Great comparison. Thanks for doing this. The CSS has more air in the midrange and instruments sound more seperatly, more live. The 706 sounds in the beginning more comfortable but after a while it sounds boring and polite. I am more attracted by the character of the CSS.
Thank you for this video. The sound demo definitely shows the sound signature of B&W. Very good clarity. The CSS sound warm and punchy, very complete sound. I like the vinyl wrap you did, and they sound very good, the bass is amazing.
I appreciate this channel for its engaging content that explores nuanced differences, followed by showcasing well-recorded tests. The video are of exceptional quality, making the viewing experience truly enjoyable.
@@pizzaearthpancakesandother2549 but i can listen through head phones and that gives me an idea of which i prefer SONNY. Stop trying to trap me because you wont.
A great review and it clearly shows why you have to listen and not just look at response graphs. Both speakers measurements track within a couple or three DB of each other all across their ranges save for the lower frequency extension of the CSS and the very high frequency bump in the BW. Neither of which is enough to show the significant difference in the way these two speakers sound. Test tones and music are very different animals. Use your ears folks. Buy what you like and enjoy because what someone else likes is irrelevant.
I build speakers from scratch and I use my 706s as reference speakers as a guide. Then I tweak my speakers for my personal touch. And to match my Audiolab 6000A amp and my room. And my made speakers flog my 706s (after making the tweaks). I think it's a few factors why. Mine are point source sound and have unique acoustic features (like a partially open mounted driver for a dipole effect, and several other radical ideas). And maybe cos the 706s are a bad match for my amp and a bad match for my room. And the fact that rooms make a difference inspired me to get reference speakers...to get an idea of how a speaker basically should sound. Even though I'm not impressed with the sound of the 706s, they obviously helped me a lot with designing speakers cos my made speakers sound eons better since I got the 706s. A game changer! 2:44 The dip at 6khz on the 706s is a bit worse than the CSS and (and the gradual downward sweep of the whole curve) must be why the voice sound on the 706s is so "boxed in" (in my room). It made me think how could whoever designed the voicing of the 706s conclude on that sound? (Afer comparing them with my made speakers.) Your 706s sound better through my made speakers than my 706s on direct feed! Brass sounds are wooden compared to my speaker brass sounds (that have that metalic sparkle). Piano sound goes "blong blong" on the 706s and on mine it's "gling gling". And female voice with that "croak" in the voice sound on mine, also smokes the 706s. Soundstage and illusion that it's live music in the room on mine, also obliterates the 706s. Several people have heard the difference and they all agree. 13:18 You can hear the difference between point source and regular 2-ways with PIANO! Try it yourself with regular 2-ways and the LS 50s on piano (and the difference is obvious). Also try Big Band sound. An 8" REL and a pair of LS 50s would be a good system. The maker of the CSSs tested the LS 50s on TH-cam and they are pretty flat but are small and need the sub for larger rooms.
It sounds to me just as if the CSS speakers are way bigger, but that you just enter the next room in which they're in...they sound a bit more hefty but also a bit more recessed and hollow... Although I think on the long run you will be a bit less tired listening to the CSS speakers, I like the B&W signature just a bit more. As if you peel of another layer of protective coating to unravel the last bit of detail...like that.
Most surprising thing to me is how similar they actually sound. The bass is stronger on the CSS, a bit too much in my opinion to sound natural, muddies the whole sound somewhat. Otherwise the differences are subtle, with the B&W being more refined. I never would have thought of using orange vinyl wrap but it looks sharp, big improvement from the all grey you started with and the two tone makes it pop. Nice choice and great job for a first try.
U are correct the css is on the boom box style and is not flat on the bass response, when u add a subwoofer to the css they sound bassy and not follow the lower extension
Just finished and hooked up my Parts Express Tri Trix TL floorstanders to my bedroom TV/receiver. Thought I would need a sub with those little 5" woofers, but the TL design makes an amazing amount of bass. DIY is the way to go!
Hey! Great comparison! Bring more of these! Both good speakers, the CSS may have better bass but the overall presentation and specially the tweeter is better in the B&W!
For this system setup, BW sounds effortless, more mid bass detail, overall separation is easy to define the music but for long term listening is fatiguing.. CSS for casual listening, need to improve midbass definition. Will enjoy for long term listening.
Really appreciate your work for these speakers demo, especially some that uses the same song. It really gives me an idea of the tonality difference between these speakers. Thanks for the great work!
Each speakers have each own strength. But I still prefer the 706, more clarity and instruments separation. The CSS kit is not bad though, just too rolled off for my liking.
