Is DIY really the right option? CSS Criton 1TD-X Review!

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  • Опубликовано: 6 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 92

  • @fletchermunson6225
    @fletchermunson6225 Год назад +11

    I've built the TD and TDX as well as a smaller version no longer marketed.Fantastic speakers for the money. Assembly is a no brainer. I would not recommend a dark sounding amp. Something reasonable with some life might be the Yamaha 801 and down line or Audiolab. As Nemo pointed out finishing is the issue. I watched some of the RUclips videos on veneering and managed to do a good job myself, but then I'm good at this stuff and enjoy it. If you are not I have two suggestions First, I believe they make this speaker with a Baltic Birch flat pack. This wood is so nice you only have to give it a light finish sand, spray, brush or rub on finish and you are done. Second option is to paint them. You could probably hand these over to most auto body shops and the painters would put a nice automotive grade finish on that would be cool. Pick any one of thousands of auto colors. You can also do that easily yourself. Just get some rattle cans with thick covering automotive primer and sand the cabinets to smooth out the MDF irregularities and then spray on your finish. If you get a good quality automotive finish you can even color sand it for a high gloss or get a matte finish. Again any color you wish.

    • @fletchermunson6225
      @fletchermunson6225 11 месяцев назад

      My thoughts exactly but I think it needs a smooth surface to adhere to. So that means priming and sanding. Just getting the BalticBirch might be a better option.
      @@johnm3544

  • @lloydbrown3223
    @lloydbrown3223 Год назад +5

    Drinking my coffee and watching a Nemo review makes for a great Saturday morning! Thanks!

  • @Johnnytrades101
    @Johnnytrades101 Год назад +7

    "Spread their legs!!" 😂😂😂 such a way with words.....

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      ahahahahaha, yeah I caught that in post, meant to say wings of course but maybe my mind was somewhere else aye! :)

  • @MDFGamingVideo
    @MDFGamingVideo 11 месяцев назад +1

    You should REALLY try to get a review sample of the X-LS Encore. It is an EXCELLENT DIY Bookshelf kit, with many custom options. Others have reviewed them very favorably. I think you will like them.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад +2

      Danny is not interested in me or my reviews and I am not interested in him or his videos.

  • @chandlerlofton6536
    @chandlerlofton6536 11 месяцев назад

    I love CSS Audio. I have the Torri in my living room with the Emotiva TA1 and they sound amazing. I actually have the 1TDX flat pack that needs to be assembled. Hopefully ordering the speaker kit next month. I can’t wait to hear the things!

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад

      Nice! I'm guessing you can happily confirm that Emo/CSS is a great combo! The Emotiva amps have no problem driving them and control the bass nicely.

  • @mantaproject
    @mantaproject Год назад

    Thanks Nemo for this review, hope you feeling well soon.

  • @MTMXBL
    @MTMXBL Год назад +1

    I will be pairing these (Superior Crossover) with a Hegel H95, the speakers are nearly finished - hopefully they sound good! You mentioned the H190, that is out of my price range. Do you think the H95's are sufficient to power the 1TDX?

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      I don't have any experience with the H95 so I can't really say. The Emotiva TA1 is just fine with an honest 50w RMS per channel so I'd imagine it would be okay.

  • @tmdillon1969
    @tmdillon1969 11 месяцев назад +1

    I built the 1TDX with all the upgrades first and then a set of the Torii. My thoughts are they are both well worth the money but the price difference means some big changes between the two. My wife could care less about audio and still comments on how good the 1TDX sounds. I paid for the birch upgrade on the 1TDX but would not do that again. The tolerances on the MDF are tighter and unlike the birch, I didn't have to sand the MDF to get the boxes to fit. But unlike the Torii, the 1TDX front and rear baffles are rabbeted to properly slot into the sides, top, and bottom. The baffles on the Torii just sit flat on the rest of the box. My 1TDX sounds good with a higher-end Yamaha AVR but when I paired them with Bel Canto monoblocs they really, really sing. These were entry Bel Cantos when they were new so we're not talking 5K in amps.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад +1

      that makes sense to me, AVR's rarely have the current driving capabilities that harder to drive speaker would need. Even the S400 MK2 which isn't too hard to drive doesn't sound its best with a mid level AVR.

  • @jonaskeusch
    @jonaskeusch 3 месяца назад

    Do you think the Yamaha A-S701 would be a good match? Thanks for the interesting video!

