CMT-340se + Sierra-1 + 30 Days…

[Mr.Lawrence]

Turn the x-over knob on your sub all the way up. You don't want the sub adjustment getting in the way of what your receiver is doing and creating a hole in the frequency response.

That's interesting. I have never considered that. I'll switch off the sub's crossover. Thanks for the tip.

[curtis]

That's interesting. I have never considered that. I'll switch off the sub's crossover. Thanks for the tip.

Definitely. If the receiver is doing the bass management, you want to switch off the sub's crossover.

After doing this, I would think you will hear a difference in bass near the crossover point.

[Mr.Lawrence]

Thanks guys. This is exactly why I started this thread. I can't help but wonder how many other details I haven't addressed. I wish that it were possible to develop a template or checklist that could be used for proper setup.

With all of the settings on my AVR, and DVD player I find it difficult to understand and implement them all properly.

[debo]

You also might want to listen to 2 channel CD's without your sub. Set the Sierra's to large and your AVR to just two channel no sub. I think you'll be surprised.

[cyberbri]

Your receiver may have a 2-channel direct/pure mode, which will run them as Large without the sub and isolate the signal path. That way you don't have to change a bunch of settings on your own - just hit a button on the remote.

[Mr.Lawrence]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll take a look at the available 2 channel options. I have listened to some 2 channel content, but not with the Sierras set to large, and not without the sub.

[Mr.Lawrence]

I have added this post, as well as the other updates to the first post in this thread.

Day 2 (actually, 2 weeks later)

I’ll start at the end…

As of today (07/17/2008) the CMT-340se L/C/R speakers are on their way back to Ascend Acoustics. That’s right, I decided to keep the Sierra-1 Piano Black L/C/R speakers.

It was a difficult decision. I seriously agonized over which speaker to keep. Even after all of my comparison listening, I still had a tough time choosing which speaker to keep. Since these speakers will be used for 100% Home Theater, the choice should have been easy. However, I found myself with an expanded set of selection criteria once I had the Sierra-1s in my home. I’ll talk about that later.

IMO, for Home Theater the CMT-340 is the better speaker. There I said it! ☺ For most of the movies I watched, the 340s seem to have greater presence. The sound did not seem as narrow to me and for less money, I think they are the better value for HT. I think that it must have something to do with their efficiency. They just seemed to project bigger across their given sound spectrum when watching movies. Someone looking for speakers strictly for HT would be hard pressed to do better than the CMT-340se with a sub.

However, I’m keeping the Sierra-1, and I’m totally satisfied! So, if Home Theater is my thing, and I think the CMT-340se is the better speaker for that application, why did I return them??? Well, my priorities changed. ☺

When I saw that glossy black finish, compact size and the beautiful craftsmanship of the Sierra-1, I began to favor them aesthetically over the 340se. The finish is simply beautiful. They look like a piece of fine furniture and work well in my décor. The center channel speaker is so compact that it’s hardly noticeable sitting just below my TV monitor. When you give the enclosure the old knuckle knock test, you won’t believe how solid they are. The solid thud gives you the feeling that the cabinet walls have to be at least 12” thick. Another consideration was resale. Yeah, I’m satisfied and shouldn’t even be considering selling the Sierras but I figured, long term, it will be easier to sell the Sierra-1 than the 340se. Who knows, maybe there will be a Sierra-1.5 .

Before you ask, the Sierra-1s sound great! Compared to the 340se, the sound is more refined. For the kind of movies I like, refinement isn’t necessary. The Sierra-1 belies its compact size. The Sierra produces a sound that is more like that of a floor standing speaker, it’s amazing. It has got to be that dense enclosure. The highs are crystal clear, and that little 5 ¼ driver can really go low. On some CD music, I found use of a subwoofer unnecessary.

As a Home Theater speaker, the Sierra-1 is outstanding. I had to increase the volume roughly -5db to achieve the same loudness as the 340se. Once there, the Sierra-1 is more than capable of filling my room. I found that the Sierra-1 was able to reveal the subtle sounds in a movie soundtrack, while some of that intricate detail was lost on the 340se.
I think that the 3 drivers of the 340se are what give it a slight advantage over the Sierra-1 for HT. For music, there is no comparison. The Sierra-1 towers above the 340se. The 340se lacks that low end.

If I had a dedicated Home Theater, I would go with the 340se, because size and appearance would not matter to me.

In the end, I’m more than satisfied with the Sierra-1. Who knows, I may become a big music lover.

[buddhadas]

I feel the same way, but in my case I kept both. I use the Sierra's for 2 channel only without a sub, and the 340 se's for HT, with 170 se's for surrounds. I just like the 340's better for HT, and your post speaks to what I feel.

Thanks,

Jim