Bass Goes Bigger: Revisiting AV Designs with the Ascendo 32-Inch Subwoofer

 Posted by Tan

After my last jaw-dropping encounter with AV Designs’ seismic subwoofer setup—where a 24-inch Ascendo woofer redefined what “low-end” meant (read it here) - I was invited back for a follow-up session. This time, things had gotten more serious. The 24-incher was replaced with the 32-inch Ascendo subwoofer that I alluded to in my last post.

Yes, 32 inches. And yes, when you thought bass could not have gone deeper and deeper, this hunk of a subwoofer made a big difference - and profoundly so.

The moment the system engaged, the large room was totally filled. There was an unmistakable sense of scale - the soundstage had grown further, with instruments and effects occupying a more expansive, three-dimensional space.

Bass dug even deeper into the floor, the sound effects from Hollywood blockbusters spreading out around, beneath and above, enveloping you fully. And yet, counterintuitively, everything felt more relaxed. I could not imagine myself saying this comparing with my previous experience with the 24 inch sub, but gone was the ever slightest hint of strain that I didn't even know was there until I experienced its big brother here. Bass line emerged with a natural ease that was almost uncanny, with each bass notes unfurled even more effortlessly.

Despite its sheer size, this sub wasn’t overbearing. What truly impressed me was how coherently the new sub integrated with the rest of the system. James Tan and the AV Designs team had clearly spent considerable effort tuning the setup. The balance remained impeccable. The integration of the 32-inch monster into the existing five-subwoofer array (including dual 21s and dual 18s) was executed with excellence. Each was meticulously integrated and calibrated to provide a bass response that’s linear, clean, and enveloping.

Music and movie sound tracks alike benefited. Music was provided with a rock solid foundation, the mid and highs were even smoother than before. Explosive scenes from action soundtracks hit with visceral impact but with none of the muddiness lesser systems suffer from.

AV Designs continues to chase the limits of what’s possible in the home setting, and this latest installation isn’t just about brute force. It’s about control, precision, and not least excitement. Absolutely an experience that should not be missed by any serious AV enthusiasts and audiophiles. 

Contact AV Designs 03-62411237 for enquiries and audition.

3Hz Bass Experience with Multiple Ascendo Subwoofers

Posted by Tan

Yes, you read that right—3Hz bass, not 30Hz or 300Hz. While 3Hz is inaudible to the human ear, its presence can be powerfully felt. Unfortunately, words alone can’t capture the sensation of 3Hz bass, so the next best thing is to let you see it in motion.

In the video clip below, a 24-inch Ascendo subwoofer took center stage, playing a track that plunged into sub-bass frequencies as low as 3Hz. Although the phone microphone may not have captured the deepest bass notes (recording instead their higher harmonic frequencies), the camera revealed the subwoofer driver working hard to deliver these astonishingly low frequencies. At certain moments, I could see the driver’s movement more clearly rather than just a blur, visually indicating how low the bass notes being played was.

Track title - "Critical Havocs - Infrasonic Death (under 3Hz)"

This was also the first time I literally felt “pants-flapping bass” from a home theater or HiFi system. Squatting down in front of the massive sub to film the driver, I was surprised to find my pant legs flapping in sync with the bass. What I had thought was just a figure of speech turned out to be entirely real!

AV Designs has pushed boundaries by installing five Ascendo subwoofers in their main home theater room. This setup featured two 21-inch subwoofers at the front, alongside two 18-inch subs and a massive 24-inch sub at the back. But why so many subs you ask? Wouldn't such overwhelming bass energy drown the space and render soundtracks or music unbearable and unlistenable?

The answer is "No". The goal of employing multiple subwoofers isn’t to add more and excessive bass, but to ensure a smooth and linear bass response. In typical listening rooms, bass peaks and troughs occur due to the physics of bass propagation. Strategically placing multiple subwoofers allows the system better ability and flexibility to cancel those peaks and fill in the troughs. Of course, I am putting this lightly, James Tan of AV Designs explains that achieving this linearity requires both expertise and significant effort to properly calibrate the system. 

