CSS Audio vs. GR Research Speaker Kits with Music Demos
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Sound comparison between 3 speakers(Use Headphones for best results):
-CSS Audio Criton 2TD-X Towers(With superior crossovers)
www.css-audio....
-Gr-Research X-SLS Encore Towers(With upgraded crossovers)
-GR-Research X-CS Encore(Single speaker in mono)(With Upgraded Crossovers)
www.gr-researc...
Other Equipment:
-Integra DRX-5.3 Receiver
-Sony UBP-X800M2 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Recording Equipment:
-Tascam DR-2d Linear PCM Digital Recorder
-2 Audio-technica AT2035 Cardioid Condenser Mics
Audio clips recorded at 96kHz, 24 bit.
Demo clips: #1 & #2 are high resolution flac files, #3 is a DVD Audio disc, and #4 & #5 are MP3's from tunetank.com. The opening and ending text pages music is another clip recorded from the CSS 2TD-X's.
Listening Room and Placement:
20 feet by 14 feet room, vaulted ceiling to 10 feet, open on one side.
All speakers were placed 24 inches from front wall, 9 feet apart, and 6 feet from the mics.
No subs, no grills.
2 corner bass traps and some minimal absorption.
Conclusions and comments:
-Yes, I know a better comparison would be with the X-MTM Encore Tower and/or a pair of the X-CS Encores, but I can only compare with what I have.
-To no surprise, the differences on the recording are quite subtle but noticeable(bass is easiest to hear). The differences in my room are anything but subtle. Most of my comments are from hundreds of listening hours with the Encores and dozens of hours on the CSS and yes, I know you "Burn-in" folks say that's not enough time. I'll make an addendum later if needed.
-I tried my best to level match each speaker but it is definitely not perfect, sorry.
-BASS:
-The CSS is definitely a sub optional speaker, tight impactful, deep extension, chest thumpingly strong
X-SLS Surprising deep(40Hz), nice warm tone, balanced well with my SVS SB1000pro sub. Set my high band pass filter at 50Hz and it rolled off smoothly with my sub. I like the tonality of the low end of these towers.
X-CS Tight punchy mid-bass(Kick Drum range) Strong and fast. Not as deep extension because the smaller sealed box but still impressive. My guess is this sounds similar to the X-MTM Tower but with less bass extension.
-MIDRANGE:
CSS A very forward presentation. Vocals sound natural and have a very "In the room" quality to them. Powerful and clean. A noticeable strength with these drivers.
-X-SLS-A little laid back in presentation. Voices sound natural but get a little distorted at high volumes
-X-CS-Like the CSS with a forward presence and powerful. Very clean and natural sounding. A lot of room filling sound from this small box.
TWEETERS:
CSS The most forward presentation in the group, airy but balanced. I was worried about listening fatigue but so far so good. Still better than my B&W 605's.
X-SLS Laid back, warm but does blend with the midrange well. My earlier thoughts were that this tweeter almost disappears. The only issue I had was at loud volumes this tweeter overwhelms the woofer balance and becomes quite bright. Again, only at really loud levels.
X-CS I think this tweeter balances better with the 2 woofers. It stays well behaved even at ridiculous level. Clean and airy with a little warmth. Two of these X-CS's with a sub would be a kick butt system for a medium to large size room.
Sensitivity and SPL's Both the Criton and X-CS are listed as 90db sensitivity and the X-SLS at 87db. The funny thing is that I had to lower the volume on my receiver 2 or 3 decibels for the X-SLS's to match the other speakers(?), and the single X-CS level was the same as both L/R Critons(?) I know it could be how my amp is handling the ohm load or a possible error on my part in the assembly of these speakers. It is peculiar that the lower rated X-SLS's needs less wattage to shine. Fewer woofers maybe?
IMAGING, SOUND STAGE, TIMBRE, AND ALL THE JAZZ: The two towers easily create a good center image facing straight forward but when I toe them in about 15 degrees the stage center becomes very defined. The timbre of the X-SLS's at low and medium volumes leans a little warm and pleasant (Sorry folks, I don't mind a little warmth), but gets very strident at high volume levels. Both the Critons and X-CS like power and seem to handled it well. Midrange and Tweeters did not distort or break up at extreme levels for me in my room(90+db). The only difference was the Critons bass followed with almost as much slam as if I had my sub on.
