Celestion Spares: Ditton 66/44/25. HF2000, MF500, D5.

[DarrenHW]

As I'm coming to the end of my Celestion projects it's time to sell some of the spares I have now I'm confident they won't be required.

MF500.

Earlier Ditton 66 mid range driver, wider frequency response than the MD500 but lower power handling.

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_5995_zpscsiew95w.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_5995_zpscsiew95w.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6001_zpsm3tivvk0.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6001_zpsm3tivvk0.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6004_zpstg7pmlzw.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6004_zpstg7pmlzw.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6006_zpsb7bltzqs.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6006_zpsb7bltzqs.jpg.html)

Good physical condition, the paint isn't perfect but I don't think it ever was, no damage to the grilles or otherwise. £150.00.

HF2000 Red Label. SOLD

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6012_zpsow2qgpi0.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6012_zpsow2qgpi0.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6007_zpsobycgeht.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6007_zpsobycgeht.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6014_zpscchrzyj0.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6014_zpscchrzyj0.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6017_zpsqzlsdlz4.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6017_zpsqzlsdlz4.jpg.html)

The best pair of HF2000's I've seen and I've had 5 pairs! SOLD.

HF2000.

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6023_zpsjbtxrahc.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6023_zpsjbtxrahc.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6024_zpswvdvei7b.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6024_zpswvdvei7b.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6025_zpswgtj0yqq.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6025_zpswgtj0yqq.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6027_zpsalzvzoxf.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6027_zpsalzvzoxf.jpg.html)

The grilles are starting to de-laminate and there are marks to the paint from the original clamps. £80.00.

D5.

Celestion 44 Mid Range Driver.

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6032_zpsontqubil.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6032_zpsontqubil.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6030_zpsblmrkpiz.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6030_zpsblmrkpiz.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6029_zps1xtksqkh.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6029_zps1xtksqkh.jpg.html)

Paint far from perfect, but this seems common with these drivers. £25.00.

I have more UL8, UL6, Ditton 11 and 15XR spares I need to organise and photo so will add these shortly.

If you require any other spares e.g. foam, inductors, binding posts, badges etc... drop me a PM and I'll see what I've got.

[karma67]

whats the score with the red label hf2000's? are they early ones? the 2 i bought as spares from ken are the same,never seen them before.
good luck with the sale,they should all fly out the door!

[Shadow Moses]

Could I take the red label hf2000's please

[DarrenHW]

whats the score with the red label hf2000's? are they early ones? the 2 i bought as spares from ken are the same,never seen them before.

Yes I believe they are earlier, mine came from a pair of speakers dated 1971 - 1973. They do seem quite rare and I would say the best quality production run of the HF2000.


good luck with the sale,they should all fly out the door!

Thank you, I'm not really bothered how long they take to sell, I've been sitting on some of these for years, although it would seem you're correct.


Could I take the red label hf2000's please

You have PM Neil.

[Shadow Moses]

Back at ya Darren ��

[DarrenHW]

Update to the HF2000's listed above. I've removed the grilles, given them a clean and re-glued with a solvent free adhesive:

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u606/drtwas/IMG_6057_zpsifmai8qt.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/drtwas/media/IMG_6057_zpsifmai8qt.jpg.html)

Still just £80.

[walpurgis]

Looks a nice pair.


(as the Bishop said to the actress :))

[DarrenHW]

:lolsign:

Not mint but in good working order, complete with grilles and an original matched pair.

[DarrenHW]

All above HF2000's SOLD.

[andyrlb]

Interested in the hf2000's

[TazSob]

Hi Darren, would you have any ul8 bits for sale?

[DarrenHW]

Interested in the hf2000's

Sent you a PM :).


Hi Darren, would you have any ul8 bits for sale?

I have bit's but not much, what are you after, how do you use your UL8's, what do you think of them?

