Ground Control: David Bowie's Celestion Loaded Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars PA Relaunched

	The Turner system was highly favored by Bowie for its revolutionary design, which allowed him to climb the speaker stacks or perform directly in front of them without any feedback issues. Photo: Courtesy Chris Hewitt

Following the global success of his Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii PA restoration, renowned audio historian Chris Hewitt of CH Vintage Audio has completed his latest masterpiece: the relaunch of David Bowie's 1972-73, Celestion-loaded Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars "Ground Control" PA system. Originally created by Turner Audio, this historic analog wall of sound was officially relaunched in July 2026. The rig served as the sonic engine behind David Bowie and Mick Ronson during their creative zenith, culminating in the final, iconic Ziggy concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon in July 1973.

At the core of this meticulously restored Turner system lies a powerhouse collection of vintage British Celestion drivers, selected for their unmatched clarity and organic midrange. The Ground Control speaker stacks feature Celestion T1791 G15C 15" drivers running inside the unique reflex bass bins, Celestion G10L-35 10" drivers in the midrange cabinets, and Celestion DC100 compression drivers voicing the high-frequency horn boxes.

The Turner system was highly favored by Bowie for its revolutionary design, which allowed him to climb the speaker stacks or perform directly in front of them without any feedback issues. Sonically, Hewitt's restoration delivers a natural listening experience that modern digital systems struggle to match.

"When we switched the PA on with a live Bowie cover band, it all fell into place immediately," Hewitt notes. "There was no wandering around with an iPad adjusting digital processors. We overcomplicate modern sound with computers, but classic rock and roll was created by physical air moving out of big speaker cabinets. In my view, the speakers are the most critical link in the entire audio chain, and British-made Celestion drivers give them their distinct, organic warmth. Celestion is, quite simply, the voice of rock history."

A short documentary film chronicling the historic PA's restoration, featuring BBC presenters Mark Radcliffe and Marc "Lard" Riley, and is now available for viewing on YouTube. To read the full-length Q&A interview with Hewitt, visit the Celestion Speakerworld blog. To learn more about CH Vintage Audio's restoration projects, and to contact Hewitt about utilizing the Ground Control PA at events, visit CHVintageAudio.uk. .