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.
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.