Acoustic Zen Crescendo


I'm pretty interested in these transmission-line, full-range speakers. Has anyone spent serious time with them? How do they compare to other contenders around $16K?

Unfortunately, I'd have to fly to SoCal for an audition, so I'd like to vet them as thoroughly as possible before committing the time and expense. Press has been very positive but also very limited, and user impressions are scarce on the web.

Thanks in advance,

Bill
wrm57
Bill,I hope you didn't mind me giving your post a bump,I wasn't trying to hi-jack your thread. I think we're on the same quest!
Victor,James, Thanks for the insight,it sure has me excited at the chance to hear the Crescendos next month.
Victor, I'm really glad you had a chance to hear the Sync. Ones,I really love these speakers and think they play above their price range,hence my initial question about being worth the money to move up.
I'm very interested in hearing the tweeters used in the Crescendos. I have a sensitivity to cymbals that sizzle instead of sounding natural,because of a slight case of tinnutis in my right ear.
My PSB's use a titanium dome tweeter. I have been wondering if the metal tweeters are the cause of the irritation. I don't have a lot of experience with that many speakers, so I really don't know.
Victor, knowing that I really like what I have now,except for the slight harshness that I hear on cymbals, do you think I'll be pleased with the sound of the Crescendos?
Thanks,
Mark
I had the opportunity to hear the Crescendos in a retailer's home here in NY with the Ayon Triton powering them, sourced through one of the Ayon cd players. The room did have some acoustic treatments.I spent about an hour.

The soundstage, imaging and detail were spectacular. I was very impressed all around, especially with the ability of the Triton to drive these fairly large speakers with absolutely no effort.

If I had the physical room, I would have already bought them. They are a bit large.
Just got mine 30 March. The tweeter is incredible! I had previously tried the Adagios, but they just didn't do it for me in the low end. I thought the Crescendos might sound similar to the Adagios...but they are even better in the high and mid frequencies. That two inch ribbon tweeter makes piano overtone transients come to life in such an incredible manner. My prev. speakers had twin titanium dome tweeters, which were pretty good, but these 2" Kapton ribbons ROCK! I was initially woried about having to sit in the sweet spot to hear them, but the dispersion is very wide and tall! Guitars sound incredible! I'm fairly pleased so far w/ the bottom end. There seems to be a fair amount of improved detail. I'm getting over what I think was some bass bloat from my previous speakers. I am augmenting with REL B1 Brittania, which has integrated very nicely. I'm so far quite happy w/ my purchase. I'm currently using AZ Matrix REF II ICs and Hologram MK II spkr cables w/ Hologram MKII Jumpers. Amp is a Bryston 6BSST @ 300W into 8ohms. Source is Oppo BDP-83SE NuForce Ed. Pre-amp is Marantz AV7005 (not sure what I think of it yet).
Ncable: Now that you've had them for a few more days, what are your impressions? Any changes with break-in? You're one of the few users with a high-watt SS amp. How do the speakers like all that power? Do you hear any hardness in the mids at high volume? What do you think of midrange clarity and accuracy? I'm also curious about your room and set-up. What are your room dimensions, how far apart are the speakers, and how far back is seating?

Thanks,
Bill