL stood for Ditton Line!? Not sure if that correct?
Anyway. Enjoy your speakers, I’m sure they sound pretty good. I had a pair of 150’s years ago and I liked them a lot.
I quite like series..

 

[ditton works]

Taking the SL6si for a blasting today..
A/B/C testing SL6/Sl600/Sl6si
Happy times

 

[Joewag]

I'm a little late to this thread, but I do have a pair of Celestions as my current bedroom system speakers. I like them a lot. They are SL6s's. I picked them up in a trade a year or two ago. I have unfortunately gotten older and needed something smaller and easier to move around. I traded some Klipsch Forte's for these and a pair of B&W DM 2's (which became my television speakers in the den). I regretted giving up the forte's, but they were just too heavy and I like to cycle gear. I'm one of those crazy guys that has probably seventy or so sets of speakers (and an incredibly patient wife). Some of them are pretty impressive, like my Martin Logan Prodigy hybrids, but in a small area, these can hold their own. I love the clarity and warmth. They're a little bass shy, but most of the music I like doesn't need overwhelming bass. To get an idea of how much I like these, you might notice that my speaker stands are Klipsch kg3.5. I bought some Celestion stands still in box at an auction, but they're a white color and apparently a dedicated design and shape. I need to find some Kingston's to go with them. I know. Good luck with that.

 

[IMF_Pioneer]

I'll have to say that I'm just so besotted with my SL6's in the bedroom that I can't get out of it, .................along with some other encouragement to I'd say LOL !

 

[IMF_Pioneer]

I'm still wondering what to do with a set of Black SL6S units that I've got packed away in their packing boxes ? along with plenty of other offering from the IMF range. I've had 4 sets of IMF Super Compacts which I'm gradually parting with set by set. One set has one really bad cabinet and I'm thinking of removing the drivers and packing them away as spares and trashing the cabinets through the open fire.

I'm really looking forward to hearing DW's opinion on his A,B and C comparison of those 3 sets of SL's.

 

[ditton works]

I'm still wondering what to do with a set of Black SL6S units that I've got packed away in their packing boxes ? along with plenty of other offering from the IMF range. I've had 4 sets of IMF Super Compacts which I'm gradually parting with set by set. One set has one really bad cabinet and I'm thinking of removing the drivers and packing them away as spares and trashing the cabinets through the open fire.

I'm really looking forward to hearing DW's opinion on his A,B and C comparison of those 3 sets of SL's.

Ok, here goes.
Music used varied from Deadmau5 to Dark knight OST, Herb Alpert etc etc..

OK first
SL6si... Celestion’s supposed upgrades over the original SL6 were Aluminium tweeters, internal figure 8 brace, set back/in rear baffle board (further increasing cabinet rigidity) , re worked crossover, Bass driver surrounds were altered from single rolled surround to duel material/split surround and they altered the length voice coils..

playing them....

I’ve been using my (new to me SL6) for over a week now, I have really enjoyed them.. switching to SL6si and one is instantly faced with a much brighter top end.. this took some time before I could even think about listening at the levels I had enjoyed the SL6..
Ok so yes some of Celestion’s modifications on the SL6si work.

The SL6 really sing at 11 o’clock on the amp dial. Sweet spot, not too loud but
Loud enough. 12 o’clock and you’re really pumping..
Back to the SL6si.. 11 o’clock on the dial is properly loud on these. The bass drivers are shifting some air.. the different surround and voice coil length clearly effect the speed of the drivers.. how this reflects the sound!?
The bass is less obvious than the SL6, less coloured and more solid.. I suspect the SL6 tweeter inefficiency and smooth character gives the impression of louder (all be it coloured) bass.?

The internal bracing and set back /in rear baffle clearly have reduced cabinet resonance ., but stollen some of the bass.

positives of SL6si
At reasonable listening levels the SL6si has detail which surpasses the SL6.
Bass is taught and deep.
They don’t require as much amplification and
possibly more accurate with less timbre/colouration..

negatives.
Don’t play as loud as SL6.
Don’t image as well as SL6!? That’s a wired one..
Just not a smooth or imho as musical as the SL6..
All the improvements of the SL6si seem to have taken away what’s good about the original....

SL6 WINS.....

