Ascend CBM-170 review on SoundStage (1 Viewer)

[Abhinandan]

Finally here is the long awaited review!! Seems like SoundStage hasn't indexed it yet on their main page...
Enjoy!!

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/a...ics_cbm170.htm

 

[Paul_Fisher]

Excellent review! I feel the exact same way about my 170's!

 

[JasonFab]

Hi Guys,

I don't know how you found the review as it is not listed on the SoundStage site.

Please keep in mind that this review is not "official" until Saturday, March 1. It is my understanding that there will be a few minor changes to it.

Enjoy!

 

[Abhinandan]

Jason,
Looking at the URLs of the other soundstage reviews, I formed this URL just to give it a try and it worked! I'll remove the link for now and put it back once it is official. Thanks!!

 

[Chris Quinn]

The reviews is back up. http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/a...ics_cbm170.htm

 

[MatthewK]

 

[David Lorenzo]

Wow. Found a review that wasn't even made public or announced. Two thumbs up for you .

 

[BradJudy]

I'm glad to see more reviews of these speakers as they echo the feelings of those of us who own them - they are great speakers, period. Unfortunately I think the plain-Jane look keeps too many people away from them, but it also keeps the price down.

BTW: I will likely be expanding my online review of my Ascend system sometime next weekend with a few comparisons.

 

[Chris Quinn]

Anybody have the new center? Comments?

 

[RandyKudor]

Just read the SoundStage! review on the Ascend site. What a great review and the measurements taken on the CBM-170 are certainly impressive? Every seen a flatter frequency response?

I have ordered a preproduction version of the new center and I should have mine in about 5 days. Can't wait!

 

[Ben_wood]

Randy, let us know how the new center sounds. I'm probably going to trade up my HTM-200 on a new one. If its alright for me to ask - how liberal was Ascend in their trade-in allowance towards the new center?

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Randy pointed in the direction of this speaker from a similar review that Soundstage did on the Energy C-3, which I directly bought based on that review:

http://www.soundstagemagazine.com/me...onnoisseur_c3/

Actually, it's tough to tell which is flatter, because the Ascend chart 2 plot exactly straddles the 90 dB line, whereas the Energy chart 2 plot is more in "free space" at ~87 dB. But the Ascend is gosh dern flat for a speaker of that price! (The Energies list for $500, and I got them for $400.)

But, the Energies *do* have better low end extension.

Bottom line, and I discovered this when I got the Energies because I looked at Paradigm, B&W, Acoustic Energy, Phase Technology, Def Tech, Axiom, Aperion, etc, etc, etc, when I bought them, is that there are a *lot* of very fine speakers in $300 to $400 to $500 price range.

Anyway, I will have to learn more about Ascend's line! Cool.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Funny one: I finally read the review itself, instead of just looking at the graphs. They compare the Ascends to the Energies the whole way!

One observation: looks like the Ascends have a port on the back. The Energy's port is on the front. Front firing port is slightly better for placement up against a wall. I do like the "squatness" of the CBM-170 better though...

 

[Victor Chan]

Here's a review that was posted on the Audio Asylum forum comparing the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170s with the highly regarded GR-Research AV-1 and a speaker from IA (never heard of them). Pretty positive review. The Ascends are definitely getting a lot of positive pub on forums these days!

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/spe...es/119147.html