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View Full Version : Which speaker sounds closest to CBM170s?



CHL
08-01-2005, 07:19 AM
The last thing I need from a bookshelf speaker is bright, thin and analytical sounding. I came from the famous BBC LS3/5a school, the wondrous midrange. Of course, LS3/5as sound a bit veiled and lack dynamic. Later, I bought a pair of NOS SPica TC60 last year. Spica strikes me with a huge sonic window, soundstage and distinctively coherence that had me jump for joy. Spicas remove the veil off the sound.
Eventually, my fondness towards the BBC sounds revealed after I listen to a pair of Harbeth Compact 7. Harbeths simply have the "rightness" to the sound, hand down. I love to hear the sound of piano coming out from Harbeth, the weight, timbre and decay of sound is simply real, "truth of timbre". They fell short in terms of ultimate decaying and extension of live music but which speaker does not. As good as it is, I doubt that my tiny 12wpc tube amp has the muscle to drive the Harbeths to theirs optimum strength.
My question is how does CBM170s sound? Can anyone tell which speaker sound closest to CBM170s? After reading the comment and audio jargon, I still do not know how CBM170s sound like simply because everyone has different perception.
My final question is will my 12wpc EL34 push pull triode monoblock be able to drive CBM170s??? My listening room is 14'x11'. Listen primarily to vocal, jazz and light classical. Moderate loudness.
Appreciate your response.

Nicholas Mosher
08-01-2005, 07:58 AM
I found the 170's to be similar to Paradigm Studio 20s & Signature S2s, with a few noticeable differences...

1. The 170 midrange is better. There is no boxy sound (like the 20s have), and it has as much clarity as any speaker I've ever heard in this area. It's right on par with the Signature S2.

2. The tweeter in the 170s lack the slightly crisp quality of the Studio 20's tweeter. They are neutral and hang right where they should with the mids. Personally I like a bit of crispness to my highs, but not bright. The Signature S2 trumps the 170 in this area in my book (but retails at 5x the price). Sometimes at reference level volume I start to get some congestion during intense scenes with screams and shattering glass, but it's minor and I always listen at -10 to -5 RL anyways, so I never hear it. In a large room it might be a problem though.

So I prefer the tweeter in the 20's, but the midrange of the 170s just blows the 20's out of the water when you add up the scores to get overall quality. The Signature S2 has everything I want, but at 5x the cost of the 170s the Ascends are atleast 85-90% as good.

Hope that helps some.