[TazSob]

The. Ul8s have a blown woofer and one blown tweeter... Was going to replace tweeter with a suitable replacement but the woofer would have to be original. The previous owners amp blew taking one speaker with it. I am using some old 8" pioneers in there at the moment at low volumes (don't want to damage the x-overs) and a tweeter from some 22s I have, sounds really good but I know it will be much improved with the correct drivers. I do still have the woofers and may have someone sort them out for me if possible along with updating the x-overs

[DarrenHW]

Crickey :eek: If you look at the gallery link in my signature you'll see I'm not averse to spending some time and money on old Celestions but I don't think I'd go down that path.

The tweeter is a HF1000 which is difficult enough to find, but the UL8's use a 4ohm not the more common 8ohm and so command a higher price. I only have two spare tweeters (one NOS, one repaired) I'm sorry, but their not for sale. For what the repaired one's worth it's not worth selling and I can't at this point sell the NOS HF1000, where could I buy another? I only have bits and pieces for the UL8's, crossover boards and components, bindings posts, badges etc...

What were you thinking for a tweeter replacement, I couldn't find anything as a recommended replacement so I did this: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?41727-Celestion-HF1000-replacement-tweeter/page3&highlight=hf1000 .

I'm happy with the results, but I did change the sound of the speaker. I tailored the crossover to the sound I wanted from the speakers in the environment I use them in and although I changed the sound I feel I kept their character, which is why I wanted to use them in the first place, but they're not true UL8. It was however a lengthy (and enjoyable) project that cost ~ £100, for that price you could buy a pair of UL8's in good condition, spend half a day rewiring and recapping them and if you don't like them you can easily sell them on for somewhere around what they've cost you, try doing that with a pair of modded speakers!

If you've got your heart set on it then go for it, start a new thread and you'll get some assistance if you want it, personally I'd just keep an eye out for another pair and keep what you've got as spares or just sell them on.

Good luck in whatever you chose :)

[TazSob]

Hi Darren, sorry for the late reply I've not had time over the last few days.

I totally understand why you wouldn't let your spares go and would not ask you to, they're worth some serious money at the min.
What I might do is sell my working tweeter on eBay and use the money to fund the replacements rather than trying to find another original. I didn't know the Ditton 11 used the same tweeter, a set sold on eBay few days ago with one working speaker for £30..I missed it sadly, the other set on sale is already looking to go for more than I can spend.

Thank you for your info, tbh it was your thread that got me visiting this site many months ago when i was researching the UL8s and since I've joined up have read it a few times but not got the courage to go through any x over mods myself.

I've been offered some morel MDT 29s by another forum member and have read a few people use these as replacements, I've not heard the originals to know if these are a decent or close match... guess I could just bung them in and let my ears decide.

My other question is is it possible to recoil the bass driver to match the working one? Would like to keep these as original as possible..
I come across this page, don't know if you've read it but would like to know what you think and if it could work http://www.artmindesign.co.uk/2013/06/celestion-ditton-33-tweeter-repair.html?m=1

Thank you

[DarrenHW]

Hi Taz,

Sorry I've only just seen your post.

My honest answer to the above is, I don't know. I had seen the Artmin Design pages before, he says he integrated an 8ohm H1000 with 10ohm and 1ohm resistors, maybe you could try this with a 15XR HF1000? I have no experience of the MDT29's, aren't they also used to replace a KEF tweeter? As for recoiling the bass driver, I don't know if I'd take it on, maybe get in touch with the Artmin guy and see what he says? But I guess if he's not interested then what do you have to loose?

[TazSob]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Darren,

Think I'm going to go and do some reading and searching on the web to see if I can come up with anything.
Might have to keep an eye out and hope that I find some somewhere that are not too pricey.

Thanks again
Regards
Taz

[DarrenHW]

Hi Taz,

Don't know how far away these are from you http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172420153201?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Could be a bargain, they would give you 2 x 4 ohm HD1000's (if Artmin's right, I've never had a pair) you'd still need a replacement mid/woofer but it's a start and they should be decent speakers (potentially better than the UL8's) in their own right.

