New Forum Member & Ascend Owner

[Nicholas Mosher]

Thanks to the guys at Ascend for helping me complete my forum registration. I was having trouble receiving eMails.

My name is Nick and I should receive my order for five CBM-170s (w/upright center) in a few days. Over the past few months I've been slowly piecing together my first big HT setup (components are in my signature). Previous to this I've been using a self-built Home Theater PC. With all the rave reviews at audioreview.com and independant magazines, I figured I'd give them a shot. The flat response curve also was a factor in my decision. Spending time at local music stores, I found my favorite speakers to be Thiels and Paradigm Studio 20s. The Thiels were $3000+/pr and the Studio 20s were $750/pr. My decision to go with five 170s was influenced by my room size (18' x 11') and intended application (Home Theater and Multichannel Audio). I'm looking for equal sound all the way around.

Anyhoo, I'll be sure to post initial impressions along with a review once they're broken in. Pictures will be included as well. Nice to be here!

[Lee Bailey]

Welcome Nicholas, I too am new to the Ascend World. I recently replaced my L/C/R Polk Audio Speakers with a set of 340's. I love the sound. I'm sure you'll enjoy yours as well.

[Quinn]

I went from Paradigm Mini-Monitors to Ascend 170s. I think outside of the bottom end extension the 170 can hold it's own with the Studio 20. I now have 340s and think with a sub like the STF-1 from Hsu it would be fair game to have them in a listening comparision with Studio 100s.

[Kpt_Krunch]

I went from Paradigm Mini-Monitors to Ascend 170s. I think outside of the bottom end extension the 170 can hold it's own with the Studio 20. I now have 340s and think with a sub like the STF-1 from Hsu it would be fair game to have them in a listening comparision with Studio 100s.

Quinn - I don't think that that would be very a very fair comparison. I've heard the Studio 100's, though did not get a chance to listen critcally (another person was demoing, I just kind of snuck in so to speak ) and though it is a great speaker, I don't recall it having the detail that the Ascends offer due to the fact that the Ascend doesn't need to try to reproduce the bass that the 100 was doing. I believe that by reproducing that bass, the 100 then loses some of the detail it should offer. This was the reason I decided on bookshelves to begin with - a good bookshelf will beat a good floorstander for detail any day - and with an added sub (as you mentioned) you'll have the same bass as the floorstander and then some.

To me - I would compare the Studio 20 with the same sub to the 170's, and the Studio 40 with the same sub to the 340's, that would be a more apples to apples comparo - I have heard the 40's, and their wonderful speaker but IMO at their price point they are not as good as the 340's. That being said, if the 340's 'were' the same price as the Studio 40's, it would be a very tough decision knowing what I know now as to which speaker I would buy, but I am a biased person so I would still pick the Ascend

[curtis]

Kpt.....myself and three other guys got to compare my 340's side by side with Studio 60's a little over a year ago. With a sub, the 340's sounded better to all of us. The other speaker in the room was a B&W CDM7 NT....the 340 with a sub could hang with that guy too.

[Lou-the-dog]

Welcome Nicholas! By the looks of your equipment list, you've done a fine job putting together a killer system.

Randy

[Nicholas Mosher]

Thanks guys, I'm really hoping they work out. In my experience playing around at hifi stores, I also found that when set up right, you don't lose much of anything by going monitors/sub. I had to A/B Studio 100s+Sub with 20s+Sub to even notice the slight difference. The price difference wasn't "slight" at all though.

I started reading reviews back in August for speakers, amplifiers, pre/pros, and DVD-A players. I really wanted to make a "Bang for the Buck" seperates setup, and bought things piece by piece so I don't have to make payments on anything. Snagged most of the stuff on sale or on clearence. I also just got the Avia calibration DVD along with a decibel meter to get the most out of my setup. Kinda broke now , but sometime next month I'm going to pick up a sub. I'm looking at the powered cylinders from SVS, but my eyes are still open to other possibilities. Most important thing is that the sub is ultra accurate. Output and extension are second to accuracy.

I should get the speakers on Tuesday. I can't wait!

[Lee Bailey]

Being the proud owner of an SVS 25-31PC, I can tell you that not a day of use goes by without being happy about my purchase.

[curtis]

Nicholas....great stuff...you are going to get lots of enjoyment from your system. I also just purchased a Denon 2900.

Try and get out to listen to subs. While a lot of them look similar on paper, they sound different. Quite interesting when you get the subs in the same environment and compare them...nuances beginning to become clear.

[Nicholas Mosher]

Lee, I've heard the SVS PCi 20-39, and definetly thought it was one of the better subs I've heard. I bet the 25-31 must be equally impressive.

I've listened to some of Paradigms lower end subs along with their Seismic 10. I didn't like any of them. Chatted via eMail briefly with Dr. Hsu, and he said to wait for his VTF-3HO. I should mention I'm a 22yr old apartment dweller, so I'm not looking for something that will shake the house off its foundation (I have the 1st floor, my landlord has the second). What I do want is very tight, responsive, and accurate bass at moderate output levels for multichannel DVD-A and SACD. I definetly plan to audition some of the servo controlled subs, but their prices are usually out of sight. My budget will be in the neighborhood of $1000. Nothing has really clicked 100% with me as it did with my other component choices...