This was an amazing experience for me. The system delivered outstanding performance not just for movie soundtracks but also for music.  The bass rumbled and was also impactful and fast, yet it exuded nuances and details that added immense depth to the listening experience when the recording called for. It’s evident that systems struggling with bass issues—such as boomy, muddy, or bloated bass—compromise not just the low-end but also the midrange and treble. In fact, it affects the entire listening enjoyment.

This demo highlighted how a clean, well-balanced bass foundation can transform audio quality. A precise bottom end opens up the sound, enhances dynamic expression, improves the music’s flow, and anchors the soundtrack and music, allowing it to truly flourish.

AV Designs was not stopping here in their quest for even greater bass. After this, the 24-inch subwoofer will be replaced by an even larger 32-inch Ascendo subwoofer. An even more amazing bass experience awaits.

The 32-inch Ascendo sub that will take up residence in AV Designs' main HT demo system next

Contact AV Designs 03-62411237 for enquiries and audition.

CCY Engineering SS300B - Malaysia's Own Class A Power Amp

Many regard Class A as the finest-sounding amplifier topology, and I wouldn’t argue with that. Sure, Class A has its disadvantages – heat generation, bulk, and cost, to name a few. But hey, as a dedicated audiophile, I like to live a little dangerously. Ever since my first encounter with Pass Labs’ Aleph 3, that charming little porcupine (nicknamed for its chassis covered with protruding fins) of an amp and smitten by its beguiling sound, all my subsequent amplifiers have been full Class A designs from Pass Labs. I’d characterize Class A sound as transparent, natural, and comes with a touch of richness and warmth. The Class A amplifiers are also exceptionally quick and dynamic, even more so than many Class A/B designs with higher power output ratings that I've encountered over the years.

Class A designs are increasingly rare nowadays. Their relatively higher cost, low power rating, and high electricity consumption make them less appealing compared to Class A/B and Class D amplifiers. However, there is a Malaysian company and amplifier designer who is bravely forging ahead on the Class A path - CCY Engineering. I wrote about their earlier Class A amplifier, the CCY F7, which you can read about here and here. Now, CCY Engineering has released a new full Class A power amplifier, and I took it in for a listen.

The new amplifier is called the SS300B. Is CCY hinting at a sound reminiscent of the famous 300B tube? I didn’t ask. But with the SS300B’s 25W output, it’s more powerful than the typical 8W of a 300B tube amp, which would make it more versatile in loudspeaker matching.

I paired the SS300B with my TAD TSM-2201 bookshelf studio monitor (rated at 86dB/W/m), its revealing nature would expose any flaws upstream. The front ends, consisting of the TAD-D600 disc player and Pass Labs XP20 preamp, was admittedly an overkill, but I hope this setup would make the SS300B show how far its performance envelope could be pushed. So, I put the SS300B through quite a challenging pace in fact.

The SS300B rose to the occasion admirably. It possessed all the qualities one would expect from a Class A design. It sounded transparent but not in the lean and thin way that many modern amplifiers veer towards, the sound had good body especially in the midrange, and details were not obscured. It was articulate, musical nuances were portrayed beautifully. The musicality typical of a Class A amplifier was evident.

Vocals were definitely its strength. On track 8 of the 2v1G CD “不愿一个人 Don’t Want to Be Alone,” the emotion in the vocal was excellently resolved, one could hear the longing and despair expressed in the singing. The accompanying guitar was crisp with adequate attack in each pluck.

Switching to “Belafonte Sings the Blues” album, track 7 “Cotton Fields,” the sense of pace was even more pronounced. The bouncy bass notes were clear and free of muddiness, with the music swinging along with toe-tapping rhythm. Belafonte’s diction was clear, making it easy to follow the lyrics word by word. His voice’s tonal color added to the listening enjoyment. The rendition became more frantic during the second half of the song, and the SS300B did an excellent job bringing us through the dynamic changes.

