Just a quick update.
I picked up (2) Power Sound Audio XV15 subwoofers and got all the speakers in house.
I'm not an Audiophile and I don't know how to exactly describe how the speakers sound. But I'll take a stab at a first impression. So far I'm surprised how different the Emp Teks sound compared to the Ascends. The Emps seem to roll off a bit at the high end and overall sound much more laid back. The Towers blend with the subs much more than the 340s do. I am driving everything with an Onkyo 818 receiver and Emotiva XPA-5 amplifier. I listen to the Ascends at about -4.5db THX sound level when watching movies. With the Emps the volume seems lower and that I find I want to turn the volume up 3-4db higher than the Ascend (Audyssey level sets in between to about the same level for both sets). It seems like I feel action movies much more with the Emps. The Ascends seem to have more clarity up top and perhaps are brighter than the Emps. The HTM-200 is a really bright speaker compared to the 340s and pretty much everything else I've heard (outside of horn tweeters). With those in the back I find I want to turn the level down 2dbs or so. I don't get that feeling with the Emp bookshelfs. I'm thinking the 170s would make for a better surround speaker, but I'm also thinking of trying bipoles for my surrounds.
This is just a first impression of listening for a couple hours. I have a lot more listening to do this next week.
EDIT: I have been comparing everything with various parts of Transformers 1, 2, and 3 (bluray). My setup is 90% movies, 10% music.