It goes without saying that the most exciting thing in home theatre and even Hi-Fi and conversely also the most complicated is Bass!
Geoffrey Heinzel, Managing Partner, R&D, Sales & Marketing from Ascendo was down last Saturday to talk about the brand, its principles and what it does that sets it apart from other manufacturers. The event which was held at AV Designs showroom here was an opportunity for engagement with the AV and Hi-Fi community here in Malaysia.
As Lam has mentioned in his piece, the talk turned quickly into a re-education session for everyone in attendance. His approach to sound which focuses on the science and engineering element brings forward, and in the process discredits, a number of common fallacies when it comes to subwoofers and how a system should perform. Driven by his passion for good sound and extensive experience, Geoffrey focuses on utilising precision measurements and understanding of physics to achieve a system build that is accurate in its reproduction of sound.
Another element discussed, was to ensure that the sound delivered satisfies multiple listening positions, instead of just one “sweet spot”. This was an interesting take as in most cases, the focus has always been on the one seat which is the best and most optimum listening position. A case for both home theatre and Hi-Fi. This was also a topic touched on where Geoffrey talks about how a good cinema system should be enjoyable in any seat.
The entire explanation was then substantiated by the 2 demo systems which are built up of various speakers from Ascendo. The smaller system which relied on a pair of Ascendo’s brand spanking new 16-inch sealed subs was fantastic. Palpable, rich and punchy are some of the words that describe the sound. But all this was not at all at the sacrifice of speed and dynamics. No simple feat at all.
Interestingly all the speakers in the entire system were so well integrated together that any random seating position did not mean a sacrifice in soundstage. So immersive and engaging it was, that Lady Gaga’s live performance of “You’ve Got a Friend” which was demoed, almost brought me to tears. Every ounce of emotion felt in her voice was beautifully rendered and this is no easy feat, achieved by a home theatre system! Proof that having such precision need not rob a system of its ability to convey emotion.
As a home cinema enthusiast, I find myself quite impressed with what was shown. Given the short amount of time that Geoffrey and the AV Designs team had with such a complicated system and venue. I am sure given more time; the system would have delivered an even better performance. The entire experience is proof that understanding the environment and taking the time to properly set up your system is as crucial an element as the components a system is comprised off. This of course driven by the spectacular capabilities of the Ascendo speakers and subwoofers. All coming together to achieve home cinema bliss!