SL600 VS SL6si
The SL600 really killed the SL6si apart from low listening levels...
This is where the Aluminium tweeter really is better than the Copper one..
The bass differences I mentioned between the SL6 and the SL6si are similar here, the SL600 seems to have less Bass than the SL6!?!?but more than the SL6si, it’s deep solid and definitely there just not in abundance like the SL6, again cabinet rigidity playing havoc with bass response!?
The only difference between the SL6 bass driver and the SL600 is how they are mounted in the cabinet. SL6 is held in place by the face plate, the SL600 has lugs on the chassis, so it’s held in by four screws and the face plate..
The SL600 also has single rolled surround.. voice coil length etc is the same as the SL6..

ultimately
SL600 Wins..it’s better than the SL6si, this test was short lived..
I spent much more time A/B SL6/SL600
If I am totally honest.. in this house (moved about a year ago) nothing I have sounds as good as the SL6.
They are musical and will play most music I listen to.
I think the SL600 is better than the SL6si!!
but years ago I sold my first pair of Si’s because my SL6s (still aluminium tweeters) were nicer to my ear.
Similar issue with the very last of the SL range the Celestion 100’s, I have had 5 pairs of them and didn’t like them one bit...
So I might be a tad bias, I already have a dislike for the SL6si..

final thoughts..
The SL600 isn’t worth 3 times more money than the SL6.. it just isn’t.
The lack of colouration might give purists (back in the day) something to talk about but today in my living room I welcome a bit of cabinet resonance from the SL6, I love the slightly less revealing/ detailed Copper tweeter.

overall winner today...
Celestion SL6..


P.s
I did bring my SD Acoustic SD3 MK2’s down for a blast too..
silk soft dome tweeters really show the harshness of the Aluminium SL6si tweeters.

finally finished sanding down another pair of SL600 ready for my SL700SE drivers to be fitted to..
Just fitted the drivers for safe keeping.

 

[ditton works]

View attachment 1868684 I'm a little late to this thread, but I do have a pair of Celestions as my current bedroom system speakers. I like them a lot. They are SL6s's. I picked them up in a trade a year or two ago. I have unfortunately gotten older and needed something smaller and easier to move around. I traded some Klipsch Forte's for these and a pair of B&W DM 2's (which became my television speakers in the den). I regretted giving up the forte's, but they were just too heavy and I like to cycle gear. I'm one of those crazy guys that has probably seventy or so sets of speakers (and an incredibly patient wife). Some of them are pretty impressive, like my Martin Logan Prodigy hybrids, but in a small area, these can hold their own. I love the clarity and warmth. They're a little bass shy, but most of the music I like doesn't need overwhelming bass. To get an idea of how much I like these, you might notice that my speaker stands are Klipsch kg3.5. I bought some Celestion stands still in box at an auction, but they're a white color and apparently a dedicated design and shape. I need to find some Kingston's to go with them. I know. Good luck with that.

Really liked my SL6s’s

 

[IMF_Pioneer]

Hi DW,

Really enjoyed reading what you've read and to be brutally honest here you've very much discovered and documented pretty much what the whole industry said about all 3 speakers over the years during their production evolution.

I'm not sure if you know but basically the SL600 is a SL6 in Aerolam cabinetry apart from the Crossover Network. The drivers are the same part numbers and if you notice that just about all SL6 Mid/Bass drivers are still surviving without any issues to this day without requiring new roll surrounds. This is because of the stronger and thicker material used in those drivers when in the next model................the SL6S, employed the new progressive rate roll surround which has caused all this models and subsequent models to fail in that area and many for years now most have had complete failures due to this thinner rubber. My S models that I still have suffered from this already years ago and I've had standard surrounds fitted which you don't really notice any difference with. The twin stage surround was done for low volume listening to allow more cone freedom on the first stage of the surround and when the volume is raised the second stage takes the load. Good idea in theory but in practice this was a total failure considering longevity in mind, but then longevity is generally not a consideration in the design stage. It's all about performance at the time of sale I guess and taking that on board it did work.

I still have all the original parts department sheets for all these SL speakers showing all the part numbers and various other details about each model. Maybe I should scan all these and make them available at some stage. Sadly though none of the drivers are available anywhere around the world now. I did years ago buy a set of drivers for my SL6S but was sent the SL6 drivers instead by accident. Those were returned and the correct set supplied. I have some years ago contacted that store to follow up what they still had left only to be told all their Celestion stock was thrown out as their stock room was chockers and no one was buying anything Celestion anymore and to think this was already in eBaying days they did this dastardly deed. Just think how much money they could've made by listing them on the bay. Oh well we live and we learn don't we.

