My friend Marc, who likes his sealed-enclosure Soliloquys, was very happy with the amount of bass coming out of them and uses them without a sub in a 2-channel system.
Personally I'd want at least the Hsu STF-1 sub with it. There are other speakers in the same price range with much better bass but at the cost of the 170s' finesse with the mids and highs.
HI there--friend marc here- Actually the Soliloquy stuff Eddie heard were my surrounds in my Home Theater. My floorstanders in my reference system weight 80 lbs each and extend to 30HZ. They obviously have a port.
I do use the Ascend 170s without a sub for record albums and my XM reference tuner, which receives a compressed digital signal from " Rock and Roll" currently orbiting over North America.
My HT extends to 24 HZ and uses two subs; the mains and Center extend to 45 HZ.
My bedroom system is via PSB Alphas and don't actually know their extension.
For serious music listening I don't like using a sub at all. Its kinda like trying to make a Pizza with bad ingredients. Subs are for HT, although I know a lot of folks don't agree. I am talking about serious music listening, best done with quality full range floorstanders.
Mediocre subs (Hsu, SVS, Outlaw, Paradigm etc)aren't good for music, quality subs are (Era, REL, Vandersteen, Thiel etc). My Era sub integrates seamlessly into my system. My Hsu on the other hand is used only when I'm playing my system is HT mode.
Serious music listened to only with fullrange floorstanders.Are you sure about that?A broad statement and a statement not very well thought to.What kind of speakers do you own MS?
I agree that the question comes up as " What is full range?" ie What qualifies as full range for music listening?
If my interest was pipe organ music from Salzburg's Cathedral for instance, then 30 HZ wouldn't cut it, as the lower octaves would be incomplete. And in fact I have run my Floorstanders with a sub to get more extension-- but I actually prefer them without the sub when all is said and done.
I still prefer a full range floorstander as opposed to using non-fullrange with a sub, but I havent heard the ERA sub Art talks about either. That's a general recommendation and doesnt mean that I consider my own floorstanders full range. Thiel speakers have too much fiddle factor to get em right for me and I truely don't care for the Vandersteen sound at all, but respect their popularity among audiophiles. Thiels set up last year at CES was a complete bomb BTW- agreed by all who listened, not sure what they were trying to do, but I appreciate their sponsorship nonetheless.
do you think that a general condemnation of Paradigm subs is generally a good thing? The Servo-15 is one of the best subs I have heard...or felt for that matter. Nothing but clean, tight, fast bass with no overhang.
Servo 15 and the Signature Servo sub are both very good subs. They still are not as musical as the others that I listed.
Remember Gavin I have owned almost every sub Paradigm makes. I have a one friend who has 2 Servo 15's (with 4 Studio 100's) in his home theater and and another friend with 4 Servo 15's and Signature series all around. WOW!!!!!
I really didn't condemn Paradigm subs I just didn't put them on that list of elite subs.
I have the 170s and I listen to them with a sub for HT and SACD/DVD-A. I seldom use the sub with music although I have done that. Yes, they benefit from the sub on some pieces, primarily orchestral/classical/organ/choral/heavy metal - I don't do rap but I suspect it would help there.
With most jazz, country, folk and rock, I find that the Ascends provide enough bass for me but I'm more into mids and treble, so like all things, it's probably more in line with where your personal preference and music tastes lie.