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Your Views On The Celestion SL6?

The recommended stands seem quite low. I would have thought they would be better on 60cm or 80cm stands. I have foundation and target stands. I keep meaning to buy some expensive Partington type stands. The target HS range look quite good. I want some Linn Kan stands next :)

There are some celestion stands on ebay at the moment.

Yes, I thought that too. I'd probably go for around 60cm stands for them.

Interesting stands on ebay that you mention. These I presume?

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=181326497055

I have a pair of 60 cm Foundation stands which are nothing like that (they have four thick pillars) I guess there were different models available.

My everlasting memory of the SL6 family was hearing SL600's driven by Heybrook Pre/Power amps and Pink Triangle t/t (with I think a Helius Orion arm). Nice, very nice.
 
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Thank you for the replies.
The Target stands that I had for my original SL6Si's may well have been 450 (18") high.
I may be confusing the height with the pair of 'one-piece' 'Foundation' stands which I also made the mistake of selling with a pair of 'Royd Edens', both of which had been purchased new from Chris Brooks in '89.
I certainly would like to find a pair of 'Foundation' stands for my present SL6S's - I shall just have to keep looking.

Regards

Mike Kelshaw
 
Those ones on ebay could be a good match. I don't think the extra height would do any harm and would probably be beneficial.
 
The original SL6 stands looked like this:

fxcraf.jpg


They were made out of chipboard or MDF or something and the central pillar could be filled. I had some under my first pair of JR149s for a while. They never struck me as very rigid, though they were inert. I suspect the Foundation ones linked above would be a lot better.
 
As I said, made my own, would recommend doing the same... Go to a builders merchant and buy a kerb stone, as you see along the pavements.(The big ones!!!)
Get it cut to required length, drill 4 holes in each end and insert large rawl plus, make top and bottom plate ideally out minimum 3mm steel. Drill and spike top and bottom or blue tac the top..
Paint in your chosen colour, I used a Hammerite. They looked very good when finished.
Very solid and heavy, brings the best out of the speaker. :D
 
Pinky,
Thank you for the 'Heads-Up' - I did manage to place a couple of bids before the auction ended but I was I was finally outbid.
However, I shall now add an additional 'search' with e-mail notification on 'fee pay', so that I get regular 'up-dates'.

Tony L,
Thanks for the images of the Celestion stands. I remember now, that at the time ('92), I preferred the 'Target' ones.

Regards

Mike Kelshaw
 
I had a pair of the original Celestion stands when I bought my SL6 in 1983.

They were 18" tall and, as Tony said, made from veneered chipboard/MDF. They weren't very rigid even when glued and screwed together.

Within a year I had replaced them with Foundation stands which I bought from the Sound Organisation in Kennington.

Having just acquired another set of Foundations, what is interesting to note is that my originals are basically steel versions of the original Celestion stands and very different to the later stands.

The originals have a bigger (beefier) central pillar and a larger baseplate than the later ones. Additionally they are sealed vis a vis any ballast (the later stands have a removable 'bung' in the top plate). They are also finished differently in a 'Hammerite' type finish - the later stands have a smooth powder coat-like finish with 'Foundation' badges at the base of the pillar.
 
Hi Debs,
The 'Foundation' stands that I purchased with my Royds in '89, had 'fixed' top and bottom plates and a smooth finish. The finish was probably a 'powder coating'.
There didn't appear to be any way of 'filling' the central column, but they were so heavy that I didn't even think about it.
However there was a gold coloured 'badge' stuck over the centre of the top plate' in addition to the gold coloured 'F' badge at the base of the central column.

Regards

Mike Kelshaw
 
Mike,
No probs and good luck on your quest. Credit though goes to Minstrel SE for it is he who mentioned seeing some on ebay.

BTW, I've a feeling those original Celestion stands may have been somewhat generic. I had a pair of Wharfedale badged ones of the same era that look identical to the ones Tony provided pictures of (except for the Wharfedale badges of course).
 
Debs,
Apologies - there was a slight piece of misinformation in my last post - I've just found some images of the stands and the SL6Si's from 2010 when I advertised them.
There appears to be only one 'F' badge which is located in the centre of the top plate.

Regards

Mike Kelshaw
 
Minstrel SE,
Thanks and apologies for not giving you the 'credit' for the e-bay 'tip'.

9 Designs,
Interesting D.I.Y suggestion. However given my 'advanced years' I doubt that I have the physical ability to manhandle a 'kerb stone' at ground level, let alone carry one upstairs to my 'Aladdin's cave' or the 'junk room' as my wife probably thinks of it.

