We are experiencing a golden age of hi-fi. Everything from low-end to high-end sounds phenomenally good. Unfortunately I’m not sure the same can be said for music. I think we are a little lost, musically speaking. This makes your job somewhat challenging. The scrapes on the string is called string-noise or fingerboard noise. I would replace “tonality” for “tone”. You might speak to some of your musician friends for terminology of instrumental sounds. It’s funny that we talk about sound but we often don’t know much about how those sounds are produced BEFORE they get amplified for your ears. I’m not calling anyone out (GR Research) but can we really be audiophiles without understanding how music is made? Uh oh, did I just hit a rock with my shovel? Think about that for a sec (all of you, us, who love audio equipment). How can we review equipment made to reproduce musical instruments without knowing about the musical instruments themselves. I think that’s something to explore. A great reviewer would know a lot about how music is made BEFORE it hits your pre-amp, DAC, amplifier, speakers etc. it’s a good video. Just spitballing.
Listening is highly subjective. We don't all have to know about the instruments and how music is made to personally enjoy it for this hobby. Jay's friend Thujan enjoys the Kef LS50s sound color, but it's not my cup of tea. What really gets me about the Kef is it doesn't sound true to the natural sound of some instruments for my ear. When cello players dig deep with the bow, whatever that technique is called, it doesn't sound right to my ear on the Kef. The cello is a beautiful instrument but it's not enjoyable to me on the Kef LS50 for whatever reason. What does sound good on the Kef is electronic music. I'm guessing that's what Thujan enjoys listening to. Near-field quiet listening is also enjoyable on the Kef. As far as music today, you just have to learn to try and experience outside the box. There is so much music out there it can be overwhelming to narrow down. Try not to get suggestions from what popular record labels are trying to push for the economy of scale profits. Their goal is to maximize profits not provide what is truly profound music. Try to get recommendations from others with similar tastes as you. If all else fails, then just fall back on the countless tracks and artists that hit you where it matters.
Jason - great observation. The technology is amazing these days (I grew up in the 70's) - but the music seems to be lacking. When I was coming up hifi audio equipment was okay but the music was fantastic. Now it seems the roles have been reversed.
Wow, now that is one fantastic evaluation of 4 very good stereo speakers, and to have to the CSS came on top technically! Jay, good for you to keep an objective point of view when evaluating speakers, particularly when you have the Sonus Faber in the mix. Cheers.
Another good review Jay, I like the way you describe the sound characteristics. At 10k I thought the Sonus would wipe the floor with the other speakers, indeed most hifi customers interested in these or any speaker at this price point would be expecting that. Not the case these days it seems. You have done something here that I haven't ever seen in a hifi mag review, compare speakers at widely different price points. They usually compare like for like cost wise, so good on you for doing that. It just highlights the amount of BS that some reviews spout when reviewing more expensive gear. It's as if, you want a 10k sound then you better be prepared to spend 10k, don't even thing you will get anything this good at 2k.
Great review. I picked up the Buchardts S400 MKll but returned it and chose another one of your favorites the Elac Vela. Loved it's tone, wide sound stage and transparency better. Keep up the good work
You've got me nervous, these are the 2 I'm looking at for ht duties, did the s400 mkii not have a nice wide soundstage? I actually love the look of the velas but I thought the sound would be beat it hands-down with the new crossover. Anything else you could comment on between the 2?
Yeah I'm curious too as both impressed me equally at an audio show... I was recently about to pull the trigger on some slightly used s400’s but they slipped through my fingers.
I like your enthusiasm of audio.......why dont you setup a recording system where you can play the same song, same exact space , same volume level and post each speaker you go through. In years to come, you will have a large library of speaker references to compare each other to and everyone on youtube can do it also just by using two tabs and comparing any speaker in your library against each other.......hope all that made sense. I would do it, but im just not a youtube guy, too old for that, been designing loudspeakers for 33 years. But I do think its like your kind of thing, and I would come here to always listen and many other would too.Also you should try some older speakers from the 80's and 90's, not just new speakers....they are some of the best even to date. I think late 80s and early 90s was the pinnacle of audio.
I like your videos Jay. Cool to see that your also trying diy loudspeaker kits. IMO diy speakers is really the way to go. Cant wait for you to finish/show us the GR Research speakers, they are truly a piece of art.
Nice comparison review! So is the conclusion that unless you crave Italian wood and leather on your speakers you should save yourself ~$8000 and buy any of the other models reviewed without fear of losing out on performance and musicality?
Well, recently I listened to your Sonos Faber speakers (well, also bookshelf versions of your floor standers) and man, those things sound AMAZING! I love them! Can't afford them though. I might be tempted to try the CSS though. Looks like a nice project to do, if shipping costs to Europe aren't too high... But I AM interested to hear the Buchardts. I watched so many videos about them so far....
CSS can (partially) be ordered through an official German reseller (I was curious too, no experience with them). Good for us European, "local" warranty and support, and fixed prices. Search for variant-hifi.
Oh ohh!! Did you get the Texan’s authorization to use the NRC facilities ?!? Thanx, keep up the Good Work !! Peace, Bill from Northeastern France !! Best wishes to Two Jay !
I would be very curious to hear your comparisons on the S300 mk2 versus the S400 mk2. You are one of the few reviewers who have heard both speakers! The S300 doesn’t get nearly the coverage of the S400 but may be more accessible to a majority of people.
