My 1st Post as a future Ascend Owner (Perhaps)

[hikingfoole]

Hello everyone, Mike from Mi. here. I currently have a pair of AR 38's that I'm using as my main's and a pair of Yamaha NS3's for surrounds. Its time to upgrade to the 21st century.

I've purchased a Onkyo SR805 (130rms each of seven channels) and a Harmon Kardon DV48 SACD / DVD player to that end.

My question for you all is which speaker the 340SE or the Sierra is going to sound most like my old AR's? Oops AR stands for Acoustic Research if you didnt know. I've had them since I was in college over 25 years ago and theyre still going strong with their 10" woofer, 5" mid, and 1" tweeter.

I have a living room thats 13.5 x 15.5 x 9' tall with four doorways opening into it and two large windows. I've been considering a HSU VTF-2 Mk3 sub.

So far I've auditioned the B&W 705's, Paradigm studio 20's and Definitive Technologies BP7006's....the Definitives blew away the 1st two due to their 300 watt subs mounted inside each! I've also listened to the Anthony Gallo diva series and a set of NHT's that were about the size of the 705's.

Now I'm considering Ascend, Axiom and Aperion....maybe AV123 as well...so anyway what do you all suggest?

Thanks for any help, direction etc...Mike

[hikingfoole]

Geez, no one answered huh --- just trying to get some info about these speakers...what else should I have put in here? I'm willing to go about $2000.00 for speakers but less than that would be fine too. Probably about $500.00 to $600.00 for a sub...was looking at the SVS site today along with the HSU site. SVS seemed more imformative.

If I put this in the wrong column let me know please so I can get some replies about what you all think would be closer to what i have now OR even better.

Thanks again

[curtis]

I think there may be a couple of reasons why you haven't gotten any replies yet....

1. It is Sunday.....actually Super Bowl Sunday.
2. Not many, if any, on the board have heard the AR 38's.

[hikingfoole]

They are a old pair of 3 way speakers with a separate woofer, mid and tweeter...walnut cabinent (dont think it was a veneer either but I may be wrong either way they are quite solid)...they had a rep for being thirsty but I've used amps with 25rms, 75rms and I'm fixing to hook them up to my new Onkyo SR805 and see how they handle a 130rms in stereo only though...I'll be moving them up to my meditation room and be using them to play chant and soft electronic, celtic new age type stuff while I meditate and pray....

So I'm kinda new to this and am finding I dont go for the ABC Warehouse sorta places, best buy, Circuit City....maybe for a LCD or Plasma but not my audio!

So I'm building a home theater system around the Onkyo and a Harmon Kardon DV48 SACD/DVD player.

Ciao...any suggestions would be great! 340SE or Sierra's

[Mike^S]

Never heard the ARs, but most bookshelf speakers nowadays have five or six inch woofers. I would wager that the Sierras would not sound like your old ARs. Based on your listening of the Definitives, it sounds like you like lots of bass. The Sierras have fantastic bass for a speaker with five inch woofers. However, the bass is more balanced and leaner than the Definitives. If you add a good sub like the HSU, it should give you an overall more accurate sound than either the Defintive or the ARs.

[hikingfoole]

You know I've not seriously shopped around for speakers in over 20 years. What happened!? I think my old AR's sound better than the Paradigm studio 20's and the B&W 705's I heard at the specialty shop I was at in Saginaw. I may take them in there and play them side by side, that might be a good idea! Actually the 705's sounded better a bit, until I stood up and moved around the room, man what a dif when I moved out of their sweet spot! My Ar's sound as good in front, behind or above and below for that matter! Why all these little woofers. My 10" sounds tight, it doesnt boom at all you just hear good solid base, crystal clear highs and in my opinion really rich and alive vocals. I looked at how much they wanted for the definitives and I was a bit in shock, I only paid about 300.00 for my AR38's and 1200 for the definitives....wow!

I did a little surrond sound helper deal on the axiom site and it suggested the M22's as my fronts, a M150 center *(I think) and a pair of QS8's for dipole surrounds....thats been my hardest thing is trying to find a center channel that melds with my AR's ... no luck at all there so far...I'd even go that route, a sub, center and new surrounds and just keep my Ar's as my L & R.

I'm going to drive up to Flint tommorrow depending on the roads and go to todays audio and see what they come up with for me...they have Jamo, DEF Tech, and Pardigm I think, perhaps KEF too....soon as I get the rest of my new audio center in I'll put it up with the Onkyo and harmon Kardon, get our LCR or Plasma ordered and begin to order in some of these speakers on their 30-45 day warranty trial periiod no ques.asked and see what happens I'm still going to start with the 340se's, I've read such good stuff about them that I have to hear them!

Ciao, any other suggestions keep em coming...I'm a night owl so I'll usually post back at the end of my days about this time 1 or 2ish in the a.m.

hikingfoole!

[Mike^S]

I'm not sure exactly what your budget is, but if you are looking at Studio 20s and 705s, then I would skip the 340s and go straight to the Sierras. The 340s are good, but the Sierras are better.

Most speakers nowadays use smaller woofers for different reasons. One is aesthetics. Big boxy speakers are considered ugly compared to smaller, slimmer speakers. Another reason is that driver technology has improved over the years. I wouldn't be surprised if some 5 inch woofers today are capable of the bass extension and output of some 8 inch woofers from ten years ago.

One of the great things about a reference monitor like the Sierras is the ability to hear low level detail. This is one of those things that you may not notice right away. You have to sit down and listen carefully and all of a sudden you'll start hearing instruments and other sounds in the background that you never knew were there. Sometimes you can even hear the singer breathing.

The Sierras combined with a capable subwoofer would make a fantastic combination.

[hikingfoole]

I've been looking at the HSU VTF-2 MK3 sub, just finished reading one of the reviews from the site this evening. Spent several hours tonight going thru the ascend archives reading all the comments I could find on ascend owners and subs they have.

I can spend quite a bit if I want to but I'd rather keep it under $2200.00 with sub. Thats whats attracted me to the DT's, their built in subs...would save me on a separate sub, jeez each tower has 300 watt amp and the center that I'd pick would have at least 150, christ I can even get the surrounds with subs built in.....amazing, the changes in speaker technology since I got comy w/my AR's...which arent 'Boxy' they are only 30" tall and about 7" deep maybe 8...shoot I'll go measure em 21Hx7DX13" across. :D

Take it easy, be back tommorrow night hopefully someothers will join in too. Thanks for your tips too!

hikingfoole