I hope you enjoyed the video and review, if you would like to know more about the speakers best to watch Jays videos about them - the main one is linked here ruclips.net/video/rVmJCAE0D2M/видео.htmlsi=u9kJWgbDVN8DuYLJ
Fab review as always Terry. I have the 'baby brother' 1TDX & can recognise a lot of what you describe as their sonic traits / delivery. For a budget kit speaker I would say they punch well above their price point. Always a bit of a educated gamble buying blind - but it paid off for my tastes in presentation. Would love to hear the Typhons one day!
I really agree with many points. I actually listen at lower volume more now because proportional, enjoyable bass is still present. When cranked up, not boomy either. Oh boy, visceral and exciting! Wonderful details and at the same time not overly analytical, very musical. Like the tilt to tweak the highs. Better mid-basd clarity than 2TD-x but could be my workmanship or stuffing. Thanks for the nice review. Love that room, Wow!
Nice review and a good start from Jay and CSS. The Logo is glaring (white and bright) and maybe should have been constructed in veneer. For $5K on looks, it's OK.
During Covid Jail lockdown I built three of their kits. One is no longer a current product but the Criton 1TDX is an excellent speaker. It has marvelous bass for a floor stander like a Buchardt 400. Assembly is not difficult for all but the catastrophically mechanically challenged and the crossover is easy and fool proof if you can solder. I watched some RUclips videos and taught myself how to veneer the cabinets although not to Proac standards but if that is too much you can prime, sand and paint the cabinets. The sound for investment is very rewarding. I believe they make finished cabinets now as well.
WOW - thanks for this, Terry. These speakers look fabulous and what you say about them (and the sensible pricing) suggests they are definitely worth a demo. The only obvious issue for me - I'd want to stick black electrical tape over that incredibly distracting CSS badge!
CSS and I are aware of this issue where some prefer to have a minimal badge and are working on an elegant solution for anyone that would like to cover up the badge in the future and is planned to made available for current users as well
Under 1500 for a floor standing speaker is fairly entry level, you cant even get a bowers 600 range floor stander for that price and these are pitching to a higher level than that
@@jedi-mic Agree but what $1500 floor standers have Jantzen caps, Mills resistors, precision large gauge air core inductors? It's all relative. I don't think they're a rip-off but still the most I ever spent by 2X. Details count and these deliver.
That's slightly different B&W manufacture their own drivers have a lot of staff and have big facilitie,and are not a DIY company, you can't compare the two companies it's chalk and cheese, and all audio equipment is overpriced. Cost them about 400£ and that's s liberal price to manufacture a speaker with Shipping and packaging. you alluded to it yourself, that they seemed a bit overpriced for the product you could buy something better at a cheaper price. We know why its price like that because of Jay's cut and the manufacturing cut even so that's still seems high, maybe they're kidding Jay in the manufacturing costs??@@PursuitPerfectSystem
That’s a beautiful listening space my man. It’s something I hope to have one day but for now the living room will have to be good enough! Happy listening 😎
As the owner, you have the option to send it back to CSS for tuning to your preferred genre, and you can also choose to upgrade to better drivers and crossovers when they become available. This high level of service reflects a commitment to audiophile and customer satisfaction. The cost for this additional service would be $5,000.
I went to the Owston DIY hi-fi event yesterday. Next Sunday I'll be at the Wigwam show near Doncaster. These are the sort of events that I think you'd find interesting and entertaining Terry.
