Is this an upgrade

[metalaaron]

here are some answers from my experience
1 - absolutely positively YES bookshelves are completely capable of performing just as good or better than floorstanders. i think lee bailey posted some speaker setup links that help you integrate speakers into your room. there is also a very good discussion about a BFD that helps you fine tune your sub. one user on avsforum just sold his paradigm studio 100 v.3s for the studio 20 v.3 model. i preferred ascend's cbm-170 over another company's $1499 floorstanding speaker. i know another gentleman who sold his paradigm signature S8's for the S4's. all three of us used bookshelves because we preferred them over the floorstanders.
2 - you receive a cost savings with ascend's net direct business model
3 - your receiver is a good match for the efficient speakers
4 - stable. i have mine filled with sand. we had a small graduation celebration at my place and no one knocked my 340s over.
5 - the m60 is an excellent pair of speakers, though i preferred the 340 as a center over their vp150 and consequently wanted a matching L/C/R setup.

i don't know of a cd that would bring out any trouble areas in axiom or ascend speakers. just differences really. use a wide range of music. i prefer to listen to various materials that might include distortion guitar (van halen, metallica), piano (beethoven, chopin), heavy vocals (u2), live acoustic settings (neil young, dave matthews), etc. no particular order, but those give you a pretty wide range of music as well as an idea of the reproduction of that music. don't avoid using what you like best. couple what you like best and what sounds best to you, then you'll pick the best speaker for you. i always used my favorite cds, and i felt confident that i made the best decision for myself.

[LampCord]

Just got done listening to Paradigm Monitor 9's and a Paradigm 5.1 setup with the Monitor 5's, CC-370, ADP-370.

I was very impressed with the speakers. And with the dealer. At first...

After digging around the AVS forum I saw someone had posted that they paid $1014 for the 5.1 setup I was listening to (without the Sub). This was for the new version 4's.

The dealer had quoted me $1024 for V3 demo's of Just the 9's and a CC-370. Add in the ADP-370's and we'd be talking > $1700. And that's for used V3's!

I was pissed. So I went to Paradigm's website to find another dealer in my area to see if I could get a better deal. Turns out that is the only dealer in my area!

This is why I hate the whole fricken Authorized Dealer game. No way for me to price compare. No way to know if I'm getting ripped off.

I was already planning to order 340's front and center to demo in my house but now even if it turns out I like the Paradigm's a little better I will be hard pressed to buy them from that dealership. I hate feeling like I'm getting ripped off!

BTW, will 170's make good surround speakers to round out this setup? I'm not getting them right away but will defintely want better surrounds if I end up keeping my 340's.

I'm pretty sure I'm sticking with my sub. We'll see how it sounds with the others.

[jimsiff]

The 170 makes a fine surround speaker. So does the 200, and for that matter the 340 if you want matching speakers all around. Dave uses the 200 for his surrounds, btw.

[LampCord]

OK, guys, wish me luck, I just pulled the trigger!



Ordered 340 fronts and center with stands. The stands are out of stock so I'll have to wait another week for those. Not sure how to mount them in the meantime but I'm sure I'll think of something.

If I keep them (which I'm 98% sure I will) I'll eventually get 170's for surrounds. Possibly a sub at some point but only if I feel that my current one isn't doing the job.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for all their input and advice. I'll update when they arrive...

[Lou-the-dog]

My crystal ball says you are going to be VERY happy with the Ascends! Congrats and definitely keep us posted.

Randy

[bikeman]

OK, guys, wish me luck, I just pulled the trigger!



Ordered 340 fronts and center with stands. The stands are out of stock so I'll have to wait another week for those. Not sure how to mount them in the meantime but I'm sure I'll think of something.

Congrats. I had to wait for a few weeks for my stands to get through the Port of LA. It was worth the wait.

David

[LampCord]

Congrats. I had to wait for a few weeks for my stands to get through the Port of LA. It was worth the wait.

David

I'm already playing around with mounting ideas for the week between the speakers arriving and the stands. Complicating the matter is not endangering the children and not enraging the wife with a functional but ugly setup (dining room chairs anyone?).

Most likely, they will end up sitting on the floor possibly tilted up at a slight angle until the stands get here.

[LampCord]

My crystal ball says you are going to be VERY happy with the Ascends! Congrats and definitely keep us posted.

Randy

Your crystal ball was right!!!

They arrived last night (actually just the fronts, the center is on vacation in NC for some reason but will arrive on the 17th).

To make a long story short, these speakers are even better than I expected. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and order the 170's for surrounds to complete the set.

Its amazing how much better these sound than my JBL TLX181's. What's even more amazing is they are actually $50 CHEAPER per pair. What a difference mailorder vs. authorized dealer makes!

Thanks for everyone on this board for helping me get over the dread of buying speakers I had never heard. I have a huge stack of CD's I want to listen to and see how it REALLY sounds!

So much music, so little time....

BTW as a side note, these things integrated perfectly with my Velodyne 1210 Sub so that saves me $400-$600 on a new sub!

[Lou-the-dog]

Your crystal ball was right!!!

Cool!! My crystal ball has NEVER been wrong when it comes to the Ascends. I think I will now go and reward it with a nice bath in Windex.

Randy

[shane55]

Your crystal ball was right!!!
To make a long story short, these speakers are even better than I expected. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and order the 170's for surrounds to complete the set.

So much music, so little time....

BTW as a side note, these things integrated perfectly with my Velodyne 1210 Sub so that saves me $400-$600 on a new sub!

Well... a big congrats to you!
I had a funny feeling you'd really like these. How could you not?

As for 'so much music'... yes, today I began digging into the collection to hear things that I hadn't in a while. And guess what? I actually heard things that I may never have before.

With speakers that have this kind of clarity, your music will sound new. As will your movies.

cheers!

shane