For classical music, I played “Nimrod” from Elgar’s Enigma Variations, my favorite version being Norman Del Mar’s with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on DG. Although this CD doesn’t have the best recording quality from an audiophile perspective, I love the emotive music, the conducting and orchestra. The SS300B maintained the inner tension of the music well, from the hushed opening, through the buildup in the middle, then on to the let-it-rip crescendo at the end. It allowed me to focus on the moving musical message despite the recording's sonic imperfections, thus confirming the SS300B's music making ability.

If you would like to get a taste of what Class A amplification can do but found Class A choices hard to come by or the cost prohibitive, I suggest you give the SS300B a listen. You may be charmed by its tonal richness, detail resolution and the humanness in its music delivery. While pairing it with a revealing studio monitor like my TAD TSM-2201s might not be the best choice for less than perfect recordings unless you are the type who like a warts-and-all presentation, I think offerings from early day Sonus Faber and British marques like Harbeth or Spendor would be fabulous matches for long term listening pleasure. Please contact CCY Engineering to arrange an audition – website: https://www.ccyengineering.com/home; Email: chong@ccyengineering.com.

The Mighty Magico with the Equally Mighty JL Audio Subwoofers

Posted by Tan

 This home visit stands out as one of the most memorable in my experience at 3 different levels – the sheer size and quality of the system, the meticulous care and attention the owner, Mr. Soo, put into setting it up, especially in the bass region, and its final sonic performance.

When I first saw this system, the question that came to my mind, which would also be the question many audiophiles have, was whether full-range high-end loudspeakers like the Magico M6 need to be augmented with subwoofers, and whether they can integrate successfully, Furthermore, it was with not one but two subwoofers, both being the massive JL Audio G213.

The system owner, Mr. Soo, had done a tremendous job. Before I get into the subwoofer matter, let me first say that the sound performance of this system was beautiful, and I meant this quite literally. The sound was refined, from the first song on, I could detect no graininess anywhere at all. The highs were silky with a smidgen of sweetness, the midrange was pure, together they rendered female vocals rather intoxicating and seductive. Transparency was top notch, the sound was wide open with clarity and high definition details. The soundstage was well formed both in width and depth, aided by  the room size and skillful speaker positioning. There were lots of air and ambiance, likely enhanced by the subs. Image focus and definition were excellent, the kind that you can “look” at and pinpoint.

As a testament to the match between the CH Precision amplifier and the Magico M6 loudspeakers, the delivery was always well in control and well defined. There was a gentle touch and civility in the presentation throughout, letting the listeners enjoy a cultured and relaxing experience.

Now, about the subwoofers: The integration was so seamless that it was impossible for us to tell where the Magico ended and the JL Audio subs began, such was the seamless integration between the two. The subs were working for sure, providing a firm anchor on the bottom end, with good body on the sound and no thinness.

Bass boom is one of the if not the biggest bane for a HiFi system. It diminishes our system’s ability to deliver music enjoyment, limits the kind of music that can be played, and in the worst case makes some audiophiles give up the hobby altogether. Bass boom is difficult to treat, so some find peace with the situation by narrowing their music selection, playing music that won’t excite the room; some switch to smaller loudspeakers with less extended bass to avoid the frequency that causes the boom problem; some may just resign themselves to live with the boom issue; some even take boom as impactful and thunderous bass performance.

Still, many decide to take the problem head-on, taking the route of acoustic room treatment, or go the electronic way by resorting to DSP, or a combination of methods.  

Mr. Soo did face the bass boom issue with his listening space, so he devised his innovative approach to solve the problem, which he generously shared.