The 2TD-X's are my new favorite for an "All in one Package." Low end to top end they are well balanced and neutral sounding. From soft to "O My God, Call the Police" levels, they maintain their composure. They seem to do it all very well. The surprise in the group was how good the X-CS sounded. I did try it with my sub on and it matched well. I rolled it off at 55Hz and it was impressive. The "BANG FOR THE BUCK" prize still goes to the GR Research models. The performance to cost ratio is hard to beat. More to come.
I admire and appreciate anyone who would take the time to help us in the pursuit of great tunes. And isn't the music what it is really all about.
The XLS-CS are the best combination of tone and articulation when replayed on my system. Thanks for sharing.
More to tell (Ran out of space in the video description): Dynamics!!! I've had the chance to re-listen to some of my old speakers and A/B compare them to these kits over the past few months and these kits are also more dynamic than all of my previously owned store bought speakers. From subtle acoustic nuances to explosive progressive rock jam sessions these kits can go from zero to deafening levels in microseconds. I don't know if it's fewer parts in the signal path, less filtering, high end crossover parts, no protection circuitry, or all the above, but they respond fast, stop fast, are totally silent in quiet parts (even when the amp is cranked up to 11). Dynamics is a big part of music. Most musicians know this and perform with them. You probably own several recordings right now that could be hiding dynamic awesomeness. Get some speakers that lets the emotion come alive from the recordings. These kits can help do the trick.
Thanks for that report on your experience with these speakers I cant wait to finish my speaker project I've always wanted to build my own speakers.
@@courtneyswaby3178 My pleasure. What speakers are you building?
The XLS Encore from gr research
@@courtneyswaby3178 That was my first build too. Great little speaker.
X-CS sounds incredible and quite expressive!
My honest opinion, all three speakers sounded good with just slight differences. Listening with closed eyes I would have to give the edge to the X-CS, to me it had a bigger sound.
Thanks for your time and video!
When comparing speakers, level matching is IMHO very important
A speaker May sound muted or shy just because it’s 2 or 3 dB off (down from the prior demo)
Just saying….
Thank you for the effort !
Good job !
I was still learning how to level match speakers with different impedance . Will do better in the future.
Thanks for the extremely well presented and well commented comparative! I have been toying with the idea of buying one of these kits and you have definitely helped in deciding where I should go!
Thanks! I think all three of these models could fall in the "Audiophile" quality category. Bang for the Buck- go with the GR-Research X-series. Take things up a notch- go with the CSS TD models.
@@DonnieMulligan Yes even with the eventual limitations of sound demos through UA-cam,, it was quite easy to perceive the differences,, and that was before I even read your comments!! Once again, thanks very much for an excellent review!
Great comparison and a nice write up of the differences. I can see many people preferring one over the other depending on the type of sound they prefer. Both CSS and GR Research are terrific companies and I would love newbies to the hobby give them a try rather than start with whatever mass-produced box speaker is popular this month.
The surprise for me is still how can a speaker kit out perform a ready-made speaker 3and 4 times their price. With a few tools and a soldering iron you can build a speaker well above your weight class.
Yep
I bought a pair of CSS TDX 1 recently after hearing people like yourself talk about them. I have them hooked up to a Hegel H 120 and I am just playing vinyl records at the moment. They are the best speakers I have ever owned.
Glad to hear it. You'll have to spend 2 or 3 times as much to even come close to the quality of these kits.
@@DonnieMulligan They really are amazing speakers. Great show, thanks Donnie.
After listening several times with good speakers and then really good earphones, the CSS speakers are by far to my ears and preference the best of the bunch. Of course an in person review would be preferable and I assume volume levels were constant for all 3 speakers, etc. Yep CSS will be at the top of my DIY speaker systems now. Thank you so much for doing this.
