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Criterion Speakers?
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goodolpg
Just an old fart trying to help.
JMO, depends on what you already have, and what you want to use them for.
Lafayette made some decent/good electronics, for the most part their speakers were meh. There are exceptions but not many AFAIK. The one thing that catches my eye is the super(?) tweeter if I'm looking at an actual 444 image on the net.
Can you go listen to them before buying? That might be wise.
Not a lot of info available, one source says 30 wpc max if that matters to you.
Just found this, check out post #6
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/criterion-speakers-heard-of-them.56472/
Author says 666 and 777 weren't bad, didn't even mention the 444 but that might have been an oversite or not worth mentioning, I don't know.
It seems CTS drivers are "not bad".
Lafayette made some decent/good electronics, for the most part their speakers were meh. There are exceptions but not many AFAIK. The one thing that catches my eye is the super(?) tweeter if I'm looking at an actual 444 image on the net.
Can you go listen to them before buying? That might be wise.
Not a lot of info available, one source says 30 wpc max if that matters to you.
Just found this, check out post #6
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/criterion-speakers-heard-of-them.56472/
Author says 666 and 777 weren't bad, didn't even mention the 444 but that might have been an oversite or not worth mentioning, I don't know.
It seems CTS drivers are "not bad".
NH-MAN
Addicted Member
if you don't mind buying and selling, I always think its a good idea to listen to different speakers. The reason is not to see what you do not like about them but to see what you do like about them. Every speaker will somewhere sound better than all others. Its that wow even for a second moment where you haven't heard a passage or something sound that good to you. If is only a small fraction of the sound as a whole, it gives you one more reference for what you want to hear in a speaker when looking for the next one.
There were a mindboggling number of different speakers made and if we could hear them all there is probably a perfect one for each of us. The best we can do is amass as much info we can from the things we liked about different speakers and find one that has most of the qualities we like in a set we want to settle on.
you might not like them as a whole but guarantee somewhere in some song or instrument or passage you will like something or not heard before that will be a reference of what you do like when looking for a future set.
I have had many and settled on the pair that do 95% of what I like.
I had a Pair of Technics SB 6000's and they were very nice but not quite up to the sound levels I listen to but they did have this spot in the midrange that was wonderful that none other I have listened to can duplicate. Having heard it is just a reference to look for in another set if I were to. If I did not try them I would not know it existed.
There were a mindboggling number of different speakers made and if we could hear them all there is probably a perfect one for each of us. The best we can do is amass as much info we can from the things we liked about different speakers and find one that has most of the qualities we like in a set we want to settle on.
you might not like them as a whole but guarantee somewhere in some song or instrument or passage you will like something or not heard before that will be a reference of what you do like when looking for a future set.
I have had many and settled on the pair that do 95% of what I like.
I had a Pair of Technics SB 6000's and they were very nice but not quite up to the sound levels I listen to but they did have this spot in the midrange that was wonderful that none other I have listened to can duplicate. Having heard it is just a reference to look for in another set if I were to. If I did not try them I would not know it existed.
peteCWA
Active Member
The Criterion 444's came out in 1974 . We mostly paired them up with low end receivers and amplifiers and some of the low end 4-channel receivers and amplifiers. Driving them with roughly 20 watts or more would generally drive the woofers into distortion. Initially, store cost per unit was about $19.50.
The 1974 catalog introduced the batch of speakers like the Criterion 444, 555, 666, etc. with dark brown grille covers. Previous models generally were an egg shell white.
So, if you're a "serious" listener, the Criterion 444's would probably not suit you unless your serious listening is mostly hard, heavy metal, or grunge rock.
goodolpg
Just an old fart trying to help.
Thanks for posting that peteCWA. One of the mentions I found for the Critereon 444 said something about the "super" tweeter which I alluded to above and is why I included the question mark.
I see the official designation is 1" plastic dome tweeter. That dome tweeter is what caught my eye as it seemed a bit "exotic" for a Critereon speaker.
Back in the day I had a pair of Critereon speakers. The 3 way 2002+. Part of a package with a Garrard tt and LR-9090 receiver. The receiver was a pretty good piece IMO.
As best I can recall, the 2002+ played loud, plus they played loud.
I see the official designation is 1" plastic dome tweeter. That dome tweeter is what caught my eye as it seemed a bit "exotic" for a Critereon speaker.
Back in the day I had a pair of Critereon speakers. The 3 way 2002+. Part of a package with a Garrard tt and LR-9090 receiver. The receiver was a pretty good piece IMO.
As best I can recall, the 2002+ played loud, plus they played loud.
peteCWA
Active Member
Those "plastic dome tweeters" were cheap to add in the speaker enclosure. Criterion 2002+ are great speakers. I still have a pair here that gets active use. Also have two 2001's but both woofers crumbled years ago and I replaced them with a pair of Dayton woofers. They're in my basement man cave. Also have a pair of Criterion 150's which mimic AR-3's quite well.
Also have a pair of Criterion 3X's that still sound great. These speakers followed me for three summers down the Jersey shore living with several guys in a summer house. Beer didn't seem to bother these speakers
but they do smell a little funny.
Had a few other Criterion speakers over the years, but for one or more reasons, found them new homes.
Also have a pair of Criterion 3X's that still sound great. These speakers followed me for three summers down the Jersey shore living with several guys in a summer house. Beer didn't seem to bother these speakers
but they do smell a little funny. Had a few other Criterion speakers over the years, but for one or more reasons, found them new homes.
goodolpg
Just an old fart trying to help.
Those "plastic dome tweeters" were cheap to add in the speaker enclosure. Criterion 2002+ are great speakers. I still have a pair here that gets active use. Also have two 2001's but both woofers crumbled years ago and I replaced them with a pair of Dayton woofers. They're in my basement man cave. Also have a pair of Criterion 150's which mimic AR-3's quite well.
Also have a pair of Criterion 3X's that still sound great. These speakers followed me for three summers down the Jersey shore living with several guys in a summer house. Beer didn't seem to bother these speakers
Had a few other Criterion speakers over the years, but for one or more reasons, found them new homes.
And here I thought those 444 tweeters might be something sort of special.
Almost made it through the day without being wrong. Maybe tomorrow...
Every so often I see a pair (images on line or ebay) of 2002+ speakers. They have that odd color inverted surround, but what really stands out, to me, is they don't seem to rot.
I did get back on the Lafayette bus in the early or mid 2010's. Bought an LR-9090 but it had a dead channel on arrival so I returned it. Not long after that I got an LR-120DB. Still have it but not in use.
