This is a review, listening tests and detailed measurements of the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE2. It was sent to me by the company and costs USD $248 each. $468 a pair.
There is a grill which I removed, making the speaker look utilitarian. Pick it up though and you realize it weighs more than you expect.
Love the mention of NFS Optimized text on the label:
Ascend CBM-170SE2 Speaker Measurement
As noted, I stripped the speaker off its grill and measured it with Klippel NFS using the tweeter center as the reference:
As noted, the general on-axis response is flat as we like. There are however some variations including a resonance around 900 to 1000 Hz and some slight shortfalls in treble region. The listening window though (dashed green) is smooth. Early window reflections sum well, indicating optimization in this regard:
All of this sums to a surprisingly good predicted in room response:
I know this is a major focus area for Dave (the designer).
Near-field response shows some of the unevennes of the tweeter:
I expected to have to baby the speaker during my power sweep but that was not so as it easily played even the 96 dBSPL signal without complaining:
Notice how much lower the distortion is at 86 dBSPL across the full frequency range! It wasn't until I got to 101 dBSPL that I heard some distortion at the start of the sweep:
There is no waveguide so we have natural beaming from the tweeter:
The benefit is wider dispersion at lower treble.
Vertical response is as we expect from 2-way speaker so best to stay at tweeter axis:
Impedance is about average around 3.5 ohm:
We have the usual resonances:
But clean step response:
Ascend CBM-170SE2 Speaker Listening Tests
As Dr. Toole is fond of saying, sometimes graphs bother the eyes more than the ears. Such is the case here if you look at the on-axis response. I was fully ready to have to add some small touches with EQ but none was needed whatsoever. The speaker played clean and loud with a level of fidelity that belied its looks and certainly its price. Indeed, the price has nothing to do with it. My reference tracks, one by one, impressed with no excuses needed to be made. Closing my eyes, I perceived a very large spatial image that helped in that regard. I am talking about a bubble that was 6 feet or more around and above the speaker! With a pair, the CBM-170SE2 will fill a large stage with delightful tonality and accuracy.
My sub-bass heavy track didn't bother the speaker one bit as it simply rolled it off instead of playing and getting distorted.
Conclusions
For less than $500 you get a speaker built in US that brings tears to your eyes as far as fidelity and enjoyment. This is what we get when we put the right tool, Klippel NFS, in the hands of the a skilled designer. "Measure it and will get better" and better it did. The only compromise is not playing very low which you wouldn't expect it to. Power handling is excellent as a result. Nothing like going into a review and expecting one thing, and getting handed something far better. Ascend breaks new ground here with this level of performance for so little money.
The Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE2 is an easy strong recommendation from me.
-----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
There is a grill which I removed, making the speaker look utilitarian. Pick it up though and you realize it weighs more than you expect.
Love the mention of NFS Optimized text on the label:
Ascend CBM-170SE2 Speaker Measurement
As noted, I stripped the speaker off its grill and measured it with Klippel NFS using the tweeter center as the reference:
As noted, the general on-axis response is flat as we like. There are however some variations including a resonance around 900 to 1000 Hz and some slight shortfalls in treble region. The listening window though (dashed green) is smooth. Early window reflections sum well, indicating optimization in this regard:
All of this sums to a surprisingly good predicted in room response:
I know this is a major focus area for Dave (the designer).
Near-field response shows some of the unevennes of the tweeter:
I expected to have to baby the speaker during my power sweep but that was not so as it easily played even the 96 dBSPL signal without complaining:
Notice how much lower the distortion is at 86 dBSPL across the full frequency range! It wasn't until I got to 101 dBSPL that I heard some distortion at the start of the sweep:
There is no waveguide so we have natural beaming from the tweeter:
The benefit is wider dispersion at lower treble.
Vertical response is as we expect from 2-way speaker so best to stay at tweeter axis:
Impedance is about average around 3.5 ohm:
We have the usual resonances:
But clean step response:
Ascend CBM-170SE2 Speaker Listening Tests
As Dr. Toole is fond of saying, sometimes graphs bother the eyes more than the ears. Such is the case here if you look at the on-axis response. I was fully ready to have to add some small touches with EQ but none was needed whatsoever. The speaker played clean and loud with a level of fidelity that belied its looks and certainly its price. Indeed, the price has nothing to do with it. My reference tracks, one by one, impressed with no excuses needed to be made. Closing my eyes, I perceived a very large spatial image that helped in that regard. I am talking about a bubble that was 6 feet or more around and above the speaker! With a pair, the CBM-170SE2 will fill a large stage with delightful tonality and accuracy.
My sub-bass heavy track didn't bother the speaker one bit as it simply rolled it off instead of playing and getting distorted.
Conclusions
For less than $500 you get a speaker built in US that brings tears to your eyes as far as fidelity and enjoyment. This is what we get when we put the right tool, Klippel NFS, in the hands of the a skilled designer. "Measure it and will get better" and better it did. The only compromise is not playing very low which you wouldn't expect it to. Power handling is excellent as a result. Nothing like going into a review and expecting one thing, and getting handed something far better. Ascend breaks new ground here with this level of performance for so little money.
The Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE2 is an easy strong recommendation from me.
-----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
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