Ascend CBM-170SE2 Speaker Review

[John.D]

My CBM 170 SE 2 speakers landed yesterday. Same as my last order from them shipping was fast and bulletproof, double boxed well packed for sure. i have been listening to a combination of music and movies. i use them with two subs XO is set to subs at 80hz speakers are around 9 feet apart and around 11 feet from listening position. Tonewinner at 300 pre/pro being driven by an Aiyima a 70 amp playing from my NAS through xbox series S. Still getting friendly with these speakers but overall so far i am beyond impressed.
Sheila E playing the bottles on Michael Jackson Dont stop till you get enough is crystal clear like she is playing in my living room(been throwing every genre i have at them). i honestly cant believe these are bookshelf speakers or priced right at 520 shipped. there is a distinct lack of any sibilance. all i can say is they have a very "natural" sound. These speakers make me feel like there is very little in between the music and i. Enjoyable listening experience for sure.

Congratulations.
Did you like the physical appearance of these speakers? I know it’s individual preference but the rough look keep me thinking against.

 

[daniboun]

Now that I think about it, they look a lot like the Ocean Way Audio Pro3

 

[cbelmont3]

Congratulations.
Did you like the physical appearance of these speakers? I know it’s individual preference but the rough look keep me thinking against.

the look was not a key factor for me. i will say they look better than i expected. very well built cabinet with nice roundover.

 

[tw 2022]

Congratulations.
Did you like the physical appearance of these speakers? I know it’s individual preference but the rough look keep me thinking against.

I've got the v1's , they are ugly , but the new v2's seem a little nicer in pics.. I've got cats so looks aren't paramount .. things happen in feline environments

 

[Power Pop 23]

I am looking for a positive recommendation for a '1/4 inch-20'-size wall mount that can support the 15 pound weight of a CBM-170SE2 loudspeaker.

Has any member had experience with this mount from Channel Master ?

All-metal 1/4"-20 Mount

All-metal 1/4"-20 mounting system built for strength, precision, and long-term reliability. Designed for speakers, cameras, and professional equipment, this heavy-duty mount delivers true 180° positioning, superior holding power up to 20 lbs, and a secure nylon locking system that helps prevent...

www.channelmaster.com

 

[Guddu]

My CBM 170 SE 2 speakers landed yesterday. Same as my last order from them shipping was fast and bulletproof, double boxed well packed for sure. i have been listening to a combination of music and movies. i use them with two subs XO is set to subs at 80hz speakers are around 9 feet apart and around 11 feet from listening position. Tonewinner at 300 pre/pro being driven by an Aiyima a 70 amp playing from my NAS through xbox series S. Still getting friendly with these speakers but overall so far i am beyond impressed.
Sheila E playing the bottles on Michael Jackson Dont stop till you get enough is crystal clear like she is playing in my living room(been throwing every genre i have at them). i honestly cant believe these are bookshelf speakers or priced right at 520 shipped. there is a distinct lack of any sibilance. all i can say is they have a very "natural" sound. These speakers make me feel like there is very little in between the music and i. Enjoyable listening experience for sure.

First user feedback....
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Guddu]

this will be a very short review of the speakers without a sub. God love em they tried they really did. They 100% need a sub. While their attempt was admirable you really need the low end to make them really shine.

Might be useful to try keeping close to wall when used without sub but still 60-65Hz isn't going to be enough.

 

[Matt34]

I currently have the bigger cmt340se v2 as my LCR in the living room, but just ordered a pair of these to replace the L/R to reduced the visual impact a little. Plus sitting 9-10ft away it was overkill for my listening levels.

 

[tw 2022]

I currently have the bigger cmt340se v2 as my LCR in the living room, but just ordered a pair of these to replace the L/R to reduced the visual impact a little. Plus sitting 9-10ft away it was overkill for my listening levels.

i'm assuming the 340's are a lot of everything good except deep bass...I can see them being overkill in a small room...

 

[Matt34]

i'm assuming the 340's are a lot of everything good except deep bass...I can see them being overkill in a small room...

Yeah I find them neutral and dynamic, but they project sound (high sensitivity) more than anything else I have on hand, Definitely a “front row” kind of speaker per se.

 

[AscendDF]

I am looking for a positive recommendation for a '1/4 inch-20'-size wall mount that can support the 15 pound weight of a CBM-170SE2 loudspeaker.

Has any member had experience with this mount from Channel Master ?

All-metal 1/4"-20 Mount

All-metal 1/4"-20 mounting system built for strength, precision, and long-term reliability. Designed for speakers, cameras, and professional equipment, this heavy-duty mount delivers true 180° positioning, superior holding power up to 20 lbs, and a secure nylon locking system that helps prevent...

www.channelmaster.com

I am a fan of these wall mounts:

https://www.amazon.com/Howonder-Speaker-Mount-Swivel-Holds/dp/B09QJZWPQW

 

[AscendDF]

Ascend Acoustics is one of the few remaining American speaker manufacturers that is a small company still offering budget speakers of exceptional sound quality, harkening back to the heydey of 70s and 80s, when there was an abundance of iconic American speaker manufacturers known for quality budget offerings - companies like AR, Advent, EPI, KLH and Boston Acoustics, among other small companies that are now all defunct.

As a budget-constrained American kid who came of age during that era, I was thrilled at the abundance of affordable, but quality speaker options available at that time. I bought a pair of new EPI 100s in the late 70s for less than a hundred bucks, which I enjoyed for the next 20+ years.

Perhaps I'm being over-nostalgic, but the point of this rambling post is that I believe Ascend Acoustics should be cherished as a spiritual descendant (and present-day standard bearer) of the iconic budget American speaker brands from that wonderful, but bygone era.

Dave from Ascend Acoustics has put in a lot of hard work, dedication and continuous improvement to what I'm guessing has been his labor of love for the past 27+ years, ultimately resulting in really exceptional speakers that compete at multiple price points with the best available today, and with consistently good budget offerings that even the everyman can afford.

I've been hankering to buy a new set of Ascend speakers for the past several years. The problem is that I need approval from my better half to acquire yet another pair of speakers, so it might be a while before that happens (like @Spkrdctr , my man card has long been revoked).

I have taken a screen shot of this post to keep on my phone. It brought back great memories for me!

I "officially" started in this industry around 1984-1985 working in sales for Eddie Antar, the founder of the long defunct “Crazy Eddie” chain of A/V retail stores. When things were slow, I would spend every moment in the main demo room listening to speakers. I had 3 favorite speakers back then... the original ESS AMT 1b with the Heil tweeter, ROR model G monitors, and EPI 100’s.

Those original EPI 100’s were special. When my brother came to me to buy his first set of speakers - that is what I recommended. I ended up listening to these far more often than my huge Fisher 3-way’s. It then became my goal to rebuild my Fishers to sound similar or better than those EPI’s…. Radio Shack became a weekly destination for me, and my obsession / addiction began.

Back then, it was simply about what sounded good, exciting and fun. There was never any talk about measurements, even when I started working in the service department repairing speakers. It was a wonderful time for audio!

Flash forward 40 years, massive investments into R&D, yet I still harken back to those days of what moves me, gets me emotionally involved. Give me a speaker with the best measurements I’ve ever seen, if it doesn’t generate that same emotional response I continually chase, it’s not going to be a product.

The industry has come a long way since then, we have a much better understanding of accurate sound reproduction, and we now have the means to take brutally accurate measurements- but in the end, it is still all about kicking back and listening. While measurements are the ideal starting point, they are not the end point. I am thankful and grateful for what Amir has done for this industry, but I encourage everyone to realize that it is still, and always will, come down to what sounds best and is most enjoyable to you.

