Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE2

[PristineSound]

Dave has been busy in the kitchen cooking up something.

He's been hyping it up a lot on his forum. Teasing measurements to come.

If this is as affordable as the predecessor, this can be a game changer for an affordable home theater setup.

 

[staticV3]

In what way would the game be changed?

 

[PristineSound]

In what way would the game be changed?

The current CBM-170SE is $368/pair. Assuming the price won't increase much and the measurements are as good as the hype so far, for a 7.2.4 system, that's at least 10 speakers, if you don't use this as the center and use them as ceiling. That's $1,840 for speakers, which is very hard to beat.

 

[tw 2022]

Where else you gonna find anything that measures as well as klippel designed speakers with decent spl capabilities at around $400?... If you can think of anything let me know, I sincerely can't..

 

[Guddu]

At least they are upgrading their old speaker lines…. Which is good news already!

 

[PristineSound]

Where else you gonna find anything that measures as well as klippel designed speakers with decent spl capabilities at around $400?... If you can think of anything let me know, I sincerely can't..

The only concern I have is mounting options, as that is important for a home theater setup.

Let's see how it goes.

 

[tw 2022]

The only concern I have is mounting options, as that is important for a home theater setup.

Let's see how it goes.

I have the originals.. they have 2 big screws in back that indicate to me mounting capability... I have no knowledge if the v2's are the same..

 

[Guddu]

Whenever I see this CBM series speakers, I wish if Ascend Acoustics could build same bookshelf with angled front to be used as on-wall surrounds like JBL & Klipsh models.

 

[PristineSound]

Measurements are out on the Ascend forum, linked above.

Here is a snap shot.

If this guy is priced below $400, this is pretty darn impressive.

 

[dfuller]

Measurements are out on the Ascend forum, linked above.

Here is a snap shot.

If this guy is priced below $400, this is pretty darn impressive.

View attachment 539229

Wow. If these are as good as they appear they might just be no-brainers for a budget set.

 

[PristineSound]

Wow. If these are as good as they appear they might just be no-brainers for a budget set.

Unfortunately Dave said the price will go up compared to the current model. Waiting on the price announcement. But I hope Dave will publish distortion measurements as he not too recently acquire that module for his NFS.

 

[tw 2022]

Unfortunately Dave said the price will go up compared to the current model. Waiting on the price announcement. But I hope Dave will publish distortion measurements as he not too recently acquire that module for his NFS.

even at $500 (I don't know what the price will be) , it's going to be very competitive...

 

[saltfish]

even at $500 (I don't know what the price will be) , it's going to be very competitive...

It'll be below $500/pair.

 

[PristineSound]

It'll be below $500/pair.

Stunning!

I feel bad for the competition.

 

[tw 2022]

It'll be below $500/pair.

I figured as much, but my thought was it'd be the absolute max...I think it beats any measurements I've seen at $500 or less...personally , I'm thinking I might get the cmt 340 v2s sometime, but the 170s are certainly an option...

 

[riker1384]

How is a 6.5" 2-way with no waveguide able to maintain decent off-axis response?

 

[Chrispy]

Always found my 170SEs to be a very nice speaker for the money, these look to be a nice update.

 

[PristineSound]

How is a 6.5" 2-way with no waveguide able to maintain decent off-axis response?

A combination of drivers that are engineered to match each other's radiation beamwidth at a crossover point with acceptable distortion. And most importantly, a high resolution measurement instrument that let's you see the behavior for you to design the entire speaker as one system.

And a lot of iterations.

 

[tw 2022]

And a lot of iterations.

I think this was the key Dave kinda bent science a bit with trial & error.. he certainly indicated it took a while

 

[DSJR]

I looked at the tweeter choice and groaned (I hadn't then read the blurb on their website), then I looked at the seemingly impeccable Klippel response open-mouthed. Impressive that the upper hundred Hertz range appears to be bereft of the resonances and squiggles that almost all the competition suffers from (audibly too?).