A seductive, warm sound is exactly what I’m looking for, and these speakers have been at the top of my list for awhile now. I like my Zu Dirty Weekends, but on poor recordings they tell the truth a bit too much. Like you Terry I’m very sensitive to treble. My income is supposed to double soon, at which point I’m gonna start saving for a pair of Typhons
I have the CSS 1TDX which I built from the kit and also had an Emotiva T0+ (AMT Tweeter) in the past and this review reflects my experiences between the two. The T0+, despite being a very budget friendly speaker, had better detail and imaging and wider soundstage. But in the end, I only wanted to keep 1 speaker, and the CSS won out as a all-in-one speaker. Once you get past the wow factor of some of the highly detailed speakers, fatigue sets in and long listening sessions hurt your ears. Also AMT tweeters were lacking a bit in the soul of the music. The CSS 1TDX for me was able to be a balance between speed, detail, and warmth that I wanted out of AMT/Metal dome tweeters, and tube-like sound. One thing I would recommend with these speakers is to pair them with a good tube preamp to give them a touch of liveliness, esp. with amplifiers that are less than $3K.
Nice review of a great speaker. The only thing that bothers me is the big, thick CSS logo. It takes away much of the speaker's elegance and make it look cheaper than USD 5k
I have the CSS audio 1TDX with the superior crossover. It uses the same drivers and tweeter as the speakers your reviewing. I agree with you comment that at low volumes the bass is amazing.
6:37 It's a similar effect to toeing in your speakers or moving your head while listening. It is detectable with any source of sound in the near field or the next-to-near field. One thing that anyone can do when setting up their speakers - and it's enough to drive you nuts if you pay too much attention to it - is to change the position of your head somewhat when sitting on the sofa in your listening spot. Ah" I forgot to add that it matters more the more directional you speakers are but it is there in all speakers with treble output.
Right. You also say so yourself a few moments later. 7:41 I find that using a laser pointer and some blue tack to secure it on the top of the speaker helps greatly. Of course you need to ensure that the tiny laser pointer is perfectly aligned with the speaker axis.... quite a faff, yes - a perfect task for a lazy Sunday afternoon!
It’s not the same as toeing in the speakers because it’s effecting mostly a region of the treble not all of it, toeing in or out effects the whole of the freq so it’s different.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I meant to write that the process of pointing the speakers is the same - not that the effect is the same. Sorry, I was a bit lazy.
I don't see how it's so different aside from vertical directivity usually being more variant than horizontal. Otherwise you can tilt it any which way and it'll affect frequencies in mostly the same way.@@PursuitPerfectSystem
Hi Terry. Your dad joke was outstanding. It was barely funny. Making it hilarious. And i must commend you on your TRUE DAD, top tier, constantly repetition this elite joke. Coz you know (like all dads) that a top dad joke, NEEDS REPEATING. 😂👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾
Another great review Terry. From your description the angle adjuster seems cheap. Not keen on that veneer. Personally the speakers have a "knock-off" vibe.
It looks like a very competent and well-thought-out design of the loudspeaker, but for my room two woofers are too much, one would be enough. Forgive me my english. (Google translate)
Nice review. I can't use these as they are a 4ohm speaker. My amp are a pair of bridged Parasound A23s. This amp requires an 8ohm speaker. I'm curious to know how these compare with the Polk R700s and the Canton speakers.
I'd expect the Elysian to have a better, clearer mid and treble on account of the midrange whereas the Typhon just uses another woofer (or mid-woofer). The Elysian should have the better tweeter too as ribbon tweeters generally are expected to be better and more expensive than dome tweeters. The other design these are reminiscent of is the Focal's Utopias and their smaller siblings'. I'm not a fan of the Focal sound though (or was not as I haven't heard a pair in years).
AMT; it's not really a ribbon as such. They also aren't necessarily more expensive. Sound quality is a toss up as longer AMT has narrower directivity, and they have pros and cons to their designs. The dedicated mid certainly should help as you can optimise the cone-baffle transition due to not needing high excursion among other things. Still, a good two way can still sound great
Why didn't they go with the coaxial midrange and tweeter been a better choice. Perfect choice for a speaker like that and I think it's cheaper than buying the two drivers is it a three way or 2.5? You should have tried bocking the port its designed to be out in the middle of the room sounds like! What sound frequency sensitive to ? about 10K
Which one would they use? Afaik CSS doesn't make coaxial, and Jay partnered with CSS because he liked their other speaker I think. He's not a speaker engineer though
The speakers were levelled for the best position in the room which is the blue taped square area, when I shot the b roll I moved the speakers around a lot they was not levelled again that is all
Terry, do they sell direct to the UK, or will they be using a distributor here ? Trying to work out on my fingers what they would cost with shipping, import duties, VAT etc.
