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BradJudy
10-06-2003, 11:12 PM
I am yet to hear another speaker in the CBM price range that sounds better to my ears. I've seen some nicer looking ones, but that comes down to priorities and I ended up creating very attractive CBMs anyway.

I'm yet to hear anything that makes me have regrets.

curtis
10-07-2003, 12:53 AM
I am in the same boat as Brad, but I also own the CMT-340l/r. When I was using the CBM-170's, I compared them to a lot of speakers, and I am now doing the same with the CMT-340's......absolutely no regrets.

I do regret not saving for a seperate amp and pre/pro, but that it is much less of a priority.

-curtis

MarkZ2k
10-09-2003, 06:36 AM
Curtis, I see you've mentioned the 340L/R here and in several other forums. Yet, on Ascends site, the only 340 model I see is the 340c center. Are you testing a new product, or am I just not seeing the l/r model on their site?

Or are they the same model, just stand them on end?

Thanks for your comments at the Spot, by the way.

curtis
10-09-2003, 07:11 AM
Mark,

They are not on the website yet...but they are a real product. Ascend did not list them for inventory control reasons. They use the same cabinet and drivers as the center version. The crossover is slightly different as well. They can be had by a phone call. I just picked up the Home Theater Buyer's Guide...and all the Ascend speakers are listed.

Since you are pretty close, you are welcome to come listen to the 340's at my place as well.

And you are welcome.

-curtis

Ben_Wood
10-09-2003, 07:16 AM
Quite honestly most of the regrets have been from other people who after hearing my Ascends were heard to say, "wow, I could of had an Ascend system"! [:D]

MarkZ2k
10-09-2003, 06:53 PM
Curtis,

Thanks.
What's a pair of 340's cost? I'm guessing double the price on a 340c?

Quinn
10-09-2003, 08:30 PM
340 L/R pr are $500 the matching stands are $140(I think).

Bighitter
10-09-2003, 11:05 PM
It is $140 + 8 for shipping on the stands when purchased with the 340s. This is a response I got from David when I asked about getting 3 340s and stands for the LCR duties of my theater.

"The speakers (3 CMT-340s) would be $768 + $24 for shipping. The stands are $140 for the pair + $8.00 for shipping.

Total cost = $940."

One hell of a deal that I am seriously chomping at the bit to jump all over.

MarkZ2k
10-19-2003, 08:09 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Bighitter

It is $140 + 8 for shipping on the stands when purchased with the 340s. This is a response I got from David when I asked about getting 3 340s and stands for the LCR duties of my theater.

"The speakers (3 CMT-340s) would be $768 + $24 for shipping. The stands are $140 for the pair + $8.00 for shipping.

Total cost = $940."

One hell of a deal that I am seriously chomping at the bit to jump all over.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Got mine Friday. One of the guys at Ascend lives nearby, so I ordered on the phone, and he brought them over. :) I got the 3 CMT-340's and the stands. Still playing with the layout a bit, but they're definitley better than the Klipsch I have. I kind of think that instead of paying $140 for stands, I could use that towards a more expensive tower speaker. Then, I could wait a bit longer on a sub. Curtis, did you compare the Axiom M40 or M50 to the 340's? What did you think?

curtis
10-19-2003, 08:30 AM
I have heard the M22 and the M60 in my own home. It is my understanding that the M40 and M50 do not sound like the M22 or M60. That said, the CBM-170 and M22 are comparable. The M60 is a nice speaker at $800/pr, and it plays does play bigger than the CMT-340, but when you introduce a sub, it brings things much closer together. Also the characteristics of those two Axioms are different than the Ascends.

Also, IMO, if a sub is going to be used, there is not that much advantage to having towers, unless you need a more room filling sound. I think someone once wrote "why buy bass twice?"

Axiom makes good stuff too. Maybe you can get a pair of the towers and do a comparison for us.

I'm actually getting a pair of custom stands made by www.rutledgeaudiodesign.com , custom height and finish. I needed the stands higher than the custom Ascends stands, and I'm getting them finshed to match some of my furniture.

-curtis

MarkZ2k
10-19-2003, 09:39 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by curtis



Axiom makes good stuff too. Maybe you can get a pair of the towers and do a comparison for us.



-curtis
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I'd like to hear them both in my home, but I'm too cheap to pay the return shipping if I don't keep the Axioms. Especially a pair of M60+ VP150. That would be over $100 to ship back, I'll bet.

I'll probaby get a set of 170's to compare to the 340's I already have. If the only difference is bass extension, then the 170's + sub is probably a better deal. But towers look better. :)

curtis
10-19-2003, 10:13 AM
Bass extension is not the only difference....but is the biggest difference. How big is the room your are dealing with?