@@JHari-qj4lv u can’t say that until u compare the 2 speakers in the same room with the same amp and CD player buy in my opinion the magnepan LRS at 700 dollars will still have a more open sound stage then both of them and fill a much larger room
I'd make these kind of tests a little more interesting. You name the speakers during the test, we can read which one we are hearing at the given moment. Name them A and B and reveal the ID only at the end of the video. So the listening people could test themself as well, are they really unbiased ? Now they just say "BW 706 or maybe DIY 1TDX" but I think they are probably/maybe biased. They could be.
@@bjwal6 the change in tweeter from the LD22 to the LD25X has a much bigger impact on the sound than the change from the standard to superior crossover on either version.
Great video. What i notice is the 706 much like my own speakers have the boxed in sound with some diffraction from the design. The CSS speakers disappear better and the playback in this video sounds more like the source material.
Based on your recordings, the B&W's sound better to me. I less 'muffled' on the top end. When I switch to the same section of music, it is like a I poked my head out from under a blanket.
For 1TDX I am compliment for price / performance ratio. It is good and should recommend to others. But not your class D amps. Another good cheap alternative is GR XLS encore,
Both excellent B happy with either like the idea of building my own but in this test thought overall the B&W more airy more space between the instruments I preferred But not by much ..
if this model CSS Criton 1TDX was finished completely in some factory and then if the only way it is to bay from dealer, the price will be somewhere between 2.999 to 3499$, or if you like this way do it yourself, let's take account that you want very good finish, this CSS Criton 1TDX will cost you around 1799 to 1990$, if you are looking for more bass ok otherwise it's not good idea.
The CSS is warmer, less details. The 706 has tighter bass, more upper mid details, and much more top end. The CSS seems a good deal if you don't value your time...unless part of the appreciation is building them yourself (I get that).
The sound of 1TDX is very good, which is one of the best DIY speakers I have heard so far. In contrast, 1TDX is more rich and personalized, and B&W is purer, which is more suitable for the preferences of the public.
The B&W sounds dry to me, good to me and the bass sounds different, dispite the curves looks almost identical. I prefer the B&W, but over them I prefer my ELAC BS243.3.
thanks for soundclips. i have the GR Research X-LS with the all upgrade and no rez and love the sound, but bass is a bit thin, so i build the x-sls, the floor model and wow the bass i so good. just orderd the css criton 1td kit with standard crossover because i love standmount speakers, so i am lokking forward to hear both of them. if i like the css i will upgrade the crossover.
Awesome sets of speakers you got! I just got my GR flat pack shipped to me. I've been wanting the NX Studios for the better part of a year now. So excited (a little hesitant) to get my hands dirty with the build!
@@Jonathan-ff4wo i have also wantded the Nx studio, but first the css :P the x-ls flatpack was pretty easy to put together, so the nx will be i bit more hard but looks fearly easy to do. hope you will be happy with the sound :) there is a video of where it is put together
@@bluesteelbass well its hard to sei. the css have the best bass and can listen to them all day long, thei peform on all type of music and movie :) this is with the 1td standard. this summer i will order the 1tdx conversin kit. the xsls is realy good to, but thei have a litle more brightness to them and have a faster/firmer bass to them, i juse them when i listen to more fine music, thei are so good both of them i switch between them al the time :P the GR speaker vs the css you need to build the floor model xsls if you wont deep bass. the css have depp impact bass inn a small cabinet. and GR need the floor model to get the same good bass.
I can make those tweeters sound brighter better dispersion at love frequency as well, sound more like a metal tweeter but without the sibilance and is reversible if you're interested did it 25 years ago on seas soft dome tweeters and scanspeak works very well. anything up from about 12 k up can vary the frequency also too much! And as well you would be better off if you put some blu tack beading as a gasket for the drivers, about 6 mm for the woofer about 4 mm for the tweeter compress it about half its width 3 mm for that woofer 2-3mm for the tweeter. As well as that two sheets either side of blue tack vertically stacked roll on with a wallpaper roller keep away from the sides and top and bottom start about an 2.5" below the woofer vocal coil hard to say with that size probably up to the tweeter magnet have the sheet slightly forward off centre than backwards, then quite hard with the paper roller clean the particular board first with some isopropyl on a rag this will help with vertical distortion in the cabinet eliminating cut it down.
BW hands down winner here. CSS sound a little overbright , and lacking some low end. BW smoother warmer and goes deeper low freq. that’s that I’m am not a fan of BW speakers , but I have to give it to BW
great follow up review! As an owner of the 2TD-X with standard crossover I would like your opinion on the superior vs. standard as I may want to upgrade. I had the superior crossover in my original, non "X", model and decided to go with the standard when I upgraded to the "X". I now wonder if I should spend the aggional for the superior. Thanks for you reviews, I have always enjoyed them. I have built your speaker cables and found them to be excellent value.
