Thanks! Yup, mine have the Aerolam cabinet and they're in great shape. I kinda came to the same conclusion you suggest after I posted this thread.
Went to Sterophile's archives online, and found a review of the SL700's by John Atkinson (9/88) in which he compares/contrasts with the SL600's, which he also owned and used as a prior reference in his high end rig. To my untutored eye, his impedance and 1/3 octave response graphs of the 700 and 600 together seem to support his opinion of sonic similarity from the low end to the cross-over point (crossover was at 3k). The construction of the boxes is the same, but the tweeters and cross-overs in the units are different (copper in the SL600's, aluminum in the SL700's). In the graphs, the SL600s roll-off more gently on the top end, but at a lower amplitude.
Then in '89 and '92 he reviewed the SL600si's and did some comparison/contrast with the 600's and the 700's.
From the above reviews, I get the sense that, in the Celestion line, my best shot at a relatively seamless system will be with the SL700's (or maybe some SL700se's) as fronts, with SL600's, SL600si's or SL700's as a center and surrounds. I'll try a Velodyne ULD-18 monster that a good friend is willing to sell as a sub for HT. It's big enough to double as a coffee table.
Seems like I'll get killed selling what I've got and then trying to buy a set that will provide equal musical satisfaction. I'm glad that my Audiogon ad to sell my SL700's expired. Thank you Stereophile and Mr. Atkinson!
All-in-all, it was enough for me to post Wanted ads here for the SL600's. SL600si's and SL700's here. I really do agree with you (tho' I am really pretty new at this): I'm going with speakers I really like for music, and I'll match them up for use with HT, rather than vice-versa. Wish me luck.
Thanks again for your input!
Mike
Went to Sterophile's archives online, and found a review of the SL700's by John Atkinson (9/88) in which he compares/contrasts with the SL600's, which he also owned and used as a prior reference in his high end rig. To my untutored eye, his impedance and 1/3 octave response graphs of the 700 and 600 together seem to support his opinion of sonic similarity from the low end to the cross-over point (crossover was at 3k). The construction of the boxes is the same, but the tweeters and cross-overs in the units are different (copper in the SL600's, aluminum in the SL700's). In the graphs, the SL600s roll-off more gently on the top end, but at a lower amplitude.
Then in '89 and '92 he reviewed the SL600si's and did some comparison/contrast with the 600's and the 700's.
From the above reviews, I get the sense that, in the Celestion line, my best shot at a relatively seamless system will be with the SL700's (or maybe some SL700se's) as fronts, with SL600's, SL600si's or SL700's as a center and surrounds. I'll try a Velodyne ULD-18 monster that a good friend is willing to sell as a sub for HT. It's big enough to double as a coffee table.
Seems like I'll get killed selling what I've got and then trying to buy a set that will provide equal musical satisfaction. I'm glad that my Audiogon ad to sell my SL700's expired. Thank you Stereophile and Mr. Atkinson!
All-in-all, it was enough for me to post Wanted ads here for the SL600's. SL600si's and SL700's here. I really do agree with you (tho' I am really pretty new at this): I'm going with speakers I really like for music, and I'll match them up for use with HT, rather than vice-versa. Wish me luck.
Thanks again for your input!
Mike