Regardless my SL6's will be staying with me until I don't draw any breath as there size is compatible with any place of residence, something I can't say about my IMF RSPM Mk IV's.


Thanks again this has been the most informative part of the Celestion thread that I started here some years ago now.

 

[ditton works]

Hi DW,

Really enjoyed reading what you've read and to be brutally honest here you've very much discovered and documented pretty much what the whole industry said about all 3 speakers over the years during their production evolution.

I'm not sure if you know but basically the SL600 is a SL6 in Aerolam cabinetry apart from the Crossover Network. The drivers are the same part numbers and if you notice that just about all SL6 Mid/Bass drivers are still surviving without any issues to this day without requiring new roll surrounds. This is because of the stronger and thicker material used in those drivers when in the next model................the SL6S, employed the new progressive rate roll surround which has caused all this models and subsequent models to fail in that area and many for years now most have had complete failures due to this thinner rubber. My S models that I still have suffered from this already years ago and I've had standard surrounds fitted which you don't really notice any difference with. The twin stage surround was done for low volume listening to allow more cone freedom on the first stage of the surround and when the volume is raised the second stage takes the load. Good idea in theory but in practice this was a total failure considering longevity in mind, but then longevity is generally not a consideration in the design stage. It's all about performance at the time of sale I guess and taking that on board it did work.

I still have all the original parts department sheets for all these SL speakers showing all the part numbers and various other details about each model. Maybe I should scan all these and make them available at some stage. Sadly though none of the drivers are available anywhere around the world now. I did years ago buy a set of drivers for my SL6S but was sent the SL6 drivers instead by accident. Those were returned and the correct set supplied. I have some years ago contacted that store to follow up what they still had left only to be told all their Celestion stock was thrown out as their stock room was chockers and no one was buying anything Celestion anymore and to think this was already in eBaying days they did this dastardly deed. Just think how much money they could've made by listing them on the bay. Oh well we live and we learn don't we.

Regardless my SL6's will be staying with me until I don't draw any breath as there size is compatible with any place of residence, something I can't say about my IMF RSPM Mk IV's.


Thanks again this has been the most informative part of the Celestion thread that I started here some years ago now.

Thanks they went back to single surround on the Kingston..
I still have a few spares left from my time at Celestion. Once I’ve finished my Sl600/700 project I’ll type up my findings

 

[ditton works]

And yes... I think my SL6’s will be staying

Thanks they went back to single surround on the Kingston..
I still have a few spares left from my time at Celestion. Once I’ve finished my Sl600/700 project I’ll type up my findings

for the long hall.

 

[IMF_Pioneer]

BTW, my mistake on the driver allocation between the SL6 and the SL600. For a start the baskets were different on the Bass Drivers which I keep on forgetting. The tweeters were the same in both but the Bass drivers were changed from a 100w unit to an up-rated 120w handling unit. I note that if you had to buy a spare HF driver (tweeter) for the 600 you couldn't get the same original T3687/P, but instead a T3962/P that came with a new Crossover unit.SA6616. Not really a good thing to do is it.

One thing that we've both forgotten and that is there was also an SL60 that had a whopping 200watts Music handling. I've never seen one of those in the flesh.

 

[ditton works]

BTW, my mistake on the driver allocation between the SL6 and the SL600. For a start the baskets were different on the Bass Drivers which I keep on forgetting. The tweeters were the same in both but the Bass drivers were changed from a 100w unit to an up-rated 120w handling unit. I note that if you had to buy a spare HF driver (tweeter) for the 600 you couldn't get the same original T3687/P, but instead a T3962/P that came with a new Crossover unit.SA6616. Not really a good thing to do is it.

One thing that we've both forgotten and that is there was also an SL60 that had a whopping 200watts Music handling. I've never seen one of those in the flesh.

No worries..
SL60... nope never seen one either.
The MD at the French factory commissioned a few speakers. Ipswich provided the drivers though.
These were Ditton series II’s and if I’m not mistaken? The SL60 too. Very rare speakers.