Ascend CBM-170s, First Thoughts

[curtis]

Sam,
Thanks for posting your thoughts. I am interested with your thoughts on the DLS sub as well.

-curtis

[Quinn]

Welcome to the forum, Sam. Please be the first to give a review on the new DLS sub.

[SamNF]

Mmmmm. Now you see, that's a tricky thing. I have experience with only two other subs. A multimedia Altec-Lansing ACS250 and the aforementioned Infinity. The DLS is better than the former and not as beefy as the latter :-)

Seriously, I can't say too much, for the fact that I don't really want to turn it up too far. I have an end apartment and thus only neighbors on one side, but why irritate them unnecessarily, eh? What I have noticed about it though:

-- It can put out a good amount of oomph, even at low levels.

-- It blends really well for music with the Ascends. When I turn it off mid-song, it really feels like part of the Ascend speakers has vanished.

-- It isn't boomy! Hurray! This was my biggest worry, for the price. The Sony's I'd listened to in BB/CC had a fair bit of power, but the bass quality was pretty bad.

--The build quality is quite high, if plain. That matches the Ascends well too.


I skipped through a couple of DVDs at low-mid volume and thought the DLS produced a reasonable, if not earthshaking, rumble when appropriate. Again, I didn't want to push it...it should be good for HT. The only thing that would please me more would be if the binding posts accepted banana plugs. Just to have that. I'm using the low-level in myself. Having the pre-ins and outs is nice. I might have to pick up another one of these some time to do a duo.

I think for $125 it is a true bargain. I got the $99 DotD price, which is even better. Based on my limited experience with it, I would still very much recommend it.

-- Sam