Wow, ok - didn't like the sound of the demo on either speaker, but the 706 S2 hands down won this round. The voice sounded muddy and indistinct on the Critons. The 706 were clear, and much more dynamic in the right places.
Not much difference in price considering that the DIY is a magnitude of order cheaper. I was expecting to compete with 4K speakers. Considering this is it better to buy a good finished speaker than to do a DIY? For the fun of building maybe, but for many I wonder? As for myself, I want the kit that cost 1000 dollars and competes with a 5K speaker. Now I would bet a dollar that the crossover parts inside the B&W are not as good as the DIY. So I wonder if the driver quality and stiff cabinet have more to do about the sound than foil copper inductor and and silver caps. Any thoughts?
1200usd is a lot for a mini monitor kit. 1200usd not including your work put into building , what for some could be 1000usd worth of their time, so these kits should be totally better in every way . 600usd kit should be better than 2000usd build speaker for it to be a good deal. Try Dannys 500usd GR research kit vs these 706s2....
@@Tharbamar I like DIY but 1200usd for a kit of mini monitor is quite a lot,. try GR research monitor with open baffle ribbon tweeter , if I remember correctly is was sold for around 800usd with SoniCaps and Mills resistors , with that kind of tech it may offer much more than this 1200usd kit... call Danny and have a chat with him. I think that his monitor may offer 3000 or 5000 performance for 800usd and that is where DIY makes so much sense.
The B&W sounds a bit flimsy in the top end no gusta what you really get with a lot of tweeters. might tweak will sort that out it will sound like a proper symbol from a drum kit in your room
The 1TDX’s sound freaking amazing. Just seem pricey for a DIY kit. But I’m no expert in the DIY area so I have no experience to base that on. What are other good DIY speakers to look into that are worth considering?
It’s all in the parts quality Claude. The cuts almost every high end speaker makes is in the quality of crossover parts. Have done many many “upgrades” using exact same values but much higher quality crossover components. To me the difference is beyond respectable .. many times the HQ Xover parts are more than what they spend on driver and cabinet combined It’s a business and price point the manufacturers must meet. best !
I want to hate the 706 but they clearly have better separation. Surprisingly good. I think the CSS has a more complete sound but it is definitely a bit warm sounding. Both are very good. I listened to the 705 s2 in person and it was a little bit analytical for me, almost sterile but very crisp and controlled attack. Maybe if I had them in my home it would be different.
I don't get the hate about b&w in lot of videos and comments. I read comments like "b&w better low..mids and detail highs but i prefer diy" ...WHY DO YOU PREFER DIY if b&w is better speaker??? I remember i had seen a comment like "i listened both speakers (i think they were kefs btw) and im afraid i like b&w more" ..wtf!!!
I am willing to guarantee if you take them apart the css is way better quality.. especially the crossover parts, these big name companies use cheap components, iron core inductors, electrolytic caps and sandcast resistors, not to mention the cheap pvc type internal wiring
P.o.B Pedals, not really. My 707S2, which is one size smaller and cheaper, quietly uses Mundorf Mcap Evo Silver Gold Oil 3.3m cap as simple 6dB highpass. There is 10n cap in paralel wih it. Lowpass is an air core inductor, again as 6dB. Wiring inside has its own B&W branding on insulation, not knowing the wire material though. Was quite surprised.
I hope they don't sound anywhere near like they do on my headphones. CSS sounds bottom heavy, compressed and slightly smeared. The 706 sounds completely un-natural. The vocals are fragile and forward with a treble boost. I would be unhappy with either, I can only assume your room sounds considerably better.
Thanks for sharing, yes there is a lot of limitations for online sound samples, I suggest always Sony MDR-7506 for closest possible reference of actual sound.
@@Tharbamar 600M are IMHO overhyped. Had them for a year and tossed them in favour of ELAC DBR62. I think I'm going in the GR-Research X-LS-encore. I have a feeling they are more in the direction of the B&W in this example but with much better value and quite possibly performance - but that is possibly just wishful thinking.
thanks! I love it when I can switch back and forth like this. It would be nice if these timestamps are added by the makers of these kind of comparisons. I prefer the 706, by the way. But I am biased. I own a set of them :-) I know youtube compression impacts the listening experience, but I recon, since it does so with both demo's, it still telling something. And I find it just fun to watch them. There are worse ways to spend free time.
Tharbamar, looks like you like the sound of the B&W sound(from previous reviews), but do you know that the sound is "Coloured"(applies to 607 S2 and & 705 diamond) and not neutral cos I read the reviews from two independent sources. The fact is the freq. response curve has a deep dip around the x-over and rising hump at the high freq. tweeter. If you are interested in the details let me know and I will put the references here. CSS wins. Thanks for the comparison.
