A lab check on the controller (fig.1) provided proof of the somewhat different view that Celestion's designers have taken of system equalization. Taking the upper range or high-pass filter first, this shows a perfectly flat response with a crossover point at 100Hz, -6dB, falling almost precisely at a 24dB/octave rate, a 4th-order Butterworth. With no additional programmed extension, the lowest "70Hz" bass response setting is plotted lower in level than the high-frequency section, due to the high intrinsic sensitivity of the bass driver section, typically 88dB/W.…
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Dick Olsher wrote about the System 6000 in January 1989 (Vol.12 No.1):
The System 6000 was previously reviewed in Stereophile, by Martin Colloms in Vol.10 No.2 (February 1987). What follows is simply meant as a quickie followup to that in-depth review.
Someone was bound to ask how Celestion's dipole subwoofer system ($2699/pair complete with electronic crossover) compared with the products surveyed herein, especially in view of the liberal use I've made of the Celestion SL600. So I endeavored to obtain a sample, which arrived just in time for a couple days' listening.
Here…
One of the fundamental tenets of high-end audio is that a loudspeaker's bass output should be appropriate for the listening room's size. The smaller the room, the less bass the loudspeakers should produce. Any manufacturer of large loudspeakers who has set up such a system in a CES hotel room can attest to how difficult it is to avoid boominess in a tiny space.
Bass extension works against good sound quality in small rooms or rooms with poor dimensional ratios. Any volume of air in an enclosed space will reinforce certain frequencies when that air is excited (such as by a woofer cone…
Two pairs of high-quality binding posts are provided for bi-wiring. The enclosure bottom has five threaded holes; two accept hex bolts for securing the loudspeaker to the optional sand-filled stands ($400/pair), the other three accept metal cones (supplied). The two rear cones are tiny, just lifting the back of the enclosure off the stand. The front spike is much larger, and has a knurled nut for adjusting the height of the enclosure front. This spike arrangement tilts the 5 back to optimize the listening axis.
Although the 5s can be used without the stands, they're essential to getting…
I once got a call from a reader looking for advice on purchasing loudspeakers. He told me that he wanted the treble to be "like little needles coming at me." The Aerial 5s aren't for him. You get no etch, hyped detail, or sonic fireworks with the 5; just an honest smoothness that sounds more like live music than any other loudspeaker I've heard near the 5's price range.
By contrast, the Tukans had more life and vibrancy in the midrange and treble, but a less clean and ultimately more fatiguing presentation. The 5s were far more polite, refined, and laid-back.
The 5s' soundstaging…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, sealed-box loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" titanium-dome tweeter, 7" damped polypropylene-cone woofer with cast magnesium frame. Crossover frequency: 2.5kHz. Frequency response: 70Hz-20kHz, ±3dB (-8dB at 50Hz). Impedance: 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (specified as "low reactance"). Sensitivity: 85dB/2.83V/m on-axis. Power requirements: 50W minimum. Optional stands: 25.75" high, 80 lbs/pair, sand-filled.
Dimensions: 8.125" W by 13" H by 10.25" D. Weight: 48 lbs/pair net.
Serial numbers of units tested: 050431 & 32.
Finishes:…
Sidebar 2: System & Setup
I drove the Aerial 5s with a wide range of amplifiers and source components over the past five months. They saw action with five integrated amplifiers: the Audio Note OTO SE, Linn Majik, Sonic Frontiers Anthem Integrated One, Rotel RA-970BX, and NAD 317. Source components included the Well Tempered Turntable and Lary Pederson-modified Well Tempered Arm, fitted with an AudioQuest AQ7000nsx phono cartridge; all the budget and midpriced CD players I've reviewed recently (particularly the Rotel RCD-990); and that long-term favorite, the Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1. I…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Aerial 5 is a moderately difficult load to drive. Although the impedance magnitude (fig.1) shows an impedance minimum of 4.3 ohms and a value above 8 ohms over most of the band, the Aerial 5's lowish 84.5dB B-weighted sensitivity suggests the loudspeaker should be used with a well-powered amplifier. Fig.1 is notable for the lack of any wrinkles in the impedance magnitude curve, indicating that the enclosure is quite rigid. The sealed-box tuning at 65Hz is accompanied by the impedance peak at that frequency. This usually corresponds to the loudspeaker's -6dB…
One audio maintenance chore I dislike is getting down on all fours and cleaning the system's connectors—interconnects, speaker cables, and power cords. It's tedious, but the results can be spectacular. If you live in a relatively clean, dry environment, you might consider doing it every six months or so.
Here in New York, despite Kathleen's best efforts, there's a certain amount of effluvia in the air, some of it quite toxic. (Take our next-door neighbor . . . .) So in major urban areas, every three months might be better, especially if you live with a smoker. I always practice good…
A Letter in response appeared in the April 1999 issue:
Thank you, Jonathan Scull
Editor: Thanks to Jonathan Scull's "Fine Tunes" column in December, my Thiel CS6es have a new lease on life. I finally broke down and cleaned my interconnects and speaker cables—boy, what a difference! The sad fact is that because of Stereophile's review of the CS6, I thought the grunge in the midrange was normal. Now, with clean cables, the grunge is gone.
Obviously, not trying to isolate the grunge earlier was a rookie mistake—one that I hope other readers avoid. By the way, keep up the great…