Energy Connoisseur C-3, Onix X-LS, SVS SBS-01, etc.

[silversurfer]

j_garcia, would you say the mids on the ascends are more pronounced or forward than the C-3s, or just more detailed and clear?

I know this was not directed to me, but I will say that I actually thought the C-3's mids were not as clear or detailed as the Ascends. I think the 170 is a very well balanced speaker and one piece is not any more pronounced than the other.

It really boils down to tastes. The C3 is a great value right now as well.

 

[j_garcia]

I would have to agree with silversurfer. The 170s sound pretty even handed and clean across their range. One thing that may be in their favor is that they don't go quite so low, and that narrower operating range is a design choice. The way I see it, the aerogel driver was chosen (or designed) because of its excellent midrange capability, and the trade off is less bass. Rather than try to tune a cabinet lower to get some additional bass that would end up being less than optimum, the design focused on midrange clarity.

 

[silversurfer]

I would have to agree with silversurfer. The 170s sound pretty even handed and clean across their range. One thing that may be in their favor is that they don't go quite so low, and that narrower operating range is a design choice. The way I see it, the aerogel driver was chosen (or designed) because of its excellent midrange capability, and the trade off is less bass. Rather than try to tune a cabinet lower to get some additional bass that would end up being less than optimum, the design focused on midrange clarity.

Well written. I hate it when someone writes that much better than me.
One thing to note, the new 170SE supposedly has more bass extension, with improved mids and highs.

 

[j_garcia]

Well written. I hate it when someone writes that much better than me.

One thing to note, the new 170SE supposedly has more bass extension, with improved mids and highs.

I hadn't noticed that until the original X-LS review thread where someone posted the graphs. I'd like to try out these new guys, because the only thing that kept me from buying some 170s was the fact that they didn't have quite enough low end extension. I also have a big room, so I needed something more sensitive and they didn't have the 340s at the time.