Celef Monitor speakers.

[Martyn Miles]

Do any AOS members have any experience of Celef Monitor speakers ? I have been offered a pair at a very good price and I’m tempted to try them.
I believe these are MK 1s, using a Kef B200 and an Audax soft dome tweeter of the type used in the Spendor Prelude.
The reflex port is filled with straws, as utilised on some early Meridian speakers.
I understand the MK 2 used a different tweeter and and open port.

[hifi_dave]

We used to sell them back in the day. At the right price, they will be OK.

[walpurgis]

Celef made some decent speakers. The company became Proac if I recall.

[hifi_dave]

The two ran side by side for a while but Celef wasn't selling so they dropped the brand. A few years later they came back with a range of cheap, vinyl wrapped speakers which bombed.

[jandl100]

I had Celef PE1 - it had a piezo electric tweeter as its usp.
It was "OK", and was a fairly obvious precursor to the ProAc Response 2 I owned years ago when they first came out (a fantastic speaker!).
Cabinet size, front port stuffed with straws - very similar in many ways.
Except for the sound! The underlying design had come a long way in the intervening years!

[hifi_dave]

Back in the day they were 'groundbreaking' and very popular with our customers but sound very dated now.

[mightymonoped]

Back in the day they were 'groundbreaking' and very popular with our customers but sound very dated now.

Can you expand on this a bit Dave, I'm genuinely curious?

[hifi_dave]

Not sure how to "expand" other than to say they sound coloured and boxy by today's standards.

[mightymonoped]

Not sure how to "expand" other than to say they sound coloured and boxy by today's standards.

That'll do it! :-)

[hifi_dave]

:)

[Martyn Miles]

Thanks for all the replies.
I had decided against them before reading the comments.

The only Celef available these days is the LS8, an LS3/5a sized speaker.

[Dylanthecat]

I had a pair of the PE1 that I sold six months ago. I also have a pair which are bi-wired with large external Xovers. Any insight to what they are would be welcomed. M

[Martyn Miles]

I got them at a very good price, which includes delivery.
They need a little cosmetic work, but otherwise look fine.
I enjoy refurbishing speakers ( many LS3/5as, etc. ) so it will be a nice little project.

I have a thriving secondhand speaker market, as our local record shop often sells them
for me.
I even sold a pair to Radiohead’s drummer, as his son works in the shop.
The shop sometimes has Far East visitors looking for vintage audio kit.

[Martyn Miles]

The Monitors are finished and very good they are, too.
I fitted new tweeters to replace the old Peerless units.
As they are modern replacements, no changes to the crossovers were required.
I did fit new capacitors to the crossovers though.
A measured amount of long fibre wool was added to the cabinets which tightened up the bass.
I refurbished the cabinets, but didn’t ‘over-do’ it so the patina and natural ageing remains.
I’ve decided to sell them, so if anybody is looking for a pair of Celef Monitors please do contact me.
Pictures available.

[Martyn Miles]

Now on eBay.

[Martyn Miles]

SOLD

[Martyn Miles]

SOLD

Sadly, the eBay sale didn’t work out.
I will take £80 for them

milesmartyn99@gmail.com

[Martyn Miles]

Definitely SOLD.