Floorstanding loudspeakers — Ascendo System Z5 SE

The System Z5 SE is the special-edition version of Ascendo's System Z5, a German passive tower speaker with three ways. Ascendo presents it as a compact model suited to ordinary living spaces. Published electrical data match the standard Z5, while the SE is 2.5 kg heavier both as a bare speaker module and on its base. The Z5 follows the System Z-F3 of the mid-2000s, which had nearly the same cabinet size of 27 x 108.5 x 43 cm at 43 kg, used a ribbon tweeter and was also offered as the Z-S with a separate stand.

Key specs that matter

Ascendo quotes a range of 27 Hz to 42 kHz at -3 dB, sensitivity is 89.5 dB for 1 W at 1 m, and nominal impedance is 5 ohm. Power handling is listed as 500 W programme as a minimum. A magnetostatic panel tweeter with switchable level sits above a bass module holding an outer 21.5 cm HPC driver with phase plug and an inner 21 cm Kevlar driver with switchable adjustment of the lower midrange. The speaker module measures 27 x 108 x 43 cm and weighs 47.5 kg. Mounted on the standard base, the SE measures 40 x 119 x 43 cm and weighs 59.5 kg.

Engineering and use context

Ascendo builds its System speakers on four ideas - modular design, mechanical and electrical decoupling, variable time alignment and three-way SASB loading, in which the outer woofer is damped current-dynamically and the inner one loads into a semi-symmetrical bandpass. In the Z5 SE, drivers sit in resonance-decoupled mounts and the tweeter module can be moved for listening heights from 50 to 190 cm, so that its faster output does not reach the ear ahead of the woofers. The cabinet uses low-magnetic V2A stainless steel with a layered combination of bitumen and compressed fibreboard to damp structure-borne vibration. For the Z-F3 predecessor Ascendo specified a linear-phase crossover with 18 dB slopes plus a constant-voltage kernel, with impedance adjustments to suit the damping factor of the power amplifier.

Pairing

The low nominal load points to solid-state amplifiers that handle low impedance with ease, and the power handling gives room for high-powered models. Rhodium binding posts accept single-wire, bi-wire and tri-wire connection, so separate amplifiers can drive the tweeter and both bass sections. Black piano lacquer is standard, and other piano lacquer colours are made on request.

Alternatives

The Ascendo System M5 SE is the larger special-edition floorstander of the series, with a 28 cm hexacone inner driver, 91 dB sensitivity and an 8 ohm load.