Regards

Mike Kelshaw
 
Debs,
Apologies - there was a slight piece of misinformation in my last post - I've just found some images of the stands and the SL6Si's from 2010 when I advertised them.
There appears to be only one 'F' badge which is located in the centre of the top plate.

Regards

Mike Kelshaw

That Mike is the 'bung' that you can remove to add sand/lead shot/whatever.

I'm going to be busy for a couple of days, but when I get chance I shall weigh my original Foundation stands as well as the new ones and get back here with the results.
 
Hi Debs,
The 'Foundation' stands that I purchased with my Royds in '89, had 'fixed' top and bottom plates and a smooth finish. The finish was probably a 'powder coating'.
There didn't appear to be any way of 'filling' the central column, but they were so heavy that I didn't even think about it.
However there was a gold coloured 'badge' stuck over the centre of the top plate' in addition to the gold coloured 'F' badge at the base of the central column.

Regards

Mike Kelshaw

The foundation stands that came with my Conistons (£25 all in super bargain) have two oblong columns, back to back, filled with something solid and a sticker placed over the holes. I cant really see how two is better than one larger post

Theres probably some hype there but they seem to do a fairly good job.

I am looking at expensive stands I could fill myself. Get a loan out for lead shot :D
 
Lest we all forget, there IS a reason that no one makes copper tweeters these days, as there is that low efficiency monitors have been superceded in the main by easier loads and actives.

I fondly remember my 708's but I wonder how I would react now.
 
Lest we all forget, there IS a reason that no one makes copper tweeters these days, as there is that low efficiency monitors have been superceded in the main by easier loads and actives.

I fondly remember my 708's but I wonder how I would react now.

Yes youre right. It started with a find and its interesting how much obsessive interest there is in these old designs.

I dont even have a working pair so all this is all academic. I just have to find someone who pays £100 for copper tweeters.

Its the original you know :D

If the truth be known most of this is about rewinding time. Very common amongst middle aged men :)
 
That Mike is the 'bung' that you can remove to add sand/lead shot/whatever.

Hi Minstral SE,
Apologies, I had assumed that the 'bung' that you are referring to, was just a 'sticky label', and as such, I had never removed it.
Just a thought - have you asked "Carpwrangler" whether he is interested in part exchanging your single speaker 'bits' against a complete pair?

Regards

Mike Kelshaw
 
Well, this thread has prompted me to pull out my SL6s and give them a listen. This is sooner than intended, but is part of a general sort out in my house.

Perhaps some history first. A friend many years ago suggested buying some second hand SL6s he had seen at a dealer in Biggleswade. This was Stuart Mitchell, who will now sell you a Moth RCM from Bedford – if my memory is correct next door at Biggleswade was I remember listening to the Wailers Burnin’ album and being distinctly unimpressed, saying that they sounded like they were singing in the next room. However I did come back to the SL6s (and I did have Wharfedale 708s in between). After that life changed, and I had to buy a second pair. These are the ones I have now and which can be seen here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15976798@N00/12754406104/

The stands are solid and heavy steel, and 18 inches high. They have no name on them.

The speakers do sound pretty good, I think. One obvious strength is their imaging and their self-effacement in reproducing music. It may partly be psychological because of the Harbeths above and behind in the photo, but the SL6 soundstage appears to be above and well behind the actual speakers.

They sounded good from cold and not properly set up. I first played a new reissued Gene Clark LP – Two Sides to Every Story. And of course I have pulled out that same copy of Burnin’. I do wonder now whether my sense of Marley, Tosh and Bunny Wailer being next door was actually something to do with the soundstage and imaging that I hadn’t experienced before. Having said that, the copper tweeter does lack a bit of life. However, the midrange is excellent and conveys voices very well. But the lower frequencies, like the top, are also lacking. I think this comes across primarily as a lack of weight – the bass and drums on a Wailers’ record should carry some heft. So I think one has to think of it as a small-scale speaker most suited to smaller rooms.
 
That Mike is the 'bung' that you can remove to add sand/lead shot/whatever.

Hi Minstral SE,
Apologies, I had assumed that the 'bung' that you are referring to, was just a 'sticky label', and as such, I had never removed it.
Just a thought - have you asked "Carpwrangler" whether he is interested in part exchanging your single speaker 'bits' against a complete pair?

Regards

Mike Kelshaw

Im sure its just a label on the foundation stand. I will have to get the Conistons off. I think Ive had a peer in and it was a solid set filling in there. I generally dont touch and I cant remember if one sticker was loose. The SL6 should sit on there ok as it has a similar footprint to a baby Royd.

