Celestion Ditton 44 Reviews
Latest Reviews
“CELESTION THE LEGEND LIVES ON BEAUTIFUL AND SMOOTH ”
Written on: 10/05/2013
I have two sets of the amazing 44s. One set has been in my life for 28 years and has large domes on the bass units with the ROLA LTD badge on the back at the top of the box the other has the smaller domes and lived with me for about 15 years. Both sets look identical with full wood finish apart from dome size. There sound is unfailingly faithful to bring joy to my ears the midrange vocals are perfect on jazz, Eva Cassidy & Nora Jones and rock music too. I run my two sets on the Marantz pm... (read more)
“Fantastic 3 way speakers still”
Written on: 17/04/2013
I have purchased a pair of these truly wonderful speakers. I paid over the odds (so I thought) but on collection it was if the had just come out of the boxs. I was chuffed! & even happier once connected. My amplifier was always on the bright side but these smoothed everything out with warmth & detail + true bass. I had previously thought to get this sound I would have to spend a small fortune, so if you get a chance to hear or buy them Go for it! (read more)
“A Blast from the past!”
Written on: 01/02/2013 by Drastic (7 reviews written)
The Celestion Ditton 44 is a true three way design using a 12” base drive, a 6” mid & a HF-2000 tweeter, (or the HF-1300 on some units). Note No ABR was used in the 44. Power handling was linked to the model number in this range, so Ditton 44= 44 watts (rms) however the mk2 version was listed as being rated up to 100w ( likely peak). The mk2 version had a slightly different crossover, which was not as highly regarded as the original crossover. However the Mk1 crossover used five of... (read more)
“Ridiculously good speakers!”
Written on: 05/12/2012 by HifiSensible (1 review written)
Believe everything you've EVER heard about these cos they're all that, and then some. I've sold over 200 pairs of speakers from fancy makers on ebay but it'd have to be a cold day in hell before i ever sold these. The midrange and tweeter on these are to die for and that 12 inch driver will make mincemeat out of any bassline. All them speakers i mentioned that i sold were all put on a sound test before being sold and judged on their ability too match these, and though a few came close they... (read more)
“Oh my word..”
Written on: 04/09/2012 by Rodcorke
These are superb. Rich, warm and balanced ... they pack a pumch too. best for the music they were made for - rock. A 12 bass. yes 12". Put them on stands and wow! Very large -- you need a large room , but if that is no problem - enjoy! (read more)
“I HAVE HAD MY 44S FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS NOW AND THEY...”
Written on: 16/02/2011
I HAVE HAD MY 44S FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS NOW AND THEY STILL SOUND EXCELLENT.I HAVE SOMETIMES CONSIDERED REPLACING THEM BUT SIMILAR WOULD COST A LOT OF MONEY. I PAID 137 POUNDS GOOD VALUE. (read more)
“I have been lucky enough to have owned Celestion...”
Written on: 14/01/2011
I have been lucky enough to have owned Celestion Ditton speakers for the past 25 years starting with a pair of 25s purchased in Abu Dhabi. These have been shipped all over the world and still sound great (if a little bassy) today.
However, I recently spotted two pairs of 44s on the internet and managed to buy the job lot (which were in excellent condition) for a very reasonable price and now have spares to last a few years!
The 44s have been installed in my loving room and are being driven...
(read more)
“By accident I saw a mechanically worn down set of...”
Written on: 28/10/2010 by herberttulleken (1 review written)
By accident I saw a mechanically worn down set of Celestion Ditton 4s in a 2nd hand article recycle shop. One tweeter had died, the other one was actually close to the same destiny (corroded etc). After some haggling and pointing out the defects and the unattractive state of the laquer, I got the pair for ' 50.
Next to a diy electronics shop for some modern dome tweeters, a set for ' 60.
I could not believe what I heard tonight. Wauw what a sound: robust, balanced, filling the space with...