Level matching was not perfect on every track, but listening to the sum of all 5 gives you a little idea of what's going on. I too agree that the Criton's top the group in most categories. They are more than twice the cost and double woofers are expected to offer more bass, but the cleanest, tightness, and deep extending qualities in the Critons bass is still surprising for two 7": drivers. The midrange/ tweeter is also noticeably a notch above too. Male voices, female voices, and acoustic instruments is where these beauties show off their subtleties. They also can rock if you push them. For me they were a high dollar purchase but I have no regrets.
The X-CS has the tightest bass. It sounded quite different, tonally, than the two towers.
Agreed! Tighter bass is real. The different tonality could be that I had to record it in mono because it was a single speaker.
The X-SLS sounds more balanced and refined but the X-CS could be even more engaging if it were playing in stereo. All 3 sound great, I just find the 2TD-X bass too 'big' in relation to the rest of the sound and the midrange not as sweet as the other 2. But, this is UA-cam and I am listening on an iMac/Shiit/LittleDot/Sennheiser HD600 setup which of course has it's own sound signature.
Like I said in the video, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these kits. The Critons do need more room. A medium to large room and about 2-3 feet from the front wall. To be honest, a pair of the X-CS's would probably work best in a medium/large room too, but because they are sealed you could keep them a little closer to the front wall.
Clip #1 - while the CSS sounds great, as does the X-CS Encore, I'd have to give it to the X-SLS for the apparent uncoloration.
Clip #2- goes to the X-CS Encore. Overall tonality is superb
Clip #3 - Goes to the X-CS also
Clip #4 - Goes to the X-CS for overall tonality and unbelievable articulation.
Clip #5 - X-CS also
Ok, going to try them. I hope I'm not disappointed. I just wish we could hear more of the bass. But you're right, all three would be a welcome addition. They all sound great.
A stereo pair of X-CS's should sound quite impressive. Add a sub and you'll have a amazing full range system.
I do have a sub, albeit mediocre IMHO. It's a Dayton Audio 10".
The X-CS's do have powerful punchy bass down to the mid 40Hz range but do need a little help below that.
Down to 40 hz? Wow, that's impressive. IDK if I'll need a sub.
The X-CS is a relatively small sealed box hence why it makes a good center channel. Midrange and upper bass are strong and clean but the lower bass rolls off pretty steeply. You could try a pair with/without a sub and see.
Thanks for the great review. I have been 'doing the research' on these exact speakers for several months...I have been back and forth on the CSS and GR speakers. This is the best comparison out there. I agree the CSS speakers have great mids and are very smooth...a great speaker...but I think if the GR's MTM's were reviewed in pairs and stereo the sound may be even closer to the CSS speakers...For me I don't see an $1100 difference in these two speakers (cost comparison for the difference in three speakers from each brand)...so I am ordering the GR MTM's when they become available...Thanks for helping me out with my decision. Keep up the great reviews.
If the X-MTM's are anything like the X-CS I think you'll be pleased. The fact that they are ported towers means the bass extension and SPL's should be nice. Like you said, no one has youtube videos for the X-MTM's. I found a few build threads saying that they are great, need a medium to large room to breathe, and the bass is shockingly strong. Sounds like a cheaper version of the CSS 2TD-X's, not necessarily a poorer performer one. Good Luck and keep us up-to-date on the build.
How did your build go?
CSS sounds much more engaging to my ears
Agreed! They demonstrate great subtlety even at low volume levels and great dynamics at all levels.
Hey Donnie, Thanks for posting this. If I can may I suggest the CSS towers might benefit most from more space around them. Moving them may 2 feet into the room should clear up their lower end somewhat.
Yes, I know. For the recording I did have them 2 feet from the front wall. Some folks even say 3+ feet from the wall. It is just not practical in my room. I now have them about 18" from the front wall and am rolling them off at 40Hz and letting my sub(sealed) do the bottom octave. It helped knock down some room-boom and front wall reinforcement.
GRR is coming out with old school two and three ways this year!
I saw his Danny's video. Exciting news, that 8" driver has all kinds of possibilities.
Excellent job Donnie!