Hello Jay and thank you for the videos you make, always being objective. How does the S400 Mk2 compare to the Dynaudio Heritage Special? In terms of musicality and rendering but also technically, as for the stage, the basses, the mids, the voices... Thank you for your answer ✌️😁
Fantastic review ! CSS fully furnished with shipping is the same price as Burchardt s400mkii. So, it looks like it is one more speaker competing in the $2.5K region. Do you prefer CSS over KLH or is KLH still the winner in the $2.5 region?
The CSS seems to be the best in this comparison and looks great, for the Buchardt it's extra for the wood veneers. But the shipping is too expensive for the CSS, $259 usd to my country! Whereas the Buchardt has free shipping, makes the choice quite hard now when the CSS costs more shipped! Warranty also much longer on the Buchardt. What would everyone choose between those 2?
Don't get confused about the shipping cost. Nothing is free. It will be calculated in the cost as are the import duty/tax of that country. Buchardt chooses to sell direct which saves the middle man as these would sell closer to 3,000 E at retail. Is it great value at 2,000 E inc shipping, of course.
Excellent comparison! Gives me an understanding of how I might upgrade (eventually). Those CSS 1TDX. Goosebumps? Thinking👌🏼. Very much appreciate your noting cool recordings that - are not only enjoyable - but help reference the qualities and attributes that should be found in good designs with proper placement 🙏🏼
There are tons of awesome Bookshelf on the Market - and mostly the best ones are unknown (or) small Projects from Audio Enthusiasts. Sky Audio Verdade II, Amphion One18, Unity SuperRock, AudioOptimum MS10, Strauss SE-NF 3, Mesanovic RTM10....
Very interesting video :) I listened to these Sonos Faber just recently, found them fantastically emotive with some Jazz Saxophone, however otherwise I found them a bit dull/lacking drive and or dynamics, too polite for me :) My favourite listen of the day was the Marten Duke 2 stand mounts which I found hugely impressive and might order to replace my 2017 Totem Signature One speakers. Tried the Burkhardt s400 MK1 a while ago and was impressed but found them a bit cold and not emotive/exciting. Keep up the good work!
Jay, great! Did you look at the crossovers on the PSB and Sonos? Both Criton and Buchardt have HUGE, high QUALITY crossovers. Which I believe gives them a better sound and stage. The Sonos are a piece of art!
musicality should be measured by how close to real life performance which is less related to the tone. Sounds like Sonus faber is the best overall among all 4 of them.
To many Bios reviews...review the Dali Rubicon 2 it's an END GAME! I first auditioned these Buchardt S400 MKll ...sent them back and was charged €100 for return...After auditioning so many speakers I found my END GAME- Dali Rubicon 2 , these have full sound stage and detail with plenty enough bass for now...maybe I'll try a sub in the future...these Dali's blow away even the Sonus Faber... I actually auditioned many speakers in the local privately owned Hi-fi store...
Have you tried pairing up the SF EA3 with Galion TS120 amp? It would be great if you could tell us how they match up? How's your liking pairing them up?
Were between these speakers would you put Elac Vela bs 403 you've ranked as a speaker of the year? It isn't my intention to ask you for comparison of all the speakers, it is impossible...but at least the most ranked by you. Thanks!
Jay any plans for a review on Klipsch's higher end speakers- La Scala, Klipschorns, or Jubilee? I know they are very big and heavy speakers and Klipsch may not not be receptive to shipping them out. Hell, you may not want to deal with their size and weight either - but, I would love to hear your impression of especially - the La Scalas. Thanks.
CSS Audio 1TDX vs Buchardt A500 would be really interesting. I understand they are very different things but putting together a comparable system for the same money and doing a comparison would be cool 😎
@@longmuskox4194 yeah, im waiting. Listened for a few hours and they started opening up. So far, all the things, and they have balls. I have 7 pairs of other speakers, and they replaced an impulse buy Emotiva T Zero, which I ran all the way up to the CSS. Which says a lot about the Emotiva.
@@longmuskox4194 you have a pair? I spent much more time last night and they are.. mind-blowing. I am blessed with good audio. Absolutely amazing speakers. Premium crossover.
Interesting ranking Jay! Would be good to get the new B&W 805 D4 in the mix with the revised /smoothed out diamond tweeter and new crossover ...to see how it compares to your beloved Sonus Faber! I heard it in a store and it sounded pretty good. Not as bright as Focal these days.
The d4 series is a good speaker but needs proper system matching or it will be bland, dry and yea still fatiguing. I’ve heard all of the lineup and prefer the 803 over the 802 personally. I’ve also heard the maxima amator and it’s a totally different speaker. It’s as transparent to the system as the d4 but it’s character is more forgiving of the electronics. It also is thicker, more saturated but not as detailed or as fast as the b&w. My biggest gripe with the new amator series is that you can tell they tried to make a small speaker sound like a floor stander. They sacrificed the size of the image of certain areas of vocals to make the bass bigger. This also causes the tweeter to sound larger than the rest of the sound and makes it feel less integrated.
@@t.j.bennett6454 Hi T.J. - That 805 diamond tweeter is SUPER revealing. I've heard the new 805 D4 with Pass and Accuphase Class A power amps and they sweetened up the top end really nicely with a HUGE soundstage and lots of air...
Jay, Just received the Kinki Integrated and trying to decide between the S400 MKII and the CSS 1TD-X. If you had to pick one of those two speakers to go with that amp what would you choose?
I'm looking at buying a pair of bookshelf speakers in this price range. It's almost exclusively for music listening and I listen to mainly rock/rap and i have a subwoofer already so bass is not a problem. Which one of these would you recommend? Thank you.