(read more)
“I have a set of 442s in my living room for music and film ”
Written on: 17/09/2010 by drewjam (1 review written)
I have a set of 442s in my living room for music and film
I also use a set of Mk2 44s as reference monitors in my music studio
and finally I gave my partner a set of original 44s for her living room
Its hard to choose which are my favourites, but collectively they're undoubtedly the best speakers I've ever owned, or heard anywhere else for that matter, thats why I have 3 sets ... close your eyes and the musicians are actually in the room with you.... what more could you want?
(read more)
“they are good to do a disco with a 3 channel mixer ...”
Written on: 23/04/2010
they are good to do a disco with a 3 channel mixer with a microphone but they are from 1979 and 1 has tweeter that is sounding like it is not sounding crisp and clear like the other tweeter the tweeter that works crystal clear is from maplin ages ago but i cant get the same silver colour tweeter as i did in 1997 and i am a dj called dj bezzie and i am doing a disco in the summer with them
(read more)
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Showing 1 - 10 of 30 Reviews
“A friend had 33's and 22's in the early 80's ounded...”
Written on: 19/01/2010
A friend had 33's and 22's in the early 80's ounded and looked great grills removed. Aware of the greater 44's and 66's spotted a pair in another friends parents front room, his father had been given them by a relative but didn't know or appreciate what he had, I said if he ever down sized could I be first in the queue to buy them. Well my friend gave him a small compact system and the 44's have been mine since 1999, They are rich , warm and good friends to my ears, like a classic car they... (read more)
“I actually picked my pair up in a charity shop ten...”
Written on: 08/01/2010
I actually picked my pair up in a charity shop ten years ago for £10.00. needed a little tlc so I opened upthe grilles and recovered them. Also built some dedicated stands that I filled with sand to add extra weight.I also gave the cabinets the sandpaper treatment and then waxed them. I use them upstairs as my second system in conjunction with an old Naim pre amp power amp combo. The result is stunning a curtain of sound hangs in the room- beautiful bass resonance and so much detail at the... (read more)
“the sound quality is very good i've had mine over 5...”
Written on: 08/12/2009
the sound quality is very good i've had mine over 5 years now but have had to rewire because they were freying? good for allsorts of music i would like some more celestion 44s (read more)
“I bought my Celestion Ditton 44 new in 1974 and I've...”
Written on: 04/07/2009
I bought my Celestion Ditton 44 new in 1974 and I've had them ever since. They followed me home from England to New Zealand. I've never heard any other speakers that have tempted me to change (read more)
“I bought Celestion Ditton 44 speakers in 2006 for...”
Written on: 05/06/2009
I bought Celestion Ditton 44 speakers in 2006 for $200, original parts and cabinet. My 3rd pair of Celestions, these are by far the sweetest in my sound chain along with Dynaco a-35s, using a Quest box and a Technics receiver with 115 rms per side; talk about voice presence in the room.
By themselves the sound is enormous and I hope to step up to Ditton 66 monitors one day.
(read more)
“Celestion Ditton 44 speakers are the best but the time...”
Written on: 02/03/2009 by crazyrhys19
Celestion Ditton 44 speakers are the best but the time has come to sell mine as I've had them since the 70's,and to let someone else have the pleasure of them. (read more)
“I bought my Celestion Ditton 44 speakers new in 1970s,...”
Written on: 04/02/2009 by tigersimon (3 reviews written)
I bought my Celestion Ditton 44 speakers new in 1970s, and have kept them ever since. A lot of people at the time were going for the Ditton 25s which were too bassy, or the 66s which I believe were even bigger than the 44s. However, the 44s were always considered good for classical music. So I got them, and they have been fantastic on all music types and systems. I have gone through many record, tape decks, amps and CD players, but these have stood the test of time. You can play them whisper... (read more)
“I bought these Celestion Ditton 44 speakers new in...”
Written on: 04/02/2009
I bought these Celestion Ditton 44 speakers new in 1970s. A lot of people were going for the Ditton 25s, but these were reckoned as too bass heavy - OK for rock, but I also wanted to play classical. The sound is, and remains, after 20 years, so sweet and natural. All voices and instruments come through clear with no dominance. There is a slight peeling of the side veneer on the cabinet, but appearance is generally OK. I have been tempted to switch to satellite speakers and a central bass,... (read more)
“Purchased 44,s 3 months ago already had ditton 66. ”
Written on: 29/11/2008
Purchased 44,s 3 months ago already had ditton 66.