Thanks for your input but I know what like for my musical enjoyment, measurements doesn’t tell the whole story because musical enjoyment nothing to do with measurements. Also, I do not care for any independent sources or opinions I only care of what I heard, I have tested more speakers than you may think. Edit, BTW I like all good sounding speakers.
@@Tharbamar well I disagree a well designed speakers don't have to be neutral(ie flat response)but need to be well designed, a real dipped in the x-over point is really unacceptable, and then a real rising response at the high freq.? This kind of response will define the character of sound that some listeners like, you may call it B&W sound or B&W voicing. There is nothing wrong with that, I don't.
All B&W speakers have a hot tweeter. That's their signature sound, which many people love. But, you're wrong about the midrange suckout. The smaller 600s have almost always had it, and the 700 and 800 series don't. But, in spite of that, many British speakers have had that for years, so much so that it's known as the "BBC dip".
Great comparison. Thanks for doing this. The CSS has more air in the midrange and instruments sound more seperatly, more live. The 706 sounds in the beginning more comfortable but after a while it sounds boring and polite. I am more attracted by the character of the CSS.
The vocal seemed more recessed on the CSS, more forward on the B&W. I was surprised how comparable they are. Great demo!
Thank you for this video. The sound demo definitely shows the sound signature of B&W. Very good clarity. The CSS sound warm and punchy, very complete sound. I like the vinyl wrap you did, and they sound very good, the bass is amazing.
I appreciate this channel for its engaging content that explores nuanced differences, followed by showcasing well-recorded tests. The video are of exceptional quality, making the viewing experience truly enjoyable.
Definately the B & W speakers. They sound really good.
WRONG
@@pizzaearthpancakesandother2549 my preference not yours
@@derekallan1341 Still wrong. You can't judge sound from a youtube video son.
@@pizzaearthpancakesandother2549 but i can listen through head phones and that gives me an idea of which i prefer SONNY. Stop trying to trap me because you wont.
@@derekallan1341 It's SONY
I think why you thought the 706 was more “airy” was because of the boosted treble. The 1TDX was more linear and actually better.
A great review and it clearly shows why you have to listen and not just look at response graphs. Both speakers measurements track within a couple or three DB of each other all across their ranges save for the lower frequency extension of the CSS and the very high frequency bump in the BW. Neither of which is enough to show the significant difference in the way these two speakers sound. Test tones and music are very different animals. Use your ears folks. Buy what you like and enjoy because what someone else likes is irrelevant.
Of axis measurements would show something different I’d say.
Also his graphs are a bit zoomed out imo
This is the best comparison video I've seen! You really explain each speaker very well. Thank you very much.
How does this video not have more views?! Great review and comparison!
I build speakers from scratch and I use my 706s as reference speakers as a guide. Then I tweak my speakers for my personal touch. And to match my Audiolab 6000A amp and my room. And my made speakers flog my 706s (after making the tweaks). I think it's a few factors why. Mine are point source sound and have unique acoustic features (like a partially open mounted driver for a dipole effect, and several other radical ideas). And maybe cos the 706s are a bad match for my amp and a bad match for my room. And the fact that rooms make a difference inspired me to get reference speakers...to get an idea of how a speaker basically should sound. Even though I'm not impressed with the sound of the 706s, they obviously helped me a lot with designing speakers cos my made speakers sound eons better since I got the 706s. A game changer! 2:44 The dip at 6khz on the 706s is a bit worse than the CSS and (and the gradual downward sweep of the whole curve) must be why the voice sound on the 706s is so "boxed in" (in my room). It made me think how could whoever designed the voicing of the 706s conclude on that sound? (Afer comparing them with my made speakers.) Your 706s sound better through my made speakers than my 706s on direct feed! Brass sounds are wooden compared to my speaker brass sounds (that have that metalic sparkle). Piano sound goes "blong blong" on the 706s and on mine it's "gling gling". And female voice with that "croak" in the voice sound on mine, also smokes the 706s. Soundstage and illusion that it's live music in the room on mine, also obliterates the 706s. Several people have heard the difference and they all agree. 13:18 You can hear the difference between point source and regular 2-ways with PIANO! Try it yourself with regular 2-ways and the LS 50s on piano (and the difference is obvious). Also try Big Band sound. An 8" REL and a pair of LS 50s would be a good system. The maker of the CSSs tested the LS 50s on TH-cam and they are pretty flat but are small and need the sub for larger rooms.
Thanks for sharing.
@@Tharbamar Cheers Big Ears!
good comparison, It's the 706's for me, more control and better balanced
You described the differences very well. It's very close. Thanks for comparing these excellent speakers.