Big Thanks!!!
Thanks for the time and effort you put in.. very helpful..
IM so very aware of the limitations of these style demos, still.... listening on a larger set of towers (w/2 10" woofers) the CSS showed best bass response. Im currently MOST interested in hearing the other GRR towers, the skinny ones look really intriguing.
Very good job! Excellent attention.
Much needed video, listening on my x-sls without sub. I do need a lot more clarity in midrange than these provide, nice to hear css is a bit better in this category. I definitely would like to see how Gr-research X-statik compares with Css, x-statik would still be considerable cheaper with base kit. X-sls in amazing for the price. These settled for me after 300hrs of burn-in.
Yep, everything is relative to what you are comparing it to. I was content with my B&W's until I heard the X-SLS's, Now the Criton's are my new favorite in most categories. I too was looking at the X-Statiks. $400 cheaper, great reviews, has some proven longevity. I called Danny at GR-Research to ask a few questions about the X-Statiks and he was still having problems getting his drivers in, but the real deciding factor for me was what he confirmed about room placement. You have to keep the X-Statiks a minimum of 3 feet from the front wall. This issue is just not possible in my listening room. That same week CSS released their plans for the 2TD-X Towers and I jumped on them and am not looking back. They are a great Full Range Tower that keeps surprising me.
@@DonnieMulligan nice you got something you like. Which were your B&Ws that Css has beaten?
A reviewer also suggested same mid range clarity issue on Css2tdx as well but i assume it would still be much better than x-sls. Now would definitely like to follow you on how you find something better than 2tdx in future. Would you keep with diy or move to mainstream speakers.
It was the B&W 605 S2's with built in amped bass woofers. The bass was nice but the mids/tweeter range sounded veiled and blurred compared to the X-SLS's, and even more so against the Critons. I've shopped big box stores for decades. The past 11 months have taught me that price does not always equate to quality, and just because you are not a carpenter, electrician, or designer does not mean you cannot build a cheaper, better loudspeaker(or someone's else's kit).
I was wondering if you used no Rez in the GR speakers and are they the upgrade or the Erse capacitors? Thanks for the demo.
No Norez, it was too expensive for my budget. The X-SLS towers just have 1.5 inch acoustic foam and insulation stuffing. The X-CS has a layer of vinyl, 1.5 inch acoustic foam and insulation stuffing. Both have the upgraded crossovers with sonicaps.
When you are doing a comparison like this you actually need to volume match the speakers because that heavily impacts the perceived detail and clarity. Really interesting comparison if you had done that though. The second part was more volume matched and The GR speakers sounded superb. CSS sounded a little artificial and lacking detail in the bass and highs. CSS selling point to me is how blown out the sound is compared to the size. They sound huge.
Agreed! Level matching does affect one's perception, even over a video like this. I did point that fact out in my video write-up. What still surprised me was if you take the extended bass from the CCS's out of the equation, how well the X-CS holds up against a tower 3 or 4 times it's cost.
@@DonnieMulligan Any non DIY speakers you might compare these to so people who don't want to DIY have some options?
Jake, the only ones I could directly compare them to were some old B&W 605 towers, B&W LCR6, B&W LM1, and a Def. Tech. ProCenter. The new kits beat my old speakers in nearly all categories. Both Gr-Research and CSS Audio offer fully assembled kits. Their price can give you an idea of who they are competing against.
I don't get how you dont have more subscribers
I'm still just a newbie. Just started this speaker building journey 11 months ago.
oh wow... awesome content! I'm definitely considering between these 2 makers and no one has done as extensive an A-B as you have! more please! maybe even the 1TDX with the bass module?
Thanks! Both companies have some great products. Right now I am using the CSS Towers in my main system for 2-channel audio with the X-CS as a center channel in my home theater and have the X-SLS Towers in my basement studio for albums and other analog gear.
GR-Research tweeter seems more resolving to my ears and a bit more forward but the CSS is a bit smoother…
Agreed!
They all sound great.
Hey Donnie, Having read your description comments, Could you speak a little about different cabinet materials weight and cabinet thickness. I cant help having the thought that these may have some influence on for instance the X SLS at higher volume levels. Any thoughts?