44's have more bass output in 35-40Hz region but roll off rapidly below 35hz
66 can reproduce 20Hz. organ pedal notes
Mids and high are close to identical but 44 best when being pointed directly at listener.
Both give a full-bodied sound that is often missing in so called statement speakers yes, those have scary resolution but sound is often thin and harsh these have 85% of that resolution but really sound like singer and instruments are...
(read more)
“I saw a pair of Celestion Ditton 44 being put in a...”
Written on: 27/05/2008 by john67music (1 review written)
I saw a pair of Celestion Ditton 44 being put in a Skip to big for the room the guy told me, I carried them home one at a time they nearly ruptured me!
What a wonderful sound I have had some great speakers
These join that list, old but good, get a pair if you can.
(read more)
See next 10 reviews
Showing 11 - 20 of 30 Reviews
“I have had these for ten years, and I have been very...”
Written on: 01/05/2008 by jdcruz
I have had these for ten years, and I have been very satisfied with them. (read more)
“I bought mine in the early seventies, and there still...”
Written on: 20/02/2008 by ixion58
I bought mine in the early seventies, and there still going. Great sound, easy to drive, Cascada OK. RRR FS 100 may be better ! (read more)
“Buy these stereo speakers no matter what you already...”
Written on: 22/12/2007
Buy these stereo speakers no matter what you already have. You can really crank up the volume! (read more)
“The Celestion Ditton 44 stereo speakers sound good and...”
Written on: 06/10/2007 by cowboyrider (1 review written)
The Celestion Ditton 44 stereo speakers sound good and real. They are not very nice looking, but they offer quality sound! (read more)
“I bought mine new in the 80's for about half the MSRP....”
Written on: 31/07/2007 by cgkdesign (3 reviews written)
I bought mine new in the 80's for about half the MSRP. I was in the market for a pair a JBL 112's and my stereo guy (upstairs of a hardware store if you can believe it) had the Dittons on for half price, I took them home for a five day "test drive" and liked them so much right off the hop that I went and paid for them next day and have had them since. (read more)
Cgkdesign's Response to cgkdesign's Review
Written on: 02/08/2007
I should have probably pointed out that mine were series 2, which were updated versions of the original 44's. Though essentially the same design, they did incorporate updated drivers and minor changes to the cabinetry. I couldn't state whether the crossovers were also updated. One should note though, that very, very few listeners would be able to tell the difference from an original pair of 44's and the series 2 versions (presuming both are in good operation condition).
<br/>
<br/>The reviewer (me) apologizes for this oversight.
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“I have had these speakers for well over 20 years. When...”
Written on: 03/11/2006 by Gordon MacPherson (1 review written)
I have had these speakers for well over 20 years. When we revamped our living room I decided that we needed good quality bookshelf speakers. I had a budget of around 350 GBP. After a lot of research, I listened to the the Monitor Audio Silver RS2. I tried several CD's, including the Georgiev Rite of Spring and Richard Burton narrating Under Milkwood. I was very impressed, but found them a little harsh. I went straight back home and played them on the Celestion Ditton 44 speakers. I was... (read more)
Greg Mitchell's Response to Gordon MacPherson's Review
Written on: 10/01/2007
Would totally endorse Gordon's comments. I have listened to many makes of speakers and thes 'old' 44s still best suit my ears - subjective I know, but doesn't speaker choice have to be?
<br/>In view of their undoubted bulk compared to more modern designs, what is the best speaker stand to use? Or should I just settle for applying floor spikes?
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Noel99's Response to Gordon MacPherson's Review
Written on: 16/01/2007
Just bought a pair of Celestion Ditton 44 speakers today, for all of £6.00. I decided to look them up, and I am well chuffed. I can't wait to try them out tonight.