Worldwide shipping is 500 dollars it says that on the website but not sure if they include the duties with that. It would be worth mailing them and asking them
@@RennieAshThen design isn't optimal. There isn't a perfect driver that is both woofer/subwoofer and midrange at the same time. Something close would be dayton esoteric but it still shouldn't be crossed above 2khz, has worse directivity and sensitivity than dedicated ones but has incredible bass with good midrange
I have been interested in buying a pair of css speakers but I can’t even begin to think the amount id pay in shipping and then customs to actually get it here in the UK!
There are 4 pairs of soft white gloves included, but I find them to be slippery combined with my extreme clumsiness I prefer latex style gloves as they grip tight
what is the difference? if the driver can produce all the frequencies and its only sent a mid range signal it becomes a dedicated mid range driver - I see your point but 2 ways do mids and bass just fine with the driver doing mids and bass
I have nothing against CSS Audio as I believe they make decent kits for beginners. That being said, I would never purchase a speaker with the name of a bought and paid for youtuber in front of the speakers. Furthermore, the resale value (used) will take a huge hit because of it. I would, for sure, go for the Elysian without even thinking of bringing this speaker on my list. Heck, I would go for the Evo4.4 at half the price of the CSS and will have a better resale value as well.
So it’s not really a free in home trail. It’s $250 (+ $shipping cost back) if you just want to try them out. I know good number of companies have similar practices but and it always comes off as disingenuous. I can only think of SVS off the top of my head that really offers a “free” in home trail. What makes this even more of hard pill to swallow is that you can’t audition them without investing $250-$500.
Great review Terry. Whilst I don't doubt the speakers will sound beautiful. For my own personal tastes the speakers look ugly and clunky. Aesthetics are just as important as the sound quality! 😅
🤗THANKS TERRY FOR YOUR HONEST REVIEW ,INCLUDING YOUR OWN FOIBLES 🥹😬 I THINK 🧐 YOUR ROOM LOOKS GREAT AND ALL THE WORK PAYS OFF …IN YOUR ABILITY TO DESCRIBE DETAILS THE COMMUNITY DEMANDS …THE SPEAKERS LOOK 👀🤩 AND ALLOW FOR PERSONAL PREFERENCES…WE APPLAUD 👏 👏👏 JAY AND CCS’s EFFORTS 💚💚💚
I hope you enjoyed the video and review, if you would like to know more about the speakers best to watch Jays videos about them - the main one is linked here ruclips.net/video/rVmJCAE0D2M/видео.htmlsi=u9kJWgbDVN8DuYLJ
8
Great review Terry. Thank you for your effort and time in making this video
Should have been a 3500. system with cabs sourced from Asia,5500.00 and no shipping is stupid expensive
Fab review as always Terry. I have the 'baby brother' 1TDX & can recognise a lot of what you describe as their sonic traits / delivery. For a budget kit speaker I would say they punch well above their price point. Always a bit of a educated gamble buying blind - but it paid off for my tastes in presentation. Would love to hear the Typhons one day!
Have the same speaker. End game for me. Not looking for anything else.
I really agree with many points. I actually listen at lower volume more now because proportional, enjoyable bass is still present. When cranked up, not boomy either. Oh boy, visceral and exciting! Wonderful details and at the same time not overly analytical, very musical. Like the tilt to tweak the highs. Better mid-basd clarity than 2TD-x but could be my workmanship or stuffing. Thanks for the nice review. Love that room, Wow!
I like their kits even better, huge value and a lesson in speaker design. Awesome products!
It's a great looking speaker and I'm glad the reviews are quite positive as well.
Nice review and a good start from Jay and CSS. The Logo is glaring (white and bright) and maybe should have been constructed in veneer. For $5K on looks, it's OK.