The X-SLS's are 3/4" pine plywood with 1.5" of acoustic foam covering most internal surfaces. The X-CS is 3/4" Baltic Birch(High Grade) with a layer of vinyl floor tile and 1.5" of foam. The Critons are 3/4" Russian Birch(BB Grade) with a 1" Red Oak Front Baffle and top. Vinyl tile and foam covering the inside. The tightness of the bass in the X-CS has always impressed me. My 3 thoughts are:
Since it is a single speaker recorded through close mounted mics the recorded sound is different(questionably better) than the wide mics for the stereo pairs.
Since the X-CS is sealed it should have tighter bass.
The tweeter/midrange matches better with these two woofers and therefore give a better overall presentation.
The Baltic Birch was definitely a much higher quality wood than the Russian variety. I could not find Baltic Birch sheets large enough for this speaker in my area.
Btw I think the CSS speaker sound better for most music you’ve played. Just Danny’s GR speakers rock better again to my ears
thank you, sounds like the xcs in a tower hf @ 160 and 2 css drivers lf to go the rest of the way down and with the subs omg ...haha
The 2TD-X were OK . the other two speakers were just not very good and lacked bass.
With old ears & damaged hearing I rarely listen to speaker sound comparisons, it typically isn't important to me. In this case, I did listen carefully over a pair of average Bose headphones. Surprisingly, I thought that I actually heard differences. I thought that the CSS gave something more to the music, maybe in the highs, but was a bit muddy in the mid-range (extra bass ??). The GRR speakers seemed a bit flat by comparison but not to the point where they didn't sound good.
Like I said in my video description. The differences on youtube are subtle. The differences in room are pretty dramatic. All are good, but my favorites are the CSS Audio and still have them as my mains for stereo listening.
The drivers used by CSS are way more expensive and use a few tricks here and there, so I would expect lower distortions and higher fidelity from them. It is possible that the tweeter is made Wavecor for them based on Dan Wiggins design.
Hi Donnie, Another reviewer reported that he had to keep the Criton towers about six feet from the rear wall to mitigate a booming bass response. Are your findings similar? Thanks in advance!
That is just not practical in my room and probably not for most people. The best results I got was 18 inches from the front wall with a bass trap near each tower. The bass is substantial but still balanced with the mids and highs.
@@DonnieMulligan thanks so much
GR Research is perfect, too perfect to the point of being boring, while CSS sounds alive and brighter. The CSS is more engaging and fun, GR Research would might be better for longer listening periods, but for me personally I'd rather have the CSS.
The X series speakers were really meant to be entry level speakers. X-CS Encores went for around $200 a speaker in a nice cabinet back when AV123 was around. For what they are, they’re exceptional.
I would say that anyone should check out the other models from GR Research with Neo 3 planars and their better drivers. They’re in a very different class.
I feel like the height difference could be contributing to the sound. There was definitely difference in the clarity and room effect between the two towers
I did adjust the mic height accordingly with each models tweeter. Not much I could do with the room at that time. I've got more room treatments now.
Hi Donnie, not the exact same speakers but do you have any thoughts on the CSS 1TD-X vs GR X-LS? These are the top two on my shortlist but quite different price points.
Price is probably the biggest factor because they both sound good. Although I don't own the 1TD-X, the 2-TD-X uses the same drivers and probably has similar tonal characteristics. Some things to consider are: The CSS has a more forward presentation. Some would say more detailed. The X-LS is more laid back, slightly warmer. Another way to word it is-Unforgiving vs. Easy on the ears. I enjoy both for different reasons.
If bass is your focus and you are not going to use a sub then choose the CSS. With a subwoofer, either brand can sound fantastic.
I still give the "Bang for the Buck!" award to GR-Research but I like CSS-Audio's over all response and sound signature. Sorry I can't be more help. They are both really good.
Yep, proves that videos like this can not be used to evaluate speakers compared to each other,. It seems like you had fun doing this. Good luck with your next venture.
