[11B2P]

Hi Sonnie,

Please allow me to start by saying I have never written a review before. Please forgive my amateurish attempt at writing my first one.

I just picked up this same combination but I have two additional HTM-200s for surround duty (7.1).

The speakers came very well packed double boxed (except for HTM-200s). Ascend has awesome customer service, I have even gotten email from the company president David Fabrikant assisting me with set up.

This is my first "matched" system and I have to say I am very impressed with the sound given what I spent for the system. Left and right transitions are seamless with front to back/back to front transitions sounding superior. The whole system sounds great.

I use Master and Commander, Finding Nemo, and Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring as my evaluation source material. The opening battle scene from M and C is extremely powerful with its cannon shots and other battle sounds coming from all quarters. The scene also contains alot of surround detail and transitions that give the Ascends a good workout. It actually does sound like someone is running around on the "deck" over your head.

Finding Nemo has alot of very subtle surround detail like water swishing, fish swimming, and bubbles giving the impression that you are under water. The Ascends had no trouble at all handling this surround detail.

My only question is how well the CBM-170 SE sound with the same drivers as the 340 SE. Matched drivers all around would be *the* idea set-up. However there were a few concerns, the size of the 170 and the fact that they are rear ported prevents flush wall mounting. This could be a problem in a smaller room by sticking out too far from the wall.

Listening to two channel music is also most impressive. I use Steely Dan's "Asia" and "Gaucho" on Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab CDs for their smooth, well mixed and detailed music, Maceo Parker "Life on Planet Groove" recorded live in a club. (An extremely bright recording!) I like to throw in a recording that has some "issues" to see how true to the recording the speaker is.)

The 340 SE sounded very relaxed and detailed when playing back Babylon Sisters. The electric piano sounds like it is right in front of you, very crisp, clean and clear. "Life on Planet Groove" is as expected, the Ascends play true to the source material.

Overall I am very happy with my purchase and am extremely pleased that I am now running a matched system.

Please let me know if there are any questions.