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  3 месяца назад

      I have not heard it, have you tried asking CSS directly?

    • @jonaskeusch
      @jonaskeusch 3 месяца назад

      @@NemoPropaganda Not yet, but will do 👍

  • @lsaideOK
    @lsaideOK Год назад

    Excellent review. Just wanted to let you know I used that HDMI to RCA piece you recommended and it works like a charm. Well, the HDMI piece didn't work but it worked with the optical connection. So I'm listening to my 41-year-old Yamaha connected to my LG TV! Thanks!

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад

      Hell yeah brother! Glad it mostly worked!!! If you're in the mood to try the HDMI again make sure its on the ARC hdmi output but for how inexpensive that thing is you could have just gotten one with a bad chip inside or doa HDMI input. Such is the case with inexpensive goods.

    • @lsaideOK
      @lsaideOK Год назад

      @@NemoPropaganda That's a good idea. I thought I did that when I originally installed it. But, when I gave it another go a few days ago, I didn't recheck that. No harm in trying!

  • @gregoryfrassetti1276
    @gregoryfrassetti1276 11 месяцев назад

    Now for the icing on the cake please review the 2TDX model with upgraded crossover

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад

      towers are a little hard for me to deal with so I generally stay away.

  • @Pete.across.the.street
    @Pete.across.the.street 11 месяцев назад +1

    DIY offers huge value in this hobby. Just don't forget to factor in the tools you will need to buy. Don't cheap out and try to build without the proper tools unless you like the pain. I'm building DYI monoblocks from unpopulated pcbs and there are a lot of hidden costs that I didn't plan for. It's been fun and a lot easier than I thought. Just have to take your time and make sure you do it right. There is also a huge value in modding decent equipment and making it, almost, high-end.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад +1

      I solder like a gorilla with cerebral palsy so my hats off to you sir! I wish I could do something like that but I'd just throw in the towel.

  • @Temmple
    @Temmple Год назад +1

    I liked to 1TDx better than the S400. Both are great but the CSS to me sounded better in my room. Also liked it more than the 1723 THX. Great valued speaker for sure.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      nothing wrong with that, personal taste is a big factor. The 1723 THX is a great speaker but more clarity/neutrality focused so its a very different sound.

  • @timbacchus
    @timbacchus 10 месяцев назад

    As I get older I love tweeters. Most store bought tweeters do not sounds crisp like I like. I hope these do a good job.

  • @larryh.4629
    @larryh.4629 Год назад

    Been wondering where you been, was just looking at their kits last week, maybe someday still trying to get the house done and if I were to get distracted I'm pretty sure I'd get an earful. But I'm confident finish and assembly would be doable. Get well, content can wait.

  • @keepingupwiththejones2933
    @keepingupwiththejones2933 Год назад

    Feel better soon. I remember that video. Affordable is the way to go.

  • @nevertoolatetoescape
    @nevertoolatetoescape 11 месяцев назад

    I'm looking at picking up my first set of "good" speakers and I'm very tempted to pick up one of CSS' kits as U love the value of the DIY kits. I'm only 43, but have decent hearing loss and can't hear over 8000Hz. Do you have an opinion on which would be better for me? I know it's a matter of taste, but I'm not sure if the hearing loss would sway your opinion either way.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад

      Sooo, I love CSS a lot, but based on your hearing loss I think you will prefer something like the Heco Celan Revolution 3, it's treble is not too bright but its extremely well defined and if you need more it has a +2dB tap on the back which you might appreciate. I reviewed them here: ruclips.net/video/ATs-PbpVaGI/видео.htmlsi=dLGkpo3vGUyCGwMy

  • @2madamimadam290
    @2madamimadam290 Год назад +1

    Hand assembly for noobies is doable! The trick is patience. Do it over a few evenings and weekends. You'll never get X-overs like these in typical affordable speakers. Love my 2-tdx (and the Typhons)

  • @vicg5323
    @vicg5323 8 месяцев назад

    The TDX went neck to neck with a 4K Dyna Audio and did well for 1/4 the price!