PSB has been designing their speakers with the tweeter below the woofer forever. Also, I guess you haven’t heard Totems since you didn’t include the Totem Signature Ones.
Hello Jay, thank for this and past reviews of the Critons. Perhaps like you I am leaning towards a somewhat warm en smooth sounding speakers. At the moment I am looking for an upgrade for my Denton 85's, that have these traits but lack somewhat in detail, dynamics etc. For a somewhat warm-ish sound, which version of the Criton would you recommend: with the original tweeter, the X-tweeter, the basic crossover or the superior xo? Suggestions for any other tweaks? Love to hear from you, kind regards from the Netherlands, Gerlach Sven
Jay!!….you’re kneeling next to a pair of KLH Kendall’s….when did you get them and can we expect a proper review on them from you?? You can count on one hand how many speakers get down to 25hz under $2000. I know you love “Bookies”, but those towers are simply Baddass!!
Thanks a lot for this outstanding Video. The CSS Audio 1TDX seems to be a very good speaker and worth any penny. i have also a Kit loudspeaker SB-Acoustics ARA, do You know this Speaker? I think it plays in the same Quallity - Class than the CSS Audio, the price is nearly equal. If You know this ARA speaker i would be very interested about Your opinion. best wishes from Bavaria
I think you might be mistaking distortion for frequency response in the highs. Just a thought which explains the sonus faber high end being perceived as laid back
Hey Ninno. Gershman Studio 2 was not here for the comparison so take that with a grain of salt. According to my notes and my audio memory - The Studio 2 has the deepest bass response with the least extended/clinical/edged highs and mids than any of the ones I mentioned in the video. Like I said in my original video - This lends itself to being great on poorly recorded tracks with an impressive bass response to wow anyone. Keep in mind that they are fairly big and require lower stands than any of these
@@Jayiyagi Thank you Jay. Good explanation. Based on your personal taste, do you believe the sound quality of the Gershman is good enough for it to have been in this comparison video if you had them on hand?
I wonder what speakers are comparable to the tekton double impact? I’m considering buying the double impact speakers but am interested in a comparison review.
How much time has the css crossover had to burn in? It is a serious crossover , it will take a fair amount of use at fair amount of volume before it burns in How many hours roughly have thay done?
Great video Jay, thank you! If you have the time to answer - how would you compare the top end extension of the Quad S2 with these ones? I have the S2s but I'm curious about maybe upgrading.
How are these compared to the ls50 meta? And would you replace the meta ,if you already have a rel t5x, with any of these( retaining the rel)? Thank you.
How can you compare speakers with different prices.You need to compare Dynaudio confidence 20 and Peak Consult Incognito with Sonus Faber Electa Amator.
This video is hilarious hahaha Always love your description of sound, they are incredibly accurate yet funny. I'm wondering how come you didn't mention more about the Triangle Comete 40th in any of your video, is it because you're not allowed to mention it in your videos since you did it for Soundstage or if these speakers you're reviewing are in fact on a different league haha. The finished built version of the CSS bookshelves is about $2,000 USD I think slightly cheaper than the Triangle Comete 40th, I assume that the CSS bookshelves are on a different better league since it's nearly comparable to the Sonus Faber. I'm keen to know where the Comete 40th ranks among these speakers as I know you own the 40th too :D
I don't see why those bookshelf speakers would provide noticeably better imaging in comparison to floorstanders with the same cabinet width and the same drivers.
Tharbamar reviewed the Musician Audio Knight 1 and said superior to the Critons, and they cost only $1500! But color terrible in my opinion. Also Philarmonic Audio BMR monitors should be a really good contender for $1800, nice looks as well.
I Highly doubt that claim since Musician is an unethical company who offers compensation upfront with expectation of positive review whether unit works or does not as intended. Also they lie to customers and increase price when they see traffic from a positive review
@@Jayiyagi you are correct. The other channel mentioned by Carlo Carlini may not be honest to viewers. I heard negative remarks about him in one the audio forum site.
@@08jamu yeap. Had the first hand experience with this shady brand. I’d stay away. It may sound good but plenty of better brands out there that sound just as good if not better for the similar money. Why support a corrupt business
I disagree. I think it is useful to know how the lower priced speakers compare to the high priced ones in actual sound performance. Helps highlight the ones that offer exceptionally great performance for the money. BTW: I hate the phrase "for the money." 🙂
you dont need a floorstanding speaker for big sound. A good build DBA or SBA + Bookshelf is mostly the better way to go. You just pay fo a lot of wood for a floorstanding speaker and cant adjust / match the lowend perfectly to the room
Hi Tom. Like I mentioned in the video, I have made a video for each and one of these in more depth. I did not want to make this video too long but price is all around $2000-2500 other than the sonus faber which is $10,000.
I have always found that a mid-bass bump creates a kind of veil, especially with boosted male vocals. Sounds woofy or too thick. Just me, I guess. I would like to see you do a review of the CSS with a good matching subwoofer... might be the best of both worlds?
On the other side, a lot of times if you don't have a good mid bass bump, then orchestras sound death, voices sound thin, music can sound dry and boring... So it depends. It just has to be done properly. It's not bad by itself in all cases.
@@gatobakuniano That would be a problem with the engineering of the recording. Should we design speakers to compensate for bad recording technique? The problem you mentioned could easily be corrected with some simple equalization. (Usually, by raising the 100Hz region.) It's a debate as to which approach might be preferred... 1.) Design a speaker with built in "equalization" (mid bass hump) for poor recordings, or 2.) Design a neutral speaker and make adjustments for poor recordings with equalization at playback? If you have a speaker using the #1 approach, it will likely sound bloated on a well engineered recordings. I realize that for some audiophiles, equalization is a no-no... their solution is to buy speakers with equalization built in as a part of the speaker design. A mid-bass hump can be thought of as bulit in equalization. For the better recordings, you might actually want to defeat the mid-bass hump with some equalization at playback. Hope I am being clear here. What do you think? How about you, Jay?
