help with speaker decisions

[Ty Wayne]

Looks like we both have something to look forward to Tuesday. My Hsu sub is due to arrive that day as well. We'll both be rockin!

 

[Seth=L]

Could you tell me how they compare or are they a better choice all the way around for what I want. Other than manufactures letting me try them I have no way of demoing before purchase.

The Ascends get a lot of recommendations because of their measured performance and word of mouth. I'm confident they are fantastic speakers for the money, and no doubt better overall quality than the EMP Teks. Understand that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The CMT340SE and E55ti cost almost the same yet the EMP is a full size tower speaker. In order to cut cost you can expect inferior parts and build quality along with inferior accuracy performance. The EMPs might be more dynamic because of the extra drivers, but everything else is likely to fall short of the Ascends, including comfortable power handling. (I'm thinking the tweeter will be revealed to be weaker on the EMP towers, but I don't know that, it's just a feeling)


But you have to remember that speakers are subjective. How your sound system will sound based on static equipment, not source material, will be dictated most by your speakers and acoustic environment. Speakers are the most subjective choice because they all sound very different and what one person may enjoy another may detest. You could very well listen to both the EMP and Ascend speakers and find yourself preferring the EMP speakers, anything is possible.

I am pretty sure the CMT340 will outlast the EMP 55Ti, both in terms of reliability and your desire to upgrade.

EDIT: Helps if I read the whole thread before wasting my time posting. I hope you enjoy your purchase.

 

[Black21ice]

Looks like we both have something to look forward to Tuesday. My Hsu sub is due to arrive that day as well. We'll both be rockin!

That's great cant wait.

 

[Black21ice]

The Ascends get a lot of recommendations because of their measured performance and word of mouth. I'm confident they are fantastic speakers for the money, and no doubt better overall quality than the EMP Teks. Understand that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The CMT340SE and E55ti cost almost the same yet the EMP is a full size tower speaker. In order to cut cost you can expect inferior parts and build quality along with inferior accuracy performance. The EMPs might be more dynamic because of the extra drivers, but everything else is likely to fall short of the Ascends, including comfortable power handling. (I'm thinking the tweeter will be revealed to be weaker on the EMP towers, but I don't know that, it's just a feeling)


But you have to remember that speakers are subjective. How your sound system will sound based on static equipment, not source material, will be dictated most by your speakers and acoustic environment. Speakers are the most subjective choice because they all sound very different and what one person may enjoy another may detest. You could very well listen to both the EMP and Ascend speakers and find yourself preferring the EMP speakers, anything is possible.

I am pretty sure the CMT340 will outlast the EMP 55Ti, both in terms of reliability and your desire to upgrade.

EDIT: Helps if I read the whole thread before wasting my time posting. I hope you enjoy your purchase.

Thanks for the post I think these will do fine I wanted and needed something that will play loud and fill a large room and I am pretty sure these will be great.

 

[Ty Wayne]

Thanks for the post I think these will do fine I wanted and needed something that will play loud and fill a large room and I am pretty sure these will be great.

Well Black21ice? Did you get your Ascends? How do you like them?

 

[Black21ice]

Well Black21ice? Did you get your Ascends? How do you like them?

Man i have to say paired with my svs sub my living room came alive. Games movies and music all sound better than i would ever thought. All i have to do now is fine tune everything. The only thing i can say is im glad my wife is understanding because hanging the cbm 170 se on the walls behind couch man those things are big but sound amazing.

 

[Ty Wayne]

Man i have to say paired with my svs sub my living room came alive. Games movies and music all sound better than i would ever thought. All i have to do now is fine tune everything. The only thing i can say is im glad my wife is understanding because hanging the cbm 170 se on the walls behind couch man those things are big but sound amazing.

That's awesome Black21ice!

"Came alive" is a good way to describe the Ascends. I feel the same way.

