Perhaps the principal joy in attending audio shows is sitting and auditioning insanely expensive speakers, many with six-figure price tags. As long as I live, I will never tire of it. If nothing else, it puts everything in the audio world into some sort of perspective. At the most recent AXPONA, I heard plenty of such lofty loudspeakers. Yet, there was one set of floorstanding beauties that stood out to me more than any others I heard all weekend—and they weren't a hundred thousand dollars.
In fact, not only were they less than a hundred thousand (just $5500!), but built right in Michigan, and even available as a DIY kit, should you be so inclined. I have far too many projects and items on the honey-do list to even remotely consider assembling my own speakers, so all of my questions in the CSS room pertained strictly to the completed products.
As I sat and auditioned the CSS 3TD-X speakers, I was completely floored by the imaging, realism in the upper register, tightness in the low end, and the overall balance of the full spectrum. I spent more time in that room than any other room during the show, and the folks from CSS were incredibly gracious. However, hotel demos can be deceiving, and not always completely representative of what speakers or equipment will sound like in our own listening rooms. This is not a shortcoming of the gear, but of the environment.
A month later, truck and forklift were in my driveway with a large wood crate with the very speakers from that room. The proof would be in the pudding.
Unboxing (De-crating?)
Much to my pleasure, the CSS Critons arrived in the aforementioned large crate, which required quite a bit of unscrewing to get to the speaker boxes within. Why is this worth mentioning? Because I can't tell you how many beat up cardboard boxes have arrived at my location with gross evidence of shipping abuse, with a 50/50 shot of the speakers or other contents being undamaged inside.
Once into the boxes, the speakers themselves were also incredibly well packed. CSS could ship these to the moon, and they would arrive safely. The main trick was to gingerly extract and move them into my listening room. Though only 70 pounds each, this was a two-person job.
Once into my listening room, placement was a breeze. I had them in a perfect toe-in position within 10 minutes, about 24" out from the back wall. Since these were already well broken in, no time was required to get them going properly. Within 15 minutes I realized that not only were these as stunning as they were at AXPONA, but possibly even better in my system.
What They Are
The CSS Criton 3TD-X are the flagship speakers in a series built by Creative Sound Solutions in the great state of Michigan. Now, my wife is from there, in fact, not far from the CSS factory, so I've spent the last many years of my life immersed in the pride of all things crafted in Michigan. And it doesn't matter whether you're from the "mitten," or freezing up in the U.P., Michigan truly appreciates manufacturing and craftsmanship.
The company itself was originally founded by Bob Reimer but taken over in 2017 by Kerry and Dan, two friends with an immense passion for audio. Kerry is a former submarine officer, and Dan has a degree in physics. Together, they set out to take a speaker parts company and evolve it into finished products.
The 3TD-X tower speakers, fully finished, are available with just one set of drivers, but include multiple options for finishes, and internal components. My demo pair arrived as the "medium" option, with Santos Rosewood veneer. So, what do I mean by medium?
Options begin with the crossover. Here, there are three. The company claims that your choice here does not affect frequency response or specifications but does change the soundstaging and timbre. My demo pair featured the Jantzen Superior crossover option, and as I alluded to earlier, I was left stunned.
Additional finishes include cherry, oak, and rosewood (additional cost). Lead times to have your completed speakers built is a reasonable 3-6 weeks. If you would prefer to purchase the kit, they are available immediately.
The speakers stand 41" high, with four front-mounted drivers. These are an LD25X 1" silk dome tweeter, LDW6 6" mid woofer, and two LDW7 7" paper/fiberglass cone woofers, working together as a 3-way system.
Listening
Normally, when a new piece of gear enters my listening room and works its way into my reference system, I grab an armful of choice records to do my auditioning. I then figure out a few fun selections to stream on Qobuz. However, the CSS 3TD-Xs had me in a completely different headspace. Without hesitation, I just wanted to play everything! I began cleaning batches of records, having audiophile friends over, and getting into long, intense listening sessions. There were nights that went into the wee hours where I had to hear just one more record on these speakers. Now that I've been through so many, how do I narrow this down for you?
Let's start with a couple of CDs, since I've been through plenty of those, as well. I could start with Carly Simon's "Legend in Your Own Time," and tell the whole story of these speakers. What the 3TDX do, as well or better than anything that has graced my listening room here, is to capture the listener. Dynamics? Oh yes, in spades. These speakers possess a remarkable ability to go from zero to large swells in music like champions. Detail? Also, yes. Every string of the acoustic guitar comes ringing through beautifully. Imaging? Again, yes. Even with a 30-year-old compact disc, the soundstage is tremendous.
