celestion ditton 33 - reccomend me an amp!

[thegreenbee]

Hi first time poster - be gentle with me!

Have just bagged myself a pair of Celestion Ditton 33s. Would like to get an amp from a similar era to compliment them and just wondered if anyone could recommend anything to look out for second hand or on eBay? had been looking out for a jvc ja s55 or 22 but keep losing out on the bay ! Due to financial constraints looking to spend between £100-150 so any ideas?!

Also wondered if anyone had any advice on getting the best out of the celestions as floor standers, due to children etc there is no way of using them on a stand. If one of those fell on a small child off a stand it would be a matter for social services as they weigh a ton! Anything that i could use on the floor underneath them to improve the sound? Should i use them as floor standers at all? any advice greatfully recieved.

Im a bit of a novice so bare with me!

Thanks in advance

 

[SergeAuckland]

As to stands, they really need to be off the floor such that the tweeter ends up at ear height when you're seated. I would make a box the same plan as the loudspeaker bottom and of the right height. Fill the box with dry sand or gravel and bluetack the Ditton 33 to the top of the box. That way, they 'speakers won't get knocked about by children, pets etc. It does mean that they're not hugely movable by adults, although you can mitigate that by putting Glisdomes or other furniture glides under the box.

As to an amplifier, probably the best choice, keeping it contemporary with the loudspeakers would be the Quad 303/33, but you may not get one in your budget. Alternatively, an A&R Cambridge A60 would be good, QED A240, Sondex S230 or any Rotel, Marantz, Yamaha integrated from the 1980s would suit pretty well, all of which should be available in budget.

S.

 

[RobHolt]

I picked up a Pioneer SA710 recently for £30.

Freshen-up with some new caps and deoxit and for £50 all in it's a little cracker.

Solid 65w per side, nice alloy front and controls plus plenty of knobs to twiddle. Dates from 1979 so period correct for the Celestions.

 

[MJ.]

I use Ditton 44's the 33's bigger brothers and the best match I have found for them, and I've tried a fair few, with my room, my ears, my music tastes etc etc is, as Serge has mentioned, the little QED A240.

Cracker of an amp for about £ 60.

 

[Leonard Smalls]

My first ever hifi purchase involved a test between the 33s and a pair of Kef Carinas.

The 33s sounded better, but not enough to justify the price difference!

And they sounded most excellent on the end of a Crimson pre/power. And not too bad at all on a flashing lights'n'all technics SU-V5...

 

[budgetblown]

I got myself a wharfedale tuner for a tenner recently - period 70's stuff - delighted - keep an eye open, there's plenty of good stuff out there cheap

 

[thegreenbee]

Thanks for the tips everyone, really liking the look of the A and R Cambridge, going to keep my eyes peeled!

 

[255044]

i know this is a VERY old thread but i can highly recommend a yamaha A-s2100 to go with these speakers! Old and new make a brilliant match!

 

[uzzy]

Sugden A48 .. 40watts of pure class A from the 70s classic 

Rogers A100 .. class AB transistor amp that works well enough (or the A75 which was same with slightly less power).

Quad 405 and 44 pre amp - will cost more than it is worth though but will make a fine noise. 

Pioneer A400 ok so it isn't the same era but it is a fine amp and will do the business.

And so the list goes on

 

[AlMac]

How are you finding the change from the British Rega amp sound to the new retro Yammy? 

Whoops, sorry, meant that Quote post to respond to 255044's

 

[Tim ob]

Hi,help I need a new bass unit for my Celestion ditton 33.The question is,Can you get these units New?thankyou also what are they actually called!10in bass unit what? Thanks anyone, help is needed here!