Comparables to this Ascend Setup...

[jagercola]

I'm looking to upgrade my 7.0 JBL Northridge setup (N36 Fronts, N24's Surrounds x4, N Center 2) and at the top of my budget ($1400) is a Ascend Audio setup. It's an CMT-340 SE front pr + CMT-340 SE center + CBM-170 SE surround pr + CBM-170 SE back surround pr. Is there anything else that I can compare for the same price range that sounds good? I think Klipsch reference have gotten so expensive it knocks those out. av123.com prices their Onix setup out of reach. I've heard rumors of SVsounds new mid-level offerings, but not sure their price point. People say you can do some great DIY speakers to get a lot for your money, so I'm open to that too. I heard some people saying some mordum short speakers were good if you can get them on sale. Let me know any creative ideas you might have. Thanks for your help.

 

[billy p]

AXIOM'S EPIC SERIES IF YOUR TALKING US$$ ARE AS CLOSE AS YOU COULD GET. Just from reading people's comments here.I guess I'm a HOMER!!

 

[cyberbri]

To get sound quality to match the Ascends, you'd have to go ID. That puts you with Aperion and Axiom at that price range.

Do you have a good sub already?

The Ascends are sweet speakers, though, although not as nice to look at as the Aperions or Axioms. I myself got 3 340s, 2 170s and a HSU VTF-3 last week and I couldn't be happier with the quality. I spent some time tweaking sub placement, and it sounds absolutely great.

The Ascends are going to be more neutral, and the Axioms may be a bit brighter, and the Aperions will probably sound a bit different as well. You could always get a left/right pair from the brands you're thinking of and compare them in your home. Or not...

 

[corey]

Don't count Klipsch out. Some dealers still have the older Reference 3, at close out prices. The Reference 4 line prices went up, but the performance did too. I recently bought a pair of RB-61's. They're the replacement for the RB-25, and cost $40-$50 more, but they have specs (freq responce, volume, weight) closer to the RB-35, which they're much less expensive than.

 

[jagercola]

Ok, here are the three setups I'm looking at, but I'm still open to other suggestions. I'll be running from a HK AVR-325 and I already have a custom 15" sub I built.

Axiom 7.0 Package
Pair Millennia M22 Bookshelves
VP150 Center (Big Daddy Center)
Pair Millennia M3ti Bookshelves
Pair Millennia M3ti Bookshelves
$1,450.00 Shipped

Ascend 7.0 Package
CMT-340 SE front pr
CMT-340 SE center
CBM-170 SE surround pr
CBM-170 SE back surround pr
$1,454.00 Shipped

Asperion 7.0 Package
Intimus 632-LR Bookshelf Fronts
Intimus 533-VAC Center Channel
Intimus 422-LR Satellite
Intimus 422-LR Satellite
$1,278.00 Shipped

Any impressions or suggestions? Thanks

 

[j_garcia]

I'd go with the Ascends. The 170s I heard were quite impressive. I liked the Axioms, but I didn't find them to be as good as the Ascends.

 

[cyberbri]

Me, too. Actually I did.
Add a HSU VTF-3 (or 2x) and you're good to go.

BTW, definitely go with the matching stands for the front 340SEs, unless you already have something else planned. They work and look very well.

 

[nova]

How about:

Aperion
Intimus 532-LR mains
Intimus 533-VAC center
Intimus 534-SS sides
Intimus 532-LR rears

for about $1490

 

[jcPanny]

Axiom surrounds

If you go axiom, you should consider the QS8's for surrounds. Also, the M2 bookshelf speakers would make better surround backs as they have the same size driver as the mains, M22ti's.

 

[cyberbri]

If you really want to compare them, you'll have to order a pair of the mains for each brand and compare them in your own home for the allowed trial period. Send back the pairs you aren't going to keep, and order the rest of the system for the ones you are.

 

[Tex-amp]

Both the Axioms and Ascends are better than the Aperions. To me the 170 is better than the M22 and the 340 than the M60 but you should listen for yourself.

 

[jagercola]

I went with the Ascends.. I'll let everyone know how they sound. I also picked up a Boston Acoustics A7200 amp to give them some zing.

 

[cyberbri]

170s or 340s? And do you have a sub already, or did you upgrade that too?

 

[littleb]

If you choose the Axioms and you have an average sized room, you could go with the VP100 as the center. It's a fine center and will do the job in an average sized room. It would bring down the price by a couple hundred.

Sorry, I guess I was a bit late with that

 

[jagercola]

My end system will be as follows:

340SE Fronts and Center
170SE Rear and Side Surround
Custom 15" sub w/ Rythmik 350W Plate Amp
HK AVR-325 as a processor
BA A7200 7x120 feeding the speakers

Let's just hope it all works.

 

[j_garcia]

Sounds like a very nice setup to me.

 

[silversurfer]

j_garcia,

You were going to listen to the SE's at cyberbri's place. Has that happenned? If so, what are your impressions?

 

[j_garcia]

He just moved to a new place, so it may be a little bit before we are able to schedule something.

 

[silversurfer]

ahhh...OK....thanks for the update.

 

[cyberbri]

To whet your appetite, I have pictures of my new setup 340/170/VTF-3 setup.
(I took the grills off for the pics, put keep them on all the time (kids with curious fingers).

I have 10 photos up in all, plus a graph with the frequency response I get with the 340 mains and VTF-3 in my 14.5 x 23 x 8.75 room:
http://gallery.avsforum.com/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/7455862