Here is where the subs come in. The first point is that the two big JL Audio subwoofers were not there to add more or to extend the bass from his Magico M6 loudspeakers. The Magico M6’s positioning was the best for every aspect of stereo performance already, so loudspeaker positioning could not be used to further address the boom issue. Mr. Soo’s method was to split away the frequency range that caused problem from the main speakers and used the subwoofers to recover it. An active crossover from JL Audio, the CR-1, was used for this, the crossover point was set at around the 40Hz region, with the high pass going to the power amp driving the main speakers, and the low pass going to the 2 active subwoofers.

Once that was done, he had all the freedom to deal with the offending frequency range via subwoofer positioning and tweaking the volume and the phase setting (the crossovers on the subs were not in the signal path, they were set to max). Using two subs, instead of one, allowed him the freedom to find the best position for each channel. Indeed, we saw that the final positions for the subs were not symmetrical. The subs’ phase and volume setting also ensured that they were integrated seamlessly by avoiding cancellation or addition of sound wave.

The 2 subs placed close to the left and right walls with different distance from the loudspeakers and listening position

Mr. Soo did not do all this with only his ears, he did a lot of measurement on REW of his subwoofer setting effort over many months.

This is the most extensive and innovative way of using subwoofers that I ever came across, and the owner’s effort paid off handsomely. The sound was full range with rock solid bass extension, the dreaded bass boom issue was totally banished, and the subwoofers just ‘disappeared’. Bravo to the owner for a job well done!

Experiencing the Designer’s System – Frank AB2 Tower Sub

 Posted by Tan

It’s rare to have a chance to listen to a HiFi designer’s own system, but if one ever comes along, we should seize it, as it offers us an insight into the designer’s personal listening preference and, not least, how far the designer’s own product could be pushed.

So when Frank Voon, the owner and designer of Frank Acoustics invited me to listen to his system in his new home, I jumped at it. Frank’s system was set up in a dedicated rectangular listening room, with the main focus on his Frank AB2 Tower Sub.

The Frank AB-2 is essentially a passive subwoofer in tower form, mated to a bookshelf loudspeaker of your choice. There is a 'cutout' in the middle of the tower to accommodate the bookshelf speakers (you can get more information on the Frank AB2 Tower Sub here and here).

Frank’s system was straightforward, consisting of a TEAC streamer, a Marantz disc player, a preamp and a power amp. Of course, he also had a few Frank Powerbanks installed, though they were placed close to the distribution box rather than in the listening room. From the photos, you can see that getting the room acoustic right was also important to him, thus the absorbers and diffusers that were placed at various strategic positions.

The loudspeakers were placed well apart from each other and well into the room, slightly more than halfway of the room’s length. This created one of the most memorable characteristics of this system, which was its soundstage. The soundstage was detached from the loudspeakers, wide and deep (with more sensation of depth). Centre imaging and solo voices were placed far into the stage with their positions almost right at the front wall, and the ambient details extending beyond the front and side walls. This would be an uncanny sensation for those who are unfamiliar with such an experience, especially among the non-audiophiles.

Image focus was well defined, and imaging was well delineated, and with excellent depth perception, layering was very well done too. The sound was not voluptuous or fat despite the bass and volume capabilities of the towers.

Overall, the music delivery was, well, musical, with a grain-free treble region and an articulate midrange. It could do sultry vocal and dynamic attack. The bottom end created a solid foundation for the rest of the spectrum to play on. I appreciated this balanced approach Frank applied to his system, avoiding the temptation to boosting the bottom end just to showcase the AB-2’s bass prowess.

The power amp Frank made for his own use. Unfortunately, Frank has no plan to commercialize it yet.

Indeed, I believe these Frank AB-2 bass towers could extend the performance envelope of any bookshelf loudspeakers they are paired with (you can also request for Frank’s custom made bookshelf speakers to mate with the AB-2, which was how I heard them during this visit). If you want floorstander performance but loath to give up your favourite bookshelf speakers, consider the novel Frank AB-2 Sub Tower perhaps. You may be pleasantly surprised!

Contact Frank Voon for enquiries, +60122981011.