Building your own high performance speaker, CSS Criton 2TD-X tower kit.

#audio #hifi #speakers #audiophile #stereo
Mine might be more than $1400, please confirm with them.

In the interest of being transparent, after I published the video, I had to send the speakers back and CSS sent me a gift to thank me for taking the time to make the video. I had no idea about this until 2 days after the video was published.

Gear used in this evaluation
Creative sound solutions Criton 2TD-X speakers
Aune S8 DAC
Exasound E28 DAC
Jcat Initio 3 linear power supply
Starkaudio LINK II
Starkaudio linear power supply
Doge 10 tube integrated amp
Mcintosh MAC 6700 integrated amp
Willsenton R800i
Moon 340i integrated amp

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Track: Left Alone — Airixis [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus
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[fletchermunson]

I have two pair of Critons and the CSS smaller P215 speaker. I built the X and standard 1TD model with upgraded crossovers. I partner them with Schiit Gungnir, Freya + and two mono Aegirs. I owned Dynaudio Evoke 20 speakers and a pair of JBL HDI 1600 speakers when I built the kits. I have since sold the Evokes and kept the JBLs for some listening variety. I am very sensitive to overly "topppy" speakers and found the Critons with REL 5Ti subs to be wonderful for a non fatiguing musical experience. Very true to the music and tonally pleasing. I just finished my X models and put them on streaming music to break them in. My listening room is in my garage/shop which is about 25 feet from the house. I was in the back of my house that morning and heard some rhythmic thumping. "What in the hell is that?" Then I realized I was hearing the muted bass from my Critons (No subs). The bass and mids are really amazing on these speaker. I am limited to high end hearing because of big guns in the military so sparkly speaker are lost on me. I can listen to these for hours with no fatigue. I built the kits for something to do. Soldering the crossovers is easy if you can solder (YouTube video). Super easy if you watch what you are doing. Clamping and gluing the prepared cabinets agains is an easy task. Adding veneer is the most difficult task but I watched several Youtube videos and managed to do a credible job. If you are at all inclined to fix things I would say go ahead and build a kit. If you want to avoid the work of adding veneer, turn them over to someone to put a nice paint job on them. A friend had a local auto body shop paint his. I also wonder if the people who apply wraps to automobiles could wrap them. You will need some tools to complete the speakers but in he end the tools will pay for themselves.

[bmjsoundstt]

I built a lot of hifi systems at a fraction of the cost of factory systems...sometimes we even modify and reinforced brand name cabinets. Building your own really gives it character.

[ronaldmcdonald]

The speaker kit biz has always been there, even if somewhat in the shadows, and the companies come and go. Everyone of them I've been familiar with over the years has offered great value for the money. Besides CSS there are several others with which you simply can't go wrong. a YouTube search puts you on the right track. There's something for every skill level, whether you take basic recipes from folks like Parts Express and do your own thing, or buy a kit that's fully loaded.
The biggest drawback for many of us is the cabinet and its finishing. Lots of products out there that provide a good basic attractive finish without the need for practiced skill sets. You can sometimes get away cheaply when the local auto body shop is about to use that metallic black (or whatever) you covet on a vehicle and fitting you in would be a breeze. Even better if you've got a cabinet flatpack where everything fits nicely and won't require too much prep before painting.
Right now I've got a project for which I want to use a familiar metallic blue common in the Opel car line, and which gets used a lot in my area where the car is built. My body shop guy gets one of these jobs every 3 or 4 weeks, and the price to paint my stand mount MTM's will be very easy on the wallet.

Same for wood veneers. Talk to a local carpentry shop, where their down time could be your money saver.

[jasonpmcqueen]

I went the DIY route for my speakers and built a pair of Troels Gravesen designed Scanspeak Illuminator Monitors. I've yet to test a pair of speakers that beats them for my use.

[JoseMorales-kred]

I've seen this video twice, very fascinating. I'm getting more into "Musical" speakers with rolled off treble. I must be getting old too! I built my own ProAc 2.5 Response speakers clones with Scanspeak drivers. I used Miflex and Jantzen Superior and Silver capacitors, coils and resistors. It is a life time speaker, the most musical and transparent piece of gear I've heard that will out do B&W speakers and more that I've heard. DIY is not for everyone, if you are not patient, willing to tune by simple measurements and mostly by listening and adjusting - or working with tools... Forget it. No point in making a speaker that sounds like trash because no effort was made. You just have to put the effort until it's fully tuned to YOUR room and proper impedances to amplifiers and baffle corrections are made. To make a great speaker, you can't make short cuts, or use crappy materials. You need time, effort, patience and a reasonable ear. You should also put effort in understanding how the drivers will behave with the electronics, etc etc etc. And listen, listen and listen! 👍

[radomirlilic]

I rarely comment on your videos but for DIY route I have to... I heard when I was vacationing in Europe Troels Gravesen Discovery 861 speaker at my friends place and I was very surprised. I ask him if we can bring his Discovery 681 to my house (in Europe) and try them there with my electronics and he agreed. When we tried I was speechless how they sound at my place. I was using T+A power amp paired with T+A pre-amp (using balanced interconnects) if you are wondering, and those speakers just sing. Here in Canada, since I am in a condo unit I use bookshelf speakers but I am planning to order one day the same exact kit (ScanSpeak Discovery 861). Try to find who has them and just listen to those as well.

BTW It looks like that we have same hobbies, photography and HiFi... love it!