  • @anthonymiriello5029
    @anthonymiriello5029 10 месяцев назад

    Nemo, grear review with excellent detail.
    I own these as well. I do really like them but sometimes find the wzrmth and richness of the mids not so engaging when im listening to various styles of metal or hard rock. They really sound great to me with jazz, blues and pop.
    The other day i was watching your review of the Arendal 1725 bookshelves and i felt foolish but it really dawned on me how warm and rich the mids are on this speaker. Also the treble with the upgraded tweeter is definitely very articulate and detailed.
    Still I find myself looking for a second speaker to switch off with , something with neutrality and a bit more bite.
    Its like looking for a unicorn, its gotta exist somewhere.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  10 месяцев назад

      I understand your desire deeply my bro, I'm the same way, usually I rock the Buckardt S400 MK2 but sometimes I want more snap & clarity which is why I was dual weidling the S400 MK2 and Focal Aria 906 for a long time, I've since moved on to the Platimon & S400 MK2 as my 2 main speakers. As far as what's right for you do keep in mind a lot of those more open, calrity, type speakers will not have the bass performance of something like the 1TDX. With that said the Heco Celan Rev 3 is great, much more clarity & open up top, mids & bass are still warm though not as warm as the 1TDX, even more on the clarity side would be the Focal Aria 906, a bit of a ripoff at full price but I'm seeing used sets go for $900 and at that price it'd be a great speaker to have as a contrast to the 1TDX, the Aria 906 is all the way on the side of being detailed & analytical, even cool in the midrange.

  • @bsbabcock
    @bsbabcock 11 месяцев назад

    I built and am enjoying these with the same superior crossover powered by a Schiit Vidar 2 fed by a Node X. Did you find they needed some time to open up? I found after several hours of play they really opened up. First power up was disappointing as they were strained and weak but after a few hours they really began to show up as I can only assume the drivers as well as amp had to break in a bit. Your thoughts? At present I’m high passing at 40hz with the Node X and they appear to appreciate that and will definitely go well with a subwoofer for extreme low frequencies.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад +1

      Mine was a used pair so no break in was needed but generally harder to drive speakers will need some break in because the suspension is fairly stiff on the driver.

  • @yannis7815
    @yannis7815 Год назад

    Man I love a speaker that isn't fussy with whatever music you throw at them. How would you say these compare to the HECO Celan Revolution 3? And also the much cheaper HECO Aurora 300's? Awesome video as always.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +2

      celan has better treble, 1TDX has better bass, midrange is equal. Both speakers are extremely good. Overall the 1TDX will sound a little more relaxed & powerful than the Celan. Aurora 300 is more comparible to 1TD but 1TD is better overall so the Aurora 300 is kind of like a poor mans 1TD.

  • @ragkong
    @ragkong 11 месяцев назад

    Yet another great review 👍

  • @keith6872
    @keith6872 8 месяцев назад

    Thanks. I believe you!

  • @abxaudiophiles
    @abxaudiophiles Год назад

    Lets go!!.... :) Great review bro!! Get better soon! :)

  • @mahaccount8737
    @mahaccount8737 Год назад

    Hey Nemo, While its still fresh in your mind, how do these speakers sound against the Platimon's? being the huge difference in cost, id be interested to know your thoughts.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад

      very different sound my man, the Platimon are far more neutral and resolving while the 1TDX is more flavorful with a much warmer presentation overall. Their performance against eachother doesn't even matter as the sound and price are so different nobody would ever cross shop them.

  • @bengleason508
    @bengleason508 Год назад

    Get better soon!

  • @mikehuntington4440
    @mikehuntington4440 Год назад

    My question is..... If you did go into a real coughing frenzy, would you have edited it out. 😂 I love how you're able to pull off your videos in one take. Keep em coming man.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад

      You're asking the important questions! I think I'd probably leave it in lol

  • @mhester99
    @mhester99 Год назад

    Hey Nemo! Thanks for the review!What about comparison to the Heco Celan Revolution 3?

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      celan has better treble, 1TDX has better bass, midrange is equal. Both speakers are extremely good. Overall the 1TDX will sound a little more relaxed & powerful than the Celan.

    • @mhester99
      @mhester99 Год назад

      @@NemoPropaganda thanks! I’m loving my Heco’s!

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      @@mhester99 me too :) I bought the review sample.

  • @martytoo
    @martytoo Год назад

    I'll add that I bought mine on Black Friday of 2021. I think the deal was 10% off.
    I really like my 1TDX which I bought with the birch flat pack.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      Nice! If I was building these for myself I'd def go for the birch option, its a bit costly but I'm a sucker for nicer wood.

