descent vs paradigm pdr10

[timm]

Ok - stop laughing -- lets start with the end - the descent won!! DUH!!! anyway - I said I was going to post something on this. I had a sub with my odysseys - a paradigm pdr 10 (10 inch non-servo $400 sub). Actually a fairly nice sub for home theater - I think.... Anyway - I wondered prior to getting the descent if it was going to be worth it -- so here are my impressions for those of you whom might be thinking --

With paradigm -- the urge was to continue to turn it lower so that I could not 'find' it. When turned up too much - it just sounded 'tubby'.

With Descent - I don't feel as if I am missing any detail at all - In fact vocals/mids/even a cymbal seem to have more roundness and more dimension than before. It is almost like it is not on - and then---WOW - when a extremely low note comes in - yet the bass comes in center stage as you would expect. Also, the bass is so clean - the lower octaves can really be enjoyed. The stats lose none of the quickness and sizzle you are used to and the additional lower octaves just seem to add so much additional 'air' to everything else.

The bass of the descent can be louder - yet not get in the way. To reach that volume with the paradigm just seemed to make the stats lose some of their sizzle.

I think - a worthwhile investment. It just takes the sound of the music over the top (2 channel btw). Music that I found a bit tinny or screachy before (typically rock records with electric guitar) - I am now having second thoughts on the sound quality of the recording. These discs - to my ears - sound quite good now. And trust me - I am into detail. Nothing has been lost in the detail for this odyssey/descent combo. I can't imagine anything sounding better - or at least better enough to even make me think of changing.

My brother has the Ascents - and honestly - if he doesn't get a descent I'm going to strangle him.

 

[Rich]

My brother has the Ascents - and honestly - if he doesn't get a descent I'm going to strangle him.

I can attest that the Ascent/Descent combo is great. I also highly recommend to your brother that he bi-amp the Ascents with tubes on the panels and solid-state on the woofers. It makes them sound so much better.

 

[kcl]

I agree with Rich. I've got a pair of Ascents with a Descent sub (and Theater center). For home theater in particular, this is a dynamite combination.

 

[timm]

I agree with Rich. I've got a pair of Ascents with a Descent sub (and Theater center). For home theater in particular, this is a dynamite combination.

Can either one of you expound on the sound (hey that rhymes) before and after?

 

[kcl]

Can either one of you expound on the sound (hey that rhymes) before and after?

Sorry, but I can't help you there. I got the Ascents and Descent at the same time, so I don't have anything to compare. (Except, of course, with the system they replaced, which had no comparison. )

 

[Rich]

Can either one of you expound on the sound (hey that rhymes) before and after?

O.K., that's a tough one because I have had my Descent for a long time now and it is tough to remember the details from prior to having it. But I'll try my best.

I have a large room (22' by 20') and before the Descent the Ascents really just put out no bass at all. It felt like there were octaves of sound missing. The Descent just totally rounded out the system. It gave me those lower registers that were pretty much absent before. These additional dbl's down low were confirmed not just with my ears, but with my radio shack sound meter. It melded very well with the panels and provided clear and coherent bass that was just missing before.

But there was still something missing in the lower midrange / upper bass that I didn't quite understand. I had a glorious tube amp running the Ascents and they should have sounded perfect, but weren't quite there. That was when I decided to experiment with bi-amping. I purchased two relatively inexpensive solid state monobloc amplifiers from Outlaw audio and hooked them up to the woofers and put the tube amp just to the panels and,

WOW!

There was the sound I had been missing. All of the sudden the Ascents themselves were putting out the full bass and mid/bass output that they were supposed to. Amazingly, this didn't just make the bass and lower midrange sound better, but it magically opened up the upper midrange and into the treble as well (probably because the tubes were freed up to work their magic on the panels). The sound was clearer, silkier, smoother and just plain better sounding all the way up the scale. Not an incremental step up, but a HUGE improvement. And the Descent continued to handle the lows with authority all the way down to the bottom depths.

I currently use my system solely for two channel listening, and it ROCKS. I play rock, acoustic, vocals, jazz, and classical, and it all sounds great. I have a fairly flat frequency response from 20,000 hz. all the way down to about 20 hz.

It is like you said about the Descent. When it is set up correctly, you don't even notice that it is on most of the time. But when the kick drum hits, or the bass guitar strikes a hard low chord, then boy do you notice. One of the things I love about it is that it is one of the most inherently musical subs on the market and because of that it does classical and acoustic music like nothing else.

 

[timm]

very nice Rich..... interesting about the improvement you got with the bi-amping.... I bi-amp my odysseys...they just sound fantastic. I have heard the ascent/descent combo .. and I was very very impressed. I just don't think it gets better....

 

[Rich]

I have heard the ascent/descent combo .. and I was very very impressed. I just don't think it gets better....

Well . . . my Summits should be here any day now, so after they are broken in, I'll let you know if it gets better. Damn, are we audiophiles ever satisfied?

 

[Pcar928fan]

One of the things I love about it is that it is one of the most inherently musical subs on the market and because of that it does classical and acoustic music like nothing else.

AMEN! I have said that many times to folks who would understand...then we listen to something and they REALLY understand!

 

[timm]

Well . . . my Summits should be here any day now, so after they are broken in, I'll let you know if it gets better. Damn, are we audiophiles ever satisfied?

Good for you -- post something on your impressions between the two different setups.... Curious - have you ever heard the maggie 20.1s?? Probably the only speaker that ever made me 'blink'. If you know what I mean. I'm not sure if they were better than my setup -- maybe for some types of music??? - but, I walked out scratching my head. When I heard the summits - I liked them - but they didn't make me jump out of my seat and say 'I gotta get these.' Could have been setup/crossover settings etc...but for whatever reason - I have heard them multple times - and I sit back and say 'yeah these sound good' - but I walk away feeling just fine with what I have.

Anyway - I'd be curious to see a summits vs ascent/descent comparison....thanks ...