Boston Acoustics CR 7 Speakers

 

Humdrum
Unregistered guest
Lady on my job came across these while cleaning at her parent's house and brought them in (free) for me. They were actually being used IN A BOOKSHELF at her parent's, but the old receiver died and they got used to listening to an old FM table radio instead. Are these any good? Are they worth dragging home? They look great but I'm not familiar with them at all.
 

Silver Member
Username: Chitown

Post Number: 431
Registered: Apr-05
They are good speakers. I almost bought a pair used from Craigslist.com.

 

Anonymous
 
I had a pair of these when I was in college: not bad for the price paid, but I don't know how they would stack up against the "Ascends" of the world.
 

WoodyS
Unregistered guest
CR-7's? Kind of laid back sound if I remember correctly. Do they still make those?
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 663
Registered: May-05
I've got a pair of CR-6s, very similar, that were in my HT for over 10 years. I replaced them with the Ascend 170s and there's no comparison. BUT, for free, heck yes they're worth hanging onto and if nothing else they would be OK rears for a HT set-up. Good luck.
 

Terrell Owens
Unregistered guest
Just curious, head to head, what makes the Ascend 170s (which I have never heard) so much better than the Boston Acoustics CR-7's (which I have heard in stereo stores)? Is the bass deeper? Mids fuller? Highs cleaner? All of the above? LOL!
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 666
Registered: May-05
All of the above and then some, although I'm comparing them to the CR-6s that I own and not the CR-7s.
 

Terrell Owens
Unregistered guest
So are the CR-7's considered low-fi or mid-fi?
 

Terrell Owens
Unregistered guest
Also forgot to ask: Will the bass really go deeper on the Ascends as compared to the CR-7's?
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 684
Registered: May-05
Specs on the CR-7

S P E C I F I C A T I O N S

Frequency Response (±3 dB) 52-20,000 Hz z
Recommended Amplifier Power 15-100 watts
Nominal Impedance 8 ohms
Sensitivity [1 watt (2.83V) at 1m] 88 dB nit Unit Size 6 1/2" (165mm)
Tweeter dome 1" (25mm)
Crossover Frequency 2800Hz
Dimensions 12 1/4 x 7 1/2 x 9 1/8"
(311 x 191 x 232mm)
Weight 11 lbs (5kg)

You can get the Ascend specs and a graph of the speaker output on the Ascend website:

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/

Yes, the Ascends will go lower and with much better bass IMHO but you may need to hear them for yourself. However, you should never look a gift horse in the mouth. The CR-7s are good lo-fi speaker, expecially at this price point - FREE
 

Anonymous
 
"Yes, the Ascends will go lower and with much better bass IMHO but you may need to hear them for yourself."

Hmm 52Hz for the BA versus 63Hz for the Ascend; doesn't sound like the Ascend will go deeper to me.
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 685
Registered: May-05
Anon,

As I explained above, I've got the CR-6s, which BA claims to be 65 - 20,000 Hz and their bass is not in the Ascends' ballpark and the bass you do get does not compare favorably. I have A/Bed these speakers several times. I doubt that the additional 13 Hz will help the CR-7s BUT

If you'd read my prior posts, you'd know that already. Also, I told him that he needs listen for himself, could I have been more clear?

That's why we listen to speakers rather than read graphs, graphs don't tell you everything.
But, if you believe every manufacturer's spec, then you're either a new babe in the woods or you're just willing to believe everything you read in the newspaper, everything you see on CNN, FOX, CBS, ABC & NBC and there's really no purpose in providing you with a brain, because you simply choose to refuse to use it.

So, I'm going to assume you're under 10, that you unable to register on the forum because your mommy and daddy won't let you and you've only recently learned how to tell time, because it's probably past your bedtime.

BOY, now I feel much better at the end of a long day. LOL
 

Anonymous
 
Wow Dave, I don't recall doing anything to provoke your wrath in such a way. I would suggest you leave your personal attacks out of this forum.

I'm not saying every manufacturer spec is 100% God honest truth, but they do have some value. I do find it amusing though that you arbitrarily decided that a 13Hz difference won't help anything, particularly when you havn't heard the CR-7.

Out of curiousity, for your A/B testing, did you actually place everything precisely, as I'm sure someone of your vast knowledge knows that even an inch difference can make a huge impact on the sound? Were you blind tested? Did you use an SPL meter and a band sweep disc to confirm your findings that the BA's had less bass?

I thank you for your time. Good day.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 2234
Registered: Feb-05
Dave....is that you?
 

Anonymous
 
So, having read all of the above, will the Ascends sound better than the CR-7's in normal two channel music listening (especially in the vocals and highs)?
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 686
Registered: May-05
Hey Anon and Art,

It was my evil twin, and yes, totally out of character, I'm am very sorry Anon, the personal attack was absolutely uncalled for. Hand extended in friendship, with palm leaf and any other symbol of peace you may think of.

As for "vast knowledge", if you've read my posts, I have none and claim none. No, I didn't blind test or use a SPL meter. I don't have Art's ears, or other's on this site, but I've listened to music for 40 plus years and I know what I like. It may not be what you like, though, and I concede that point.

But, no I didn't use a micrometer. I placed the speakers in the same lousy location I always use - WAF limited.

I have owned the CR-6s for over 10 years, placed in various locations, positions, stands, no stands, etc. I thought they were great little speakers when I bought them, especially for the price, BUT they simply don't measure up to the 170s at all.

As for the 13 Hz difference, "I do find it amusing though that you arbitrarily decided that a 13Hz difference won't help anything"; hey, what can I say, I've never listened to the CR-7s and I think I said that now like 3 times so I can't say that with authority and I didn't think that I did, I limited my comment solely to the bass I heard from the CR-6s, which is a little muddy, not very quick and rather blah, for my tastes, but I am more focused on midrange and treble in my listening so that may explain some of my bias with the Ascends over the BAs.

The point of the original poster's post was, are these speakers any good. My point was, heck for free - you bet and even if you got them for $100-$150/pair as surrounds they'd be great and that's where they served in my system for the past 10 years until I bought Ascends, after listening to 10-15 other speakers, very limited choices in Spokane, all under $700/pair. IMHO, the Ascends were the best at that price point BUT I didn't hear anything from Paradigm, B & W, Epos or many others that are raved about on this site.

Then, Anon posted the comment, "I don't know how they stack up against the "Ascends" of the world" and my point was that over the long term, I doubt that Humdrum would find them as appealing if he listened to Ascends or many other bookshelves that perform in similar veins.

So, Anon, I'm sure my post was offensive, I am sorry and I'll try to exorcise my evil twin and return to my circumspect, open-minded self.

But, I've do have to trust my ears at times and I don't rely on SPLs, except to balance my systems. Then, I put my trust in what I hear and whether i like it. So, are we good, now?
 

Anonymous
 
Dave: It's all good.
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 687
Registered: May-05
You are too kind, thanks for understanding. Yes, I have bad days and yesterday was in my 10, sorry about that. LOL
 

Rantz
Unregistered guest
Good to see I'm not the only one who gets a little 'quirky' now and then, Dave. :-)
 

Silver Member
Username: Nuck

Parkhill, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 372
Registered: Dec-04
Dave has that Bugs Bunny face as he says"Hoboken? Oooohh I'm Dyyyyin' again!"
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 691
Registered: May-05
Rantz and Nuck, you guys . . . LOL
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