Hi there .. I am trying to replace the caps on a pair of wonderful celestion Ditton 25's mark 2 circa 1980
I am looking for any tips .. preferably from someone who has replace the caps in vintage speakers before
.. I'm looking for the schematic of the cross over ... I've found only one online and would like to get the values confirmed before proceeding with the replacement
All help greatly appreciated
I am looking for any tips .. preferably from someone who has replace the caps in vintage speakers before
.. I'm looking for the schematic of the cross over ... I've found only one online and would like to get the values confirmed before proceeding with the replacement
All help greatly appreciated
I find myself in an unusual position here. 
I have heard most of the Celestion speakers over the years. I even own a pair of fairly broken Celestion Ditton 44 speakers. The HF2000 tweeter that is not half bad.
TBH, these 50-y-o old speakers are falling apart these days. Broken tinsel leads to the bass units. Glue that has gone solid. Maybe 50V NP electrolytic Capacitors that are now suspect.
Celestion then, as now, made speakers that play Rock very well.
TBH, not always my cup of tea. Because I like classical piano. But if you like that sort of thing, I must give you respect.
Anyhoo, here's my take on what a Celestion Ditton 25 looked like, from the vast "system7" archive.
I have heard most of the Celestion speakers over the years. I even own a pair of fairly broken Celestion Ditton 44 speakers. The HF2000 tweeter that is not half bad.
TBH, these 50-y-o old speakers are falling apart these days. Broken tinsel leads to the bass units. Glue that has gone solid. Maybe 50V NP electrolytic Capacitors that are now suspect.
Celestion then, as now, made speakers that play Rock very well.
TBH, not always my cup of tea. Because I like classical piano. But if you like that sort of thing, I must give you respect.
Anyhoo, here's my take on what a Celestion Ditton 25 looked like, from the vast "system7" archive.
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'Classical Crossover Music' is surely an apt choice in the circumstances!
Crossover music - Wikipedia
Crossover music - Wikipedia
I was delighted that Daniel Barenboim playing Chopin and Liszt made that favourites list.
We could give an honourable mention to Arturo Rubenstein, and Vladimir Ashkenazy as great piano players too.
What is spare and exceptional about classical piano is not just the notes, but the silence between the notes. You either get it, or you don't.
Anyway. More musings about the Celestion Ditton 25. I have never heard them. But they used that ridiculous HF1300 tweeter.
Spendor BC1
Like the bumblebee, the theory says the HF1300 should never have flown. But it DID! And having two of them might be like turning the awesome Rolls-Royce based Spitfire fighter into the amazing Mosquito fighter/bomber.
Here's a speaker I nearly bought. The B&W DM2A. If my eyes don't deceive me, that is an HF1300 tweeter.
We could give an honourable mention to Arturo Rubenstein, and Vladimir Ashkenazy as great piano players too.
What is spare and exceptional about classical piano is not just the notes, but the silence between the notes. You either get it, or you don't.
Anyway. More musings about the Celestion Ditton 25. I have never heard them. But they used that ridiculous HF1300 tweeter.
Spendor BC1
Like the bumblebee, the theory says the HF1300 should never have flown. But it DID! And having two of them might be like turning the awesome Rolls-Royce based Spitfire fighter into the amazing Mosquito fighter/bomber.
Here's a speaker I nearly bought. The B&W DM2A. If my eyes don't deceive me, that is an HF1300 tweeter.
Attachments
Thanks for the suggestion
Unfortunately this is above my technical knowledge and ability ... at the moment. So will only try that path if I can't find an easier way .
My hope was to "Ask the audience" As to what values and what type of cap to use !!
As my ability will pretty much limit me to "swapping out " the old caps for new... LEGO style .. With a soldering iron .
So far I have found 1 schematic .. And from research Alcap might be the way to go ... Somebody mentioned a mylar film cap as well but I'm not sure of difference this would make .
Thanks for your help ... its so needed haha... Dom
I find myself in an unusual position here.
I have heard most of the Celestion speakers over the years. I even own a pair of fairly broken Celestion Ditton 44 speakers. The HF2000 tweeter that is not half bad.
TBH, these 50-y-o old speakers are falling apart these days. Broken tinsel leads to the bass units. Glue that has gone solid. Maybe 50V NP electrolytic Capacitors that are now suspect.
Celestion then, as now, made speakers that play Rock very well.
TBH, not always my cup of tea. Because I like classical piano. But if you like that sort of thing, I must give you respect.
Anyhoo, here's my take on what a Celestion Ditton 25 looked like, from the vast "system7" archive.
Hi Steve .. Thanks for the Schematic . This was the only one I have found so far . There was some mention of C5 being a 2 and not a 3 !! ??. And so was hoping to find another one to compare .
. Then dissect the 25's and hope that the values are clearly written on All of the caps.. a sort of belt and braces back up plan if the writing is not clear ..
But then there is the question of what type of caps ?? ..
