$2000-2250 for a new home theater (1 Viewer)

[MikeLi]

Congrats for taking that HTIB back to best buy or where ever. You made a huge leap in sound going with the Ascends eve if you have to wait. While your waiting you may want to explore a few of the HT sites on the web about subs. I think you could do better for the money. Anyway in a way that things did not work out for you from what you came home with its going to turn out to be much much better. And this is coming from a Rocket guy who happends to like them better, but knows how the Ascends sound and your going to be a very happy camper.

 

[eddieZEN]

Mike,

what do you consider a better sub than the STF-3 for $600?

I had a friend's Rocket UFW-10 for a few days and while its speed and accuracy was impressive, I found that it simply could not match the output of an STF-2 in my 6000 cubic foot nightmare of a room, and the STF-3 is bigger and more powerful than the STF-2.

 

[MikeLi]

You know I scanned this and didn't see the STF even mentioned. I apologize for that and also that I have never even heard one. My point was to do some checking out and research just as you would speakers. My bad, that could be the best thing going right now I am not up on $600 subs that much which again is why I asked him to do some checking around. Thanks for pointing out my dumb mistake and I will try to read things more carefully in the future. Again my mistake.
Mike

 

[eddieZEN]

no prob...nice to run into someone who gracefully admits an oversight instead of getting defensive like some people!

 

[MikeLi]

I never could see a reason to get defensive about much of anything as everyone has different ears, subs are not quite so specific but fortunantly there are enough different kinds of speakers for everyone. Its just that most want to come to a place like this and have it handed to them without researching themselves or getting out to listen for themselves as well which is very necessary as far as I am concerned. Anyway thanks for the comment.
MikeL

 

[AlexDW]

Couple updates.. The speakers still haven't shipped out :/ Though it's been 3 days and they said 5-7, I'm just anxious heh. I talked to my guy and he's sending me the Hsu subwoofer demo disc. I don't know how good it is but it's something, and it's free! I asked about wall mounts, and he suggested the Omnimount 20's (Ascend has them for 39 plus shipping but they're $32 shipped from buy.com for me).

Will these work for the CMT-370 as well as the CBM-170? Should I even bother mounting the center speaker? Will it work just as well under the tv?

 

[eddieZEN]

> Will these work for the CMT-370 as well as the CBM-170? Should I even bother mounting the center speaker? Will it work just as well under the tv?

Go to the Ascend website forum, there's a sticky about how to mount the 340 center.

Yes you could put it under your TV, but then I'd strongly recommend buying some door wedges (or make some yourself out of wood) to angle the speaker so that it points up towards your listening ear position.

 

[MikeLi]

You would take a chance for $14 when your spending what $2K from a great company for speaker mounts? I don't understand this.

 

[AlexDW]

Take a chance? It's buy.com lol not a storefront seller.

 

[eddieZEN]

I've bought from buy.com many times, never a problem and they ship fast too.

 

[MikeyWeitz]

I think he is talking about the mounts themsleves, not the vendor.

 

[MikeLi]

I thought he meant the vendor had them but they cost a bit more. I think if it was me for that amount of money I would have just had them come from the vendor with my speakers. Thats just me though....

 

[MikeyWeitz]

Re read it and you are correct. He did mean the vendor.

for $15, I probably would have bought them from Buy.com as well.

Altho I do luv Ascend, I do not like spending more money on the same thing I can get elswhere for less with most other things being equal.

 

[AlexDW]

I think saving $30 and getting them from a reputable vendor like buy.com is a pretty good deal. I'm already buying the receiver from a separate vendor and the speakers are on backorder so the extra wait (if there is one) wouldn't be a real problem. Oh and I might get a pair of mounts for the front too so I'd be saving double.

 

[AlexDW]

Ok everything's in! I gave the speakers/receiver a whirl yesterday using the DTS demo disc and it all sounded great initially. The subwoofer is extremely strong.. my sister could feel it two floors up in her room and it's not boomy at all. Any suggestions for where the crossover should be?

Our handy man should be putting up the front and center speakers within the next week or so, and when the chairs arive (7-10 days HOPEFULLY) we'll put up the rear speakers. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[eddieZEN]

Alex,

so you went with the Onkyo 702? I think it should have an 80Hz crossover or maybe even a 60Hz crossover. I forgot which model Ascends you went with, but for the 340s I'd use 60Hz and for the 170s, 80Hz.

 

[AlexDW]

Nah I went with the Panasonic SA-XR55S and the STF-3 subwoofer with 170's as the mains and surrounds and the 340 as the center.

 

[eddieZEN]

Good for you, that's a great combo!

The xr-55's crossover (unfortunately) only goes down to 80Hz so that's where I'd set it for the Ascends.

That STF-3 is a monster, I'm hoping to get one next year myself. Just splurged on some car audio so I'm not due for any new toys for quite a while...

 

[MikeyWeitz]

Ascend 340's should be crossed over @ 80hz not 60hz.
They only go down to 55hz (50 in room) and 60hz is too low to cross them over @. If they went down to 30-40hz, then I would say cross them over @ 60, but they don't.
Yes, I have the 340's and have tried both. 60 is just too low.

 

[eddieZEN]

Guess I have not yet had the chance to hear the 340s crossed over at 60Hz, but at 80Hz I feel that I'm losing way too much mid-bass. A good part of this is probably due to me having a crappy subwoofer (JBL e150) but right now I've got the 340s playing full-range and especially with jazz music they sound much, much better.

I am thinking about trying a pair of those F-Mod inline HPFs fixed at 60Hz...