T+A CRITERION TB 160 German Audiophile Floorstanding Speakers

These speakers are some of the best speakers I have heard from top to bottom in a long time... period. To me, they are similar sonically to a Kef 104/2 except with MUCH deeper and more power bass and even better midrange. They share the same kind of "warm" yet liquid, detailed highs as many of the great British speakers. These are very highly regarded speakers in the European market but RARELY ever show up in the U.S. market. They are not imported to the US and are so big that overseas shipment is nearly impossible.

The most impressive thing about these speakers is the bass and efficiency. With just a little bit of power, you can create a wall of sound with deep, tight bass - true club level volumes across the entire frequency spectrum with just a good 50 watt receiver.

This set is in perfect functional condition. The only issue I can find is a very small crack in the rubber on one of the midrange drivers. The material looks cracked, but it doesn't penetrate all the way through. Even at high volumes, I can't feel any air being released, so it's definitely sealed. The drivers are readily available from Dynaudio (the US importer for these parts), but I elected not to have it replaced as it is playing perfectly. Other than this issue, the speakers are functionally flawless.

Cosmetic condition is very good as well. There are a few small nicks along the back edge of one speaker. These have been touched up with black marker and are barely noticeable. There are a few of the little rubber female inserts for the grill pegs that are missing. This seems to have no bearing on the fit of the grills... they are tight and secure. There are some very light scratches on the tops of the speakers... again, not very noticeable. As you can see, they are very attractive overall. See photos for details.

SHIPPING: We will secure these to a pallet and ship via FedEx freight - anywhere in the lower USA for a flat rate of $299. This is THE SAFEST way to ship big, heavy speakers like this. We have lots of experience doing this and impeccable feedback from our customers.

Below is a user description that I translated using Google Translate - read for details.

They had to play with me in a 25 m² basement room with a ceiling height of 2.10 m, where the listening distance is about 2.5 m. Under these conditions, this exception speakers can not develop their qualities. You need to ideally have a normal well-insulated listening room with at least 30 m² living space, a normal ceiling height (about 2.5 m ) and at least 3.5 m listening distance .Who can offer them will be rewarded with an exceptional sound quality that is second to none .Distinctive structural features of these boxes are including two internal bass drivers , the one by a transmission line , the other is supported by a bass reflex chamber. This construction is m. E. yourself speakers in unique and guarantees a deep, powerful bass foundation. In addition, the externally visible baffle, the two midrange and tweeter housed in a symmetrical D' Appolito , acoustically decoupled from the rest of the body .The bass range can be changed by a level switch on the back and through variable bass reflex tubes . The treble can also be sensitively raised or lowered in 1.5 dB steps , the midrange can be lowered by 1.5 dB . Thus, an adjustment to the room acoustics is possible , of course, only within certain limits. The shortcomings of a too small and unfavorable acoustic space can thus not be concealed.The boxes are connected by means of studs with a solid base plate , which then allows a displacement of the loudspeaker , and thus the correct alignment in space.These are just a few examples of this sophisticated design, and so the stately dimensions of 140 x explain 30 x 43 cm ( H x W x D) and the combat weight of 54 kg per box .The result is an exceptionally clear and concise reproduction with deep , powerful bass and extremely high level of reserves.The trade journal " stereoplay " has classified these boxes in issue 11 /1995, a detailed review in the " Absolute class 1" and attesting to their excellent price -performance ratio.The speakers are technically and optically in almost new condition. If you are traveling with a magnifying glass to use track search will surely find somewhere which . Perhaps best compared to what is probably on the base plates.