Thanks for the help ... its needed
DomI think you're right .. And my guess is that that is also a HF2000 ..Anyway. More musings about the Celestion Ditton 25. I have never heard them. But they used that ridiculous HF1300 tweeter.
Spendor BC1
Like the bumblebee, the theory says the HF1300 should never have flown. But it DID! And having two of them might be like turning the awesome Rolls-Royce based Spitfire fighter into the amazing Mosquito fighter/bomber.
Here's a speaker I nearly bought. The B&W DM2A. If my eyes don't deceive me, that is an HF1300 tweeter.
A Friend has a pair of DM2's with the HF1300 and a coles 4001 ... very sweet they are too bordering on lovely haha
.. ( i don't give compliments easy ) But the bass while being mega for its size and a transmission line cab.. ! .. Has limits IMHO Thanks for your help .... Its needed
DomWhen surgery starts . I shall be posting photos
so far I've just had one of the woofers off ... And can see the caps are wrapped mostly
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I could be a complete philistine and say that the silence is the best part!
The Celestion Ditton 15, pictured here, managed quite nicely with just the one HF1300, even though the tweeter rolled off at around 15kHz. This was not considered a major issue back in the day, as FM radio only reached up to 15kHz!
A major reason for including the supertweeter in the Celestion Ditton 25 was that a three-way speaker was exempt from purchase tax in the 1970s. The inclusion was as much about reducing the selling price as increasing the fidelity!
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So I've managed to lift this from the web from some one said they used these per speaker .
1x 1.5uF 50v Low Loss + 2.2uF 100v Mylar Film cap
1x 3.3uF 50v Low Loss
2x 12uF 100v
Can any one rewrite these out with there C numbers as per schematic. And why the mylar film mix ? and the 2x 12uF are not a specified type ?
And any opinions on using this mix of caps would be a help ... I'm trying to get back to the original sound
Here is a pic of one of the boards in situ ... Its looking good so far as reading the values might be poss
T.I.A .... Dom
1x 1.5uF 50v Low Loss + 2.2uF 100v Mylar Film cap
1x 3.3uF 50v Low Loss
2x 12uF 100v
Can any one rewrite these out with there C numbers as per schematic. And why the mylar film mix ? and the 2x 12uF are not a specified type ?
And any opinions on using this mix of caps would be a help ... I'm trying to get back to the original sound
Here is a pic of one of the boards in situ ... Its looking good so far as reading the values might be poss
T.I.A .... Dom
Attachments
Wow .... 3 way = less tax ... who would have thought up that one ... ??I could be a complete philistine and say that the silence is the best part!
The Celestion Ditton 15, pictured here, managed quite nicely with just the one HF1300, even though the tweeter rolled off at around 15kHz. This was not considered a major issue back in the day, as FM radio only reached up to 15kHz!
A major reason for including the supertweeter in the Celestion Ditton 25 was that a three-way speaker was exempt from purchase tax in the 1970s. The inclusion was as much about reducing the selling price as increasing the fidelity!
Only Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) could have thought up that one!
Individual speaker drivers of 12" and larger were also exempt from purchase tax in the early 1970s. This meant you could buy a 12"driver for around the same price as a 10" driver from the same range.
"Unlike VAT, purchase tax was applied at the point of manufacture and distribution, not at point of sale. The rate of purchase tax at the start of 1973, when it gave way to VAT, was 25%."
The capacitor values suggested must be the nearest currently available matches for the originals.
C1 = 2 x 12uF wired in parallel = 24uF
C2 = 2.2uF
C3, C4 & C6 = 1.5uF
C5 = 3.3uF (Not 2uF as shown on your diagram)
Now that I look closer!
Since C3 is in parallel with C4, the two capacitors can be replaced by a single 3.3uF one.
Since C5 is in parallel with C6, the two capacitors can be repaced by a single 4.7uF one.
For this age of speaker you should probably choose non-polar (NP) electrolytic capacitors.
P.S. C1 could be a single 25uF capacitor (24uF is no longer made).
Since C3 is in parallel with C4, the two capacitors can be replaced by a single 3.3uF one.
Since C5 is in parallel with C6, the two capacitors can be repaced by a single 4.7uF one.
For this age of speaker you should probably choose non-polar (NP) electrolytic capacitors.
P.S. C1 could be a single 25uF capacitor (24uF is no longer made).
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In the picture of your crossover board, the yellow capacitors are film types and it looks like the brown capacitors are also film types.
If that is the case, then there is no urgent need to replace those capacitors.
The only capacitor that is in definite need of replacement is the black one at top right as this is an NP electrolytic and will have changed in value by now. This one must be C1 (24uF).
If that is the case, then there is no urgent need to replace those capacitors.
The only capacitor that is in definite need of replacement is the black one at top right as this is an NP electrolytic and will have changed in value by now. This one must be C1 (24uF).
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The B&W DM2A. If my eyes don't deceive me, that is an HF1300 tweeter.
Plus STC 4001, meant to compete with HF2000.
dave
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