CLX with Descent i subs?

[sydsrig]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post so please bear with me... I do not own ML speakers (yet), but have been seriously auditioning them over the last year as I conduct my research for my next speaker selection.

I searched the various threads on this site trying to find some information on how the CLX's perform with a pair of dedicated ML Descent i Subwoofers. Given that there is a dedicated crossover for the CLX's in these subs, I wanted to get some persepective on how good the bass integration with the CLX's really are, and whether the woofers are actually fast enough to keep up with the CLX's sheer speed of delivery.

I had a pair of original Summit's in my house for 6 weeks, I helped a vendor set up and subsequently listened to Summit X's at CES this year rather extensively over the course of 4 days. Most recently I heared the CLX's and Summit X's on a full Spectral reference system complete with MIT Oracle MA reference interconnects and speaker cabling.

I have a pretty good idea of what these speakers sound like in different listening conditions and systems. At the end of the day, I really like the CLX's but do miss the low end of the Summit X's. CLX's and ML sub's (or any other subs for that matter) is the one configuration that I haven't heard yet, hence my reason for posting this thread.

If there is alrady a thread on this topic, please point me to it. If not, I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks!

 

[JMAUSGP]

Where CLXs and Subs are concerned, I've got good news and I've got bad news.

The Good news is that you are considering buying CLXs and a subwoofer. The Bad news is that you are considering buying CLXs and a subwoofer.

Seriously 3 or 4 members here have purchased CLXs with Subs and in a couple of cases multiple Subs.

Tonepub comes to mind as one who has had CLXs with dual Descent i subs and he has had JL Audio Gotham sub as well. Probably a couple others as well. I think he can wax eloquently enough on your concerns of speed and integration, but I am afraid he will tell you what he told me, when I asked about the ultimate sub.

I too have CLXs in a 5.1 system and have used a Descent i until last week. I have found over the last couple of years that Tonepub's ear or tastes lean very close to mine. Often he describes a particular piece of music that brings out a specific characteristic of a speaker or hi-end component or sometimes not Hi-end component, and I can listen for the same experience and find it without difficulty. I really like that, he describes something that I am looking for and I am able to reproduce it either in a demo or in my home as I trial something.

Anyway, I just last week switched from a Descent i to a JL Gotham sub with my 5.1 CLX system. Jeff described the Gotham as scary and it was/is, I pead my pants kind of scary. The Descent i is very good, don't get me wrong, it is fast enough to keep up with the CLXs and with the CLX card in the Descent i it blends very very well. I really had no complaints about the Descent i with the CLX. It was more a matter of fascination with all the buzz about JL Audio Gothams and how easy they blend with CLXs and how much more musical they are with CLXs, and oh yeah how much more scared you can get with Gothams. Gothams are scary, both in cost but more so in execution. I have heard things now on the Gotham/CLX system that I have never heard before and these are peices of music that I have listened to 1000s of times before the Gotham. The Gotham take the CLXs to another level. I guess that is what I was looking for.

Anyway, the Descent i can blend with the CLX perfectly, it can keep up with the panels, no problemo. But when you audition the Gotham with the CLXs, well there is a fear factor that is hard to explain except to say, "Holy $hit Batman, Gotham City is a dangerous place for your wallet".

I guess I would add that I had Summits before the CLXs and next month I will have had the CLXs two years, so I do have some listening experience with them, and IMHO you have to spend double or triple the cost of the CLX to beat it sonicly, oh and there is a CLX bass tweak in the tweaks section that works pretty well also.

 

[sydsrig]

Thanks for your reply. I heard the the JL subs work well with CLX's and I guess you have just verified that for me. What I didn't realize is that they are more impactful and scariery than the Descent i's. Good to know! Perhaps I will have the opportunity to hear this setup at some point as well...

Given that you had a fascination with this setup (and ultimately getting it), I to have a fascination with would might be considered an unorthodox setup. There is a unique subwoofer desing from a company called BGX. The subwoofer system is called the BGX Radio 4850. I have included a link to a review that was done by someone I know (and whose ears I trust) at AVguide.com (TAS, PerfectVision, Playback, etc.).

http://www.avguide.com/review/playback-bg-radia-bgx-4850-thx-ultra2-certified-subwoofer-system

It's worth a read if your not familar with this product. Given it's unique configuration it should, theortically speaking, be a nice match for the CLX's as well. Although it's an in wall system, Meridian designed a stand alone enclosre that let's it function as a free standing system. it looks pretty cool too... I have a couple of pictures of what the enclosure looks like but I can't figure out how to insert them into this post...

In any case, one would put 2 or 4 of these around the listening room for optimal results. This is a project I may ultimately embark on if someone hasn't already done so...

 

[tonepub]

The only thing I would add to this analysis is to ask you a question about your room. If the Descent's or Gotham won't fit your room or budget, consider a pair of F110's or a pair of Depth i's. I've heard both and they integrate very well with the CLX, without taking as much room or $$.

The only thing you won't get is that last bit of weight and grunt, but very musical. The F110's or Depth's will still go down very solidly to about 25hz.

Enjoy!

 

[sydsrig]

My room is a reasonable size - 17' Wide x 26' 6" Long x 11' 4" High. The kicker right now is that the 26' 6" long side of the room is mostly open to a 6' wide hallway that leads into the rest of the house (aside from a few archway's that breaks up the space a bit). I am in the middle of developing plans to close off and acoustically isolate this space so that I have a dedicated listening room for 2 channel stereo to begin with and HT down the road. I think the space would definetely accomodate the larger ML or JL subs currently and when it is eventually closed off, it should load up the room nicely...

I know it's a long shot, but have you had any experience or know of anyone who has tried the BGX Radia subwoofer system with the CLX's? I think that would be a very interesting experiment.

 

[JMAUSGP]

BG Radia looks interesting. Sounded like at least one of the reviewers had trouble placing the woofers in the room to get optimum sound. My guess is you would really need Audyssey to make this work. If you do it, I would budget the PRO Audyssey to go with the BG Radio subs.

The JL Audio subs come with ARO or room correction systems built in. They really do make dialing the sub in easy and if you are inclined you can slave one JL Audio sub off the other.

I also read where one of the reviewers made the comment that the JL Audio 110s or 112s were the equal or in the same league with the BG Radia Subs.

My guess is and what I have heard myself and from others is that the JL Gotham is in a league of its own.

 

[sydsrig]

I just spent some time going through your system thread and it is very impressive. I would love to hear it someday if I get to the Indy area. You are probably right about the JL solution, which I will probably drag race against a BG solution in my own room some day. Should be fun!

I would love to hook up with folks in my neck of the woods (South Florida) that have CLX/subwoofer setups. If you're out there, let's hear from you...

 

[tonepub]

My guess is and what I have heard myself and from others is that the JL Gotham is in a league of its own.

Yep....