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View Full Version : Little Rock, AR please. Other questions too.



azanon
12-08-2003, 07:13 AM
Asethetics is a tricking thing when it comes to speakers. Yes, there are though speakers out there with nice wood finsih to them, but that's not always desirable. I showed my wife both the Ascends and the Onix Rockets and she preferred the Ascends because the black sort of disappears into the background. So, depending on how you look at it, "noticing" your speaker visually can be a good thing or bad. We just want to notice the sound.

Bradley

Quinn
12-08-2003, 11:46 AM
Bradley- My wife was the same. She said while the Rockets are beautiful they do not match the decor(HER decor). My Ascends just kind of disappear into the black of the TV, rack/stand, and componets. I'm happy that I am not noticing "boxes" all around the room.

Didn't I see where David said they have more of the unfinished cabinets availible?

curtis
12-08-2003, 01:15 PM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Quinn

......She said while the Rockets are beautiful they do not match the decor(HER decor). <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

She probably knew they sounded better too. [:)]

-curtis

Quinn
12-08-2003, 03:11 PM
She has become spoiled by the Ascends. She asked just a couple of days ago if new speakers would help her car stereo.

picasso
12-09-2003, 12:36 AM
Been the M&K route. Save yourself the time and effort.

picasso_04901@yahoo.com

Quinn
12-09-2003, 01:08 AM
As for Paradigm you're going to need at least Studio 20s to match the sound from the 170s.

BTW- I got the Ascends for HT and have since rediscovered and added to my music collection to the point I'm least 80% music now.

ClutchBrake
12-09-2003, 02:33 AM
Can anyone quote prices based on these packages:

L/R/SL/SR 170. 340 center.

L/R/SL/SR/C 340.

L/R/C 340. SL/SR 170.

Prices with stands for L/R included and excluded, please.

Also, what about some opinions regarding those packages based on the information I provided previously.

curtis
12-09-2003, 03:54 AM
You should call or email Ascend for pricing. Since this board is not owned or run by Ascend....we can't quote prices any better than what you find on Ascend's website.

For your application, any one of the packages will do fine. I have a 14x18x8-9 room with one open doorway and I use your third choice and it works great. But I also used 170's up front as well....and there was nothing wrong with that.

-curtis

Gregisme
12-09-2003, 04:31 AM
Hello all!

Been perusing this board a couple days now, doing crash-course research on speakers. An audiophile I am not, a philistine, I am.[:D]

In doing research comparing Axioms Mti3s and 22s, Swan Divas and a couple other value speakers, the Ascend 170s seem to have the smallest overall size in relation to their room sound-filling capability. Over at the Axiom board, most seem to prefer the 22ti to the 3ti. However, the 22ti jumps to 17" tall, and even the 3ti is an inch and a half taller than the 170.

The Swan Divas look awesome, very unique, but definitely must be a showcase piece in you decor given their larger dimensions (16" tall) and standout look.

Even thougth the Ascends look spartan, or too bland to some, given their slightly smaller dimensions and unassuming appearance, they can probably be less obtrusive. This is especially true if either your entertainment center and/or components have some black color schemes incorporated.

There was another thread about Ascend starting to do custom painting, which sounds intriguing.. albeit, at a higher cost.

Kinda like the idea of rust, if it's lighter shade. Seems like it would be a versatile color. Anyway, I digress. carry on..

ClutchBrake
12-09-2003, 04:55 AM
That is a bold statement regarding Paradigm versus Ascend. How would you compare to Axiom? I was thinking the 170 would compare to the Mini Monitor or Monitor 3. That is why I want to audition Ascends. Offering superior performance to the Monitor 5s at around 70% the cost sounds too good to be true.

Curtis, good point about calling them. My brain has been a bit wonky lately and I had already forgotten the board was independent. [:I]

ClutchBrake
12-09-2003, 04:57 AM
Something that concerns me is the 170 being ported. Using it for a surround does not seem ideal compared to something along the lines of a QS8 OR ADP-370. It was my impression a ported speaker should have plenty of space between itself and the wall.

Quinn
12-09-2003, 05:18 AM
Well, I was having a love affair with my Mini-Monitors until I bought a pair of 170s on a lark, with some X-mas money thinking full well I'd play with'em thirty days and send them back, to try in a secondary system. The Mini-Monitors are no longer in my house and no longer do I aspire to own Studio 20s. I haven't heard the Axioms. From what I read the 22s and the 170s are comparable. I do still have a pair of Atoms, in white, pulling surround duty as a WAF concession.

The port rule of thumb is distance off wall three times port diameter. Obviously, like most speakers they benefit from being away from the wall but port "noise" is supposedly negated at thtat 3x rule.