[Freedom]

Had all kinds of diy speakers, mostly build with Scan Speak units, Focal units and a self build Kef LS3/5a. Now I settled with a nice set of Kef LS50 Meta’s and a MJ acoustics ref 100 mk2 subwoofer. It’s a great combo with a big Arcam amp. Maybe not the best set for everyone, but it’s the best set in my living room so far. And that’s my point, the listening room is very important in choosing your setup.

[ChicagoRob]

Only one pair: 27 yr. old B&W Matrix 805s, updated with Jantzen caps. They are one of the best bookshelf speakers ever made. I’ve been through a ton of DACs, preamps and amps, but the 805s will always stay with me.

[buzzcrushtrendkill]

For me, DIY speakers are the only way to go. One has total control over construction, components and xovers builds, etc. I built the Solstice kit from PE. It uses Morel woofers and tweeters and I am very happy with it's performance. With a little elbow grease one can have speakers that compete with manufactured at a fraction of the price and customized to ones preferences. A rewarding project.

[ferdi]

Thanks Thomas, now I know what I am going to do during our long and cold winter, DIY speakers. Since I have Focal speakers it could be a good combo.

[pieterpan]

Awesome speakers. Listening to my CSS Criton 2TD x floorstander (MTM version however) right now. 😁

And I can confirm the excellent customer support from CSS. They are awesome.
I build these before they were available and they helped me out all the way!

[scottypalmer]

In the 70's and 80's it would've been very difficult to compete with high end production loudspeakers. Today there's an abundance of quality parts available for DIY people. I built a pair of open baffle speakers utilizing a 12 inch paper cone woofer mated with a BG neo tweeter. I used KZK, Solen and Cornell Dubilier capacitors in the networks. The speakers were paired with two 15 inch open baffle subs utilizing
heavy dsp. The end result was jaw dropping. Very dynamic and lifelike. However, altogether way too big for my listening area. But it was a rewarding experience.

[rlwings]

That's how I feel about my Elac UniFi UF5 tower speakers... Smooth, easy listening, but full of imaging detail, soundstage, full holographic. Need to sit with them for a while to really get it. Also need good power to appreciate capabilities. Brighter amps\preamps and DACs really balance them out... I use a Marantz Model 30 (New version) and a Topping D90SE DAC. - Crazy good!

[hifihometheater]

Man Thomas, your videos are on another level! you have really made your channel something special with production value like the other "infomercial" type channels but you still give your real opinion. Great job! BTW, I live in the next town over from CSS and was looking at the MTM version of these. I think your video sealed the deal. Just have to sell some speakers to fund the CSS's LOL!

[wiebl]

Man Thomas, your description is outstanding. Pace and rhythm is easy to the brain, not too fast and not too slow. The amount of content is... a tad bit too much. Still, all the critical information are present. And the pairing recommendation is so helpful. I love your insight on pairing it with better amps, especially analytical amps. And the most powerful comment is, DONT BUY IT BECAUSE EVERY REVIEWER SAYS ITS GOOD, this is so so so true! But actually, it takes awhile for us to know--what you and I like. We have to experience what we don't like, in order to get to what we like, there's no way around it. Thank you so much for your dedication.

[merlecrandall]

I haven't followed you lately but now we are in a change of seasons and will have more time to catch up. I like your presentation and found that you have a good way of explaining this speaker . Different personalities of listeners and I like how you have expressed this with other audio gear.

[mortenfuglestad]

Beautiful video, Thomas! I must admit to being a bit of a audio bigamist... 😬 I like different speakers for different purposes. In total I got five pairs.

My main system has the Marten Design Django XL-speakers. A true high-end sound, that can be quite revealing, but can be driven to insane voloumes without loosing composure or clarity.

My second setup is with Tekton Design Double Impacts. Uuuge! 😜 “Natural sounding” as you said yourself. I use a tube amp and turntable in this setup.

In my living room I’ve got the Magnepan LRSs, and they are so clear and relaxing with my mosfet/class D amp, the Gato 400 DIA. Voices are incredably clear and airy.

My stereo hometheater has a pair of Piega T50 speakers. These speakers go deep, but doesn’t take up much space. They are definitly analytical, but paired with warmsounding Electrocompaniet amplification they are perfect for both movies and music, as they are capable of drawing up a huge soundstage and can easily make you forget any thoughts of surroundsound.

My fifth speakers are the Warfedale Diamond 10s. Very relaxing speakers for my bedroom. Paired with a vintage Tandberg 3012a integrated amp they are buttery smooth.

So being an “audio bigamist” is quite the life for me. I love some budget systems, and vintage systems are also a passion. But I really need the high-end stuff too - that control, that effortless finesse that follows is quite addictive.

[rw]

Hello - You called me out when when you asked who out there has two pairs of speakers! Hah! I have a pair of Focal Mezzo Utopias, and a pair of Von Schweikert VR-4 SR MkIII, which has some characteristics of the Mezzos, but they are more musical and atmospheric as you say. I really like both. My audio mania has spread to amplifiers also. I have a pair of custom modified made tube amps making 260 wpc using four matched pairs of KT 120s per mono amp, next is an Esoteric 400 wpc stereo amp, and lastly, a pair of Audio Research Class D mono amps knocking out 650 wpc. Each combo offers a very different presentation. I like them all!

[eonreeves]

when i first got into DIY I built some beautiful cabinets that sounded terrible lol.
Getting it right is a journey

[vicg]

Great review Thomas. Very insightful. I only get an hour of personal time a day, but I manage to watch you and the Cheapaudio man and sometimes the British Audiophile. Each channel is different. I do prefer your channel as it mixes both fun with critical analysis of why our perceptions differ when conversing on audiophile topics. Your workflow helps to informed us as to what devices are worth researching and why in our pursuit of audio perfection; the unicorn that it is.