The continuing recession means that every loudspeaker manufacturer has need of a clutch of modestly-priced models in his range. It is probably an exaggeration—but only a slight one—to say that any fool can make a reasonable loudspeaker if price is no object, whilst only the most skilled of designers can make a good cheap one. Certainly the best British talents (which probably means the world’s best) have been hard at it recently and, as a result, there has been a performance revolution in the lower-price bracket which has already benefited very many listeners. Today’s £100 pair of loudspeakers would run rings round those of seven or eight years ago, even allowing for inflation, and quite a few examples have had recent mention in these columns.
Celestion are already on the second bite of this cherry. These three Dittons are updates of very successful originals, and all are beneficiaries of their creators’ now well-known harnessing of laser-based measurement techniques. Although a family of identical outward appearance (simulated walnut veneer and dark-brown grille cloth on a shaped frame), and all are closed-box two-unit designs, there are significant differences apart from the obvious one of physical size.
The Ditton 100 uses a I75mm (61-inch) bass and midrange unit with a neoprene roll surround to the 120mm paper cone. This cone is unusual in that the moulding tool has been recessed to provide reinforcement, and therefore additional stiffness, to the inner 100mm of the cone diameter. This unit has a free-air resonance of 45Hz, rising to 95Hz in the 8-litre (0-3 cu. ft.) folded particle-board cabinet. This contains three layers of BAF absorbent and a four-element crossover network, centred on 2.3kHz, bolted to the rear cabinet wall. There are also a pair of those ubiquitous but rather unreliable springloaded terminals. The tweeter is a small softdome unit protected by a metal mesh. The bass unit is rebated flush with the front panel and the grille frame is tapered and shaped behind the cloth to assist sound dispersion. Therefore suggest that you ignore any advice you may have seen to remove the grille in this case: because (a) such advisers usually confuse ‘different’ with ‘better’; (b) having paid for it you might as well use it; (c) this loudspeaker really does sound better with it on. The stated impedance of 8 ohms is correct, although there is a shallow fall to about 6 ohms around 5kHz. No amplifier will be troubled by this and, as the sensitivity is above average, one of relatively low power will suffice.
The sound of the Ditton 100 is nicely balanced within the obvious limitations of size and price. The 95Hz resonance suitably enhances the bass line of much popular music whilst avoiding an excess of chestiness on male voices. Midrange is endowed with sufficient detail to cope with most things, and the top is expressive without undue emphasis of sibilance or hardness of string tone. Horizontal distribution is fairly even but vertically it seems wise not to listen above the axis of the bass/midrange unit. As is the case with most loudspeakers using second-order networks, there is a tendency for the sound to take on a raucous character as the angle increases, becoming almost a squeal at higher angles. Indeed, if I had to place these loudspeakers low down and could not tilt them back, I would certainly try using them upside-down with the tweeter below the bass/midrange. However, given a little care in placement, there is a great deal of musical enjoyment to be obtained from a pair of these Ditton 100s for they hold together well, even when asked to reproduce the most complex sounds.
The Ditton 110 also uses a 120mm paper cone but this is not graded as in the 100; instead it is coated on the outside with a thin layer of some tacky soft damping material. An inward rolled surround is fitted and the unit is not recessed flush with the front panel. Two layers of BAF absorbent in the 15-litre (0.5 Cu. ft.) cabinet lifts the unit’s free-air resonance of 42Hz to 88Hz in situ. An unprotected soft-dome tweeter, the HF 1003, is fed above 2.3kHz from a five-element crossover and again the impedance drops a little below the nominal 8 ohms in the area around 4.5kHz. The grille cloth is on an open frame and its effect on the sound was judged to be negligible, except at the highest frequencies where it seemed to smooth over a slight colouration.
I did not like the sound of the 110 as well as I had liked its junior for, although it obviously went lower down in the bass and had better control of hangover in the midrange which improved articulation, there was a grasping, forward character to the sound which always had you wishing to turn it down a bit, although in truth it was already below what would have been right for the programme perspective. Some of my friends did not experience this to the same degree and were inclined to favour it over the 100, but I know which pair I would prefer to be stuck with on that mythical desert island.
The Ditton 130 is a different beast entirely. Here we have a 150mm diameter cone but this time vacuum-formed from light-weight undamped plastics, actually vinyl homopolymer (I relish these chemical names) with a larger (36mm) voice-coil and a much more substantial magnet. The free-air resonance is 26Hz and rises to 56Hz in the 22.5-litre box which is lined with two layers of BA F absorbent on all sides. A liveelement network crosses over to the H F 1003 tweeter at 2.8kHz and the impedance curve is now very different, falling to almost 6 ohms in the 150-250Hz region. Allowing for this, the Ditton 130 is the least sensitive of the trio but, even so, there will be plenty of volume available from quite modest amplifiers. There is obviously a considerable improvement to the low frequency response with this, the largest of the three models and the basses of the classical orchestra are well reproduced, as are timpani and most of the organ’s footwork. In the midrange there is attractive detail and presence slightly marred by a colouration which occurs on some instruments and voices, and which I call ‘bottle’ because it reminds me of the resonances which bottles exhibit when being filled (or emptied). It is not so pronounced as the bell-like characteristic which I have come to associate with polypropylene cones but it can be quite obvious at times. However, this is but a small blemish on an otherwise very acceptable loudspeaker and one which is remarkably fine value for money. It has quite a number of competitors and they all have their good and bad points but, when you come to make your own comparisons, I would not be surprised to find the 130 topping the list.
All things considered, each in this revised trio of junior Dittons is worth a place in the shopping lists of those climbing the rungs of the hi-fl ladder. They would also make a most worthwhile upgrade for the hundreds of thousands of simply awful loudspeakers supplied as part of many music-centres or rack systems; as a general rule, the amplifier department of these systems is capable of much better results than the supplied loudspeakers permit; if you own one, why not give it a better chance? GEOFFREY HORN.