Newsgroups: rec.audio
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 17:24:32 -0400 
From: Shiv Swarup Pathak <sp3u+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Cambridge Soudworks Ensemble
	<3509@tronsbox.UUCP>

   A week or so ago, I posted a message asking everyone's opinion on the
Cambridge Soundworks (the original and the new one).  By the request of
those who were interested, it'll post my experience with them.  Just
three days ago (three days after ordering the original Ensembles ($513
total cost+shipping), I recieved them.  Since my 100 watt Kenwood 6040
reciever and my Pioneer 7700 CD player wont come in until tomorrow, I
hooked my new speakers up to a friends reciever (Kenwood 100 watt 7030
Pro Logic Reciever and a really cheap CD player which is a part of a
Sony boom box.  When I first fired up the system, I was quite impressed
that such big sounding music could come out of the two small satelittes
and the two subwoofers.  However, I was not sure my $513 was well spent.
 I complained to Cambridge Soundworks and talked to their audio experts.
 I told them that the Ensemble does not get very loud when the bass dial
on the reciever is at its maximum- if I turn the bass down, the bass
coming from the speakers were not satisfactory.  I played Tears for
fears "Shout" which naturally has A LOT of bass to test them out and the
reciever clipped several times prematurely.  They told me that the
Subwoofers (or bass modules as they call them) were designed to achieve
great deals of bass, not by artifical means (such as bass dials on
recievers) but by the placement of the speakers in a room.  I took their
advice.  I carefully rewired the system with the 100 feet of wire that
came  with the Ensembles and position each subwoofer in the corners of
the room, standing upright facing the corners.  Then I gave it a try.  I
played Nirvana, Led Zepelin, Depeche Mode, and Tears for Fears CDs and
it sounded just FANTASTIC.  It's hard to describe the performance of the
speakers.  But it sounded much better than anytime I heard before (that
includes my brother's $1300 Phase Technologies Sat/Subwoofer sytem and
the Bose AM-5 Seriers II)  The bass was not just wonderfully audible,
but it could also be felt.  It was tight, controlled, clear, amazingly
nondirectional, and overall beatiful.  But still the volume was not too
loud.  
    Soon after this, I hooked up my friends Sony D-303 discman ($250) to
my system.  This made such as difference.  Now it really got loud and
sounded even better.  There was no audible distortion at even great
volumes.  Now I was really amazed with the performance of the $500
system.  Later I found out that the problem with the lack of volume was
caused by the earlier CD player's lack of a line-out outlet (I played it
though it headphone jack instead and then ran it into the reciever.)  It
seems as if the signal from the cheap boom box's CD player was not
strong enough or very accurate (don't ask me why, I know nothing about
electronics).
    Finally, I ran my speaker through a Sony Carousel 5 disc changer
with the same Kenwood reciever and it sounded even better.  The bass was
more controlled, it got louder, it did not clip nearly as early.  It was
great!  This goes to show that the difference in CD players IS AUDIBLE!!
    Anyway, I HIGHLY recommmnd the Ensemble system to anyone who is not
willing to by pay $1400 for the Bose 901 Classics (for us normal people,
they are not worth it).  The above report is about the original
Ensembles, not the Ensembles II (though I heard that they are equally
good, although it has a little less bass, but it's $100 cheaper.)  There
is no going wrong with these speakers.  If you don't like them, you can
return them within 30 days and it also comes with a 5 year parts and
labor warranty.  There are many other systems that sound great in
accoustically superb store rooms, but then sound like crap in your
bedroom.  This is one system that sounds GREAT in any room (although I
heard it not suitable for very very large rooms with cathedral-like
ceilings.)  At first, like a couple other people who have never heard it
and responded to my earlier posting, I too was skeptical about their
performance given their low price.  But once you buy it and hear it, you
know you made the right decision.  Give it a try.  My only suggestion is
that you get a relatively powerful amplifier or reciever to benefit from
the great sounds at high volumes that the speaker can produce.  If you
get it, do some experimenting.  Move the speakers all over the place
until it sounds great.  Little changes in position make a great change
in sound quality, esp. with the Ensemble... trust me.  Boy, I wrote a
lot!

-Shiv
 
Note:  Eventhough it might sound like it, I have absolutely no relation
to the Cambridge Soundworks company.