Positive Review of CBM-170SE on AV123 Forum

[Jonnyozero3]

All around accolades, on another site. Nice to see.

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php...5&pagenumber=3

[drewface]

that's a great read!

i really don't understand why so many people think the ascends are so ugly... i prefer the plain, straightforward look of the ascends to any fancy veneer covered speaker. i think veneer makes speakers look cheap, while the ascends look sturdy and well constructed.

oh well, everyone seemed to agree they sounded the best, and in my opinion that is the most important part of a speaker.

[stimuli]

I totally agree with the looks of the Ascends. I find them handsome and understated... then again, matte black is my favorite color!

I also think veneers are weird... like the speaker is pretending to be something it's not (real wood instead of MDF).

In fact, I'm looking at Hsu for a sub that matches my ascends. Someday I want Ohm Microwalsh talls and an SVS cylinder, but I got the CBM 170s to tide me over in the meantime...

[BradJudy]

i think veneer makes speakers look cheap, while the ascends look sturdy and well constructed.

To me, this statement is mind-boggling. Real wood veneer making things look cheap? That's crazy. Well, everyone is welcome to their opinions.

[ebh]

i agree, real wood veneer is generally quite nice. i sure wouldn't mind having veneered speakers over plain black. however, no way would i trade sound for eye candy. fortunately i have been able to put my foot down with the wife on that one. she will live with plain speakers (got some wood stands to try and please her).

i was surprised to see how big the x-ls's were compared to the 170s, which i always thought were a hefty size. i think the veneer on the x-ls's is really nice, tho i don't really like how the front baffle looks sort of tacked on and not integrated into the rest of the design.

i still don't get how the ascend is "ugly" tho. plain or big, sure, but ugly? those blue round speakers, now that could be called ugly. if you look at most of those pics, the ascends just sort of blend in and fade out of the picture, which is actually quite a nice thing. when i'm listening to music i don't want to notice the speakers, just the sound.

[Quinn]

if you look at most of those pics, the ascends just sort of blend in and fade out of the picture, which is actually quite a nice thing. when i'm listening to music i don't want to notice the speakers, just the sound.

So many people can't fathom those of us who considered that a be a good quality for a speaker.

[drewface]

To me, this statement is mind-boggling. Real wood veneer making things look cheap? That's crazy. Well, everyone is welcome to their opinions.

yeh... i don't know what it is that i don't like about it. with some stuff veneer looks ok, like larger speakers (towers or whatever those things in the background of this picture are), but for bookshelves especially, i prefer the plain look of the ascends. the red wood bookshelf speakers next to the guy's arm just look weird to me...

i think if the speakers are veneered to match exactly other furniture, shelves, or decorations exactly, i wouldn't mind it as much.

[Jonnyozero3]

I think it's great how my Ascends hide themselves when the lights are off and the movie is playing, but I am much more likely to spring for something with a finish like my Macasar Ebony UFW-10 if it's going in my living room. HT vs. living room requirements/considerations are different in my mind. If I had one setup, it'd be a tougher decision.

[BradJudy]

i think if the speakers are veneered to match exactly other furniture, shelves, or decorations exactly, i wouldn't mind it as much.

It's a blend in vs stand out thing. I also think having the furniture and speakers in the exact same veneer is crazy.

[shane55]

While I hate repeating myself...

I wouldn't want my speakers to look any other way. I love the matte black, the wife loves the matte black. Couldn't be more pleased. End of story.

shane