[TazSob]

I do have these in my watchlist along with a set of 11's with one blown tweeter... Thinking of buying them if they don't get too pricey and using the surviving one from there.
I have decided to sell or get rid of a few things to make some money to go towards the ul8 project.
Going to start a new thread in the new year and begin the project fresh.
There is a set of ul8s on eBay right now that don't look to have the right tweeters... Guy reckons they are original but I'm sure they are not hf1000s

[karma67]

hi,do you still have the mf500's darren?

[rodthebod]

Hi Darren

I have a pair of Celestion Studio 66's (given to me) which I have had to make new cabinets for, currently still finishing the panels off, as the originals were badly water damaged at the bases - real shame. I was considering using one of the better 66 original cabinets as a centre speaker by cutting it down above where the ABR resides to make it into a Celestion 44 3-way design. I managed to get hold of a 12" 44/66 bass driver on fleabay, and have an old HF2000 which I think I can repair (coil wires detached at either side of the coil where I think it acted as a fuse) I've already redone two HF2000's with the same issue which are now alive again.

I've have the original 66 damaged cabinet working as a centre at present and it really does sound rather good even though the crossovers are all original and bound to be out of spec. I have the full set of caps now to replace as of Ken's spec (HF Ansars/Alcaps mid/bass /Mundorf mid) for my 'new' 66's.
I am after a mid-range unit either a HF500 or better still HD500 or a 44 Mid driver so I can 'create' a working centre once I move the existing drivers into my new 66 cabinets. Do you have any?
If I was to go the 44 midrange driver route what are the changes I'd need to make to the old cabinet?
I am also looking for some MD500 mid drivers to try long term against the MF500's I already have as these are apparently better.

Just looking forward to trying out the resurrected 66's fully made up as I haven't heard them as a pair yet and it's taken many hours of work so far to get the cabinets right!

[DarrenHW]

Hi Rod,

I've seen your posts on other threads, sounds like you've got a good project ahead of you and it's exciting to read your planning on vintage Home Cinema. I've tried a few implementations for a centre speaker and (just to muddy the water) I'm pretty sure I'm settled on Bang & Olufsen's implementation of the MD/MF500 / HF2000 i.e. Beovox 5700. As stereo speakers I found the 5700's image better and are clearer around vocals but lack the excitement of the 66 implementation. I couldn't use the 5700's as main speakers but I think it works well as a centre, vocals are far clearer which I think is due to moving the crossover point (which also explains why they lack the excitement), the dreaded resonance is still apparent but less obvious than with the 66's.



I am after a mid-range unit either a HF500 or better still HD500 or a 44 Mid driver so I can 'create' a working centre once I move the existing drivers into my new 66 cabinets. Do you have any?


I have a pair of MF500's and a pair of D5's (Ditton 44 mid range drivers). I would advise against the D5 as the MD/MF500's are on a completely different, I tried a 44 as a centre and thought things were better without it connected!



If I was to go the 44 midrange driver route what are the changes I'd need to make to the old cabinet?
I am also looking for some MD500 mid drivers to try long term against the MF500's I already have as these are apparently better.


To convert to a 44 the cabinet would have to be reduced in size (I can provide dimensions if required), an enclosure built into the cabinet for the D5 (it's not a sealed unit like the MD/MF500) the opening for the MD/MF500 would have to be reduced as the D5 has a smaller diametre and the crossover for mid and woofer would have to be changed including new inductors. I do have spare 44 inductors I could send you, but you may be just as well to buy a pair of 44's?

[DarrenHW]

hi,do you still have the mf500's darren?

Sorry Jamie, I've only just seen your post :doh: Yes, I still have the MF500's.

[rodthebod]

Thanks for your views on centre speaker implementation, I would be looking for 44's as a second hand pair for sure but for the fact carriage to Malta is difficult and expensive especially for bulky items such as speakers.