Hi Jay-I have never heard a reviewer use the word “tasteful” to describe the sound characteristics of a speaker. I really don’t know what you are trying to convey.
@@longmuskox4194 you are right and when I say “unethical” it is because they explicitly don’t want comparisons with competition unless it favours them. And they often want the reviewer to not disclose the fact that they have been paid. I have had the first hand experience and shared the minimum on the channel before about this shady brand.
@@Jayiyagi Well, thanks for sharing your opinion. It sounds as if their marketing department needs work. I'm not easily influenced by "reviews" and prefer to listen to products myself or at the very least take direction from people I trust. I'm not interested in the brand anyway. I have too much on my plate already and prefer to give products quality time before moving them to the garage for storage or gifting it to family and friends. Life is too short to get hung up on one product for too long. But that's just me.
Related videos:
CSS Audio 1TDX review: ruclips.net/video/MbksuZdrdV8/видео.html
Buchardt S400 mk2 review: ruclips.net/video/PJRBMCA3FzI/видео.html
Sonus Faber Electa amator III review: ruclips.net/video/yYIAWzSh1pQ/видео.html
PSB B600 Synchrony review (soundstage take 2): ruclips.net/video/7H70OifBfmM/видео.html
Purchase links (non-affiliated links):
Buchardt S400 mk 2: buchardtaudio.com/collections/passive-speakers/products/s400-mkii
CSS audio 1TDx (kit): www.css-audio.com/online-store/CSS-Criton-1TD-X-Kit-Pair-p221163830
CSS audio 1TDx (fully finished): www.css-audio.com/online-store/CSS-Criton-1TD-X-Fully-Finished-Pair-p115270078
Sonus Faber Electa amator III: www.sonusfaber.com/prodotti/electa-amator-iii/ (dealership only)
PSB B600 Synchrony: www.psbspeakers.com/product/synchrony-b600-bookshelf/
0:00 Introducing the PSB B600
4:22 Similarities and Overview
8:29 Bass (Sound Comparison)
12:10 Midrange (Sound Comparison)
15:34 High Frequency (Sound Comparison)
18:52 Soundstage (Sound Comparison)
20:14 Imaging (Sound Comparison)
21:58 Tonality (Sound Comparison)
24:47 Ranking
We are experiencing a golden age of hi-fi. Everything from low-end to high-end sounds phenomenally good. Unfortunately I’m not sure the same can be said for music. I think we are a little lost, musically speaking. This makes your job somewhat challenging. The scrapes on the string is called string-noise or fingerboard noise. I would replace “tonality” for “tone”. You might speak to some of your musician friends for terminology of instrumental sounds. It’s funny that we talk about sound but we often don’t know much about how those sounds are produced BEFORE they get amplified for your ears. I’m not calling anyone out (GR Research) but can we really be audiophiles without understanding how music is made? Uh oh, did I just hit a rock with my shovel? Think about that for a sec (all of you, us, who love audio equipment). How can we review equipment made to reproduce musical instruments without knowing about the musical instruments themselves. I think that’s something to explore. A great reviewer would know a lot about how music is made BEFORE it hits your pre-amp, DAC, amplifier, speakers etc. it’s a good video. Just spitballing.
Listening is highly subjective. We don't all have to know about the instruments and how music is made to personally enjoy it for this hobby. Jay's friend Thujan enjoys the Kef LS50s sound color, but it's not my cup of tea. What really gets me about the Kef is it doesn't sound true to the natural sound of some instruments for my ear. When cello players dig deep with the bow, whatever that technique is called, it doesn't sound right to my ear on the Kef. The cello is a beautiful instrument but it's not enjoyable to me on the Kef LS50 for whatever reason. What does sound good on the Kef is electronic music. I'm guessing that's what Thujan enjoys listening to. Near-field quiet listening is also enjoyable on the Kef.
As far as music today, you just have to learn to try and experience outside the box. There is so much music out there it can be overwhelming to narrow down. Try not to get suggestions from what popular record labels are trying to push for the economy of scale profits. Their goal is to maximize profits not provide what is truly profound music. Try to get recommendations from others with similar tastes as you. If all else fails, then just fall back on the countless tracks and artists that hit you where it matters.
Well said...
Agree
Jason - great observation. The technology is amazing these days (I grew up in the 70's) - but the music seems to be lacking. When I was coming up hifi audio equipment was okay but the music was fantastic. Now it seems the roles have been reversed.
There's good new music, you just have to dig for it. You're not going to hear it on the radio, at least not mainstream radio.
Wow, now that is one fantastic evaluation of 4 very good stereo speakers, and to have to the CSS came on top technically! Jay, good for you to keep an objective point of view when evaluating speakers, particularly when you have the Sonus Faber in the mix. Cheers.
Another good review Jay, I like the way you describe the sound characteristics.
At 10k I thought the Sonus would wipe the floor with the other speakers, indeed most hifi customers interested in these or any speaker at this price point would be expecting that.
Not the case these days it seems.
You have done something here that I haven't ever seen in a hifi mag review, compare speakers at widely different price points.
They usually compare like for like cost wise, so good on you for doing that.
It just highlights the amount of BS that some reviews spout when reviewing more expensive gear.