Love this channel. Hard to believe a kit and do this.
It sounds to me just as if the CSS speakers are way bigger, but that you just enter the next room in which they're in...they sound a bit more hefty but also a bit more recessed and hollow...
Although I think on the long run you will be a bit less tired listening to the CSS speakers, I like the B&W signature just a bit more. As if you peel of another layer of protective coating to unravel the last bit of detail...like that.
CSS is a bit deeper but it is boring no excitement after awhile, there is no core value in it other than if you build it yourself.
Most surprising thing to me is how similar they actually sound. The bass is stronger on the CSS, a bit too much in my opinion to sound natural, muddies the whole sound somewhat. Otherwise the differences are subtle, with the B&W being more refined. I never would have thought of using orange vinyl wrap but it looks sharp, big improvement from the all grey you started with and the two tone makes it pop. Nice choice and great job for a first try.
U are correct the css is on the boom box style and is not flat on the bass response, when u add a subwoofer to the css they sound bassy and not follow the lower extension
Just finished and hooked up my Parts Express Tri Trix TL floorstanders to my bedroom TV/receiver.
Thought I would need a sub with those little 5" woofers, but the TL design makes an amazing amount of bass.
DIY is the way to go!
The subs in b&w are 6 -1/2 inches i thought they look same size but might be my eyes
Hey! Great comparison! Bring more of these!
Both good speakers, the CSS may have better bass but the overall presentation and specially the tweeter is better in the B&W!
Agree
For this system setup,
BW sounds effortless, more mid bass detail, overall separation is easy to define the music but for long term listening is fatiguing..
CSS for casual listening, need to improve midbass definition. Will enjoy for long term listening.
as a finally we are listening on youtube. i feel female vocal very realistic with B&W. Thanks for all videos
I wish creative sound solutions would offer a beryllium dome tweeter option 👍
I love the warmer sound of the 1 tdx. I find b w speakers to fatiguing over long listening.
BW 706 ❤️
Really appreciate your work for these speakers demo, especially some that uses the same song. It really gives me an idea of the tonality difference between these speakers. Thanks for the great work!
Great video as always, curious how the GR Research Encore would compare
Each speakers have each own strength. But I still prefer the 706, more clarity and instruments separation. The CSS kit is not bad though, just too rolled off for my liking.
I don't think the CSS are really rolled off, more that the bass is overwhelming everything else.
The CSS is inferior to the 706 and the CSS is over priced beign a diy kit, it has more buzz than clarity
@@JHari-qj4lv u can’t say that until u compare the 2 speakers in the same room with the same amp and CD player buy in my opinion the magnepan LRS at 700 dollars will still have a more open sound stage then both of them and fill a much larger room
706 has more punchier bass and more clarity ...really appreciate your hard work
I'd make these kind of tests a little more interesting. You name the speakers during the test, we can read which one we are hearing at the given moment. Name them A and B and reveal the ID only at the end of the video. So the listening people could test themself as well, are they really unbiased ? Now they just say "BW 706 or maybe DIY 1TDX" but I think they are probably/maybe biased. They could be.
I'm thinking CSS with the less expensive x-over is really the bargain. This is a very welcome review.
You'll be kicking yourself when you spend the extra money later. Its not that much more.
Yeah anyone have any experience in benefits of “X” tweeter and superior crossover? It’s basically double the price with both...
@@Audfile Doesn't it almost double the price? Maybe the numbers I remember are wrong.
@@martytoo it’s about 50% more on the 1TD cost and about 30% more on the 1TD-X cost.
@@bjwal6 the change in tweeter from the LD22 to the LD25X has a much bigger impact on the sound than the change from the standard to superior crossover on either version.
I like the simplicity of your setups... It makes it relatable and affordable to most of us
I guess affordable is subjective but that Denon integrated and his KEF speakers are quite pricey for a lot of us.
lol this aint budget gear by any means
Great video. What i notice is the 706 much like my own speakers have the boxed in sound with some diffraction from the design. The CSS speakers disappear better and the playback in this video sounds more like the source material.
CSS strong, accurate lows + B&W clear, articulate highs = ideal speaker.
Based on your recordings, the B&W's sound better to me. I less 'muffled' on the top end. When I switch to the same section of music, it is like a I poked my head out from under a blanket.
Close but 706 wins. I would save up for the 706
Css is over priced
For 1TDX I am compliment for price / performance ratio. It is good and should recommend to others. But not your class D amps. Another good cheap alternative is GR XLS encore,
GR is not as good. XLS is like 15 year old technology. Very localizable and not good integration of woofers. Yes I demoed it on a tour.
Both excellent B happy with either like the idea of building my own but in this test thought overall the B&W more airy more space between the instruments I preferred But not by much ..