Hands down CSS audio!!
xs-cs seems most accurate
Two of those with a sub would be a nice system. I like the slightly forward presentation of the Criton's a little more. I am still going to keep the X-CS as my center channel.
Can anyone compare these to the diysg helix? Another highly regarded diy brand with similar size and specs for less money.
Interesting results. I'd like to hear all 3 in my system... What is the music used in demo #1?
Visions of Her by David Elias. Copyright free downloads at www.oppodigital.com/hra/dsd-by-davidelias.aspx
Are you married? My wife would have several conniptions. I just built a pair of C-Notes, and wife said, "so you have to get rid of some speaker now." If you live in the USA these C-Notes are a bargian , here in Canada the freight, duty and taxes kill its value. Enjoyed the video. Cheers.
Married and yes, the wife's patience is running out. A big Facebook market place sell is in my near future.
@@DonnieMulligan tell her you could be building car kits or kayaks instead ... but say it with smile
Late to the game on this one, but one could always ask their spousal unit about shoe/handbag/jewelry collection, or for some of those above middle age, the cost of annual Botox treatments. Don’t laugh, that last part has worked for me at least once.
Many thanks. I'f one day you would like to show how u wired them that would be great.
Just go to CSS-Audio.com, click on 2TD-X Tower, click on the "Data" tab, then click "Plans". They have the full wiring schematic and crossover values. It is really a 2-way speaker with the woofers wired in parallel. The reason it's not secret is because the magic is in their drivers. You need to purchase their drivers to get things to sound this good.
@@DonnieMulligan k ty
The X-CS Encore: What X series speaker does this correspond to on the GR website? Will the SMSL AO200 Class D Amp suffice adequately for this speaker set of 2?
The X-series, X-CS Encore ( gr-research.com/product/x-cs-encore/ ). Not sure about the SMSL A0200. It looks like it's only 50watts in 8ohms. The X-CS's like power. It will probably drive them, but not to reference levels.
criton.. better sounding..clear/natural.
Danny says you need room treatment !
I know, I still have to share this room and house with my wife. Negotiations have begun and a peace treaty will hopefully be agreed upon soon.
Good luck !
nice
I've been on the edge of which kit to buy. But I do know it's gonna be one of the bookshelf style speaker kits.
In your listening experience which of the bookshelf style speakers sounds the best. The XLS or The X-CS MTM verticle style. Your opinion would really help narrow down my choices.
Between those two I would go with a pair of the X-CS's. If you read in my video description, I was really impressed with how this little MTM speaker performed against the tower models. Tight punchy bass with incredible dynamics. Well balance midrange and highs with vocals. A surprising amount of power in this little box. Two of them could easily fill a medium to a large room. I think the tweeter he uses matches better with 2 woofers like the X-CS. You can't go wrong with either the GR-Research models or the CSS Audio.
Thanks for getting back to me. I have a set old school Klipsch MTM speakers from the early 90s. I know Danny Richie from GR Research doesn't think to highly of Klipsch. But coming from a set of cheap tiny home theater speakers. I thought I had hit the lottery when I 1st heard them. I can only imagine what these high end MTMs must sound like.
I have wanted to build a pair of the CSS Audio Criton 2TDX-Towers for several months now. They have been out of stock but are getting a new shipment in a few days. The problem is I also discovered that Tube Depot has the Elekit Tu-8600S 300B Tube Amp with lundhal output transformers final production run in stock as well. So I have a dilemma, a quandary to resolve..
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!!! If you are like me, order both, build the amp now and the Criton when the woofers ship. Quandary solved! It just takes money and patience.