Yes, the 170's are a bit large, but they fit well in my game room where I have them placed. How did you mount yours? I used B-Tech BT77 mounts and they are working great. Very pleased with them.

I too have been trying to fine tune a little. Finally got my VTF-3 MK5 Hsu on Wednesday and spent some time that day fooling with it. I didn't get a chance today but hopefully tomorrow I can spend some more time with it.

Glad you are enjoying the Ascends!

 

[Black21ice]

That's awesome Black21ice!

"Came alive" is a good way to describe the Ascends. I feel the same way.

Yes, the 170's are a bit large, but they fit well in my game room where I have them placed. How did you mount yours? I used B-Tech BT77 mounts and they are working great. Very pleased with them.

I too have been trying to fine tune a little. Finally got my VTF-3 MK5 Hsu on Wednesday and spent some time that day fooling with it. I didn't get a chance today but hopefully tomorrow I can spend some more time with it.

Glad you are enjoying the Ascends!

I used the BR-TPR heavy duty brackets from HTD direct. They are working well for me. Yeah I'm playing with the crossovers and different sound modes trying to decide what I like best.

 

[Ty Wayne]

Yeah I'm playing with the crossovers and different sound modes trying to decide what I like best.

You and me both. Fun aint it?

I started messing with my x-over tonight as well! My AVR is pretty basic, so I don't have a great deal of options. I had it set at 80, but wondered what it would sound like if I increased it a little. Since I finally got a capable sub, I thought that I might as well get as much as I can out of it as long as everything still sounds good.

Im finding that for movies, x-over of 100 might be too much. Im getting too much rumbling from it when I don't want to hear it rumble. However, it sounds okay when listening to music. Im limited though in how loud I turn up the volume on the AVR cause the wife and kids are asleep.

I wish I could try my x-over at 90, but my AVR doesn't give that option. It goes from 50, to 80, to 100. I don't know, I'll mess with it some more tomorrow when I can turn it up a bit!

I checked out those brackets you mentioned, they look pretty cool. I'll keep those in mind for future considerations. In my searching for brackets I didn't come across those (I was looking for clamping style) but I like them.

 

[JohnnieB]

Ty, I would caution against using the 50hz setting as your crossover point. The CBM170's are only rated to 58hz anechoic. You would be pushing the limits of those mid bass. If you were listening to the 340's only, you would not have an issue, but in surround, if you would happen to get a dynamic signal in the 50-60hz range, you could push the woofers in the 170's a little too hard.
Please understand, I'm not trying to worry you needlessly, just giving you fair warning. You need to be careful when pushing drivers too hard so close to their cutoff.
If 100hz seems like too much rumble 80hz is probably the better setting. Some of the response may be due to placement. Don't forget, the higher you go with the freq on the sub, the more localised it will sound.
Did you try experimenting with sub placement? What were your findings?

 

[JohnnieB]

Oh and, how do you like the SHU?

 

[Ty Wayne]

Ty, I would caution against using the 50hz setting as your crossover point. The CBM170's are only rated to 58hz anechoic. You would be pushing the limits of those mid bass. If you were listening to the 340's only, you would not have an issue, but in surround, if you would happen to get a dynamic signal in the 50-60hz range, you could push the woofers in the 170's a little too hard.
Please understand, I'm not trying to worry you needlessly, just giving you fair warning. You need to be careful when pushing drivers too hard so close to their cutoff.
If 100hz seems like too much rumble 80hz is probably the better setting. Some of the response may be due to placement. Don't forget, the higher you go with the freq on the sub, the more localised it will sound.
Did you try experimenting with sub placement? What were your findings?

I had no intention of setting the x-over at 50, but thanks a lot for the info. I would of never thought about the possibility of pushing the 170's too hard at the lower frequencies. I'll stick with either 80 or 100. When watching something on Netflix last night and x-over at 100, I noticed some unnecessary rumbling in a couple of places in the show. It wasn't too excessive, but noticeable.