Lots of speakers do this. Right? Yes, they do. Those speakers cost much, much more.
Back to the Criton 3TD-Xs. Like I said, their forte is the ability to capture the listener. One thing I observed when having several friends over is how the Criton 3TD-Xs captured THEM. Normally, my vinyl nights are also a chance to do a bit of socializing, but when I played music on the Critons, my guests tended to sit back and listen intently with never-ending requests—they kept asking for more. There was also a difference in the manner in which guests listened to the music itself. Some guests listened to the songs I picked, or that they picked, as if they'd never heard music before. A child-like fascination came over them while listening to my system. It was incredibly gratifying to me as the host.
Back to the music…
On Lyle Lovett's "My Baby Don't Tolerate," the 3TD-Xs demonstrate their 30Hz-20kHz frequency response. In other words, they are a full range speaker and mean to let you know about it. The bass is tight and punchy, while being controlled and balanced. These towers also work fantastically with a subwoofer, and in this case, I have them paired with a Hsu Research. I ended dialing the sub back considerably, allowing the Critons to do the vast majority of the work. I find this arrangement enjoyable, as more of the information comes from the main speakers, with just a little supplemental low end coming from the sub.
A tremendous amount of vinyl has been played during my tenure with the Critons. Now, The Steve Miller Band's Fly Like an Eagle, MoFi pressing, is exactly the treat I've been waiting for. It's one of those records that I wish you could all be present for in my listening room in this moment, but it might get a tad bit crowded in here. I return to my original statement regarding the Criton 3TD-X's being an incredibly engaging loudspeaker, offering out music that goes beyond detail, clarity, and imaging, and becomes absolutely mesmerizing. The cymbals are so precise, the acoustic guitars so crisp, and the drums so tight, but it is the overall experience that pulls me for the entire LP.
One of my better crate-digging scores of late has been picking up the 10" live and studio EP by Rickie Lee Jones' Girl at Her Volcano for two bucks. The transparency of the live recording portion of this record transmitted through the Critons is positively stirring. The atmosphere of the venue becomes an intimate performance in my private space. Translation from club to the couch I'm writing from seems as though I should pause here and order a drink. Here I am taken by the reproduction of live piano and vocals, and the Criton's ability to do both in such a harmonious and pleasing fashion.
I now focus on a few hi-res tracks, streaming from Qobuz. Since my mind is on things here in the Midwest, it seems natural to start with Tom Waits' "Johnsburg, Illinois," (24-bit/192kHz). This track has a different type of intimacy that is also piano and vocal, but much grittier more dissonant. The Critons perform admirably, relating the studio quiet and calm, making me instinctively lean forward and I listen in to this song, so as to bring myself closer.
An associate turned me onto "Vera Cruz" by Milton Nascimento (16-bitit/44.1kHz), and I have played this for nearly everyone that has been over to hear the Critons. This track allows the 3TD-Xs to flaunt their ability to image every bit as well as speakers costing many thousands more. The complexity of this recording is laid out expertly by the Critons, with instruments seemingly emerging from far corners of the listening room. Here, I have caught a couple guests closing their eyes, smiling, and looking around the room, as if they are locating the sounds. As the host, it is a gratifying moment to be able to share this with friends. As an audiophile, well, it's just neat-o.
"Meditation" by Cory Wong (24-bitit/48kHz) demonstrates the 3TD-X's true nature as a high-end loudspeaker. The Critons do such a phenomenal job of bringing this delicate track to life and respecting the intricacies of the few instruments involved. The depth, beauty, and balance from these speakers is astounding in itself, but to achieve it for $5,500 in the current audiophile marketplace is something to take note of.
Wrapping It Up
When building our systems, we are generally advised to spend the lion's share on our speakers. It is often our most significant audio investment and continual point of upgrade. As I walk through any audio show, it also seems to be the focal point of most rooms, and the highest priority of attendees. Auditioning six-figure speakers will never lose its excitement for me. However, when I find a pair of attainable loudspeakers that captivate me in the manner that the high dollar thrillers do, I feel I should bring them to everyone's attention. The CSS Criton 3TD-Xs did just that, not only at the show, but in my listening room. Maybe you are the do it yourself type and would like to save some cash and opt for the kit, but I prefer mine pure Michigan-style, made by the factory, ready to go.
Criton 3TD-X Loudspeakers
Retail: $5500 as shown
CSS Audio
