The Celestion kid strikes again.....!

[Marco]

Ah right..looking at the crossover pic you posted i thought straight away the Solen inductors as a visual match replacement...

Cool - that's an idea. Most of the inductors are decent quality air-core types, but I'm aware that further improvements could be made. What about the Goertz ones you recommended before, or Mundorf air-core foil coils?

However, I love how the Lockwoods sound now, so perhaps it's a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'?

Marco.

[Marco]

No, sorry, no Sondex units this year as I'm doing a 1970s system. I'll follow this with an 80's system next year though, which will mean the Sondexes have a place alongside lots of B&O!

No worries, Adam - I getcha! How did you find the S230, anyway? I have very fond memories of using one when I was a teenager in a system in my bedroom.

Oh, and as to these girly minimalist crossovers - pah! Attached is a piccy of the Leak 2075 crossover in mid-rebuild, with still a resistor and two capacitors missing!

Looks like quality! I think it's generally the case that modern electrical components, particularly capacitors, are superior to vintage ones, but there are a chosen few exceptions to the rule, such as those Monacors...

I've got Plessey power supply caps in my Copper amp, from the 1970s, and those are just lovely things

Marco.

[DSJR]

A word of 'ertfordshire-cum-Suffolk caution here Marco. The inductors are not, to my knowledge, in series with the drivers unless I'm very much mistaken (as I often am), so won't be directly in the signal path. The coils you must be concerned about are the hundreds of feet of tiny wire in the voice coils which ARE in series with the signal...

The caps on the boards you showed us pics of, don't usually age like metal can electrolytics do, but they certainly can be improved on. I just worry that the lower internal resistance (possibly) of current spec caps may alter other things you're trying to improve. Having said that, my mate Clive (a speaker designer of some notable worth for Elac, TDL and Musical Technology to name three companies he's worked and an owned - in the case of MT), tried replacing the electrolytics across but not in the signal path with some standard polyprops (he'd already done the others to good effect) and noted a definite sonic advantage in doing so, so replace away

The tweeters are the things to take most care of and if you ever see a very tatty pair of Ditton 44's come up cheap, I'd get them for the HF2000's alone (I think that's what they had in 'em). The 44's are a big-n-beefy good oldie too, so don't buy a good pair to cannibalise

A note to Adam - Leak 2075's - WHY?????????????????????????

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

I just worry that the lower internal resistance (possibly) of current spec caps may alter other things you're trying to improve.

Could you elaborate on that a little, please? Churz!

Having said that, my mate Clive (a speaker designer of some notable worth for Elac, TDL and Musical Technology to name three companies he's worked and an owned - in the case of MT), tried replacing the electrolytics across but not in the signal path with some standard polyprops (he'd already done the others to good effect) and noted a definite sonic advantage in doing so, so replace away...

Cool. Did he do that with the 66's, or are we talking about other speakers?

The tweeters are the things to take most care of and if you ever see a very tatty pair of Ditton 44's come up cheap, I'd get them for the HF2000's alone (I think that's what they had in 'em). The 44's are a big-n-beefy good oldie too, so don't buy a good pair to cannibalise

Good idea. That's something I'll definitely consider.

What you said further back though is so true - there is simply no need to play the Celestions stupidly loud, as they are so cleverly voiced that all the musical information you need is there at moderate levels, and low-level listening, in particular, is a joy.

You don't need to listen to the Lockwoods loudly either, for similar reasons, but the problem is it's so entertaining to do so - rather like accelerating in a Bentley; your nerves will give up long before the engine will!

However, with the Celestions, I was up to nearly 4am this morning listening to music at just one click on the volume control of the Croft, and the room was still filled with sound, yet didn't disturb Del in bed, only a few feet away next door. Most modern speakers just don't do that, and sound distinctly congested at very low levels.

I can also do this with the Tannoys, but their bigger bass with certain tracks makes the sound they produce at low volumes somewhat more intrusive.

Marco.

[Beobloke]

No worries, Adam - I getcha! How did you find the S230, anyway?

Well, as of today my Sondex collection actually comprises an S230 amp, DE-1 phono stage and PCU1 passive preamp and I haven't had time to sit down and listen to any of 'em! Once Scalford is out of the way, I should have more time, hopefully.

A note to Adam - Leak 2075's - WHY?????????????????????????

Because I read about them, decided I had to have a pair, bought a pair about 17 years ago, lived with them for 3 years and loved them, then sold them when the drivers started making funny noises and I knew of no-one who could repair them.
I regretted my decision as soon as I watched the new owner drive away with them and have been looking for a pair that aren't stupidly priced ever since. Luckily Haden Boardman's grand equipment clearout of 2010 came up trumps!

[Marco]

Nice collection, Adam. The only Sondex equipment I've heard is the S230, so it'll be interesting checking out the other stuff you have next year.

What I liked about the S230 was its minimalist approach - just a little box with a volume knob, balance control and few source selectors, but it sounded so very musical. The MM phono stage was a real gem, so the DE-1 should be a bit special!

Marco.

[Rare Bird]

It may have been a '4' then. They were in black ash, grey baffle, tweeter was a metal dome behind three or four horizontal bars and set in a grey moulding. Quite a large bass driver, wider than they were deep (which helps to age them a bit). Single wiring.

'DL4' you mean?

[Rare Bird]

Cool - that's an idea. Most of the inductors are decent quality air-core types, but I'm aware that further improvements could be made. What about the Goertz ones you recommended before, or Mundorf air-core foil coils?

They are good but you just can't shove any inductor in regardless of it being the correct value, watch yer DCR's ...

[Ali Tait]

They are indeed, Ali. I've used them in a number of applications, and achieved great results. Hovland Music Caps are good in crossovers, too.

The best results I've ever heard with caps, though, were those SCR Teflon ones you recommended, which I fitted as coupling caps in the Croft. Man, what a difference those made!

Marco.

Aye, I'd say they are about the best caps I've heard so far. The AN coppers are very good too IMHO. I'd imagine the silvers are something special but I refuse to pay that much.

[MartinT]

They look fab, Marco. As I said earlier, I really liked them but haven't heard any in about 30 years. I look forward to hearing yours at some point.

And a nice new avatar - suits you, sir!