Not sure where to post this, but it is something I want to to say. I've been looking for front speakers for 3.1 config for a while now. I have auditioned a lot of speakers. Most of that work was simply framing up the final battle between Ascend and av123. Saving all the details I've read a thousand times on each speaker, my basic formula is this: Ascend (great sound; boring cab; price; size) = x-cs (very good sound; great cab; lower price; size is a negative)
So how do I choose. The marketing that each company does can be fairly effective. Ascend has a website in which many sections haven't been updated for years. New speakers or better cabinets may be on the drawing board (probably not) but all those things are kept very quiet until they are ready to go. David F. is fairly good about responding directly to people. Bottom line to me is that Ascend is saying "Our folks are busy building best speakers that you can buy, even in double this price range" "If you have a question we'll help you out, but beyond that we ain't doing much to sell these speakers 'cause we don't have to."
av123/Onix on the other hand sucks you right in their big family. Every detail of the companies business is seemingly on display. The owner, Mark, is ridiculolusly available to his customers, and often posts all his direct phone #s. He's at GTGs showing off speakers that are still on the drawing board. He's getting direct feedback from his customer base. He's publishing numerous designs and veneers that will soon be abailable, and extolling the sonic virtues or each.
I had clearly settled on the x-series technology a few times. When I analyze that decsion it is mostly around the excitement that company is currently generating. Seems like a bad reason to make a puchase decision. I have no idea what they will eventually be able to deliver with x-series (optimism seems to far outrun reality in these situations) and I have concerns that my meager order of 3 x-cs and one ulw-10 sub will not get the attention I prefer because everyone is exciting and tring to get something new done.
I guess this was mostly my self-psychoanalysis regarding buying speakers. If anyone has an comments please feel free. I'd say I'm 80% toward Ascends right now.