It's as if, you want a 10k sound then you better be prepared to spend 10k, don't even thing you will get anything this good at 2k.
Well said. For all the reasons you stated above, this reviewer was the most valuable comparison I heard on RUclips so far.
Thank you. That filled in the cracks of what I wanted to know about the sound of the S400 Mkii and the CSS 1TD-X. Helpful comparison.
Glad it was helpful!
Great review. I picked up the Buchardts S400 MKll but returned it and chose another one of your favorites the Elac Vela. Loved it's tone, wide sound stage and transparency better. Keep up the good work
You've got me nervous, these are the 2 I'm looking at for ht duties, did the s400 mkii not have a nice wide soundstage? I actually love the look of the velas but I thought the sound would be beat it hands-down with the new crossover. Anything else you could comment on between the 2?
Yeah I'm curious too as both impressed me equally at an audio show... I was recently about to pull the trigger on some slightly used s400’s but they slipped through my fingers.
Thanks Jay for the great review. I'm planning on purchasing the CSS 1tdx with the upgrade and building it myself. Excited!
You’re recent videos and upcoming with these recents have been fire 🔥
I like your enthusiasm of audio.......why dont you setup a recording system where you can play the same song, same exact space , same volume level and post each speaker you go through. In years to come, you will have a large library of speaker references to compare each other to and everyone on youtube can do it also just by using two tabs and comparing any speaker in your library against each other.......hope all that made sense. I would do it, but im just not a youtube guy, too old for that, been designing loudspeakers for 33 years. But I do think its like your kind of thing, and I would come here to always listen and many other would too.Also you should try some older speakers from the 80's and 90's, not just new speakers....they are some of the best even to date. I think late 80s and early 90s was the pinnacle of audio.
My favourite reviewer
Keep them coming
Your smoking your other reviewers
By your honesty
And many reviews that keep coming
Keeps me interested
Fantastic comparison, Jay! Great insight. Thanks!
I like your videos Jay. Cool to see that your also trying diy loudspeaker kits. IMO diy speakers is really the way to go. Cant wait for you to finish/show us the GR Research speakers, they are truly a piece of art.
comparing css vs gr research vs buchardt would be very interesting
Nice comparison review!
So is the conclusion that unless you crave Italian wood and leather on your speakers you should save yourself ~$8000 and buy any of the other models reviewed without fear of losing out on performance and musicality?
Well, recently I listened to your Sonos Faber speakers (well, also bookshelf versions of your floor standers) and man, those things sound AMAZING! I love them! Can't afford them though. I might be tempted to try the CSS though. Looks like a nice project to do, if shipping costs to Europe aren't too high... But I AM interested to hear the Buchardts. I watched so many videos about them so far....
CSS can (partially) be ordered through an official German reseller (I was curious too, no experience with them). Good for us European, "local" warranty and support, and fixed prices. Search for variant-hifi.
Would have been nice to see the GR Reserch speakers in this mix. Lol!
Definitely
Apparently it's that good you don't have to hear it...
To think they were so bad that they didn’t even make the list.
@@Jayiyagi You still building them? You ordered them on that one video, was looking forward to that.
He’s not ready.
Oh ohh!! Did you get the Texan’s authorization to use the NRC facilities ?!? Thanx, keep up the Good Work !! Peace, Bill from Northeastern France !! Best wishes to Two Jay !
I would be very curious to hear your comparisons on the S300 mk2 versus the S400 mk2. You are one of the few reviewers who have heard both speakers! The S300 doesn’t get nearly the coverage of the S400 but may be more accessible to a majority of people.
Pretty nifty editing!! Good post! 👍🏻
Hello Jay and thank you for the videos you make, always being objective.
How does the S400 Mk2 compare to the Dynaudio Heritage Special?
In terms of musicality and rendering but also technically, as for the stage, the basses, the mids, the voices...
Thank you for your answer ✌️😁
Fantastic review ! CSS fully furnished with shipping is the same price as Burchardt s400mkii. So, it looks like it is one more speaker competing in the $2.5K region. Do you prefer CSS over KLH or is KLH still the winner in the $2.5 region?
Yes would love to hear his opinion on this
The CSS seems to be the best in this comparison and looks great, for the Buchardt it's extra for the wood veneers. But the shipping is too expensive for the CSS, $259 usd to my country!
Whereas the Buchardt has free shipping, makes the choice quite hard now when the CSS costs more shipped! Warranty also much longer on the Buchardt. What would everyone choose between those 2?
Don't get confused about the shipping cost. Nothing is free. It will be calculated in the cost as are the import duty/tax of that country. Buchardt chooses to sell direct which saves the middle man as these would sell closer to 3,000 E at retail. Is it great value at 2,000 E inc shipping, of course.
Great vid Jay, with all those affiliate links you left off the t shirt. There’s the new angle, audio fashion.
Have you ever heard the Philharmonic Audio BMRs? I find them hard to beat at $2000.
Excellent comparison! Gives me an understanding of how I might upgrade (eventually). Those CSS 1TDX. Goosebumps? Thinking👌🏼. Very much appreciate your noting cool recordings that - are not only enjoyable - but help reference the qualities and attributes that should be found in good designs with proper placement 🙏🏼
There are tons of awesome Bookshelf on the Market - and mostly the best ones are unknown (or) small Projects from Audio Enthusiasts.
Sky Audio Verdade II, Amphion One18, Unity SuperRock, AudioOptimum MS10, Strauss SE-NF 3, Mesanovic RTM10....
I really really liked this type of video. Well done!