I will vote for 1tdx. I would not resist listening to B&W for long, they are made for demoing capabilities.
Bass is deeper and tweeter decay is more clean and smooth trough my headset. I'm really impressed over the 1TDX.
if this model CSS Criton 1TDX was finished completely in some factory and then if the only way it is to bay from dealer, the price will be somewhere between 2.999 to 3499$, or if you like this way do it yourself, let's take account that you want very good finish, this CSS Criton 1TDX will cost you around 1799 to 1990$, if you are looking for more bass ok otherwise it's not good idea.
As always, applause for the movie .. Nice comparison ..
The CSS is warmer, less details. The 706 has tighter bass, more upper mid details, and much more top end. The CSS seems a good deal if you don't value your time...unless part of the appreciation is building them yourself (I get that).
The sound of 1TDX is very good, which is one of the best DIY speakers I have heard so far. In contrast, 1TDX is more rich and personalized, and B&W is purer, which is more suitable for the preferences of the public.
Great comparison. Keep up the wonderful work.
I have never heard a better speaker than the 706 S2 for $2000.
ahahahahah
LOL
The B&W sounds dry to me, good to me and the bass sounds different, dispite the curves looks almost identical. I prefer the B&W, but over them I prefer my ELAC BS243.3.
thanks for soundclips. i have the GR Research X-LS with the all upgrade and no rez and love the sound, but bass is a bit thin,
so i build the x-sls, the floor model and wow the bass i so good. just orderd the css criton 1td kit with standard crossover because i love standmount speakers,
so i am lokking forward to hear both of them. if i like the css i will upgrade the crossover.
Awesome sets of speakers you got! I just got my GR flat pack shipped to me. I've been wanting the NX Studios for the better part of a year now. So excited (a little hesitant) to get my hands dirty with the build!
@@Jonathan-ff4wo i have also wantded the Nx studio, but first the css :P the x-ls flatpack was pretty easy to put together, so the nx will be i bit more hard but looks fearly easy to do. hope you will be happy with the sound :) there is a video of where it is put together
Crossover upgrade not worthy
Which did you end up liking better Benny?
@@bluesteelbass well its hard to sei. the css have the best bass and can listen to them all day long, thei peform on all type of music and movie :) this is with the 1td standard. this summer i will order the 1tdx conversin kit. the xsls is realy good to, but thei have a litle more brightness to them and have a faster/firmer bass to them, i juse them when i listen to more fine music, thei are so good both of them i switch between them al the time :P the GR speaker vs the css you need to build the floor model xsls if you wont deep bass. the css have depp impact bass inn a small cabinet. and GR need the floor model to get the same good bass.
I can make those tweeters sound brighter better dispersion at love frequency as well, sound more like a metal tweeter but without the sibilance and is reversible if you're interested did it 25 years ago on seas soft dome tweeters and scanspeak works very well. anything up from about 12 k up can vary the frequency also too much!
And as well you would be better off if you put some blu tack beading as a gasket for the drivers, about 6 mm for the woofer about 4 mm for the tweeter compress it about half its width 3 mm for that woofer 2-3mm for the tweeter. As well as that two sheets either side of blue tack vertically stacked roll on with a wallpaper roller keep away from the sides and top and bottom start about an 2.5" below the woofer vocal coil hard to say with that size probably up to the tweeter magnet have the sheet slightly forward off centre than backwards, then quite hard with the paper roller clean the particular board first with some isopropyl on a rag this will help with vertical distortion in the cabinet eliminating cut it down.
My 1tdx are on the way.
Great choice.
BW hands down winner here. CSS sound a little overbright , and lacking some low end. BW smoother warmer and goes deeper low freq. that’s that I’m am not a fan of BW speakers , but I have to give it to BW
Or save some money and get some quad s2's for 600 and spend the rest on a better amp? Those diy speakers are sweet though 🤔
B&W 706 S2 a little better. Is there a big difference in price?
No comparison, the CSS sounds more natural and lifelike. It has the correct timbre.
CSS is ok nothing special about it in 2023.
great follow up review! As an owner of the 2TD-X with standard crossover I would like your opinion on the superior vs. standard as I may want to upgrade. I had the superior crossover in my original, non "X", model and decided to go with the standard when I upgraded to the "X". I now wonder if I should spend the aggional for the superior. Thanks for you reviews, I have always enjoyed them. I have built your speaker cables and found them to be excellent value.
The superior upgrade for the CSS is not worthy
@@JHari-qj4lv what do you mean by "not worthy" please? Like when Dana Carvy lsays it or when Eeore says it? ☺️
Wow, ok - didn't like the sound of the demo on either speaker, but the 706 S2 hands down won this round. The voice sounded muddy and indistinct on the Critons. The 706 were clear, and much more dynamic in the right places.
