Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: 170's or 340's

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Huntington, Indiana
    Posts
    146

    Default 170's or 340's

    My room is 20 x 14 with a 12' cathedral ceiling and is open to the dining room and kitchen. Would I regret not getting the 340's? The setup by Nicholas in another thread here is looking pretty sweet to me. I just don't want to have buyer's remorse for not getting the 340's. This is under the assumption that I would have a good sub (HSU or SVS) crossed over at about 80 Hz.

    Thanks,

    Darren

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Syracuse, New York
    Posts
    1,222

    Default

    With a room that large and with that many openings, I'd want the 340 for sure. I have 340's in a room of similar size without the high ceiling and I don't have buyer's remorse.

    David

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Manhattan Beach, California
    Posts
    7,032

    Default

    I set up 340's for my Parents and their room is very similar, 15x20x12.....and actually much bigger because there is no back wall....it is fully open to the entry way....so it is actually 25x20x12.....and the entry way leads to stairs going up and down. They also use a STF-2 sub that I bought used.

    It sounds GREAT. My Father is extremely happy....he was into mid-fi in the 70's and his sister(my aunt) was a famous singer/actress in Hong Kong....so he has been around a lot of music. It is great seeing him smile when he listens to the system. It is even amazing what the STF-2 can do in that space.

    I would go with CMT-340's in your space. Heck...try the 170's and then move them to surround duty.

    For space filling sound...the 340's can hang with some larger speakers. I have heard them in the same room as Paradigm Studio 60's, B&W CDM 7NT's, Axiom M60's, and Rocket 550's/750's. They give up some bass extention to these, but add a sub to all of these, and the 340's don't give up a thing in the ability to fill the room. My favorite speaker in that bunch were the B&W's....which were close to $2K.....and the 340's hung right in there.
    -curtis

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Madera,CA,USA
    Posts
    201

    Default

    I too have a my 340's in a 16x24x12 room, vaulted ceiling, opens into the dining area at the front right side wall. No problem filling the room with those 340s.
    Feel Free to visit my website:
    The Bailey's Home Theatre in Our Living Room

    Equipment List:
    Hitachi 57F59 HD CRT RPTV
    Outlaw 990/7125 PrePro/Amp
    Panasonic BD10 Blu-Ray Player
    Mains: Ascend CMT-340M
    Center: Ascend CMT-340C
    Surrounds: Ascend CBM-170
    Sub: SVS 25-31PC

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Birmingham, Alabama
    Posts
    462

    Default

    There's not much I can add to this except to agree with everyone else. Unless you want insane volume, then the 170's would probably do just fine, but the 340's just seem to fill my room better without having to push them. You could always do what Curtis suggested and buy a set of 170's to see if you like the Ascends with the intent of moving them to surround duty if you decide to keep them and order a pair of 340's with the 340 center.
    - EVH III

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    overland park, ks
    Posts
    70

    Default

    i initially planned on moving my first pair of 170's from the front to rear surround duty once i got some 340's...but i found that the 170's put out plenty of sound and were all i really needed.
    powdered toast man away!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    1,066

    Default

    I had 170s in similiar space. They will have no problem filling it. I moved upto the 340s due to the way they convey the engery of the music and the instruments themselves in addition to getting all the notes right like the 170s do.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Huntington, Indiana
    Posts
    146

    Default

    Thanks for the responses. It sounds like I would always be wondering what could have been if I didn't get the 340's.

    Another budget plan bites the dust. I don't know what I am worried about, the speakers I originally planned on getting were much more expensive than the 340's.

    Thanks,

    Darren

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •