How're the new Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini Monitors?

[Cool Runnings]

I really like my Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 V2s currently used in my bedroom set-up.

Thinking of getting the Luna V2s for office very near field use. I'm currently using an old Spendor Classic 3/5 and I find them a bit muted and lack of detail and clarity.

I've looked in vain here and elsewhere for any reviews or user experience but can't find any. Only some older reviews of the older version of these Lunas which showed some issues but looking at the AS website, these new Luna V2s are NFS optimized and seem to have addressed the old issues.

Hopefully someone here has some feedback on the new Lunas

 

[napilopez]

I really like my Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 V2s currently used in my bedroom set-up.

Thinking of getting the Luna V2s for office very near field use. I'm currently using an old Spendor Classic 3/5 and I find them a bit muted and lack of detail and clarity.

I've looked in vain here and elsewhere for any reviews or user experience but can't find any. Only some older reviews of the older version of these Lunas which showed some issues but looking at the AS website, these new Luna V2s are NFS optimized and seem to have addressed the old issues.

Hopefully someone here has some feedback on the new Lunas

Haven't listened to them, but they undoubtedly have much wider directivity than the Sierra 1s.

Measurements look very good. You can expect some compression from smaller driver but I mean, it's a 4.5-inch woofer.

 

[Cool Runnings]

Haven't listened to them, but they undoubtedly have much wider directivity than the Sierra 1s.

Measurements look very good. You can expect some compression from smaller driver but I mean, it's a 4.5-inch woofer.

Appreciate the thoughts. I do like the wide dispersion for near field listening.

What do you think about the RAAL tweeters? I had some concern about ribbon tweeters for near field listening, whether they'd be too bright or beaming.

David Fabrikant from Ascend says no such worries for RAAL tweeters.

 

[Penelinfi]

Appreciate the thoughts. I do like the wide dispersion for near field listening.

What do you think about the RAAL tweeters? I had some concern about ribbon tweeters for near field listening, whether they'd be too bright or beaming.

David Fabrikant from Ascend says no such worries for RAAL tweeters.

Vertical directivity is still narrower than a dome, but manageable. You won't have a problem with horizontal "beaming" unless you turn the speakers 90⁰ to face the left and right wall

 

[Cool Runnings]

Vertical directivity is still narrower than a dome, but manageable. You won't have a problem with horizontal "beaming" unless you turn the speakers 90⁰ to face the left and right wall

Thanks. Looks like these are clearly the first choice for my use case. Let's see if I can sell my Spendors to subsidize this upgrade.

 

[Matias]

Ascend has been on a roll since they got their NFS and their speakers were optimized with it. I do wish they would offer coax speakers for nearfield though.

 

[Cool Runnings]

Ascend has been on a roll since they got their NFS and their speakers were optimized with it. I do wish they would offer coax speakers for nearfield though.

I've got Elac Unifi Ref in another set-up for a much bigger space. I like them very much for off-axis general listening esp when paired with a RSL10s. Haven't seen many well rated coaxial designs for small near field speakers. The most notable one being KEF LS50s which were the rave of the YT reviewer community but not quite so in ASR.

 

[Penelinfi]

Thanks. Looks like these are clearly the first choice for my use case. Let's see if I can sell my Spendors to subsidize this upgrade.

You sure you can't save up so you can at least compare? I guess if you like your other ascends then it's probably fine. If the splendor is anything like LS3/5a speakers, you could probably make a profit to buy the Luna lol

 

[Cool Runnings]

You sure you can't save up so you can at least compare? I guess if you like your other ascends then it's probably fine. If the splendor is anything like LS3/5a speakers, you could probably make a profit to buy the Luna lol

Man I wish I could. No space and prefer not to have the cash crunch. Hope I can get USD800 for the Spendors 3/5s. They're really in good condition and quite nice sounding. It's just I've been hit by the Ascend Acoustics sound and it's just clearly a class above for the price and sound signature really to my tastes. Sigh.

 

[snackiac]

I actually have a set of 4 Luna V2s and a Luna Duo V2 center I'm planning on putting up for sale soon, if interested. I was pretty happy with them (with sub), I just ended up going full Neumann to get rid of the amp and simplify room correction.

 

[Cool Runnings]

I actually have a set of 4 Luna V2s and a Luna Duo V2 center I'm planning on putting up for sale soon, if interested. I was pretty happy with them (with sub), I just ended up going full Neumann to get rid of the amp and simplify room correction.

Wow full Neumann for HT set up? Nice. I just can’t find the space to do a proper surround set up for my place. You’re in the US right? Don’t think the shipping costs will make sense for me

 

[Zapper]

The V2's are much better. The Klippel measurements are on Ascend's website. Here is a taste.

Very good linearity and directivity. For comparison, a highly regarded active monitor in the same price range:

The Luna V2 should have a high preference score, especially when coupled with a subwoofer. Here are a couple more plots:

 

[Cool Runnings]

The V2's are much better. The Klippel measurements are on Ascend's website. Here is a taste.

View attachment 354213

Very good linearity and directivity. For comparison, a highly regarded active monitor in the same price range:

The Luna V2 should have a high preference score, especially when coupled with a subwoofer. Here are a couple more plots:

View attachment 354214
View attachment 354215

Thanks. It’s very helpful hearing from more expert members like you. I’m not very technical and was thinking along the same lines based on reviews on the Sierra V2s and what I see on the website for the Luna V2s. But couldn’t be sure. It’s good to hear this confirmation.

 

[napilopez]

Yeah, almost every single one of the new ascend acoustics performs extremely well in terms of eyeballed spinorama and preference score. Sonic comparisons to the V1 other than perhaps directivity are virtually meaningless.

 

[jonfitch]

I hope they make a Titan dome version of the Luna v2.

 

[Cool Runnings]

I hope they make a Titan dome version of the Luna v2.

Yes David Frabikant did say they are planning to launch a dome version of the Luna V2s very soon. Like in April if I remember correctly.

 

[Matias]

Was there a Luna V2 preference score publicly posted? I don't recall seeing it.

Since V2 uses the same woofer & tweeter as V1 the phrase "virtually meaningless" when comparing to V1 may be a bit overstated. Some users reported very minor audible differences when upgrading their Sierra-2' EX to the Klippel optimized crossover, IIRC. So, I wouldn't anticipate a night/day difference.

www.spinorama.org
Search for Ascend.

 

[napilopez]

Was there a Luna V2 preference score publicly posted? I don't recall seeing it.

Since V2 uses the same woofer & tweeter as V1 the phrase "virtually meaningless" when comparing to V1 may be a bit overstated. Some users reported very minor audible differences when upgrading their Sierra-2' EX to the Klippel optimized crossover, IIRC. So, I wouldn't anticipate a night/day difference.

I was referring to the ones that have had scores publicly posted, but I've measured enough speakers and seen enough spins to know the Luna would be a high scorer. In any case, I do stand by my earlier statement; using the same woofer and tweeter (other than some assumptions about directivity) doesn't really tell you anything.

Some users reported minor differences, others reported dramatic differences between V1 and V2 versions of the same speaker. That's not to say that impressions of the V1 may not correlate to the V2 in some cases-- I would still say the directivity of the tweeter is easily its most distinctive characteristic -- just that I wouldn't rely on them for it. The measurements are very different.

 

[mj30250]

Without a sub I wouldn't doubt that the PS would reach above 5 or perhaps even close to 6...on-axis response and PIR are both excellent, but the lack of bass extension would likely drop it a point or so. It's already ~5dB down by 70Hz. If you can live with the bass extension (or use a sub), I'd expect these to work quite well for desktop use. Just make sure you can lock the tweeters to your ears vertically. The ribbons have a tight window.

 

[DannyBoyNYC]

I "pulled the plug" - as some say - on a pair of Lunas only to be informed that their domestic cabinet maker had gone out of business and thus they are unavailable for approx. half a year - IIRC.