Sounds as if the MF500 would be better for centre speaker usage than the D5 and is a sealed unit making it easier to fit in the 66 cab I have. I would be cutting the cabinet down, getting rid of the ABR, so correct measurements would be good to know. I would be making the crossover from scratch so if you have parts I'd be interested - MF500 and coils, I have some large unused 4mh air core coils I could modify to suit but it would be a bit wasteful. Mentioning the B&O 5700 is interesting, do you know how the crossover works on this speaker, just checked and they use a 10" philips driver and 10" ABR as well as the MF500 and HD2000, all in a very compact 660h x 360w x 300mm cab quite a feat. I would imagine the 66's breath better and have more impact with more cabinet space and the 12" units as a stereo pair, but as you said, centre speakers do a different job - midrange quality is very important as voices play such a big part of the mix.

Can you think of the best combination of modified 66 cabinet to 44 dimensions, using the Celestion units 12" bass/MF500 and HD2000 - what would the crossover be?
I was just going to copy the 66 crossover and take it from there but sounds as if B&O got the vocals right on the 5700's.
If you have an MF500 what would you want for it, oh and the coils, I'm back in the UK in March so I could bring them back with me? You have the MD500's in your 66's, how do they compare I know Ken preferred them to the lower power (50w rather than 80w) MF500?

My vintage kit projects seem to be taking rather longer than expected, I still need to finish my EAR 834P phono pre-amp (DOUK clone design), fully recapping my Leak TL12+ monoblocks and re-plinth my Goldring G99 - too much all going on at once, still I have sounds so that's good. Trying to finish off the baffle panels on my 66 cabinets today but it's taking an age to hand route the rebates, chipboard is a right pain when you have to remove so much material as it's so weak in the centre, honestly there's sod all left of the baffle panel once you've cut everything out - but that's how they did things.....

[DarrenHW]

I'll drop you a PM Rob. I'm busy as hell at the moment but I'll find some time over the weekend.

[rodthebod]

Hi Darren

Any thoughts on the MF500's and the spare inductors, they would allow me to get my centre sorted?

[rodthebod]

Hi Darren, I've just checked back on the post and Jamie also asked about the MF500's, don't want to step on any toes, please let me know what the score is guys.
thanks

[DarrenHW]

Hi Rod, Did you not get my PM 05/02/16?

[rodthebod]

Hi Darren

Checked my profile settings and they weren't on receive private messages by default, corrected that now. Many thanks for the reply and the advice.

Having thought about it more I think for now, looking at the costs involved, I'll try out some alternative midrange drivers that I have already (kevlar 5.25"), rather than splash out for the MF500's, I'd only be using one of them anyway. However, I can see the MF500's being worth the value when used as a pair in a stereo setup. There's a pair currently up on fleabay for £220!!
The 44 crossover components for the LF are ferrite core so I'd just mod some existing 4mh/2.5mh aircores I have to 3.5 and 2.2mh and cobble the others with ones I have lying about, I might need one of the smaller sizes have to check. We have an upholsterer down the road from us where I can pick up foam offcuts to make up the wadding, transporting anything of large size can get silly - one of the drawbacks living out on a rock in the med.

Of course, I'd like the MF500 as a centre midrange on my old original 66 cab (to be cut down to 44 size) to match the pair of 66's but I have to be sensible - I think after doing the clone EAR 864P phono preamp I might want to look at getting another Denon 103 - had one many moons ago, and it was my favourite coil until the cantilever snapped - know how you feel....a sad day. I'll have to fork out for a pair of SUT's to get the coils to work with the EAR MM stage - more expense - any advice here would be gratefully received.

I've almost finished the baffles now - all holes machined and drilled, but the veneer edging I picked up earlier today is too far off colour wise to the board veneer so it means another trip out tomorrow morning to go through all the roll stock the supplier has to try to match up with what I have.
Might as well try to get it as right as possible. I'll post some picks with the panels apart once I have the edging on.

I really appreciate the offer of measuring the 44 cabs, but with my limitation on transporting the cabs, it might be helpful for you to let me know the general dimensions - internal being the most important.