[Zuman]

After conferring with Lou Hinkley at Daedalus and a few others about building speaker cabinets from solid hardwoods, I decided to build a pair of CSS-Audio Criton 2TD-X T-M-M tower speakers from solid quartersawn African mahogany. Lou is a first-rate designer and craftsman and he's been successfully building amazing solid wood speakers for years. I chose mahogany because of its excellent stability, and the ready availability of wide boards. I also added a Baltic birch inner baffle and Baltic birch inner braces, GR-Research No Rez, solid core silver wire from the crossovers to the tweeters, and solid core copper from the crossovers to the midwoofers. I used GR-Research tube connectors as the primary amp-crossover connection, but also jumpered them to high quality binding posts so I can use other speaker cables not terminated in tube connectors. I installed IsoAcoustics Gaia II feet. The cabinets are finished in Odie's Dark Oil and Odie's Dark Butter...and they look much better than in the photos here!
I'm VERY happy with both the sound and the appearance of the towers. Imaging is extremely engaging, and low frequencies are extended and tighter than I expected.
I will confess that I'm also using a pair of Take-T Live supertweeters, which are presently connected to those spare binding posts. I can't say how much they're contributing to the imaging magic because I haven't listened without them yet.
(Sorry for the sideways second picture!)

[mresseguie]

Zuman,

I'm jealous as all get out. I ordered these same speakers last Fall, but haven't been able to assemble them yet. [I hope to accomplish this by mid-June.] I've got the flatpack, but I plan to veneer the front baffles, and maybe paint the other surfaces (dunno for sure). That is a beautiful wood.

I've corrected the issue with photo #2.



 

[maty]

Tech Talk 4: Adding a Super Tweeter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=razZspj7S0o

[opnly bafld]

Very nice!

[Zuman]

Tech Talk 4: Adding a Super Tweeter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=razZspj7S0o

I'd watched that video and I noted the concern before buying the TakeT Live supertweeters.  There are legitimate and respected academic papers that reveal that frequencies beyond our hearing range can still impact our perception, though, so I wanted to explore that while avoiding cancelation of frequencies I can hear. The TakeT Live has a lower limit of 20kHz, so I assumed that cancelation wouldn't be a problem, and I'm guessing that their omnidirectional design may also mitigate the issue. Either way, I'm enjoying the result!

[kd4ylq]

Excellent job with the woodworking! Did you make any grill cloth rings? (it would be a shame to hide the wood).

[Zuman]

Excellent job with the woodworking! Did you make any grill cloth rings? (it would be a shame to hide the wood).

Thanks! I had help from a very skilled friend!
I did not make any driver covers of any kind. I agree that it would look cool to have flat black disks, but the midwoofer excursion would require an actual "standoff" frame, and I didn't want to make something and end up dealing with diffraction or veiling issues.

[Zuman]

Zuman,

I'm jealous as all get out. I ordered these same speakers last Fall, but haven't been able to assemble them yet. [I hope to accomplish this by mid-June.] I've got the flatpack...

My primary recommendations are (i) Make sure you have LOTS of clamps, including some that can cover the full length of the speakers; and (ii) use Titebond III wood glue...you will likely need the extra set-up time it allows.
Also (I'm less sure of this), I used Neotech 22awg solid core silver wire from the tweeter crossovers to the tweeters. Some people claimed that the highs on the original M-T-M Criton 2TD-X standmount were a bit "polite" and, having built a pair of those, I'm inclined to agree. My new 2TD-X towers have shimmering, airy highs, but I don't know yet whether it's because of the T-M-M configuration, the supertweeters, or the silver solid core wiring to the tweeters.
You will be very happy with the finished product. Best wishes!

[mresseguie]

Thanks for the build tips! I'm sure I have enough shorter length clamps, but I'll definitely have to buy or borrow a pair of long clamps. [I hadn't even thought of that till you mentioned them.] I've got some Titebond II (I think) left over from another speaker project, but there's probably not enough for these speakers.

As for wiring, I'm going to stick with some nice Cu wire. I've experimented with both silver and silver/copper combinations before, and <to my ears> good quality copper connecting wire best suits my aging ears. This pair of speakers is destined for our master bedroom duty, which is typically 50% 2-channel HT/50% 2-channel music.

[Jon L]

Take-T Live supertweeters, which are presently connected to those spare binding posts. I can't say how much they're contributing to the imaging magic because I haven't listened without them yet.

When you do compare with and without TakeT LIVE supertweeers, do let us know. 
Their website description does not make much sense to me, perhaps due to Japanese/English translation. 

For example, I was trying to figure out if this supertweeter will do anything for true high-sensitivity systems (my horns at 111dB sensitivity), but the actual output and sensitivity is a mystery:

"2. Sound pressure level adjustment　
The sound pressure level is indicated on the nameplate label on the bottom panel.
However, it is not the actual sound pressure level of TAKET-Live, but the efficiency of the main speaker when the natural effect is generated."

[nlitworld]

I've got the flatpack, but I plan to veneer the front baffles, and maybe paint the other surfaces (dunno for sure).

If you do plan to paint the cabinets, let me know if you have any questions. Paint I do know, but veneer you're on your own. Lol.


Sorry for the thread sidetrack. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.
-Lloyd

[mresseguie]

If you do plan to paint the cabinets, let me know if you have any questions. Paint I do know, but veneer you're on your own. Lol.


Sorry for the thread sidetrack. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.
-Lloyd

Nlitworld,

Thanks for the heads up. I'm drawn to veneer, but fearful of making ugly mistakes. First order of business after completion of build is to discover what my dear, not so easy to please, wife can live with.