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Please help me decide

DKirk

DKirk

Active Member
Cambridge Soundworks original Ensemble or Boston accoustics A70 Series II?

It's for a bedroom system. They will be driven by a Marantz 2230 used as a pre amp with an older Onkyo 105 wpc amp.

I already have the Cambridge Soundworks speakers and they sound good, but I can get the BA's for cheap and they're local. Will there be any big improvement in sound?
 
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I can't compare the two because I'm not familiar with the Cambridge Soundworks, but I am very satisfied with the BA line--I own or have owned A60s, two pairs of A70s, A100s and A150s. You should absolutely try out the A70s and if you don't like them, you can sell them for what you got them for or possibly more. But I have a feeling you'll want to keep them.

If the surrounds are shot, drop $20 on correct replacements (search the forum for details) and replace them yourself. It's easy and I or a number of other folks can give you pointers if you get stuck.
 
I look for speakers that have bad foam surrounds because I can get them cheap and I enjoy fixing them. I got my AR 48's for $10 that way.



I do the same thing with broken down TEAC tape decks. They usually just need cleaning and fresh grease and oil. I replace the belts whether they need it or not, but they usually don't.

 
DKirk said:
Cambridge Soundworks original Ensemble or Boston accoustics A70 Series II?

It's for a bedroom system. They will be driven by a Marantz 2230 used as a pre amp with an older Onkyo 105 wpc amp.

I already have the Cambridge Soundworks speakers and they sound good, but I can get the BA's for cheap and they're local. Will there be any big improvement in sound?
Click to expand...

A70s are a very special speaker. I personally let the Ensembles go long before I would part with the (multiple) A70s I owned.
 
Are you running the four piece CSW Ensemble system in your bedroom? Nice bedroom system if you don't mind the wire clutter. I'd prefer the Cambridge (so long as we're on the same page with the four piece set, and you don't mean just the satellites), but it's not like they're voiced much differently from one another. I've heard both, but haven't owned or lived with either.
 
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Yes, it's the four piece system with the black laminate covered 8" subs. I also have the rear dipole radiators and center channel in storage. Wire clutter is an issue, especially with a 10" powered sub added. The Nextel finish on the satellites turned to goo and I had to refinish them. I replaced the crumbling foam surrounds, too.

Maybe it would be foolish to replace them since I have so much time and money invested. I suppose I could set up a fifth system with the Bostons, but I think my wife would strongly object!
 
I have the original A70's with the SEAS tweeter. If the series II sounds as good as mine, I would highly recommend them.
 
I bought the three A70's for $20. How could I resist? The foam surrounds are claimed to be in good shape. I'll pick them up this evening before the little monsters come out.

Maybe I'll use them to upgrade the garage system.
 
I realized right away that the woofers had been replaced, but I bought them anyway. How could I go wrong for $20? The replacements are branded Eminence. The frames are slightly undersize, but the seal seems to be good. Maybe I'll stumble onto the correct woofers someday.

I set them up for an A-B comparison with the Cambridge Soundworks speakers and I was pleasantly surprised. I immediately liked the sound of the BA speakers better, even though they were disadvantaged by sitting directly on the carpeted floor. The CS satellites are mounted at ear level. A half dozen people so for have listened to them so far and they have unanimously and immediately picked the BA's.

One thing that I have always felt about the CS's is that they sound like boxes. This comparison really made that flaw obvious. The BA's are more efficient than the CS's and much brighter. The Marantz 2230 is known as a bright sounding receiver and I often turn down the treble a notch. It's absolutely necessary with the BA's. I'm 63 and I'm sure that I have high frequency hearing loss. It must be absolutely painful for a person with normal hearing.

I think that the BA's are going to stay in the bedroom and the CS's are going in the garage.
 
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