Hello from another Oregonian!
Hey Guys,
This is a combined "introduce yourself" and "setup question" post.
I'm 80% there in my research to switching over to an Ascend system.
Oregonian here (PDX area), married, youngish kids. Axiom Epic80-500 5.1 owner for last 10 years. I'd call myself an audiophile "wanna-be". I love words like neutral, transparent, imaging (3 dimensional!), effortless. I dislike words like forward, silver speaker cables, boomy, pain. :)
I love my Axiom M80s, for about 20 minutes. Then I want to turn them off and to do something else. For the longest time I thought it was because I was too bored to just sit and listen to music for longer than that. But this past year I've realized I suffer from listener fatigue. From reading various forums I understand it’s not an uncommon problem with the Axiom line. Maybe its the twin tweeter design. Maybe it’s their obsession with blind testing (something will sound great for 15 minutes, but wear on your after 30, but do blind testers listen that long to one single source?). We also are SO done with the VP150 center channel. Turn up because can't hear. Turn down because its too bright and painful. Great company, great people, but upgrading is very expensive with them now, so I've looked elsewhere.
I used to own Legacy Classics, and LOVED the detail from their ribbon tweeter, so I was excited to see Ascend using this technology in many of their speakers. However, I experienced fatigue with the Legacy's as well, but perhaps that was because they used two tweeters as well (one soft dome, one ribbon)?
I long to sit in the sweet spot and sit back and listen to great music for longer periods of time. Enjoy the recording. Enjoy being able to pin point instruments/vocalists in a wide 3d soundstage.
Towers w/ RAAL are calling my name. The Horizon is as well, as we're about 80% Home Theater/20% critical listening. Love the Ascend philosophy/approach. I don't want to listen to the speakers. I want them to get out of the way so I can just listen to the music.
I do like the QS8 quad pole surrounds by Axiom, so if I switch I'll miss them a bit. Great dispersed sound. Going Ascend looks like Luna is the best bet? They do ok as surround? They'd be great in an Atmos system I bet. Worry a little about having to cross them over so high (80?). Anyone have experience here?
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
I'll try attaching an image of what I'm looking at. They just don't make TV stands like this! Might have to custom build my own, unless anyone has ideas or knows a mfg that builds to these kinds of specs....
Attachment 1590
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
I think your proposed setup looks great! I think Sierra-2s would also meet your requirements of non-fatigue inducing speakers. I have the Luna's as surrounds and they work very well. You could try the QS8s and see if they match well enough for you.
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brady
I used to own Legacy Classics, and LOVED the detail from their ribbon tweeter, so I was excited to see Ascend using this technology in many of their speakers. However, I experienced fatigue with the Legacy's as well, but perhaps that was because they used two tweeters as well (one soft dome, one ribbon)?
Just a point of clarification on the AMT and RAAL tweeters. They do not use the same technology. How they function is very different.
Dave has an explanation in this post:
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/sho...tion#post44091
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
curtis
Thanks curtis! Oh man, MORE reading! :) Its been over ten years since my time with the Legacy's and I can't recall the type of ribbon, so thanks for this! I am very excited about the prospect of hearing these RAAL's in my house (ps...how does one properly prounounce? "rawl"? rahl?)
Thanks nate - I am SUPER anal about how I place my front line, including TV height and center. I prefer to have the TV a couple of inches shorter so the center matches my viewing height of 38", but had need to accomodate that monster Horizon. Still trying to find a TV stand that will meet my requirements. But like I said, I'm pretty sure I'll be custom making something. Everything out there is either too tall or not enough room for an 11" center speaker.
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brady
I'll try attaching an image of what I'm looking at. They just don't make TV stands like this! Might have to custom build my own, unless anyone has ideas or knows a mfg that builds to these kinds of specs....
Attachment 1590
Brady,
The #5 post for http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/sho...resso-speakers has a link to a business that they used to get a custom riser for a Horizon. This member also posted a picture on the #7 post.
David
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Brady,
Syracuse risers - I purchased a riser from them in 2015 for use with my S2 center.
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
racrawford65
Brady,
Syracuse risers - I purchased a riser from them in 2015 for use with my S2 center.
I've looked into that option- good idea there.
I worry - enclosing/boxing up the Horizon seems less than optimal? My gut tells me to give that monster some breathing room? Maybe not have the box fully enclose the speaker, but just the rear 2/3 of it?
I've drawn this up using the riser idea and it puts the TV a bit higher than ideal, but maybe it an accceptable trade off.
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brady
I've looked into that option- good idea there.
I worry - enclosing/boxing up the Horizon seems less than optimal? My gut tells me to give that monster some breathing room? Maybe not have the box fully enclose the speaker, but just the rear 2/3 of it?
I've drawn this up using the riser idea and it puts the TV a bit higher than ideal, but maybe it an accceptable trade off.
The horizon is front ported and placing it in a riser will not compromise performance. What you don't want to do is have the speaker positioned so that any part of the riser is extruding past the front baffle. Ideally, you would want the horizon to fit snug into the riser with no gaps and such that the front baffle of the horizon extends forward of the riser by at least an inch or two.
Hope this makes sense!
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Good news- talked wife into flush mounting the TV to the wall, so can dial in the perfect center channel placement with a stand.
I ran into Philharmonic Audio over the weekend and it made me curious. Lots of similarities with the Ascend line (and large divergences as well...like those monster "3s"!). Can anyone compare/contrast with Ascend?
Also, anyone in the Portland,OR area with Sierra-2s or Towers that wouldn't mind showing them off to a fellow enthusiast? :)
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Update- Tower-RAALS (Espresso) will be ordered first thing Monday morning! (Gotta beat the Q1 price increase!!). SOOO excited.
I did my own homework and concluded the Ascends (vs Philharmonic) was the way to go for a number of reasons.
Will post impressions as soon as we have these works of art in our home.
Can't thank you all enough for you abundance of helping information on this forum (and others).
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Watched a little "Star Trek (2009 reboot)" in 4k UHD last week, and best way to explain the soundtrack is to imagine a live pit orchestra in my living room :) When the opening theme song comes on , its like the french horn is 'right there'. Amazing.
We finally found a contractor for our addition build, so in a few months I'll have my dream 5.2.4 atmos setup, and will give a full review then. Right now the Lunas are way up high, so can't wait to have them down lower where they are supposed to go. But for now, I love how they seamlessly integrate with the Towers/Horizon. Its like they aren't there.
Re: Hello from another Oregonian!
Salamander makes a stand and tv mont exactly as you sketched out.
