Ascendo C8 Renaissance: any opinions?

Buy em! Amazing products.
The Honeymoon will never end!

The system F and M that I heard were in a two systems that displaced loudspeaker that cost in excess of $100,000.00

I've not heard the C8's but I've been told that they are class beaters as well.

I spent the most time with the F's driven by Karan electronics. Still remains one of the two or three greatest musical evenings of my life... Staggeringly beautiful.

I've had the Ascendo C8R now for some three years - and have been very happy with them.

What's been writen in the reviews by Fair Audio (english at 6moons) and Stereo Times and even The Absolute Sound is very correct. Always musical and with good recordings you can get lost in the soundstage. They go really suprisingly low with power the bass IS great - a perfect blend of tightness without getting dry and technical.

The fact that it's a coax design is something I hadn't thought about that much before I bought them, but now I'm thinking it may really be the best way to get that coherence, soundstaging and wide listning area that the C8R gives. Also I listen much more now from around the living room (doing other stuff) as the music is enjoyable almost anywhere in the room.

A couple of cavets...

You do need some current to drive them. I have a class act KT88 tube amp with some 70 watts but my solid state DIY F6 (some 40watts, but plenty of current) drivers/controls the bass much better. There's actually not much difference to my Hypex NC400 (200W /8 ohm).

Also the speakers are not at their best with very low volumes - but still very enjoyable in the evenings with reasonable volume. But give them power and there just dosen't seem to be any end to how hard they can be driven - and you are in heaven! =)

I have enjoyed my pair of Ascendo C8 speakers for about 2 years. The are powered by ARC tube preamp and tube amp.You cannot classify the C8's by their $10K price since they easily match the performance of $20~$30K speakers. Such is the magic of German engineering.With virtually no distortion, the C8 provide a sweet, smooth, palpable holographic mid range that leaves you breathless.   It produces a crisp, airy, vibrant and spacial treble. In the lower registers, it develops a powerful, well extended, tuneful bass with a nice grip and very good timing. But what amazes even more is this coherency of the sound, how well all 4 drivers work with each either delivering sound reminding single-driver speakers.  I find the C8 provides a joyful sonic experience.