Not much difference in price considering that the DIY is a magnitude of order cheaper. I was expecting to compete with 4K speakers. Considering this is it better to buy a good finished speaker than to do a DIY? For the fun of building maybe, but for many I wonder? As for myself, I want the kit that cost 1000 dollars and competes with a 5K speaker. Now I would bet a dollar that the crossover parts inside the B&W are not as good as the DIY. So I wonder if the driver quality and stiff cabinet have more to do about the sound than foil copper inductor and and silver caps. Any thoughts?
U right the css is iver priced beign a kit, u know some youtubers just make a 30 min commercial adds and make u believe is honest review
Both are very nice
706 S2 better clearly
Are they suitable for a 15m2 room? How close can you get them to the wall?
B and W models in the S series have exaggerated top end according to Stereophile measaurements . Not better I think
1200usd is a lot for a mini monitor kit. 1200usd not including your work put into building , what for some could be 1000usd worth of their time, so these kits should be totally better in every way .
600usd kit should be better than 2000usd build speaker for it to be a good deal.
Try Dannys 500usd GR research kit vs these 706s2....
Do you know CSS bass drivers are similar design to those in Wilson speakers, from now only DIY will be my own not from others.
@@Tharbamar I like DIY but 1200usd for a kit of mini monitor is quite a lot,. try GR research monitor with open baffle ribbon tweeter , if I remember correctly is was sold for around 800usd with SoniCaps and Mills resistors , with that kind of tech it may offer much more than this 1200usd kit... call Danny and have a chat with him. I think that his monitor may offer 3000 or 5000 performance for 800usd and that is where DIY makes so much sense.
The 706s through my made speakers sound better than my 706s.
i purchased the 706 based upon reviews..would not take chance on the css
B&W 706 S2
The B&W sounds a bit flimsy in the top end no gusta what you really get with a lot of tweeters. might tweak will sort that out it will sound like a proper symbol from a drum kit in your room
Hi Tharbamar, I've got the 706, powered by a Denon PMA-2500NE, now looking to upgrade the 706s.
The 1TDX’s sound freaking amazing. Just seem pricey for a DIY kit. But I’m no expert in the DIY area so I have no experience to base that on. What are other good DIY speakers to look into that are worth considering?
U can buy CSS complete finish bookshelf
They got complete set or DIY kit
Depend wat u want
It’s all in the parts quality Claude. The cuts almost every high end speaker makes is in the quality of crossover parts. Have done many many “upgrades” using exact same values but much higher quality crossover components. To me the difference is beyond respectable .. many times the HQ Xover parts are more than what they spend on driver and cabinet combined It’s a business and price point the manufacturers must meet. best !
706 they are definitely better
Yes, I think the 706 is clearer with better separation of instruments.
I want to hate the 706 but they clearly have better separation. Surprisingly good. I think the CSS has a more complete sound but it is definitely a bit warm sounding. Both are very good. I listened to the 705 s2 in person and it was a little bit analytical for me, almost sterile but very crisp and controlled attack. Maybe if I had them in my home it would be different.
thank you for your review.
Just goes to show you that a DIY speaker has pros and cons just like any other speaker.
I like the B&W
I don't get the hate about b&w in lot of videos and comments. I read comments like "b&w better low..mids and detail highs but i prefer diy" ...WHY DO YOU PREFER DIY if b&w is better speaker??? I remember i had seen a comment like "i listened both speakers (i think they were kefs btw) and im afraid i like b&w more" ..wtf!!!
706 S2 appear to be a better speaker. More lively.
I am willing to guarantee if you take them apart the css is way better quality.. especially the crossover parts, these big name companies use cheap components, iron core inductors, electrolytic caps and sandcast resistors, not to mention the cheap pvc type internal wiring
Yes I do know the quality because I build it from the kit, you can see the whole process from start to finish if look in my channel, thanks
I think he means the B&W uses cheap xo parts.
P.o.B Pedals, not really. My 707S2, which is one size smaller and cheaper, quietly uses Mundorf Mcap Evo Silver Gold Oil 3.3m cap as simple 6dB highpass. There is 10n cap in paralel wih it.
Lowpass is an air core inductor, again as 6dB. Wiring inside has its own B&W branding on insulation, not knowing the wire material though. Was quite surprised.
Check B&W parts images on eBay . Mostly high quality parts.
You need to level match, otherwise the louder one will always sound better.
You should swap tweeters for fun
Thank you sir!
CSS Criton 1TDX лучше по СЧ и НЧ
Bowers & Wilkins 706 S2 лучше по ВЧ
How much is the shipping fee for the 1tdx to your place?