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Cgkdesign's Response to Gordon MacPherson's Review
Written on: 02/08/2007
Kudos to Mr. MacPherson's review. I have to agree with him that they perform well with classical music with one point to add. With exception of some very well done recordings in other genres (Joe Jackson's "Big World" comes to mind) a good audiophile classical publishing (Deutsche Grammophon is almost always a safe bet) is in fact the only way to fully bring out the wide clean bass and midrange on these speakers. They play rock just fine, but the overcompression on most pop music publishings just doesn't "push" these speakers far enough to really appreciate their quality, especially when viewed from a bang for buck perspective.
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<br/>2 thumbs up to Gordon's review.
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<br/>as post script - one thing I noticed that I should have mentioned in my review, is that these speakers seem to be less dependant on position than others I have tried. Or, more accurately, the sound quality didn't seem to fall off as harshly when moved further from their optimum position in a room.
<br/>I noticed this when I was "test driving" (borrowing from retailer) mine at home before I actually purchased them. this is purely a subjective opinion, though perhaps this has something to do with why they also sound so good outdoors.
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“I knew the Celestion Ditton 44 speakers from the 70s....”
Written on: 05/04/2006 by fado (1 review written)
I knew the Celestion Ditton 44 speakers from the 70s. I had an opportunity to buy a pair secondhand in a junk shop 7 years ago (here in Belgium) at an equivalent price of $100 in excellent condition. I just purchased a second pair at the double price today on eBay just to be sure that I have spares in case of trouble, this gives an idea of my opinion of these boxes. I really like the sound of the music that comes out of these speakers. (clear, powerful, authentic sound) (read more)
“The Celestion Ditton 44 speakers produce excellent...”
Written on: 27/02/2006 by harrymb (1 review written)
The Celestion Ditton 44 speakers produce excellent quality sound, with dynamic bass sounds. They look and sound great, and they are great. I have a pair myself. They are going on 40 years old, but they still sound as good as brand new! They are not at all worn, even though they are this old, and I am sure they will last me another few decades (I hope)! (read more)
“I picked the Celestion Ditton 44 speakers up at a tag...”
Written on: 08/12/2005 by stevo238 (1 review written)
I picked the Celestion Ditton 44 speakers up at a tag sale in the U.S. over the summer for $10.00. I fell in love with their warm room filling sound, which is akin to my Dad's single speaker Hi-fi setup from the 1950's.
Build quality is exceptional, cast speaker baskets, real (wood?) veneer, and they weigh at least 45lbs apiece at least. That's 20 kilograms!
I entertained a backyard party of 50 over the summer, and the sound from these speakers is remarkable!
(read more)
“The saying the old ones are the best is a bit of...”
Written on: 22/10/2005 by David Shand (2 reviews written)
The saying the old ones are the best is a bit of cliche but in Celestions case this period of manufacturing was their golden time.
You can listen in great detail to classical music picking out instruments with ease, rock music sounds alive and unfazed, although dance music is not my forte-when the kids use them it sounds loud and their friends think the sound is awesome.
If you are going to buy a pair of these speakers check how much the postage will be as they are very heavy, make sure the...
(read more)
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Hifisensible's Response to Rodcorke's Review
Written on: 22/09/2012
Totally agreed. I sold a pair of these on ebay and since then i've bought and traded over 40 pairs of speakers from other celestions, missions, Kef etc to b&w's and nothing has come close. Still upset even though i now have the choice of a pair of Linn Keilidh's or a pair of B&W DM602 S2's. Both are fine speakers but everything they do sounds much much nicer from a pair of 44's. Considering these were made round 40 years ago they are a gem of a speaker. That 12'' driver never seems to overwhelm itself and that midrange is to die for. If there's emotion in anything you play these'll emphasise in a way i've never heard from any speaker i've heard since. Not even close. If you get hold of a pair of these but the wife a bunch of flowers at the same time as they're a bit on the big side for the fairer sex's taste because for a sensible mans pocket i doubt you'll ever hear anything better.