Another great review, thank you so much Terry. Loving the Typhon🙏
During Covid Jail lockdown I built three of their kits. One is no longer a current product but the Criton 1TDX is an excellent speaker. It has marvelous bass for a floor stander like a Buchardt 400. Assembly is not difficult for all but the catastrophically mechanically challenged and the crossover is easy and fool proof if you can solder. I watched some RUclips videos and taught myself how to veneer the cabinets although not to Proac standards but if that is too much you can prime, sand and paint the cabinets. The sound for investment is very rewarding. I believe they make finished cabinets now as well.
WOW - thanks for this, Terry. These speakers look fabulous and what you say about them (and the sensible pricing) suggests they are definitely worth a demo. The only obvious issue for me - I'd want to stick black electrical tape over that incredibly distracting CSS badge!
CSS and I are aware of this issue where some prefer to have a minimal badge and are working on an elegant solution for anyone that would like to cover up the badge in the future and is planned to made available for current users as well
I wouldn't class them as sensible pricing far from it, under 1500 maybe class sensible pricing
Under 1500 for a floor standing speaker is fairly entry level, you cant even get a bowers 600 range floor stander for that price and these are pitching to a higher level than that
@@jedi-mic Agree but what $1500 floor standers have Jantzen caps, Mills resistors, precision large gauge air core inductors? It's all relative. I don't think they're a rip-off but still the most I ever spent by 2X. Details count and these deliver.
That's slightly different B&W manufacture their own drivers have a lot of staff and have big facilitie,and are not a DIY company, you can't compare the two companies it's chalk and cheese, and all audio equipment is overpriced. Cost them about 400£ and that's s liberal price to manufacture a speaker with Shipping and packaging.
you alluded to it yourself, that they seemed a bit overpriced for the product you could buy something better at a cheaper price.
We know why its price like that because of Jay's cut and the manufacturing cut even so that's still seems high, maybe they're kidding Jay in the manufacturing costs??@@PursuitPerfectSystem
That’s a beautiful listening space my man. It’s something I hope to have one day but for now the living room will have to be good enough!
Happy listening 😎
As the owner, you have the option to send it back to CSS for tuning to your preferred genre, and you can also choose to upgrade to better drivers and crossovers when they become available. This high level of service reflects a commitment to audiophile and customer satisfaction. The cost for this additional service would be $5,000.
Absolutely love your style of reviews! Would be nice to see a matching center.
I don’t have the room for these but would love to have a listen one day ❤
I went to the Owston DIY hi-fi event yesterday. Next Sunday I'll be at the Wigwam show near Doncaster. These are the sort of events that I think you'd find interesting and entertaining Terry.
A seductive, warm sound is exactly what I’m looking for, and these speakers have been at the top of my list for awhile now. I like my Zu Dirty Weekends, but on poor recordings they tell the truth a bit too much. Like you Terry I’m very sensitive to treble. My income is supposed to double soon, at which point I’m gonna start saving for a pair of Typhons
Sensitive to treble but have Zu? Aren't they a little rough being a large full range?
Hopefully get to hear them this weekend at the Toronto Audiofest! Thanks for the review Terry
Great review, well shot and presented as usual, thank you Terry.
Great review , when will you review the Dovedale🔥
I have the CSS 1TDX which I built from the kit and also had an Emotiva T0+ (AMT Tweeter) in the past and this review reflects my experiences between the two. The T0+, despite being a very budget friendly speaker, had better detail and imaging and wider soundstage. But in the end, I only wanted to keep 1 speaker, and the CSS won out as a all-in-one speaker. Once you get past the wow factor of some of the highly detailed speakers, fatigue sets in and long listening sessions hurt your ears. Also AMT tweeters were lacking a bit in the soul of the music. The CSS 1TDX for me was able to be a balance between speed, detail, and warmth that I wanted out of AMT/Metal dome tweeters, and tube-like sound. One thing I would recommend with these speakers is to pair them with a good tube preamp to give them a touch of liveliness, esp. with amplifiers that are less than $3K.
