Should I replace my 1997 Celestion impact 40s?

chris walkden

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Looking for some advice.

I have owned some Celestion Impact 40 floor standing speakers since 1997. They do the job, but they now look shabby. I am considering refurbishing the cabinets by stripping the vinyl and painting and polishing to a high black gloss, but at the same time, I keep thinking I should buy new ones.

I did want to buy some Cambridge audio Aeromax 6 floor standers to match the subwoofer and surrounds I have from Cambridge, but sod's law, they are now discontinued.

I can't decide if to buy something new or not.

It's annoying when you set your heart on something only to find you can not buy it anymore.
 

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Looking for some advice.

I have owned some Celestion Impact 40 floor standing speakers since 1997. They do the job, but they now look shabby. I am considering refurbishing the cabinets by stripping the vinyl and painting and polishing to a high black gloss, but at the same time, I keep thinking I should buy new ones.

I did want to buy some Cambridge audio Aeromax 6 floor standers to match the subwoofer and surrounds I have from Cambridge, but sod's law, they are now discontinued.

I can't decide if to buy something new or not.

It's annoying when you set your heart on something only to find you can not buy it anymore.

Would be more important to buy something that match your center channel assuming it`s decent one, you could upgrade it too. The matching for surrounds is less important and there is zero requirement to match speakers to your subwoofer, so forget that!

Those Celestions look quite old party speakers. Definitely look something more modern and well don`t go cheap if you spare cash to spend. Keep your surrounds and woofer if you happy with them otherwise.
 
Would be more important to buy something that match your center channel assuming it`s decent one, you could upgrade it too. The matching for surrounds is less important and there is zero requirement to match speakers to your subwoofer, so forget that!

Those Celestions look quite old party speakers. Definitely look something more modern and well don`t go cheap if you spare cash to spend. Keep your surrounds and woofer if you happy with them otherwise.
Cheers for the advice on matching the floorstanders to the centre. I was hoping for a set of the Cambridge Aeromax 6 speakers to match the rest of my speakers since they are all Cambridge.
 
Cheers for the advice on matching the floorstanders to the centre. I was hoping for a set of the Cambridge Aeromax 6 speakers to match the rest of my speakers since they are all Cambridge.

Your center channel doesn´t look like Aeromax range so basically you could just buy some other brand you like, front three. Of course it would probably look nicer if everything would be same range, but for typical lounge system i don´t think it will be problem sound wise for the surround channels being different brand/range after you have run the setup to get speakers level matched and if some eq is done.

Sadly i couldn´t find used Aeromax either. How much is your budget for main speakers or if upgrading the front three? You fancy gloss black then?
 
Your center channel doesn´t look like Aeromax range so basically you could just buy some other brand you like, front three. Of course it would probably look nicer if everything would be same range, but for typical lounge system i don´t think it will be problem sound wise for the surround channels being different brand/range after you have run the setup to get speakers level matched and if some eq is done.

Sadly i couldn´t find used Aeromax either. How much is your budget for main speakers or if upgrading the front three? You fancy gloss black then?
You are right, the centre is the Cambridge SX version. I would buy the SX floor standers but I just do not like the look of them. my budget is not set, but I would rather keep it at £500 or slightly less. Gloss black is not a need, more a want. Looked at Richer sounds that has been my go-to shop since the 90s, but all their black gloss speakers are in the thousands. My subwoofer is the aero 9 and I love it, the surrounds are also the sx versions. Just a shame the floor standers are not to my cosmetic liking.
 
@password1 might still have Q Acoustics Concept 40 gloss black for sale? They are good speakers and gorgeous finish too!




 
Unfortunately I sold them. They are a bargain. fit and finish are like the latest Monitor Audio Gold series. At £699 brand new, nothing comes close, Other manufacturer's offerings at a similar price point are budget low end speakers with vinyl wrap. Piano gloss finish is included. They were £1k when launched and should be £1249 in today's market, £699 is seriously underpriced.
 
If you want to stick with celestion, try picking up Celestion A4C center with A1,A2 or A3 mains. If you get them for a good price they'll beat newer cheaper speakers.
 
If you want to stick with celestion, try picking up Celestion A4C center with A1,A2 or A3 mains. If you get them for a good price they'll beat newer cheaper speakers.
Cheers for the tip. I am not sure what I am doing yet. One minute I am psyched up to buy some brand new one, then I am thinking don't be stupid, save the money and tidy up the old ones. I keep checking out the Klipsch 8000s and thinking should I, hear nothing but great reviews for them
 
Just recorded this amazing song on Youtube to sound test my old floorstanders so I could post on here. The volume was set at number 10 out of 100.

I still can't decide if to upgrade to the Klipsch rp 8000f and the centre. Sounds amazing with this song, but I watch more movies than music, and at low volume, the vocals in films can often be hard to hear. I hear that the Klipsch have brilliant clean vocals even at low volumes?

Ps, rubbish video quality in the youtube clip, and the sound is obviously not as good as it was sin person, but curious what you guys think of the sound quality.

Ps, I know the decor is now dated, lol. I hate decorating but plan to modernise soon, LOL

I do not want to be singing this song about my old speakers if I buy new ones and are disapointed.


 

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