Dave Smith writes: Much of this problem comes from all the so called ebay vintage HiFi 'experts' who are asking ridiculous amounts for things like the Celestion HF2000 tweeter. I purchased one last week for £30 outside of ebay yet when listed on ebay they're asking stupid amounts for them.
The HF2000 tweeter is a temperamental little unit and easily destroyed when overdriven and with the Gale's reputation for being power-hungry people tend to use them with huge amplifiers and scant regard for the poor little tweeter. The fuse was put in line originally for a good reason! The experimental bi-wired Gales (absolutely not for sale) I use in the workshop have 150 watt rated Scanspeak units.
Over the last few years the HF2000 has become responsible for the break up/wrecking of literally thousands of pairs of Celestion Ditton 66/44/25 loudspeakers purely to sell off the tweeter for anything up to £150 a pair sometimes more.
The Gale version has x3 mounting holes in its circular housing and is the 4ohm version most of the Celestion versions had no mounting holes and used clamps for fixing. Many of you will be aware that is was also used by many other loudspeaker manufacturers from the 70's.
DS
Firstly its amazing that gear this old can be so cherished. Where will we be in 30 years time when everything is an order rarer.
Could there be some kind of market forces working here where the still working HF2000’s end up in the better speakers. Those paying the ‘silly’ prices are preserving their expensive original speakers. The poor Ditton 44 owners are feeding their tweeters to the cash rich owners of the 66’s. The Seas tweeter replacements are great for a 44, possibly even an upgrade, beyond the pale for a 66. Who’s going to wreck a 44 or 66, 25’s yes.
Happy 44 owner, happy 66 owner, happy irresponsible fuse blowing Gale 401 owner
Ps
I have a pair of 4Ohm HF2000 tweeters, fully working, just removed from my 44’s. £150 anyone? Your purchasing from an ‘expert’
Apparently for roughly thirty quid you can buy a replacement diaphram off fleabay….Bargain.