# Celestion Blue or Gold



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Anyone ever spent time with these two? What is the tonal differences if any?


----------



## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I've used both in several amps over the years. They're both very nice, clear but not overly bright. Compressed in a good way at high volumes. The Gold seems to have a bit more in the low end and sounds a bit tighter, but they are very similar. They seem to sound best with EL84 amps.


----------



## Wileyone (Jul 23, 2011)

Are the new Blue's and Gold's still made in the UK?


----------



## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Wileyone said:


> Are the new Blue's and Gold's still made in the UK?


No - they moved production to China several years ago.

I wouldn't categorize these as "clear" per se, as they tend to compress the reproduced signal quite a bit, especially the Blue with it's thinner cone. That compression smooths out the high end response quite nicely for a sweet vintage tone, but it won't likely be the answer for someone looking for a less defined, harder-edged, more modern tone.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I used a 2X12 Blues loaded cabinet with the Dr Z Stangray, Maserati and Carmen Ghia. I've played through a 2X12 Gold loaded cabinet only briefly with a Dr Z Prescription EX. I didn't really play the Golds long enough to get a jist of the differences. As well the amps were very different. 
From what I understand you'd use the Golds if you want the Celestion Blue sound with a higher powered amp.


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Well, I did not know that the Blue and Gold are MIC, probably the UK prices threw me off. 

Not knocking them, MIC Greenbacks came in all of the Traynor cabs and amps I have.
Not bad speakers, but they were eventually changed out, more for experimentation, than anything.
I would say though, that the replacement speakers I used are superior.


----------



## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I'm still looking forward to the opportunity to try a Gold in my Stang Ray. Sounds good now but imagine how much better in could be....


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

vadsy said:


> I'm still looking forward to the opportunity to try a Gold in my Stang Ray. Sounds good now but imagine how much better in could be....



From what I've heard you are better off with the Blues in your Stangray. I kind of thought the same way as you when I owned a Stangray but other Dr Z owners warned me against it. According to them with the lower powered blues you can move that cone much better than you would the Golds.
I see the Golds being used a lot with the Dr Z Maz 38

EDIT: Ah I see you're referring to using one Gold With your Stangray. That is something I never personally considered as I prefer 2X12.

- - - Updated - - -



sulphur said:


> Well, I did not know that the Blue and Gold are MIC, probably the UK prices threw me off.
> 
> Not knocking them, MIC Greenbacks came in all of the Traynor cabs and amps I have.
> Not bad speakers, but they were eventually changed out, more for experimentation, than anything.
> I would say though, that the replacement speakers I used are superior.


The blues that were in my Maserati and Stangray were both made in the UK. Of course the Maserati was a 2004. The Stangray was a 2009.
I'm sure there is still a line of Blues that are made exclusively in the UK.


----------



## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

guitarman2 said:


> From what I've heard you are better off with the Blues in your Stangray. I kind of thought the same way as you when I owned a Stangray but other Dr Z owners warned me against it. According to them with the lower powered blues you can move that cone much better than you would the Golds.
> I see the Golds being used a lot with the Dr Z Maz 38
> 
> EDIT: Ah I see you're referring to using one Gold With your Stangray. That is something I never personally considered as I prefer 2X12.
> ...


I had a 2x12 ZBest but found it too large to haul around, went down to a 1x12 cab with a convertible back. I don't want to put a single 15 watt speaker (Blue) into a 30 watt amp, thus my quest for a Gold continues.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

vadsy said:


> I had a 2x12 ZBest but found it too large to haul around, went down to a 1x12 cab with a convertible back. I don't want to put a single 15 watt speaker (Blue) into a 30 watt amp, thus my quest for a Gold continues.


Yes I had the Zbest as well. Its fair amount heavier than the 2X12 open back I carried around. Boy that Zbest would make my Maz38 just thump but I couldn't use it anywhere. Had such a long throw it would be too much for any club. I used it on my Stangray head for a while as well, while I waited for delivery of my open back cab. I like the zbest as well with my Carmen Ghia.


----------



## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Back to OP's question. Just generalizing here, but the Blue can sound more lush and three-dimensional than the Gold, especially in lowered powered amps (say 20W or less) or when played clean to moderate distortion levels. The Gold has a little later breakup due to its heavier cone and overall construction, a skosh more bottom end and has a creamier "singing" quality in louder or harder driven situations where a Blue would tend to mush out due to getting so compressed.