    • @bsbabcock
      @bsbabcock 11 месяцев назад

      @@NemoPropaganda yeah I went Birch as well. About the only concern is nice smooth edges so if veneering or painting, some filler and proper sanding required. Such is DIY.. I ended up using high build primer, a small round over bit all around and Valspar cabinet black with turned out pretty cool.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад

      @@bsbabcock throw up a pic in the discord if you're in there.

  • @Atheistic007
    @Atheistic007 11 месяцев назад

    I'm looking to buy these and power them with a Decware Zen Triodoe tube amp rated 2 watts. You mention that a 2-3 watt tube amp might not be best. These speakers are rated at 87dB at 1 watt. I do most of my listing under 70dB in a small but heavily treated room. What are you thoughts on this? At 70dB I'd be running 1/6 watt, a.k.a. 160 milliwatt to power these for 70dB

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад +1

      I respect anyone who wants to try something and have their own experience even if it's something I don't recommend. With that said consider that you will not have the same experience that all the reviewers have with such little power and such low volumes. The speakers greatness does not happen at 70dB in a small room at 1-2 watts. This is a bass heavy speaker and bass soaks up wattage quickly. Test tones used to measure sensitivity are not music. I do not recommend this pairing at all but it's not that expensive of a speaker so if you want to have your own experience that's also valuable and a big part of the hobby. For what it's worth I'm not guessing any of this, I did use these speakers with a 2 watt amp. They didn't sound bad but the bass was not even close to what it should have been, same with the dynamics.

    • @Atheistic007
      @Atheistic007 11 месяцев назад

      HI. Thanks for the honest reply. I guess if I buy these I'll be "forced" to buy a matching amp!! @@NemoPropaganda

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  11 месяцев назад

      @@Atheistic007 ahahaha, possibly. But I'd still say the real greatness of this speaker just doesn't happen at 70dB. There are speakers that do sound great that low like the Triangle BR03 but that's the opposite, it's amazing at low volumes but can become schrill at louder volumes.

  • @Hi-FiChess
    @Hi-FiChess 7 месяцев назад

    Dude it would be awesome if you could find the time to review the 1tdx with the upgraded crossovers. As it stands now you feel the Buchardt s400 mkII are better than the stock version. The prebuilt 1 tdx with the upgraded crossovers go for $2,300, so about what the s400's go for. I'm more than willing to spend the extra cash if need be but if I can get an easy to put together CSS kit for $1,300 and have it sound better than the s400, I would much rather do that. If in fact they are better than the s400 that would be a huge price to performance difference when bought as a kit.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  7 месяцев назад

      I feel it would be redundant at this point, I think most people who have heard both think they're both excellent and on par with eachother. I think the S400 MK2 may take the slight edge in terms of treble quality and the 1TDX would take a slight edge in bass quality but we're really splitting hairs here either way. Even the standard 1TD isn't too far away from the S400 MK2 in the grand scheme of things.

    • @Hi-FiChess
      @Hi-FiChess 7 месяцев назад

      @@NemoPropaganda wow, thanks for responding so quickly! I wasn’t expecting that. I appreciate the way you describe how a speaker is and who it’s for, beyond helpful. But I understand not wanting to repeat yourself in another video. That said from what you just said here I think getting the kit and using the thousand saved towards an amp upgrade is the way to go. Thanks man!

  • @timball4892
    @timball4892 Год назад +1

    Great review, thanks! I am admittedly a CSS fan. I've built, 2TD MTM, then converted to the X, then did the 2TDX TMM all with superior covers. I now have the 1TDX with superior and the Bass Modules also with superior. Each iteration has been amazing. I drive them with Rogue mono blocks I've been an audiophile for over 40 years and have owned a crap load of high end speakers. I currently have Magnepan 3.7i's as my "reference". The CSS !TDX's give them a run for their money. What really needs to be said, as you said on the review, is how well these do with everyday recordings. I find myself just listening to these and listening to the MUSIC, not the equipment. Zero listening fatigue. I also want to put in a plug for the bass modules, holy shit! These thing go deep with slam, articulation and awesome impact. They are visceral. I also want to compliment the company. As I have built so many of their products I have had numerous questions. Each question has always been addressed quickly and thoroughly. They really do care about their customers. With all of that said, I have been hugely tempted to buy a pair of S400 MkII's. Their company and products really interests me and I would love to do a comparison. If I have any criticism of your review I wish that you would have used the superior crossovers and did a more thorough comparison to the 400's. Thanks again Nemo! I've watched most all of your reviews and find your style and approach refreshing.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      Hey thank's Tim! Yeah I hear ya on the crossover options but theres no right choice there. If I had the superiors some people would want to know about the standards so I just went for the cheaper one :)

