NAMM 2025: Celestion Peacekeeper Speaker for Lower-Volume Tube Amp Bliss

laxu · Jan 19, 2025

Peacekeeper - Celestion

The Peacekeeper is a revolutionary new attenuating speaker for guitarists from Celestion. It’s the simplest and most toneful way of being able to dial your amplifier right up to its “sweet spot”, while keeping the decibel levels down. Featuring a unique dual voice coil design, this attenuating...

celestion.com

laxu · Jan 19, 2025

I wonder how this performs. Not that I need one, but those running non-master volume amps might find this a useful option instead of attenuators.

I used to have the Eminence Maverick, which had a knob in the back that would move the magnet, effectively making it adjustable between 91-100 dB sensitivity. It worked pretty decently, but changed its voicing a good bit. It got darker and smoother sounding as the sensitivity went down so you had to compensate with amp settings. I think it was a cool idea, shame Eminence abandoned it.

GTR37 · Jan 19, 2025

I think this is another product trying to keep real amps popular and address thing like volume , so you can actually have a mic’d cab sound at bedroom volumes
It’s a good idea and I think you are going to see more of these types of things as the amp builders continue to try to find new ways and new technologies to stay in the ring against all the modellers and plugins that are stealing market share and young guitarist attention

TheTrueZoltan! · Jan 19, 2025

I think this is a great idea! And I respect Celestion for continuing to develop innovative new products. If they were like Gibson, they would just keep re-releasing the same Vintage 30 of certain years at horrendous prices.

sleewell · Jan 19, 2025

Pretty cool idea as long as it's sounds good. Honestly i wonder why it took so long lol

Jarick · Jan 19, 2025

That’s really intriguing.

laxu · Jan 19, 2025

GTR37 said:
I think this is another product trying to keep real amps popular and address thing like volume , so you can actually have a mic’d cab sound at bedroom volumes

I don't think it will work that well for those uses. If a typical Celestion guitar speaker is about 96-100 dB @ 1m @ 1 KHz sensitivity, then shaving off 10-14 dB is unlikely to make any non-master volume amp bedroom volume friendly.

If you have a modern master volume design, then you could just set it at the appropriate volume with the MV knob. Being able to turn it from say 1/10 to 3-4/10 won't make any real difference in how it sounds because the difference is like 90% how you hear a louder sound in the room instead of anything the amp does, still running within its clean headroom.

I think the best usecase for this would be for something like a 50-100W non-master volume Marshall (or older master volume amps that might benefit from some poweramp drive) for live use. It could turn it from "obnoxiously loud" to "usable loud" where e.g bright cap effect is reduced some and so on.

newholland · Jan 19, 2025

thats kinda great- maybe the spider is made of something basically immovable, or it has ridiculous excursion

i can only imagine the combo of things necessary to cripple a speaker to that level. thats worse than most modern hifi drivers!

KFF · Jan 19, 2025

Say what you like, but... it's a great name!

metropolis_4 · Jan 19, 2025

Great idea! Is this brand new? I can’t find any info about it anywhere

newholland · Jan 19, 2025

wondering what its voiced like? kinda looks like a greenback.

laxu · Jan 19, 2025

metropolis_4 said:
Great idea! Is this brand new? I can’t find any info about it anywhere

Yeah seems to be brand new, probably unveiled at NAMM.

nicolasrivera · Jan 20, 2025

How it Works

The Peacekeeper incorporates innovative attenuating technology that significantly reduces the speaker’s output sensitivity.

This allows players to drive their amps to their sweet spot without the accompanying increase in volume. Importantly, Celestion emphasizes that this attenuation is achieved “organically” through the loudspeaker’s design, ensuring no detrimental impact on the amp’s natural tone.

Key Features

Reduced Volume: Enables high-gain playing at significantly lower volumes.
Preserves Tone: Maintains the natural tone and character of the amplifier.
Standard Size: Compatible with a wide range of 12″ guitar speakers.
8Ω Impedance: Suitable for most standard amplifier configurations.
50W Power Handling: Accommodates a broad spectrum of amplifier types.

A Solution for Disgruntled Neighbors

The rise of amp modelers and headphone amps has offered alternative solutions for quiet playing. However, many guitarists still prefer the authentic sound of their beloved tube amps. The Peacekeeper provides a compelling option for these players, allowing them to enjoy the full sonic potential of their amps without compromising their relationships with their neighbors.

While the price point remains to be announced, the Peacekeeper is expected to offer a more cost-effective solution compared to dedicated attenuators or loadboxes for many players.