----------



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

gtone said:


> Back to OP's question. Just generalizing here, but the Blue can sound more lush and three-dimensional than the Gold, especially in lowered powered amps (say 20W or less) or when played clean to moderate distortion levels. The Gold has a little later breakup due to its heavier cone and overall construction, a skosh more bottom end and has a creamier "singing" quality in louder or harder driven situations where a Blue would tend to mush out due to getting so compressed.


Had the Blues for a while in a Brian May sig Vox. Nice. So ya, was wondering where the gold would take it in terms of tone.


----------



## SaxonCabs (May 4, 2009)

gtone said:


> No - they moved production to China several years ago.
> 
> I wouldn't categorize these as "clear" per se, as they tend to compress the reproduced signal quite a bit, especially the Blue with it's thinner cone. That compression smooths out the high end response quite nicely for a sweet vintage tone, but it won't likely be the answer for someone looking for a less defined, harder-edged, more modern tone.



The Blues, Golds and Heritage line are UK made. Everything else is China.


----------



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

SaxonCabs said:


> The Blues, Golds and Heritage line are UK made. Everything else is China.


I believe that is the case. I know the heritage are for sure because I just got one


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

SaxonCabs said:


> The Blues, Golds and Heritage line are UK made. Everything else is China.


That was my understanding, they're charging premium prices for them.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

This is what Celestion themselves say about the Gold in comparing it to the Blue.

Building on the platform of the Blue, the Gold is a higher-powered, Alnico-magnet speaker that recreates the unmistakable sonic signature of a 'well played-in' original. Over time, the high frequencies of a Blue soften and become less chalky as the cone becomes more flexible – a much sought after characteristic that the Gold exhibits straight out of the box. Also present in the Gold sound from the outset is an added warmth and complexity in the midrange which, coupled with the classic Alnico qualities of a laid-back attack, rounded low end and brilliant bell-like highs, deliver huge rhythm voicings and saturated vocal lead tones.

The Gold is a wonderfully expressive and revealing loudspeaker, affording guitarists an unprecedented degree of dynamic control. It has already become a favourite for many working players worldwide whether picking and bending with Brad Paisley, or rocking hard with Danny Spitz of Anthrax.


----------



## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

SaxonCabs said:


> The Blues, Golds and Heritage line are UK made. Everything else is China.


My bad - apparently only the Vox Blues speakers that go into the AC15/AC30 amp line-up are made in China, all after-market Celestion Blue/Gold drivers are still being manufactured in GB. Sorry for the confusion!


----------



## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Correct.... differentiated by the lable. If it says Vox on the bell cover sticker, it's Chinese.



gtone said:


> My bad - apparently only the Vox Blues speakers that go into the AC15/AC30 amp line-up are made in China, all after-market Celestion Blue/Gold drivers are still being manufactured in GB. Sorry for the confusion!


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

nonreverb said:


> Correct.... differentiated by the lable. If it says Vox on the bell cover sticker, it's Chinese.


That's likely because of VOX wanting a lower price.


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

They all do that Stead, well most manufacturers, the big guys.

Every new amp that I've bought with a speaker loaded, has an MIC speaker.
Traynor, Jet City and Egnater all had MIC speakers, from different manufacturers.

If you were to go with an upscale amp, it may be different, that's part of the upcharge.


----------



## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

It was my understanding that the Vox Blues where assembled in China using a UK frames and magnets but Chinese made cones. The new Vox fawn handwired series amps apparently have all UK Blues in them.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

zurn said:


> It was my understanding that the Vox Blues where assembled in China using a UK frame and magnet but Chinese cone. The new Vox fawn handwired series amps apparently have all UK Blues in them.


That pretty much confirms what Sulphur said. 

Now, I wonder what the quality difference is between the UK and Chinese ones if any except price and the "Made In" stamp.


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

I haven't tried original Greenbacks, but I've heard guys say that there's not much difference.
If there is, it's probably incremental.

The big difference though, is the price and reselling.
Some guys just want the British speakers, but that comes with a premium.


----------