Very interesting video :) I listened to these Sonos Faber just recently, found them fantastically emotive with some Jazz Saxophone, however otherwise I found them a bit dull/lacking drive and or dynamics, too polite for me :) My favourite listen of the day was the Marten Duke 2 stand mounts which I found hugely impressive and might order to replace my 2017 Totem Signature One speakers. Tried the Burkhardt s400 MK1 a while ago and was impressed but found them a bit cold and not emotive/exciting. Keep up the good work!
I would think the Marten Duke 2 would wipe this lot , sure they are more expensive bar the Sonus Faber.
Jay, great! Did you look at the crossovers on the PSB and Sonos? Both Criton and Buchardt have HUGE, high QUALITY crossovers. Which I believe gives them a better sound and stage. The Sonos are a piece of art!
musicality should be measured by how close to real life performance which is less related to the tone. Sounds like Sonus faber is the best overall among all 4 of them.
To many Bios reviews...review the Dali Rubicon 2 it's an END GAME! I first auditioned these Buchardt S400 MKll ...sent them back and was charged €100 for return...After auditioning so many speakers I found my END GAME- Dali Rubicon 2 , these have full sound stage and detail with plenty enough bass for now...maybe I'll try a sub in the future...these Dali's blow away even the Sonus Faber...
I actually auditioned many speakers in the local privately owned Hi-fi store...
Have you tried pairing up the SF EA3 with Galion TS120 amp? It would be great if you could tell us how they match up? How's your liking pairing them up?
Were between these speakers would you put Elac Vela bs 403 you've ranked as a speaker of the year? It isn't my intention to ask you for comparison of all the speakers, it is impossible...but at least the most ranked by you. Thanks!
Jay any plans for a review on Klipsch's higher end speakers- La Scala, Klipschorns, or Jubilee? I know they are very big and heavy speakers and Klipsch may not not be receptive to shipping them out. Hell, you may not want to deal with their size and weight either - but, I would love to hear your impression of especially - the La Scalas. Thanks.
what's the cheapest options to get good sound from either the Buchardt S400 mk 2 or the CSS Audio 1TDx?
With the CSS Audio diy speaker being so impressive I can't wait to see what you think of the GR-Research speakers.
Good comparison review on 4 really good speakers 😎👍
Still a shame a few of these we can’t source here in the UK, psb I’d love to look at and hear.
Hey Jay I just got the deal of the century on the triangle comete 40th and I was wondering where you would place them in the mix of these
Cool Jay, I wonder how a pair of Golden Ear BRX would rank in this lineup. Hopefully see a review of them from you at some point.
CSS Audio 1TDX vs Buchardt A500 would be really interesting. I understand they are very different things but putting together a comparable system for the same money and doing a comparison would be cool 😎
I just fired up my 1TDX last night, first time.
Break them in real good. Then comment on Jay's previous videos about what you think.
@@longmuskox4194 yeah, im waiting. Listened for a few hours and they started opening up. So far, all the things, and they have balls. I have 7 pairs of other speakers, and they replaced an impulse buy Emotiva T Zero, which I ran all the way up to the CSS. Which says a lot about the Emotiva.
@UCojPw3T4njRuWrspLk8UXPw I figure, best I can push right now is about 80 decibels. They are near field. 2 subwoofers, heaven.
@@longmuskox4194 you have a pair? I spent much more time last night and they are.. mind-blowing. I am blessed with good audio. Absolutely amazing speakers. Premium crossover.
Sweet, sweet comparo man. Love it. Super helpful.
Great vid, there are so many really good speakers out there
3:19 I had the tweeter and woofer mixed up there, so thanks for that clarification. You also pointed out the front baffle? You alright?
Interesting ranking Jay!
Would be good to get the new B&W 805 D4 in the mix with the revised /smoothed out diamond tweeter and new crossover ...to see how it compares to your beloved Sonus Faber! I heard it in a store and it sounded pretty good.
Not as bright as Focal these days.
The d4 series is a good speaker but needs proper system matching or it will be bland, dry and yea still fatiguing. I’ve heard all of the lineup and prefer the 803 over the 802 personally. I’ve also heard the maxima amator and it’s a totally different speaker. It’s as transparent to the system as the d4 but it’s character is more forgiving of the electronics. It also is thicker, more saturated but not as detailed or as fast as the b&w. My biggest gripe with the new amator series is that you can tell they tried to make a small speaker sound like a floor stander. They sacrificed the size of the image of certain areas of vocals to make the bass bigger. This also causes the tweeter to sound larger than the rest of the sound and makes it feel less integrated.
@@t.j.bennett6454 Hi T.J. - That 805 diamond tweeter is SUPER revealing.
I've heard the new 805 D4 with Pass and Accuphase Class A power amps and they sweetened up the top end really nicely with a HUGE soundstage and lots of air...
I wonder how the Sonus Faber Sonetto II would be reviewed/ranked which is comparably priced to the other speakers here in this video.
Jay, Just received the Kinki Integrated and trying to decide between the S400 MKII and the CSS 1TD-X. If you had to pick one of those two speakers to go with that amp what would you choose?
I'm looking at buying a pair of bookshelf speakers in this price range. It's almost exclusively for music listening and I listen to mainly rock/rap and i have a subwoofer already so bass is not a problem. Which one of these would you recommend? Thank you.
PSB has been designing their speakers with the tweeter below the woofer forever. Also, I guess you haven’t heard Totems since you didn’t include the Totem Signature Ones.
He knows, he's reviewed other psb speakers on his channel
And Totems as well! Jay’s been there done that!
