This is going to sound absolutely crazy

[KojiroTakenashi]

I just got in an Ascend CBM-170 Center I bought used, lucked out on the price...I figured it would be my little demo model so I could get a general 'feel' for the way Ascend things sound, and so I could have something to compare other things to on the cheap...results?

I'm finally free. Free from that damn EQ. Hooray!

My response may sound muted, it's true...but let's just say, I've forgone overrated Stereo and am now enjoying full, rich Mono

My old 'reference' speakers were the Wharfedale Diamond 7.1s. Misunderstood, unappreciated little speakers that put out amazing sound. Unfortunately...they're not magnetically shielded. I have a huge CRT monitor sitting in front of me at the moment and, well...that's no good!

First and foremost the Ascend made me realize something - I'm WAY too stingy about my speakers. I absolutely HATE the ones I have now...but they're not actually that bad, I suppose. Not better than the Wharfe's, though, either. Honestly the ones I have now are the cloth-covered sounding ones. But enough with the hate. This post is about LOVE! <3

No, I won't say that the Ascend magically makes all other speakers sound as if they've had cloth or a glass window over them, but I'd rather say it's the sound of my Wharfes (with a good bit less bottom end) with the highs properly neutralized and a rather large, stuffy grill removed (as opposed to glass or a towel or whatever). There /are/ a few extra details revealed and some things I never noticed before, mostly dialogue-type things at the end of a recording session. The Ascend has better, smoother response and perfect integration with the tweeter and the woofer. I'm also really suprised at the cabinet - knocking on it nets probally the most hollow sound I've ever heard a cabinet produce! I really don't have a clue how it's deadened to sound like it does...it also goes to show a LOT of the weight is in the components themselves, as opposed to just building a large cabinet stuffed with wood to FEEL impressive (coughtheonesIhavenowcough). The lack of a bottom end isn't missed too much at the moment - unfortunately the 'select' button on my Yami's remote doesn't work, and thus I can't change the crossover past the default 80. I suppose that's for the best...for now. However I'll definately be needing to change it when I get the SEs (and you betcha I will come hell or high water!)...I had to tweak my subwoofer a bit, and there are times where I can actually make out that it's not keeping up!

Ascend speakers, it seems, would be the absolute plateau for nearfield listening. Lowest distortion I've ever heard and PROPER FR curves (if you can even call them curves!) just...sparkle. Where my Wharfe's were fairly accurate but 'sweet' these things do their job properly - no added colours of flavours! No horrible, horrible dips in FR...*coughagain* Honestly, Ascend set the bar with these...which is why there must be all these awesome budget-competitors coming out. Thanks for injecting life into the industry! Honestly, I would have been happy for less with a bit less of a price (If I was paying retail), the other contendors I talked about in my other topic likely satisfactory, and I will get around to comparing those some time. If you want the absolute best before sums of money I'd never be able to justify (and for those prices it'd probally be better to, y'know...get a better source than anything), then Ascend is TOTALLY the way to go. Outside of SEs I won't be upgrading to anything more until I need floorstanders...and even then I'll probally just stick with CMTs on stands

I suppose, maybe, I just have ears more sensitive than I give myself credit for...hmm.

Final note, this is driven by am 85-Watt Yamaha RX-V450. I'm pretty sure these will sound even better with a stronger source - more solid sound, probally. I'm under the firm stance, however, that a speaker should sound good with any decent source and shouldn't require some super-fancy rig to 'open up'...that only proves the strength of the source and the weakness of the speaker. This Ascend...it's TOTALLY sensitive, but I will say it begs me for more power to REALLY put the slam on.

I'm also curious - supposedly more recently-made models have a metal phase plug (this one has the plastic one), and there is quite a bit of a gap (visible, too) between the cone and the plug. Really strange design decision...

[MikeS]

I'm glad you're enjoying my old speaker.

3DSS-Forums is down again.