@@DonnieMulligan Hi thanks for the reply! I have received authorization from the spousal unit to buy the amp and the speakers. : ) My fear is I'm going down the rabbit hole. All I have at present is a 10-12 year old Yamaha RX-V473 receiver, Definitive 5 channel sound bar and 8 inch super cube sub (for my TV). Heck as far as I'm concerned the best speakers I own are the pair of Parts Express "Passive Aggressive" desktop speakers I built to replace my crappy plastic computer speakers. That's what led me down this path.. : ) To justify doing this I'm thinking of building the Elekit TU-8500 preamp and buying a "get by" DAC like the Geshelli J-2. Now I'm pushing 5K. That's a big bite. I'm going to have to cogitate on that for a bit.. I'll let you know what I decide. : )
@@mojoneko8303 I also built to Passive Aggressives. Got the build video on my channel. I started this DIY journey just 11 months ago with the GR-Research X-LS Encores and have been going strong ever since. I'm about to start on another pair of Soundblab's Dynamites with a built in amp/Blue tooth/Wi-Fi receiver. Should be interesting.
@@DonnieMulligan Hi thanks for the reply. I just ordered the 2TD-X Tower kit wit superior crossover components. I didn't order the flat pack I plan to build the cabinets myself. I have all the tools and most of the skills to do this.. : ) I plan to order the Elekit TU-8600S amp tomorrow. I plan to spread out the pain of the Elekit preamp and a DAC over the next few months to soften the blow to my bank account.. : ) Wish me luck!
Nice to hear and good luck! One little addendum I would add to the 2TD-X plans is to use 1" thick wood for the front baffle. The plans call for 3/4" for all sides but once you countersink these woofers 1/4 an inch you are left with just a 1/2" of baffle holding these substantial woofers. They are heavy and powerful.
hmm, i think i like the xcs
o yes to me at least the xcs sounded the best of the bunch!
Hi, would u consider doing assembly for these speakers for a fee?
Dan, probably not, my woodworking skill level is still pretty low. Both CSS and GR-Research do offer flatpacks for most of their speakers. You just need glue, a soldering iron, and clamps. Of course, the more expensive options are to purchase their ready-made kits. I think Randy "The Cheap Audio Man" was also offering to assemble some of the kits for a fee as well. Hope this helps.
@@DonnieMulligan hi donnie, i was going to buy the kit with the flatpacks and asked randy to put it together for 350, but found out he no longer does it anymore. I was not going to ask you to make the boxes from scratch. If u ever change your mind, just let me know. Thank you
css ok
Xcs the standmount, sounds the best. Is it tested to as a stereo speaker?
it could be a stereo pair...it's just marketed as a "center channel" speaker
the xcs sounded the best to my ears! a winner!!
How much hours speakers have been used about when this video was made, Gr-Research sounds good with classical music but other than that sound is little "plastic"
A couple of hundred hours on the GR-Research speakers. A few dozen hours on the CSS Audio's.
hi , thx for the review, which one would you choose for lov level 65 db listening?
I you are on a tight budget go with the GR Research X-LS tower. If not, the CSS Audio 2TD-X are fantastic.
@@DonnieMulligan thank you, sure? I thought that quite listening can be problem with css, I can afford them an even better bevause of easier built, I have seen revie where was sad that css taiphoons are not good for low levels at about 65 db, late night, however typhon is even bigger. I am interested in 1 tdx, for me I think it will be absolutely enaugh. Thanks again
When comparing these the X-LS seemed to be the most efficient. I had to keep turning the volume down to balance with the other two speakers. It's sensitivity is lower than the others ones but it did not perform that way. It should be good for low level listening too.
The GR Research tweeters are more revealing than the CSS IMO.
Both tweeters sound good. They balance well with the woofers. I like the CSS more because it's a little more forward sounding in presentation. Like the singer is in the room.
@@DonnieMulliganIf that’s due to attenuation levels within the CSS XO, I believe there’ve been some folks who’ve experimented with reducing the padding resistors.
@fonkenful Nice to know. After several hundred hours of break in, I think the compliance on the woofers give even more bass output. I've had to eq the tweeters up about 4db. Playing with their L-pad circuit might be a fun future project. Thanks!
Oh, it was a single speaker!!!!! You should have used two speakers.....
I only have one. I'm using it as a center channel in my home theater and it is awesome.
@@DonnieMulligan can it be used as a stereo speaker? Two speakers together.
If you read my video description, I mention that I think a pair of X-CS's with a sub would be a kick-butt system. Very dynamic, tight punchy bass, and can handle a lot of power.