-curtis

MarkZ2k
10-20-2003, 01:13 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by curtis

Bass extension is not the only difference....but is the biggest difference. How big is the room your are dealing with?

-curtis
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Approx 16X12. Ceilings in the living room go up to the 2nd floor. It's also open to the kitchen/dining room. The whole condo's about 1250 Sq. Ft. I'm getting a little bit of boominess in the bass with male voices. I had a lot more with the Klipsch. Had some with the Ascend's too, but moving them away from the side of the TV helped. They're about 18"+ from the rear wall. The only boominess I hear now seems to come from the center. It's directly on top of the TV. (Toshiba 50HDX82) It does have the pads installed. I was thinking of getting the 170's for mains instead, if that would help the boominess, but I want to use the 340 for a center, and that's where I'm getting most of it right now.

I set up my sisters place yesterday with Paradigm mini-monitors. (I told her about Ascends, and recommended them, but being able to get surrounds in white was more important.) Cosmetics are important to her. They sound good too, with no trace of boominess. Sub's a PSB 5i. (Didn't like the Paradigm model, no phase switch. And got a deal on the PSB from DMC.)

curtis
10-20-2003, 01:32 AM
For the center, try to make sure the front of the speaker is flush with the front of the TV. Also might want to call Ascend for suggestions.

Are you using a sub now? In that size room, you will have no problems with the 170's filling it.

All of my 340's are about 17" from the rear wall.


-curtis

MarkZ2k
10-20-2003, 03:20 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by curtis

For the center, try to make sure the front of the speaker is flush with the front of the TV. Also might want to call Ascend for suggestions.

Are you using a sub now? In that size room, you will have no problems with the 170's filling it.

-curtis
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

The center is flush with the TV. No, I don't have a sub. The Klipsch towers have 10" woofers, and do low bass down to about 30Hz. I never saw a reason to get a sub with the Klipsch system.

curtis
10-20-2003, 04:33 AM
How far is the center channel from the back wall?

-curtis

MarkZ2k
10-20-2003, 06:51 AM
About 22" from the front of the speaker to the back wall. (TV is 21 2/3" deep.)

curtis
10-20-2003, 07:37 AM
Interesting. So that puts the back of the speaker about 11" from the wall....about 7" less than your mains.

-curtis

MarkZ2k
10-20-2003, 08:11 AM
I'll have to measure tonight. The mains are a few inches in front of the TV, and toed-in slightly. The TV is not hitting the back wall, there's a bit of space for cables. When I had the right main next to the TV, and about an inch in front, there was more boom. Moving it to the side and toed-in helped, but not completely. A friend who's more of an audiophile than me (just spent $2600 on 2 main speakers last week) is going to come over and listen to them.

MarkZ2k
11-04-2003, 04:01 AM
Well, since the above message here's what I found out. I learned about DMC-electronics.com from another site. I discovered they were local. Went down there and listened to some different PSB models. I bought an Image 8C center to compare with the Ascend at home. It does not cause boominess in my room. There may be a very small amount, but almost none. Much less than the CMT340. I used the interviews in the Eagles Hell Freezes Over DTS DVD, and other DVD's to check.

Then a few days later I went back to DMC and listened to several models. I took home a pair of PSB Image 6T on condition I could try them for 2 weeks. They were cosmetic blem units (B-stock) so I got a good deal. Connected them to my receiver's 'A' speaker connection, and the 2 CMT340's to the 'B' so I could switch back and forth quickly (Sony DB930). Still using the 8C as center.

Naturally, the 6T had much more bass than the CMT640, it's a very large floorstander. The surprise to me was the mids sound better on the 6T than the CMT. The Ascends sound kind of recessed. The highs were very slightly better on the Ascends. I was listening to a track on a Madonna CD, there were some triangle-type instruments in the background. They were clearer and more audible with the CMT340 than the 6T. But, the Ascends have had a couple weeks to break in, and the 6T is 1 day old at that point, so that could change. Overall, I like the 6T's better. I have no immediate need to get a sub, where with the CMT340's, I'd need one quickly.

This isn't really a fair comparison though, cause the 6T's list for $999/Pr. However, they're availalble as b-stock from DMC for $599. (And I paid less than that since I picked them up local, and bought a sub for my sister, and the 8C center.) When he gets the 9C in, I'll get that instead of the 8C, and will have paid about $850 for the 6T and the 9C. The 3 CMT340's + stands were just under $1k. I set my sister up with a pair of Paradigm mini-monitors a couple weeks ago, I'm going to borrow those for a few days and compare them at home to the PSB's & the Ascends. I can get the Monitor7 + CC370 for around the same cost as the 6T+9C combo. I can't try the Monitor 7's at home, unfortunately.

curtis
11-04-2003, 04:56 AM
Hey Mark,

Have you been able to compare voices/horns yet?

-curtis