While we will always focus on measurements, and we have since day 1, for us - it still comes down to what we enjoy listening to and our 170SE2 remind me very much of those EPI 100’s, which were known for their effortlessness, ability to play loud without being harsh, and just a whole lot of fun to listen to.

Thank you for this post!

 

[AscendDF]

Much thanks to the members here for catching the mistake on our product label.

If any owners would like the new product label, simply reach out and we will send them to you.

 

[daniboun]

Much thanks to the members here for catching the mistake on our product label.

View attachment 552741 View attachment 552742


If any owners would like the new product label, simply reach out and we will send them to you.

I imagine that, since you are referring to the term "acoustic suspension," you surely have a model in your lineup that features this technology?

 

[Michou]

I imagine that, since you are referring to the term "acoustic suspension," you surely have a model in your lineup that features this technology?

Ascend HTM-200SE2 Mini-Monitor

 

[AscendDF]

I imagine that, since you are referring to the term "acoustic suspension," you surely have a model in your lineup that features this technology?

Yes, our 200's.

I would refer to acoustic suspension more of a design approach rather than a technology, but that's just my opinion.

Our 200's use the smallest possible cabinet to house dual 4" woofers + tweeter. In order to reach the Qtc we desired (goal was maximally flat) while also having reasonable bass extension for a speaker of this size (having very limited internal cabinet volume), we designed the woofers with a high compliance suspension system that relies on the air-spring created by the internal cabinet volume to provide much of the restorative force for these woofers.

These types of designs were quite popular for "satellite" speakers back when I initially designed the 200's. And as an engineer for M&K sound throughout all of the 90's, (some would argue that M&K created the satellite subwoofer concept), it is a design I have a lot of experience with.

If you were to remove one of the 4" woofers from the cabinet (I don't recommend it, they are difficult to get out) - you would notice that when physically pushing the cone, it moves freely with very limited resistance.

I don't know if I made the mistake on the label design for the 170SE2 or if it was the printing company, but it was an honest mistake which has already been corrected. Below you can see the product label that was used on the previous version of our CBMs, where it clearly states Bass Reflex. We simply copied the 200SE2 label with minor text changes and that one text line did not get changed.

Again, just an honest mistake and I am glad it was caught sooner rather than later.

 

[LiveTek]

Is the finish on these paint or a wrap?

 

[AscendDF]

Is the finish on these paint or a wrap?

PVC wrap...

 

[daniboun]

Yes, our 200's.

View attachment 553090


I would refer to acoustic suspension more of a design approach rather than a technology, but that's just my opinion.

Our 200's use the smallest possible cabinet to house dual 4" woofers + tweeter. In order to reach the Qtc we desired (goal was maximally flat) while also having reasonable bass extension for a speaker of this size (having very limited internal cabinet volume), we designed the woofers with a high compliance suspension system that relies on the air-spring created by the internal cabinet volume to provide much of the restorative force for these woofers.

These types of designs were quite popular for "satellite" speakers back when I initially designed the 200's. And as an engineer for M&K sound throughout all of the 90's, (some would argue that M&K created the satellite subwoofer concept), it is a design I have a lot of experience with.

If you were to remove one of the 4" woofers from the cabinet (I don't recommend it, they are difficult to get out) - you would notice that when physically pushing the cone, it moves freely with very limited resistance.

I don't know if I made the mistake on the label design for the 170SE2 or if it was the printing company, but it was an honest mistake which has already been corrected. Below you can see the product label that was used on the previous version of our CBMs, where it clearly states Bass Reflex. We simply copied the 200SE2 label with minor text changes and that one text line did not get changed.

View attachment 553095


Again, just an honest mistake and I am glad it was caught sooner rather than later.

Makes sense ) I do appreciate your feedback
Many thanks )

 

[daniboun]

PVC wrap...

Forgot to ask... could you please share some pictures of the CBM-170se2 crossover ? thx