Nice review of a great speaker. The only thing that bothers me is the big, thick CSS logo. It takes away much of the speaker's elegance and make it look cheaper than USD 5k
I have the CSS audio 1TDX with the superior crossover. It uses the same drivers and tweeter as the speakers your reviewing. I agree with you comment that at low volumes the bass is amazing.
6:37 It's a similar effect to toeing in your speakers or moving your head while listening. It is detectable with any source of sound in the near field or the next-to-near field.
One thing that anyone can do when setting up their speakers - and it's enough to drive you nuts if you pay too much attention to it - is to change the position of your head somewhat when sitting on the sofa in your listening spot.
Ah" I forgot to add that it matters more the more directional you speakers are but it is there in all speakers with treble output.
Right. You also say so yourself a few moments later.
7:41 I find that using a laser pointer and some blue tack to secure it on the top of the speaker helps greatly. Of course you need to ensure that the tiny laser pointer is perfectly aligned with the speaker axis.... quite a faff, yes - a perfect task for a lazy Sunday afternoon!
It’s not the same as toeing in the speakers because it’s effecting mostly a region of the treble not all of it, toeing in or out effects the whole of the freq so it’s different.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I meant to write that the process of pointing the speakers is the same - not that the effect is the same. Sorry, I was a bit lazy.
I don't see how it's so different aside from vertical directivity usually being more variant than horizontal. Otherwise you can tilt it any which way and it'll affect frequencies in mostly the same way.@@PursuitPerfectSystem
Great review as always Terry!
Great review, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hi Terry. Your dad joke was outstanding. It was barely funny. Making it hilarious. And i must commend you on your TRUE DAD, top tier, constantly repetition this elite joke. Coz you know (like all dads) that a top dad joke, NEEDS REPEATING. 😂👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾
Andrew my jokes are always funny I will have you know :)
Another great review Terry.
From your description the angle adjuster seems cheap.
Not keen on that veneer.
Personally the speakers have a "knock-off" vibe.
I think you could claim 99% of modern speakers are knock offs of something that came before them
Very nice review of the loudspeaker, I would like to hear it, but unfortunately it isn't available in Germany yet.
Thought its a Focal at first. As Focal uses this kind of boxes design.
It looks like a very competent and well-thought-out design of the loudspeaker, but for my room two woofers are too much, one would be enough. Forgive me my english. (Google translate)
Nice review. I can't use these as they are a 4ohm speaker. My amp are a pair of bridged Parasound A23s. This amp requires an 8ohm speaker. I'm curious to know how these compare with the Polk R700s and the Canton speakers.
How does one buy speakers without hearing them? They’re all so different and critical to the experience.
30 day home trial
I'd expect the Elysian to have a better, clearer mid and treble on account of the midrange whereas the Typhon just uses another woofer (or mid-woofer). The Elysian should have the better tweeter too as ribbon tweeters generally are expected to be better and more expensive than dome tweeters.
The other design these are reminiscent of is the Focal's Utopias and their smaller siblings'.
I'm not a fan of the Focal sound though (or was not as I haven't heard a pair in years).
AMT; it's not really a ribbon as such. They also aren't necessarily more expensive.
Sound quality is a toss up as longer AMT has narrower directivity, and they have pros and cons to their designs.
The dedicated mid certainly should help as you can optimise the cone-baffle transition due to not needing high excursion among other things.
Still, a good two way can still sound great
Terry why dont you make your own designs too just like Jay did?
Good looking speaker, nice size and goes low for my taste. I have end game amplifier, preamp and Dac. Is this speaker end game?
youll miss very slightly from highest-end, id say 95% experience
Why didn't they go with the coaxial midrange and tweeter been a better choice. Perfect choice for a speaker like that and I think it's cheaper than buying the two drivers is it a three way or 2.5?
You should have tried bocking the port its designed to be out in the middle of the room sounds like!