As for the di-poles/bi-pole it is stictly a personal listening preference. They came about during ProLogic days when the processor was creating the surround effect and the diffusion helped the illusion. Now movies are recorded in 5.1 with sound engineers intending sound to come from that particular channel. So it is just personal perference.

curtis
12-09-2003, 05:32 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClutchBrake

That is a bold statement regarding Paradigm versus Ascend. How would you compare to Axiom? I was thinking the 170 would compare to the Mini Monitor or Monitor 3. That is why I want to audition Ascends. Offering superior performance to the Monitor 5s at around 70% the cost sounds too good to be true.

Curtis, good point about calling them. My brain has been a bit wonky lately and I had already forgotten the board was independent. [:I]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Bold...maybe. But I also think the Ascends sounded better. If there is anything the Studio 20 might do better, it is the bass extention.

-curtis

curtis
12-09-2003, 05:38 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClutchBrake

Something that concerns me is the 170 being ported. Using it for a surround does not seem ideal compared to something along the lines of a QS8 OR ADP-370. It was my impression a ported speaker should have plenty of space between itself and the wall.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Many folks have used Omnimounts with great success. So wall mounting should not be an issue. I think the particular Omnimounts used have about 3 inches of clearance.

I have not looked at specs at the ADP-370, but I have for the QS8. The +-3db point is 95mhz. If you cross at the standard of 80mhz, that leaves a nice whole in sound for the surrounds. I know Axiom owners love their QS8's, and I have heard them, they sound good in my limited listening session, but this gap would worry me a bit.

-curtis

ClutchBrake
12-09-2003, 06:05 AM
The ADP-370 lists "70 Hz - 20 kHz (reverberant soundfield)".

The porting still concerns me. What size is the port on the back of the 170? Using an Omnimount to put it three inches off the wall will make it an incredible eyesore. My surrounds will be placed right next to doors at eye level. The first thing you see walking into the room being the back of a speaker and wires isn't very appealing.

I believe I read on the forum here that a new surround speaker was being developed and it would "be the new standard in the industry". Granted, I'm sure that is said a lot. I don't remember if it was here or at the Stryke forum though. Perhaps I should wait and see what develops.

Curtis, you are dead on regarding a hole in the sound. That is why I want to replace my Quintets. In my old house the room was small and hideously poor for home theater. Spending a lot on speakers would have been a waste. Now that I have a decent room I want to get it right. The Quintets only went down to 100Hz. My SVS picks up at 80Hz. I want a system that will blend seemlessly so that I am not missing out on any given thing.

curtis
12-09-2003, 06:35 AM
I think new surrounds from Ascend is a ways away.

For surrounds, the HTM-200's do fine and are not ported. The port on CBM-170's I think is 1.5inches.

-curtis

Cliff_L
12-10-2003, 08:37 PM
ClutchBrake,

I'd be more than happy to audition my Ascends if you want to hear them. Have you emailed me already? I just received an email today from someone who also wanted an audition but I didn't know if it was you. Email me and we can work out the details.

ClutchBrake
12-11-2003, 12:14 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cliff_L

ClutchBrake,

I'd be more than happy to audition my Ascends if you want to hear them. Have you emailed me already? I just received an email today from someone who also wanted an audition but I didn't know if it was you. Email me and we can work out the details.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

E-mailing you now. Thanks!

marc_h
12-12-2003, 08:04 AM
It looks like you have 2 people wanting to audition your speakers. This is Marc and I sent you the other e-mail. Just let me know when is good for you. I gave you my number in the e-mail so just call me so we can set the time and date.



<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClutchBrake

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cliff_L

ClutchBrake,

I'd be more than happy to audition my Ascends if you want to hear them. Have you emailed me already? I just received an email today from someone who also wanted an audition but I didn't know if it was you. Email me and we can work out the details.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

E-mailing you now. Thanks!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

ClutchBrake
12-15-2003, 12:00 PM
Just thought'd I throw out a public Thank You! to Cliff L. for being such a great host. [:)] Super nice guy. Got to listen to lots of good stuff. The CDs he had made up for demos really made the speakers shine.

Now I'm considering ordering the Ascends, Rockets, and Paradigms to have a shootout of my own. I thought the Rockets were a bit out of my league but they are currently selling the RS150 for $200 per pair and the RS250 for $350 per pair. Nice.

curtis
12-15-2003, 12:20 PM
Yeah....do that and report back.

-curtis

azanon
12-15-2003, 08:50 PM
Well Little Rock is gonna be rockin' the house with Ascends. Mine come in this Thursday/Friday. Thanks David. :)

Bradley

Cliff_L
12-23-2003, 01:25 AM
We need to start a Little Rock Ascends Listener Group. ;) What components make up your HT setup, Bradley?