From: cs132068@cs.brown.edu (Michael Lee)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Re: CAMBRIDGE SOUND WORKS ENSEMBLE
Date: 16 Apr 92 14:03:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.1992Apr15.144930.28056
Organization: Brown Computer Science Dept.
Originator: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu


|> I would like to add a bit of a "high-end" comment about the Cambridge
|> SoundWorks Ensemble (the original). While I have not had extensive
|> experience with them, my uncle-in-law who happens to be the recording
|> engineer for the Chicago Symphony (WFMT Broadcasts...) has a pair (?)
|> driven by Apt-Holman electronics. The few times I have heard it, the
|> sound was very nice. Of course this is with original master tapes which
|> DO sound better. Remember, he listens to the CSO live or through B&W
|> 801's all day long! So that have to at least be tonally accurate or he
|> would have shipped them right back. I know he is quite pleased.
|> 
|> Have fun.
|> Mike Tarr


Well, Since people seem to generally like the CSW speakers, I'd like to
comment that I've had some experience with them, and I found the sound
to mediocre at best.

About two years ago (I have no idea if there have been further
refinements w/ the speakers) I purchased a pair of the Ensembles.  At
the same time, my brother purchased a pair of KEF C-60's and Celestion
SL6-si's.  We brought these home and we did our best to set up some
kind of system that would allow us to compare them.  We first drove the
system w/ a Yamaha receiver, Denon tape deck and dbx CD player.  We
hooked two of the speakers up to the receiver and tried our best to
distinguish between them.  Immediately, off the bat, we both found the
CSW's to be extremely bright.  Admittedly, it was a bit difficult to
match the levels when switching from speaker A to speaker B because the
Celestions have a very low sensitivity...

Next, drove these three speakers using my mother's system: Adcom GFA555
power amp, GTP-500 preamp/tuner, same tapedeck and same CD player.  We
also compared the sounds of the three speakers to my mom's, KEF 104.2
(using a 6 - speaker selector)

Well, not to belabor the point,  The Kef 104.2's blew everything away.
Every aspect, except imaging in the Celestions.  My brother liked the
Kef C-60's and I liked the Celestions.  Neither of us like the CSW's
for the following reasons:  Too bright. Too harsh.  No sound stage.
Placement of the sub units was inconvenient.  Sound of the subs was
muddy, esp compared to the Kef 104.2's ....  In any case, when we
returned them to the company (the cambridge soundworks) the
spokesperson there kept ranting and raving about how *HE* couldn't
believe that we thought the Kef C-60's or the Celestions could have
sounded better.  He even suggested that we put the satellites on their
backs, facing up if we didn't like the brightness (and thereby
destroying what little imaging you have..)

So in anycase: I didn't like the speakers.  Not in the sound, not in
the appearance.  I didn't like the company, nor do I like that person's
attitude, which makes me like the company less.

- mike

BTW - my brother ended up keeping the Kef C-60's and I ended up keeping
the Celestions and I know that both of us are pleased with the way they
sound.  (of course, we both would like to have the 104.2's......   )
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end