What sound frequency sensitive to ? about 10K
👍🇺🇦
Which one would they use? Afaik CSS doesn't make coaxial, and Jay partnered with CSS because he liked their other speaker I think. He's not a speaker engineer though
When you are moving the top speaker around the towers don't appear particularly stable.
The speakers were levelled for the best position in the room which is the blue taped square area, when I shot the b roll I moved the speakers around a lot they was not levelled again that is all
Terry, do they sell direct to the UK, or will they be using a distributor here ?
Trying to work out on my fingers what they would cost with shipping, import duties, VAT etc.
Worldwide shipping is 500 dollars it says that on the website but not sure if they include the duties with that. It would be worth mailing them and asking them
@PursuitPerfectSystem Cheers, Terry.
The Typhoon likely needs a smaller mid range driver. All three of the drivers are the same.
CSS doesn't currently make any other mid bass drivers.
@@RennieAshThen design isn't optimal. There isn't a perfect driver that is both woofer/subwoofer and midrange at the same time. Something close would be dayton esoteric but it still shouldn't be crossed above 2khz, has worse directivity and sensitivity than dedicated ones but has incredible bass with good midrange
I have been interested in buying a pair of css speakers but I can’t even begin to think the amount id pay in shipping and then customs to actually get it here in the UK!
shipping is fixed at $500 which seems like a lot but its not for 4 boxes and I am not sure that might also include the duty - you would have to check
what are the rubber gloves for?
There are 4 pairs of soft white gloves included, but I find them to be slippery combined with my extreme clumsiness I prefer latex style gloves as they grip tight
Engineer is a nuclear physicist. I love my 1TDX superior.
Reinventing the wheel.nothing knew here.20hz from 6.5inch woofers,no way.35hz maybe.distortion at 35hz, no dont tell.
At this price point you would expect to have a dedicated midrange driver, not a third midwoofer.
what is the difference? if the driver can produce all the frequencies and its only sent a mid range signal it becomes a dedicated mid range driver - I see your point but 2 ways do mids and bass just fine with the driver doing mids and bass
I have nothing against CSS Audio as I believe they make decent kits for beginners. That being said, I would never purchase a speaker with the name of a bought and paid for youtuber in front of the speakers. Furthermore, the resale value (used) will take a huge hit because of it. I would, for sure, go for the Elysian without even thinking of bringing this speaker on my list. Heck, I would go for the Evo4.4 at half the price of the CSS and will have a better resale value as well.
So it’s not really a free in home trail. It’s $250 (+ $shipping cost back) if you just want to try them out. I know good number of companies have similar practices but and it always comes off as disingenuous. I can only think of SVS off the top of my head that really offers a “free” in home trail.
What makes this even more of hard pill to swallow is that you can’t audition them without investing $250-$500.
It didn’t say free home trial it says 30 day home trial so you if you buy them and don’t like them for whatever reason you can return them
Nobody will ever know why sometimes there are measurements and sometimes not.
I do have my suspects but would'nt be very kind to tell....
No, all speakers should not be like that. :)
Imagine using these on a desktop?
Adjustable on a desktop would still be useful
Great review Terry. Whilst I don't doubt the speakers will sound beautiful. For my own personal tastes the speakers look ugly and clunky. Aesthetics are just as important as the sound quality! 😅
Yes!! All speakers should cost 6 grand!
I get the point, but clearly thats not the intended reference otherwise it would be should all speakers cost this much... come on man
🤗THANKS TERRY FOR YOUR HONEST REVIEW ,INCLUDING YOUR OWN FOIBLES 🥹😬 I THINK 🧐 YOUR ROOM LOOKS GREAT AND ALL THE WORK PAYS OFF …IN YOUR ABILITY TO DESCRIBE DETAILS THE COMMUNITY DEMANDS …THE SPEAKERS LOOK 👀🤩 AND ALLOW FOR PERSONAL PREFERENCES…WE APPLAUD 👏 👏👏 JAY AND CCS’s EFFORTS 💚💚💚