Bics or Ascend Acoustics for my low budget HT?

[Kurt C.]

...what about imaging and soundstage differences in the two speakers, or the tweeters' control over highs, separation of instruments/voices, how it is voiced, etc ? Room treatments aren't going to do much there.

I'd take the better speaker first to enjoy those differences and do the room treatments second.

It is an underappreciated fact that you cannot enjoy the fine attributes of good speakers in a lousy room. A regular contributor to audioholic, Richard Rives Bird explains.

I highly recommend the article, but to summarize: room interactions can smear the image, distort the soundstage, allow echos that ruin voices and more.

If you don't take steps to optimize the 'invisible component--(the room), even the best audio system in the world will give disappointing sound quality.

The upside is that improving the acoustics of your listening room is relatively cheap and not that difficult.

 

[Tex-amp]

Yes, but if the speakers can't do it in the first place no room treatment will overcome that. Room treat is important and often ignored but I wouldn't put it before the quality of the speakers.

 

[j_garcia]

Yes, but if the speakers can't do it in the first place no room treatment will overcome that. Room treat is important and often ignored but I wouldn't put it before the quality of the speakers.

I agree completely here. You don't really know what treatment to DO, until you actually have the speakers.

 

[gene]

Gene, let’s do some measurements. I want to see a full set of measurements on these DV62 si’s, with and without the mods. Heck, I’ll pay for the mods, let’s do a comparison, and let us do it based on value.

We don't have the resources to dedicate analytical measurements to budget product so don't expect anything more than perhaps a nearfield measurement of the speakers. We plan on facing off a few entry level models at their retail price, NOT what you can buy them for at some etailer. In addition, we only plan on reviewing stock speakers that people can buy at the etailer/store.

 

[jaxvon]

But..but...you've done a mod supplemental before! It only seems right, as this is not some esoteric mod, but a very highly acclaimed and commonplace one.

 

[hopjohn]

The pair Ray has in for review are the DV-62's.

As for the Aerogel mid, the last Aerogel mid I heard was on the Pinnacle Aerogel towers. The best attribute of that speaker was the midrange which incidentally was a 5 1/4" Audax Aerogel. The Ascends seem to use a very similar driver, most likely an Audax.

Not trying to sound like an ad here either, (I usually don't bring up what I own unless it happens to be metioned first) but....the quality components used in the Ascends were one of the main reasons I decided to give these speakers an audition. They ended up never going back. There are many speakers I've never heard, but at the 170's price point (328 pr. + $16 shipping) I've yet to hear anything better. I've heard towers that cost 6 times these that couldn't compare. Speaker taste is very subjective, but if you like neutral, unaltered sound, that makes bad recordings sound bad.....I think you'll like these. If not, it won't cost much to find out.

 

[Type]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but don't the Bics have a poly tweeter? How can that possibly compare to the Ascends soft dome?

 

[Takeereasy]

I have to admit that I like the Bic 62's that I heard a lot. I was even considering getting them for a budget pair of speakers in a bedroom. The price is pretty low, they are $150 a pair even up here in Canada with some haggling I found out. My PSB's by comparison were supposed to be $500 a pair. To be utterly honest though the shop that I looked at the Bics in was an utter pain to deal with and I got a high pressure kind of used car salesman pitch. I always wonder about experiences like that, and whether or not you are actually listening to what you will end up buying. Either way I look forward to the review as always.