Aeons to Ascent i's - need for sub?

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mondoribo

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I am thinking of moving from Aeons to Ascent i's. I have read the threads that favor the Ascents over the Aeons for obvious reasons; larger panel, better woofers in the i's, etc. I am wondering if I will still need my Depth sub if I make this move. Two 10" drivers versus five 8" drivers with the Aeon + Depth combination. I guess I am thinking if I sold the Aeons and the Depth I would actually be MAKING MONEY by upgrading. And the Ascents have nicer trim for better WAF. I know, I'm pushing it. No one ever really makes money by upgrading....
 
I would keep the sub.

Yes the Ascents have 10” drivers, but they are not sub’s and can only play down to about 35Hz, the ascents have good bass but not the power or authority of a good sub.
 
When I'm listening to music with my Ascent i's I don't use the sub. If you're watching movies, you'll need it.
 
I do use my Depth when listening to music. I have it wired through the main preouts and the LFE out for home theater. I bought Ascent Is, had them for about six months, and just recently bought a Depth to round out the sound. The Ascents have decent base, but the sub really completes the system. I listen to a lot of jazz and some synthetic stuff, both of which can use the lower registers and kick drum impact.

I auditioned Ascents with and without a sub, and knew that I'd buy one eventually. The Vantage with a powered woofer section may not need one (never heard any). The Summits didn't seem to need one when I auditioned them, but I didn't listen to any really low bass like HT sound effects or deep organ music.
 
Passionate Subwoofer Bass...

Zip3kx07 said:
I would keep the sub.

Yes the Ascents have 10” drivers, but they are not sub’s and can only play down to about 35Hz, the ascents have good bass but not the power or authority of a good sub.
mondoribo,

I agree with Joe's post above. I play my Descent with all my HT and music listening as well. All bass sounds go to my Descent, which really gives powerful bass sounds, which my ears require. ;)
 
The Summits definitely dont need a sub unless you want to start extending down to the Teens... the Vantage are superb with its bass reproduction - so much so that I dont feel like I need a sub. It would be nice if it extended lower, but 34hz in a room is A-Ok with me, especially since it's taut and transient unlike some subs. When I auditioned the Ascents, my complaint was the bass production, for some reason, I wanted more.

Hooking up the Descent would definitely round out the Vantage/Ascent.
 
I can always just do the experiment

Since my wife didn't really object when I mentioned the possibility of upgrading to the Ascent i's (just smiled and rolled her eyes), I can try them with and without the Depth and see how it sounds. Since the room is about 15'x25', and my current Aeons are about 3' from one wall (projecting into the longer dimension of the room), there are definitely peaks and nulls in the bass output in the room. Having the ability to place the sub 1/4 of the way into the room made a big difference in equalizing bass output in the room. This is one aspect I would miss if I didn't have the sub. Also, the room is only used for music, no theater in that room.
Jon

Current system:
ML Aeons
ML Depth sub
TAD-150 preamp
TAD-1000 monoblocks
Rotel RCC-955 CD changer
Currently between turntables (VPI Scout/Dyna10x5 on order)
Pro-ject tube box phono stage
 
mondoribo said:
Since my wife didn't really object when I mentioned the possibility of upgrading to the Ascent i's (just smiled and rolled her eyes), I can try them with and without the Depth and see how it sounds. Since the room is about 15'x25', and my current Aeons are about 3' from one wall (projecting into the longer dimension of the room), there are definitely peaks and nulls in the bass output in the room. Having the ability to place the sub 1/4 of the way into the room made a big difference in equalizing bass output in the room. This is one aspect I would miss if I didn't have the sub. Also, the room is only used for music, no theater in that room.
Jon

Current system:
ML Aeons
ML Depth sub
TAD-150 preamp
TAD-1000 monoblocks
Rotel RCC-955 CD changer
Currently between turntables (VPI Scout/Dyna10x5 on order)
Pro-ject tube box phono stage


When I listen to music with my system, it all depends on the song/band if I use my Descent or not. Some songs the descent adds so much to the music I can’t live without it and others it sounds like the sub just gets in the way, I will turn it off. It’s all about personal preference and the type of music you listen to if you need the sub or not. For me, Yes it’s a must with my ascents.
 
Zip3kx07 said:
When I listen to music with my system, it all depends on the song/band if I use my Descent or not. Some songs the descent adds so much to the music I can’t live without it and others it sounds like the sub just gets in the way, I will turn it off. It’s all about personal preference and the type of music you listen to if you need the sub or not. For me, Yes it’s a must with my ascents.
This is why I LOVE my SMS-1 with remote control. I can change the Xover point for the sub, and also the volume level. That way each and every song I listen to has the right amount of bass just at the touch of a button...The SMS-1 is a great Couch-Potatoe Enhancing Device.

Dan
 
DTB300 said:
This is why I LOVE my SMS-1 with remote control. I can change the Xover point for the sub, and also the volume level. That way each and every song I listen to has the right amount of bass just at the touch of a button...The SMS-1 is a great Couch-Potatoe Enhancing Device.

Dan

Show off. :D


J/K ing
 
DTB300 said:
And loving every minute of it :eek: Soon you will own one...soon....

I am holding off on the SMS-1, waiting to see what Anthem does with the Statement D2. They supposedly have an auto room EQ upgrade coming that should work like the SMS-1 but thought out the entire frequency range and not just for bass.
 
Zip3kx07 said:
I am holding off on the SMS-1, waiting to see what Anthem does with the Statement D2. They supposedly have an auto room EQ upgrade coming that should work like the SMS-1 but thought out the entire frequency range and not just for bass.
Cool....Like the Tact, but Anthem's product...I can see why you are waiting.

Dan
 
You obviously aren't serious about MAKING money on the upgrade...so upgrade to the Descent as well. I had the opportunity of comparing the Descent and Depth at my dealer before I made a decision and they are like 2 completely different subs. They don't even sound they they come from the same design family. I now have my ascent i's paired with a descent and you know what? I want a second descent. It is soooo clean.

Dominick
 

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