I own both the S400 MKI and MKII. I would use the S400 MKI in a 2.0 system and the MKII in a 2.1 system.
Really great video. This is how it is done right.
Hello Jay, thank for this and past reviews of the Critons. Perhaps like you I am leaning towards a somewhat warm en smooth sounding speakers. At the moment I am looking for an upgrade for my Denton 85's, that have these traits but lack somewhat in detail, dynamics etc. For a somewhat warm-ish sound, which version of the Criton would you recommend: with the original tweeter, the X-tweeter, the basic crossover or the superior xo? Suggestions for any other tweaks? Love to hear from you, kind regards from the Netherlands, Gerlach Sven
If you had to keep one and had to get rid of the rest, which would you keep. For your taste anyway?
Honestly? I’d just cry and run in circles
Jay!!….you’re kneeling next to a pair of KLH Kendall’s….when did you get them and can we expect a proper review on them from you?? You can count on one hand how many speakers get down to 25hz under $2000. I know you love “Bookies”, but those towers are simply Baddass!!
Thanks a lot for this outstanding Video. The CSS Audio 1TDX seems to be a very good speaker and worth any penny.
i have also a Kit loudspeaker SB-Acoustics ARA, do You know this Speaker? I think it plays in the same Quallity - Class
than the CSS Audio, the price is nearly equal. If You know this ARA speaker i would be very interested about Your opinion.
best wishes from Bavaria
Well done Jay 🍻
Jay it would be interesting to add the Fritz or Watkins bookshelf speakers to your reviews.
I think you might be mistaking distortion for frequency response in the highs. Just a thought which explains the sonus faber high end being perceived as laid back
Hi Jay. Great video! How do you think the Gershman Studio 2 compares to the speakers on this list?
Hey Ninno. Gershman Studio 2 was not here for the comparison so take that with a grain of salt. According to my notes and my audio memory - The Studio 2 has the deepest bass response with the least extended/clinical/edged highs and mids than any of the ones I mentioned in the video. Like I said in my original video - This lends itself to being great on poorly recorded tracks with an impressive bass response to wow anyone. Keep in mind that they are fairly big and require lower stands than any of these
@@Jayiyagi Thank you Jay. Good explanation. Based on your personal taste, do you believe the sound quality of the Gershman is good enough for it to have been in this comparison video if you had them on hand?
absolutely
Hi Jay , excellent your site , in your opignon what is the best Bookshelfs for a Hegel H95 around 1,000$can ? Thank a lot !
excellent review
You have more than one book. Nice:)
Great review
Would’ve been nice to see Dynaudio Heritage Special in the comparisons…
Would you rather buy the CSS or something like the KLH Model 5 if you had to keep one would one would it be
Legacy Audio ‘Studio’ would be another interesting speaker to review in this category.
Jay I think Tyler acoustics makes a bookshelf G&R designed
Yes, the T1 Studio Monitors.
I'm curious, how do they compare to the Klipsch RP-8000F (not low frequencies of course)?
I wonder what speakers are comparable to the tekton double impact? I’m considering buying the double impact speakers but am interested in a comparison review.
How much time has the css crossover had to burn in? It is a serious crossover , it will take a fair amount of use at fair amount of volume before it burns in How many hours roughly have thay done?
Did you review the Totem tribe? The new Paradigm Founders line makes a bookshelf.
Wonder about definitive technology D11s and SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers... both great bookshelf for under 1,000
Great video Jay, thank you! If you have the time to answer - how would you compare the top end extension of the Quad S2 with these ones? I have the S2s but I'm curious about maybe upgrading.
Bro no need to upgrade if you happy with the quads, don’t let the reviews confuse you.
Jay great video as usual! The only way it could be better is if you go to Training Everyone X-pert Audiophile Shit (TEXAS).
That was good. I like what you did there
How are these compared to the ls50 meta? And would you replace the meta ,if you already have a rel t5x, with any of these( retaining the rel)? Thank you.
He made a comparison comparing the 2 in the review video.
Really got to build me some 1dtx, think its qualities would enhance my atoll in80se ones
Any recommendations on a relatively affordable sub to pair with these in a 12x10’ room? Looking at RSL and Rhythmik…
Hi Jay. Awesome review once again…
Could you tell me what amp you were using in this test please?
Cheers
Many different ones throughout months
@@Jayiyagi
What amp would you recommend for the Buchardt?
I’m thinking Onkyo Tx-RZ50….
@@troystockton8782 that’s pretty good but personally I like it with denafrips Hyperion and hades combo. It had balls to the sound
@@Jayiyagi
Cool, I will check it out. Thankyou for your quick reply and keep up the awesome reviews 👍
Hello Jay, could you tell me the brand of the acoustic diffusers that are seen in this video? thanks friend
You once loved the Totems and said they made other speakers sound like they were broken, some new girls came to town now. ;)
Totem still in my heart. Quite different from all of these tho. Im only a fan of their tribe and metal so far
How can you compare speakers with different prices.You need to compare Dynaudio confidence 20 and Peak Consult Incognito with Sonus Faber Electa Amator.
How? Easy. I just did it !
This video is hilarious hahaha Always love your description of sound, they are incredibly accurate yet funny. I'm wondering how come you didn't mention more about the Triangle Comete 40th in any of your video, is it because you're not allowed to mention it in your videos since you did it for Soundstage or if these speakers you're reviewing are in fact on a different league haha. The finished built version of the CSS bookshelves is about $2,000 USD I think slightly cheaper than the Triangle Comete 40th, I assume that the CSS bookshelves are on a different better league since it's nearly comparable to the Sonus Faber. I'm keen to know where the Comete 40th ranks among these speakers as I know you own the 40th too :D
I don't see why those bookshelf speakers would provide noticeably better imaging in comparison to floorstanders with the same cabinet width and the same drivers.