B&W are more composed and more transparent.
Id rather buy the two 😆
Para mi, las Bowers están más presentes en la voz, sin haber gran diferencia en medios y graves.
next, GR-Research kit. Then comparison
I hope they don't sound anywhere near like they do on my headphones. CSS sounds bottom heavy, compressed and slightly smeared. The 706 sounds completely un-natural. The vocals are fragile and forward with a treble boost. I would be unhappy with either, I can only assume your room sounds considerably better.
Thanks for sharing, yes there is a lot of limitations for online sound samples, I suggest always Sony MDR-7506 for closest possible reference of actual sound.
How does it compare to evo 4.2?
Good question
@@-freespirit-3314 he answered this ... css has better bass was the response
The B&W sounds better to my ears.
1a tem som mais equilibrado,gostoso de ouvir e a 2a mais voz,destaca o agudo. gostei mais da 1a
So? Isn't it worth buying the sonus faber for $15,000 if I can have the same sound for $1,500? Thanks for your answer.
B&W's have clearer sound but too expensive for me. The CSS lack separation. How would the Klipsch RP 600M compare to the CSS ? Thanks !
RP600M lacks overall refinement and bass compared to 1TDX, thanks
@@Tharbamar 600M are IMHO overhyped. Had them for a year and tossed them in favour of ELAC DBR62. I think I'm going in the GR-Research X-LS-encore. I have a feeling they are more in the direction of the B&W in this example but with much better value and quite possibly performance - but that is possibly just wishful thinking.
I am curious how the CSS speaker would compare to the wharfedale lintons?
Not in the same league, personally Linton is one of my least favorite speaker and I could not wait to get rid of it.
706 is more detailed. Clarity + sound separation is important. It is not all about the bass.
Well, all about balance.
14:02 vs 18:42
thanks! I love it when I can switch back and forth like this.
It would be nice if these timestamps are added by the makers of these kind of comparisons.
I prefer the 706, by the way. But I am biased. I own a set of them :-)
I know youtube compression impacts the listening experience, but I recon, since it does so with both demo's, it still telling something. And I find it just fun to watch them. There are worse ways to spend free time.
Tharbamar, looks like you like the sound of the B&W sound(from previous reviews), but do you know that the sound is "Coloured"(applies to 607 S2 and & 705 diamond) and not neutral cos I read the reviews from two independent sources. The fact is the freq. response curve has a deep dip around the x-over and rising hump at the high freq. tweeter. If you are interested in the details let me know and I will put the references here.
CSS wins. Thanks for the comparison.
Thanks for your input but I know what like for my musical enjoyment, measurements doesn’t tell the whole story because musical enjoyment nothing to do with measurements. Also, I do not care for any independent sources or opinions I only care of what I heard, I have tested more speakers than you may think.
Edit, BTW I like all good sounding speakers.
@@Tharbamar well I disagree a well designed speakers don't have to be neutral(ie flat response)but need to be well designed, a real dipped in the x-over point is really unacceptable, and then a real rising response at the high freq.? This kind of response will define the character of sound that some listeners like, you may call it B&W sound or B&W voicing. There is nothing wrong with that, I don't.
All B&W speakers have a hot tweeter. That's their signature sound, which many people love. But, you're wrong about the midrange suckout. The smaller 600s have almost always had it, and the 700 and 800 series don't. But, in spite of that, many British speakers have had that for years, so much so that it's known as the "BBC dip".
what is the ideal placement of the 1tdx in the room? how much space should i give it from the walls
At least three feet from the wall best place to start.
@@Tharbamar thank you!
What are the speaker stands under the CSS Criton's?
1TDX is better. Much natural.
How does the CSS Criton compare against the Wharfedale EVO 4.2?
Much better bass quality.
@@Tharbamar for the evo 4.2?
I recently got a pair of CSS TDX 1 and they are exceptional. I had a pair of EVO 4.2 and they are truly terrible in comparison to the TDX 1.
What is it you keep looking at off screen?
I’m just thinking of what to say next, thanks
Out this demo, the DIYs are far better - by all means 🤷🏻♂🤷🏻♂
Hallo ,. Can you compare how crossovers of both speakers are build?
CSS Criton 1TDX in my opinion is better.
It just looks crap unless you spend money on a proper finish, cheap vinyl wrap on mdf is awful.
@D2kno, Oh by the way vinyl I use is the same price as average veneer, it’s not like cheap vinyl that use by most speaker manufacturers.
@@Tharbamar I would love a set but they are far too expensive with shipping to the UK.
Who is that artist?
CSS for me. As they are punchy and right up my street.
Drums sound off on the CSS, not natural.