Oh how I lurve the Celestion HF1300

[Gordon Steadman]

Since I nicked the mid ranges drivers from the wife's JBLs to replace the Teufel units that died, the JBLs have been sitting rather forlornly in a hallway.

So, having a spare half hour today, I turned up a couple of wooden pieces to hold a spare HF1300. They sit in the old mid range hole and the tweeter plates are blanked off.
Every speaker I have put these Celestion units in has sounded terrific. The JBLs are far better as a simple 2 way. I'm using the standard Ditton 15 crossover. The bass is crisp and more tuneful, not sure why that should be and they are thoroughly enjoyable.

I now have a surfeit of speakers and I think a thinning out is in order. I reckon the Teufels will go first as they are actually worth money. The Quads of course, are with me for life.

Just had a bloke bring a dead pair of B&W 603 S2s round. Can't imagine how he managed it but the one I have looked at has the tweeter in bits and the main driver is burnt right through the spider and the surround has crisped nicely. The crossover looks fried too. Have to trawl eBay tonight, this could cost him a bit and probably not worth it - we will see.

[spendorman]

Neat job.

If these are Ditton 15 HF1300 tweeters, you may not have the best ones. They have the small magnet. Ones in Ditton 25, Spendor BC1, BC2, BC3, B&W DM1, DM2, DM2a, DM4, Rogers LS3/6 etc. have a larger magnet.

Also interesting is the HF1400 as used in B&W DM3, it's a 1300 with an even bigger magnet.

I must have more than 10 pairs of speakers with the HF1300 in. I wonder why!

Love my Rogers BBC LS3/6, 8" Bextrene, HF1300 and HF2000.

[Gordon Steadman]

Neat job.

If these are Ditton 15 HF1300 tweeters, you may not have the best ones. They have the small magnet. Ones in Ditton 25, Spendor BC1, BC2, BC3, B&W DM1, DM2, DM2a, DM4, Rogers LS3/6 etc. have a larger magnet.

.

Ta.

I have several pairs of these but they all have the same size magnet, not sure if its big or small!!

If anyone has any ideas for the B&Ws it would help. Getting replacement drivers is going to be expensive. Two exploded tweeters, two melted yellow drivers and one crossover missing!! he was sold them like this via eBay!!! He just told me that the timing was bad as he was moving to France a few days after getting them and couldn't test them. Someone was laughing I reckon.

Do any of the smaller models use the same drivers I wonder? Might be worth buying a pair and swapping.

[spendorman]

Small magnet HF1300:

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploa...kers4_ohms.jpg

Large magnet HF1300:

http://www.audiovintage.fr/wp-conten...4/imgp3486.jpg

Suspect, but not sure, small magnet, ferrite, large magnet, Alnico.

[Gordon Steadman]

Small magnet HF1300:

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploa...kers4_ohms.jpg

Large magnet HF1300:

http://www.audiovintage.fr/wp-conten...4/imgp3486.jpg

Suspect, but not sure, small magnet, ferrite, large magnet, Alnico.

Thanks, small one it is. Still sounds good to me

[spendorman]

Yes, I have small magnet ones in Ditton 10 and Ditton 15. Prefer the Ditton 10 though, the mid of the 15 seems a bit too coloured, bass a bit loose.

I reckon that the Original 15 Ohm Ditton 10 may have been the inspiration for the LS3/5a. It had a lot in common, small cabinet, panels damped with bitumen pads, bass unit of similar size.

[walpurgis]

It's funny, whilst I love the HF2000, I find the HF1300 variable in it's chosen applications. For instance, it sounds just fine in the Ditton 15, but I find it a bit 'gritty' in the DM4 (I've owned several pairs of each). IMF and Rogers implemented it well, but in Celestion's Ditton 25 it seems to add a slight upper mid colouration. The HF1300 has a twangy resonance that becomes more obvious the lower it's crossed over, especially with a shallow roll in curve. Also, despite showing a flat response I find it can sound peaky.

[spendorman]

Well, different version of 1300 in Ditton 15 and DM4, and I reckon the HF1300 level is set a bit high in the DM4.

I also like the HF2000 too, but also needs to be crossed over not too low.

I very much like the combination of HF1300 and HF2000 in LS3/6, works very nicely, better than the just the HF2000 in the Ditton 44. I still have all these speakers.

[Wakefield Turntables]

+1 another fan here. I suggested a pair of original 15's (not XR's) to my mate who has just got back into vinyl.

[Gordon Steadman]

The strange thing is that, ignoring the Quads, I could probably live with any of the speakers I have which use this tweeter. How old is it?? Based on an earlier design I think. Where are all these developments that should make it redundant?

I find most 'modern' tweeters too sharp and bright. Most modern speakers too come to that. I have one spare pair left but I think they are a later model and they have a square (ish) flush face plate and are front fitting.

They might end up in the B&Ws if he decides he can't afford the genuine replacements. He said just get him a working pair of speakers if the bits are too expensive. He's offering a Quad 33/303 in payment.

Might go for that

I still regret selling my 33/50Ds