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Castle speakers

I liked the Castle range, some were excellent value others more average but always looked good and well built.
I thought of them as a poor mans alternative to Ruark...
 
I've heard a few Castle speakers and never liked them. Lovely build quality but once you get past that the speakers sound dull and unexciting.
 
@Mr Pig , yup, we all have different listening criteria.
Many speakers that are loved on this very forum I simply do not get on with and cannot fathom their lofty status here.
 
nbaptista said:
I would like to know the price of this speakers when new, anybody knows?
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I bought a new pair of Castle Tay's around that time, and were £350 new. The Tay was the biggest standmount Castle did, and they sounded great to me, had loads of ooomph from a big box. My guess is the Cliftons were a couple of models down the range, so I would guess £200 to 250.
 
Had some Castle Howards for a bit. They suddenly sounded a bit dull and lifeless - top end and speed in particular - compared to the ProAcs (140 MKII) that followed them, but I missed them a bit too. A believable weight and body to the sound. Always relaxed and unflappable. Piano sounded amazing. Would like to hear some again.
 
This is a budget speaker with a beatiful sounds, but lacks Epos resolution.However works better with my room.And later I can sell it and go for a more modern design.
 
I had a pair of Castle 'York' speakers for a short time in the early 90's, a very large standmount with a more 70's styled wide baffle and short stands, they were beautifully built and finished but just physically too big for my living room at the time. Perhaps the Durham would've been a more suitable choice. Shortly after this period Castle introduced the narrow baffle range of floorstanders, Severn, Howard, etc, once again beautifully built and finished boxes, the Severn in particular sold very well here.
 
I had some Castle Severns back in the 90’s. I used them with a Cyrus amp and Cd player and to my ears the combination sounded well.
 
I had some Harlech S2s for a while. They need space and a decent amp to wake them up. Sounded good with Exposure 17/18 but could never really boogie and the bass was always a bit slow and wayward. Ruark Crusader 2s were a step up.
 
Mr Pig said:
but once you get past that the speakers sound dull and unexciting.
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My main concern is not if the speaker is dull or whatever, a good speaker you can hear and follow the instruments clearly,the Castle lacks a bit these!But to get these, you have to pay 2 *or 3* more!This is objetive, if a speaker is dull or boogie, is more subjetive to evaluate
 
I remember the 2nd gen Richmond, Kendal and Conway from the late 70’s. Lovely cabinet construction though pretty sure they were utilising foam surrounds so that’s worth checking if looking at that era. I remember them sounding pretty good if a little “polite”!
 
Had Chesters for a couple of years, lovely to look at but never really felt engaged with the music listening to them. A friend has some Severns which sound better with a more open and slightly more dynamic presentation. Another friend has some ancient large bookshelf speakers (can't remember the model name) that sound lovely in the mid range powered by his valve amp. I bought a more recent pair of bookshelf speakers - Durham 900s. Didn't take to these, insufficient 'body'.
As others have said the cabinet work is beautiful.
 
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