    • @mrenlightened
      @mrenlightened Год назад

      @@NemoPropagandaWould you consider asking them to send you a pair of 1TDX with superior crossover and give your opinions on those as well? I understand $400 is a lot, but it may be a bargain compared to buying another speaker or a new audio component. I suspect the main difference is going to be more precision (bass and imaging) given my past experience with using expensive crossover parts.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      @@mrenlightened maybe in the future but other people have covered the superiors and really enjoyed them so I they're probably worth the upgrade for those with deeper pockets :)

    • @jameslester6785
      @jameslester6785 Год назад +2

      I agree. I built the 1TDX with superior crossovers. I also upgraded to much better binding posts. These speakers are everything I've always wanted in a speaker. I'm currently driving them with Emotiva mono blocs.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      @@jameslester6785 that's a great amp pairing!

  • @royrodriguez4779
    @royrodriguez4779 Год назад

    First. Literally popped into my feed 😂

  • @seanb3303
    @seanb3303 Год назад

    I would like to see a measurement between the two speakers. I suspect the X version is a little louder in the treble

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      I'd imagine they measure different, CSS themselves say the X version offers up a bit more clarity and it uses a different tweeter and xover.

  • @AbsoluteFidelity
    @AbsoluteFidelity Год назад

    Nemo, could you name a few tracks that you think are recorded really badly?

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      Captivate by Demigodz, Cherub Rock by Smashing Pumpkins, Europa by Globus, Never Freestyle by Coast Contra, Reach for the Sky by Social Distortion, Royalty by Egzod

  • @jedi-mic
    @jedi-mic Год назад

    A good amplifier is the fez audio 300b I'd say that's better than the Galleon, Black Ice F22 what is cheaper than the Galleon I would say is better that's more of an educator I guess, the solid stay amplify fez their make is really good as well got one the 5060, in America I think it's about 2,000$
    fantastic amplifier drive anything.
    I think you're pricing of speakers 1,000 is a little bit misleading you really need to price that with other DIY kits not factory built. There is a lot of good DIY speakers out there for a thousand $
    but yeah definitely I think they're not a bad speaker if buying them as a kid.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад

      hopefully I'll get to check them out one day.

  • @TimofejNenarokov
    @TimofejNenarokov Год назад

    Get well soon

  • @veroman007
    @veroman007 Год назад

    the hi end x over would clean up the top end no doubt.

  • @IrenESorius
    @IrenESorius Год назад +1

    Thanks Nemo,, 💖🙏💖
    BIG! money to be saved by building speakers yourself and bypass 1, 2 or 3 middlemen,, 💵😎✌
    A bottle of whiskey and a hot sauna,, every bugs worst nightmare,, 🥃🤪👍‍‍
    Cheers and get well soon my friend,, ☕😋🍰

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      I just vape a lot and ate a lot of spicy noodles lol, I think the nicotine and spicy killed all the bugs lol

    • @IrenESorius
      @IrenESorius Год назад

      @@NemoPropaganda Give em hell,, 🌩😅🌩,, 💖

  • @Superman54
    @Superman54 Год назад +1

    Wait did I hear that right? This is the 1tdx with the standard cross over??? Bro we need to know your thoughts on the upgraded crossover. This loses so much value without that info. I’m disappointed, I been waiting on YOUR review to pull the trigger on a used pair in my area built masterfully. Your review with the upgraded crossover😢

    • @JPWinters
      @JPWinters Год назад

      No one gives a shit about you buying a pair of used speakers. Everything is not about you.

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  Год назад +1

      If I did the superiors there would be a ton of guys bummed that I didn't do the standard versions so I just picked the more affordable option but based on what I'm hearing from css going up the chain seems to be a logical progression that builds on the previous product. If there is a local pair for sale maybe see if you can demo them? That's way better than watching a review brother, you'll get first hand experience :)

    • @Superman54
      @Superman54 11 месяцев назад

      @@NemoPropagandayou’re right, Ty for all the cool info n entertainment!

  • @joecartwright9221
    @joecartwright9221 7 месяцев назад

    Will a Sony STR 800 AV Power it???

    • @NemoPropaganda
      @NemoPropaganda  7 месяцев назад

      I'm not famliiar with that amp but if its an inexpensive AVR under $500 it will probably be just alright but not great.