One year later at the end of 2022, Celestion 7000s still stand alone side of MC XRT18 powered by an updated TPA3116D2 chip amp from Amazon. Binding posts were replaced with new one from Parts Express. Sound is balanced and detailed (clean) top to bottom. Very neutral no plan of getting rid of them. I built a pair of 8" high stands and raised the speakers from the floor, which helps high frequency dispersion to a point listener needs not sit down to enjoy the full music spectrum. You are right 7000s are very sensitive to equipment/cable changes.
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Forgot to mention.....correct positioning is the key 👌
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I was just gifted a pair of 7000s a few days ago. In my days I have had Soundlab 3, ML CLS, Apogee Slant 6, Infinity Ren90, RSII, Magneplanars and now a pair of renewed McIntosh XRT18s. Not impressed in the beginning, I deoxited and soldered the woofers, jumped the binding posts internally. The 7000s sounded very good after. They may not be better than any of the above mentioned but the sound coming from the ribbons is very addictive, which draws one into the music. Woofer/Ribbon integration is better than Apogee and Ren90 (IMHO)to a point its not noticeable. As mentioned above they can be listened the whole day and you want more. They are definitely a very musical keeper!!!
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Celestion 7000 is still my favourite speakers 30 years later... |
No idea Re 4vs 8 ohms…:) still have mine a year later although I did get some UL10’s today also from 1974 . Very similar to the 7000 so far but suspect my hearing is crap lol |
The power of internet forum. Discussion going on for 17 years! I own Celestion's 3000 also. It was hard to find proper amp for them but finally with Hitachi HCA HMA 7500 Mk II they sound beautiful. I remember when I first switched on the Hitachi my reaction was: "F@#$! Finally I know how so called 'high end' sounds!". I would like to try 7000s in future for lower bass. As said before you HAVE to seat on ribbons level if you want to hear ANY treble. However changing your position from left to right make less trouble than with standard boxes. When you sit in line with let say left speaker you still can hear right speaker very well.
I bought new old stock crossovers for them but still did not replace the old ones so can't say if there is any difference. My pair is 100W 4 Ohm but saw 5000s (which are just same speakers with different veneer) with 8 Ohms on their back plate (mistake in the factory?).
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8 years later...... I’m just waiting for my first pair of 7000’s to be delivered . I bought some 3000’s and was very impressed so I figured I’d try the big boys out too:) |
I own a pair of 5000 and really like them but would love to improve them. I was thinking of installing the tweeters onto an open baffle and let them radiate in both directions. I was also thinking of bypassing the crossover and maybe even the transformer if possible to run the tweeter and woofer with active filters. Finally, I'd like to put the woofer into a TL enclosure to get a bit lower in the bass.
What do you reckon folks?
Dean. |
I have a pair of 3000s and I like them, they have the best high mids I've heard so far. I'm also listening to Piega with coax ribbons but the 3000s ribbons have much more body, the Piega sound is thinner, more detailed and extended but the 3000s ribbons have such a nice body, I guess that's because of their size. As for the mid-bass driver, it can be better. Maybe the bigger cabinet of the 7000s are helping the woofer but in the 3000 it's not that great. They need a high current amp or better, two amps. |
I have a pair of 7000s and have owned them for 20 years. Still sound great but I do wonder if
the ribbons give out where I might find a pair. |
I have a pair of 3000's that are bi-wired to a luxman LV-105 that gives a warm, clear sound all the way to the top ranges. Not cold and sterile or harsh. At the end of the day after them being on all day I can still sit down and
enjoy listening to them with out having enough. Some times I wish I had also purchased some of the the larger speakers as I use a powered sub for the lows. |
I have a pair of 7000s coupled to a class A-B valve amp which I built using GEC designs, they sound extremely coarse and edgy with the transistor amps that I've tried. The bass is very controlled and very extended, on some early recordings one can detect vibrations from passing traffic! The treble is clean and and highly directional - having the ribbons buried in slots doesn't help but is of course necessary to suspend the ribbons between the magnet pole pieces. The achilles heel is the necessity for a matching transformer because of the very low resistance / impedance of the ribbon. As my PhD was in Electromagnetics I'm going to dismantle my pair and try and wind improved matching transformers, I think this is necessary as the fine detail is not as clear as from some speakers I have built using Bandor metal cone units; even so, the 7000s are better than Quad 57s and Tannoy Lancasters - I owned pairs of all 3 at the same time and the 7000s were audibly better. |
Yes I have these and am starting to wonder if they have had their day?
Quirky, you have to sit at armchair level to hear them properly. Stand up and quality, but not power goes. I like them though and would like to get more from them. I cannot be arsed though to stick piles of newspapers and housebricks around my lounge. That is for audiophile nuts and makes no more differance than standing up in front of the units.
To end, they are very good producers of sound. They pick up the music and fling it into the room. What else could we want? Well something of course, or we wouldn't be here would we? |
I also have a set of 7000's running in my listeningroom.
In my room they sound very clear with a good coherence between ribbon and woofers, with a great transparent soundstage.
When they get hooked upon a good amp, the dynamics will be astonishing!
But my room has some acoustic flaws in it.
The lower bass is there, but the upperbass is gone due to the room.
That results in an unbalanced timbre.
I will pick them up and relocate them, that should help.
I drive them with a Krell ksa 50s poweramp.
These are truely revealing speakers and I think that the parts used on the cross-over are ready for new and better ones.
And once these parts are changed, I think that they will be stiff competition for nowadays speakers (around the original 7000's pricetag)!
Mark
Oud Beijerland, the Netherlands |
I have a set of 7000's running right now (written listening to Etta James' Mystery Lady CD). garryp is right, vocals ARE terrific. I've got them pared with a Velodyne ULD-18, the last of the MUSICAL sub-wofs they made. Wonderful paring.
I admit my amp might not be of the highest quality but it drives them nicely for me. --- Pre-Amp Sony TAE-9000ES Power Sony TAN-9000ES.
I've got them bi-wired with Kimber cable -- Blue/Grey/Black woven.
It's said that the ribbons can be difficult to obtain flat response from.
Also agree with 'garryp' about directionality of the ribbons. Encourages me to sit in the "Command Chair" with a glass of 'Grape Juice Plus" and do serious listening.
Thought I was the ONLY guy still running these!
Tim
S.F. Bay Area, California, USA |
I have a pair of 7000s - absolutely gorgeous, will never part with them - but they need the right amp. Mine are biwired to a Camridge Audio A500.
Strengths: Soundstage (when set up and driven properly) clarity (particularly vocals) & dynamic range. The bass is virtually bottomless.
The one big weakness is that the ribbon is highly directional. Your ear needs to be in the same horisontal plane as the ribbon which means they're not so great for parties. |
i bought a pair in 1992 and bi-wired them to a adcom gfa 555 mk2.nice crisp sound with plenty of base for 8 inch woofers.ribbons are angled so placement is a major considerration.output is 150/ch @ 4ohmm. |
Surely someone must have heard these? |
selling in ebay...
Not me!! |
Thanks for the info so far.
Anyone remember the 7000 in specific? |
heard the 3000 excellent sound stage height and very transparent also. |
I travelled to GB many years ago and got to audition one of these. I cannot remember which one but I was unimpressed. |
But am interested in impressions that people had of the lesser models as well. I realize that Celestion did not make that many of these, but someone out there must have seen or purchased a pair... |
