For my econowave-like project I wanten to get another set of B&C DE250. Simply because to me, it strikes a perfect balance between a smooth but rich & detailed sound without breaking the bank. On top of that it's been reported to work really well with the waveguide I was planning to use (first take on a selfmade Seos 12 clone).
While browsing the web for some projects with wavewguides just for inspiration, I found a guy (Gainphile, google his blog for measurements) who claimed this particular Celestion driver is a 1 on 1 replacement for the &C driver for half the cost! He swapped them out on his build and even the notches in his filter were spot on with this Celestion!
I was sceptical but after seeing his measurements I decided there was no harm in trying it out. Long story short: It's all true. These two drivers sound EXACTLY alike, measure the same, the only difference being the Celestion is a lot cheaper.
Having a BMS 4550 on a Seos 18 in my main speakers, I've come to be pretty spoiled when it comes to waveguide & compression drivers. Still, my new loudspeakers (there in my study room, driven by a nice Aurex SE tube amplifier) using the Celestion on my home made waveguides sound and measures exceptionally well and I have absolutely no trouble moving to the study for some serious listening when my wife wants to see some cooking show again.
There smoooooth, still retain a detailed sound while never getting harsh are tyring. I'm really happy I found out about this deal and even ordered another pair to make another set of speakers for some friends who were equally baffled by the rich and textured sound these cheap darlings produce.
If your in the market for a pair of economically priced, top end sounding compression drivers, these are for you.