Ive been offered £60 delivered for the one speaker but I want to hang on to it for the time being.
He seems a nice guy and maybe its of more use to him than other Celestion owners. Its an awkward situation in that I could test its valuation on ebay :)
 
Well, this thread has prompted me to pull out my SL6s and give them a listen. This is sooner than intended, but is part of a general sort out in my house.

Perhaps some history first. A friend many years ago suggested buying some second hand SL6s he had seen at a dealer in Biggleswade. This was Stuart Mitchell, who will now sell you a Moth RCM from Bedford – if my memory is correct next door at Biggleswade was I remember listening to the Wailers Burnin’ album and being distinctly unimpressed, saying that they sounded like they were singing in the next room. However I did come back to the SL6s (and I did have Wharfedale 708s in between). After that life changed, and I had to buy a second pair. These are the ones I have now and which can be seen here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15976798@N00/12754406104/

The stands are solid and heavy steel, and 18 inches high. They have no name on them.

The speakers do sound pretty good, I think. One obvious strength is their imaging and their self-effacement in reproducing music. It may partly be psychological because of the Harbeths above and behind in the photo, but the SL6 soundstage appears to be above and well behind the actual speakers.

They sounded good from cold and not properly set up. I first played a new reissued Gene Clark LP – Two Sides to Every Story. And of course I have pulled out that same copy of Burnin’. I do wonder now whether my sense of Marley, Tosh and Bunny Wailer being next door was actually something to do with the soundstage and imaging that I hadn’t experienced before. Having said that, the copper tweeter does lack a bit of life. However, the midrange is excellent and conveys voices very well. But the lower frequencies, like the top, are also lacking. I think this comes across primarily as a lack of weight – the bass and drums on a Wailers’ record should carry some heft. So I think one has to think of it as a small-scale speaker most suited to smaller rooms.

Yes thats a very good representation of them. I think the question of whether I would spend between £150 and £300 on a pair should be fairly easy to answer . Times have moved on with brands like Epos for example. Its tempting though!

Its a well made speaker wrapped up in all that nostalgia. They still attract some real interest and you have hung on to them :)
 
Well, this thread has prompted me to pull out my SL6s and give them a listen.
The stands are solid and heavy steel, and 18 inches high. They have no name on them.
The speakers do sound pretty good, I think. One obvious strength is their imaging and their self-effacement in reproducing music. It may partly be psychological because of the Harbeths above and behind in the photo, but the SL6 soundstage appears to be above and well behind the actual speakers.
They sounded good from cold and not properly set up. I first played a new reissued Gene Clark LP – Two Sides to Every Story. And of course I have pulled out that same copy of Burnin’. I do wonder now whether my sense of Marley, Tosh and Bunny Wailer being next door was actually something to do with the soundstage and imaging that I hadn’t experienced before. Having said that, the copper tweeter does lack a bit of life. However, the midrange is excellent and conveys voices very well. But the lower frequencies, like the top, are also lacking. I think this comes across primarily as a lack of weight – the bass and drums on a Wailers’ record should carry some heft. So I think one has to think of it as a small-scale speaker most suited to smaller rooms.

Hi Cdb3,
Thank you for making the effort to listen to, review and publish your findings on your SL6's. I found it most informative.
I think the SL6S's which I have purchased have an aluminium tweeter as opposed to the earlier copper one. Although I purchased a pair of SL6S - I really wanted a pair of SL6Si similar to the pair which I had sold in 2010.
I think your conclusion that they are suited to smaller rooms may well be correct, however I have never had the opportunity to listen to a pair in a 'large' room. My current pair are located in what was described as "bedroom 3" - which in reality more resembles a large cupboard.

Hi. Minstral SE, your comment about "things moving on" may well be correct. I have never been one to regularly 'kit swap' or spend much time in dealers listening for alternatives. When I tell you that my main system consists of Linn driven Keilidh's you may well conclude that I have little to compare the SL6's to. :)
Further, your comment regarding nostalgia may also be correct - I'm expecting to listen to my SL6S's via a refurbished Quad 44 / 405-2 driven by either my original Thorens 124, a Garrard 401 or a more recently acquired Goldring G99 - so it sounds like 'game set and match' to you. :)
However now I'm really looking forward to the time when I place an album on whichever of the above 'tables that I manage to get re-assembled with an arm and cartridge, and sit down for a serious 'listen' :D

Regards

Mike Kelshaw
 


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