Dear Classicalfan
I wonder if you are pursuing your goals in the right way. If you were buying brand new speakers, surely you would go to a shop and listen and compare. You would not ask people who you don't know for advice, and just buy on that premise. Yet that seems to be what this thread has become.
You have very set views on what you want, which is a great advantage, and is another really good reason to listen for yourself. If you know and trust someone's opinion, you could go with that as a second best option.
I wonder if you are pursuing your goals in the right way. If you were buying brand new speakers, surely you would go to a shop and listen and compare. You would not ask people who you don't know for advice, and just buy on that premise. Yet that seems to be what this thread has become.
You have very set views on what you want, which is a great advantage, and is another really good reason to listen for yourself. If you know and trust someone's opinion, you could go with that as a second best option.
Hi Midrange.
This is actually a pretty old thread that I started 3 years ago when I wasn’t sure what to do next. But a few things have happened in the interim. Mainly I started paying a great deal more attention to the room itself. And to my listening position as well. As a result I came to the conclusion that much of what I had been considering earlier would likely not work well in my rather small room.
So since then I have been using the Piccolos alone and have been very satisfied with them. As I have written in some other posts here I think that the SB Acoustics tweeter used in that speaker is outstanding. It gives me everything I could possibly want when listening to classical music. Particualry with high end instruments like violins, flutes, and piccolos. And pianos are remarkably real as well. Just like being right there in the room with me.
So the question becomes what other small speakers could I build that would sound as good as the Piccolos that I have now. And I have yet to find any, regardless of cost, that I think meet that requirement. One possibility is the CSS Criton 1TD-X, which has received outstanding reviews from multiple people. It’s the only thing on my list right now to possibly try when I get a chance and am willing to invest in it.
This is actually a pretty old thread that I started 3 years ago when I wasn’t sure what to do next. But a few things have happened in the interim. Mainly I started paying a great deal more attention to the room itself. And to my listening position as well. As a result I came to the conclusion that much of what I had been considering earlier would likely not work well in my rather small room.
So since then I have been using the Piccolos alone and have been very satisfied with them. As I have written in some other posts here I think that the SB Acoustics tweeter used in that speaker is outstanding. It gives me everything I could possibly want when listening to classical music. Particualry with high end instruments like violins, flutes, and piccolos. And pianos are remarkably real as well. Just like being right there in the room with me.
So the question becomes what other small speakers could I build that would sound as good as the Piccolos that I have now. And I have yet to find any, regardless of cost, that I think meet that requirement. One possibility is the CSS Criton 1TD-X, which has received outstanding reviews from multiple people. It’s the only thing on my list right now to possibly try when I get a chance and am willing to invest in it.
The Adelphos is definitley as possiblity. I don't think I would like looking at the slanted front of the Kairos though.
However, the CSS Criton 1TD-X has received unanoumus outstanding reviews from multiple respected sources. Many more than the either the Kairos or Adelphos. As good as either of those might be, I think I would opt for the Criton 1TD-X first.
Jay Iyagi put it up against a $10,000 Sonus Faber speaker and thought the the CSS was better.