I've not had time to sample much content, and the sub has different configurations that I can play with. I guess it will be one of those things that I'll continue to tinker with, which is fine because I enjoy doing that. I've yet to grasp the Q control and what that does exactly. I've briefly tried the sub with one port open, two ports open, as well as sealed. I just think its one of those things that's going to take a lot of time listening to different content. Again, Im fine with that.

As for placement, Im limited JB. Not sure if you can see in my profile pic, but to the left of the sub there is a door that goes outside, so I cant get all the way up in that corner. To the right side of that pic, again, there is a open doorway that goes to the kitchen, and to the wall right of that is the garage door, so that corner is a no go as well.

I could possibly run a cable to the back left corner of the room, but other than that I don't have many options. I'll probably just leave her where she is. I get a good shake going on with it in this position. I put in Master and Commander yesterday and played that first battle scene with the kids in the room, and they had a grin from ear to ear. I could definitely feel my pants slapping against my legs!

So anyway, right now I have it set to EQ1, Q control between .3 and .5, one port open. From what I understand, Q control down closer to .3 gives tighter base, while .7 is going to dig deeper. Playing with it while listening to music, Im pretty sure I like it between .3 and .5. For HT, I'll have to experiment more but it might be better if its closer to .7? Not sure yet. The thing hits hard though. Pictures and windows shaking pretty good.

 

[Black21ice]

You and me both. Fun aint it?

I started messing with my x-over tonight as well! My AVR is pretty basic, so I don't have a great deal of options. I had it set at 80, but wondered what it would sound like if I increased it a little. Since I finally got a capable sub, I thought that I might as well get as much as I can out of it as long as everything still sounds good.

Im finding that for movies, x-over of 100 might be too much. Im getting too much rumbling from it when I don't want to hear it rumble. However, it sounds okay when listening to music. Im limited though in how loud I turn up the volume on the AVR cause the wife and kids are asleep.

I wish I could try my x-over at 90, but my AVR doesn't give that option. It goes from 50, to 80, to 100. I don't know, I'll mess with it some more tomorrow when I can turn it up a bit!

I checked out those brackets you mentioned, they look pretty cool. I'll keep those in mind for future considerations. In my searching for brackets I didn't come across those (I was looking for clamping style) but I like them.

I have found that using 80 seems to be the best for me so far. But like you I'm always tinkering or reading this and that and constantly trying to push what I have to its absolute limit without abusing or punishing it but if it says it will do 100 then by God we're doing 100.

 

[Ty Wayne]

I have found that using 80 seems to be the best for me so far. But like you I'm always tinkering or reading this and that and constantly trying to push what I have to its absolute limit without abusing or punishing it but if it says it will do 100 then by God we're doing 100.

Yup, Im with you. 80 seems to be the best for me too after listening to music all afternoon. With the x-over at 100, its much more localized like JB said. Also, my left and right didn't seem to sound as good either, though I guess that could of been my imagination? I just like a little more kick from the left and right and I dont think I was getting that with the x-over at 100.

 

[Black21ice]

I know speakers sound better after break in period but after around 30 hours on these they just seem to sound better with every day that passes truly amazing.

 

[Seth=L]

I know speakers sound better after break in period but after around 30 hours on these they just seem to sound better with every day that passes truly amazing.

What people quantify as "speaker break in" is more likely listener break in.

 

[Ty Wayne]

What people quantify as "speaker break in" is more likely listener break in.

Yeah, I've wondered that same thing. Its like the more I listen, the more I hear, be it good or bad depending on the source.

I can say this though, I feel very strongly that my sub sounded better a few days after I bought it than it did the first day I hooked it up. I could be crazy or imagining it I guess, but really do feel like its sound or output improved. Of course, I have to factor in that I ran mcacc no less than twice and I've tinkered with settings continuously over this past week, so who knows?

 

[Mark of Cenla]

Enjoy your new speakers. This is great hobby. Peace and goodwill.