Tharbamar reviewed the Musician Audio Knight 1 and said superior to the Critons, and they cost only $1500! But color terrible in my opinion.
Also Philarmonic Audio BMR monitors should be a really good contender for $1800, nice looks as well.
I Highly doubt that claim since Musician is an unethical company who offers compensation upfront with expectation of positive review whether unit works or does not as intended.
Also they lie to customers and increase price when they see traffic from a positive review
@@Jayiyagi you are correct. The other channel mentioned by Carlo Carlini may not be honest to viewers. I heard negative remarks about him in one the audio forum site.
@@08jamu yeap. Had the first hand experience with this shady brand. I’d stay away. It may sound good but plenty of better brands out there that sound just as good if not better for the similar money. Why support a corrupt business
@Jay's iyagi good to know thank you!
@@Jayiyagi Booooooooo on Tharbamar
Great one but you should compare speakers in the same price range . Would prefer to have SF Sonneto II in the list versus Electa amature.
I disagree. I think it is useful to know how the lower priced speakers compare to the high priced ones in actual sound performance. Helps highlight the ones that offer exceptionally great performance for the money. BTW: I hate the phrase "for the money." 🙂
I disagree as well. I want to know the degree of performance increase per dollar on a speaker.
NICE comparison line up ...
You shouldn’t even mention 20Hz response in review of bookshelf speakers.
Agreed haha
hey hey... I want some of what you were smoking at 10:00 onwards.. you're high with so many happy speakers around you.. :P
Jay, how do you think the Alta Audio Alyssa would fare in this comparo?
I think it would have done extremely well. Can’t say for sure as it wasn’t here for a side by side test but those speakers were really good
does the floor stander have bigger sound experience compare to bookshelf?
you dont need a floorstanding speaker for big sound. A good build DBA or SBA + Bookshelf is mostly the better way to go. You just pay fo a lot of wood for a floorstanding speaker and cant adjust / match the lowend perfectly to the room
Please! Introduce the PSB and reintroduce the others with their prices!!
Hi Tom. Like I mentioned in the video, I have made a video for each and one of these in more depth. I did not want to make this video too long but price is all around $2000-2500 other than the sonus faber which is $10,000.
@@Jayiyagi Thanks.
Have thought about reviewing the Musician Knight 1 bookshelf speakers?
Nope. Don’t care for that company. Terrible ethics and customer service involved
@@Jayiyagi What happened? Was the company itself unethical or the distributor? I’m about to order a pair through a US distributor.
the manufacturer put in the bumps- low and high freq- to wow customers when auditioning.
nice comparison could you review the new yg acoustics tor bookshelf speakers or the magico a1 thnaks
…but did you use those cable lifters? 😀
I have always found that a mid-bass bump creates a kind of veil, especially with boosted male vocals. Sounds woofy or too thick. Just me, I guess. I would like to see you do a review of the CSS with a good matching subwoofer... might be the best of both worlds?
On the other side, a lot of times if you don't have a good mid bass bump, then orchestras sound death, voices sound thin, music can sound dry and boring... So it depends. It just has to be done properly. It's not bad by itself in all cases.
@@gatobakuniano That would be a problem with the engineering of the recording. Should we design speakers to compensate for bad recording technique? The problem you mentioned could easily be corrected with some simple equalization. (Usually, by raising the 100Hz region.) It's a debate as to which approach might be preferred... 1.) Design a speaker with built in "equalization" (mid bass hump) for poor recordings, or 2.) Design a neutral speaker and make adjustments for poor recordings with equalization at playback? If you have a speaker using the #1 approach, it will likely sound bloated on a well engineered recordings. I realize that for some audiophiles, equalization is a no-no... their solution is to buy speakers with equalization built in as a part of the speaker design. A mid-bass hump can be thought of as bulit in equalization. For the better recordings, you might actually want to defeat the mid-bass hump with some equalization at playback. Hope I am being clear here. What do you think? How about you, Jay?
Wish the KLH 5’s were here since they are in that price range.
If I remember correctly, Jay said the Buchardt Mk2s were better technically but he liked the sound of the KLH more.
CSS Audio 1TDX with DSP is the ticket
Hi Jay-I have never heard a reviewer use the word “tasteful” to describe the sound characteristics of a speaker. I really don’t know what you are trying to convey.
When I say bass bump is tastefully done. I mean that it is done just the small amount and not too over exaggerated
@@Jayiyagi got it. thx!
Could you please compare CSS and Mucusian knight 1?
Save your money and stay away from Musician brand. Unethical and only does paid reviews
@@Jayiyagi That's not a review Jay. That's marketing.
@@longmuskox4194 you are right and when I say “unethical” it is because they explicitly don’t want comparisons with competition unless it favours them. And they often want the reviewer to not disclose the fact that they have been paid.
I have had the first hand experience and shared the minimum on the channel before about this shady brand.
@@Jayiyagi Well, thanks for sharing your opinion. It sounds as if their marketing department needs work. I'm not easily influenced by "reviews" and prefer to listen to products myself or at the very least take direction from people I trust. I'm not interested in the brand anyway. I have too much on my plate already and prefer to give products quality time before moving them to the garage for storage or gifting it to family and friends. Life is too short to get hung up on one product for too long. But that's just me.