Sierra-2 Development Thread

[kamaboko]

Hello,

Just wanted to toss this question out there. I currently have a pair of the Sierra-1 speakers and was thinking about upgrading them to the 2EX. If I do that though, I'm left with the components minus cabinets for two speakers. Just seems like a waste of product. If anything, I could use them for rear surrounds. Are there any available cabinet plans? Yeah, the components are specked for bamboo cabinets, but for surrounds (e.g., planes flying by and car crashes) I don't think they have to be that particular. Thanks.

[natetg57]

Hello,

Just wanted to toss this question out there. I currently have a pair of the Sierra-1 speakers and was thinking about upgrading them to the 2EX. If I do that though, I'm left with the components minus cabinets for two speakers. Just seems like a waste of product. If anything, I could use them for rear surrounds. Are there any available cabinet plans? Yeah, the components are specked for bamboo cabinets, but for surrounds (e.g., planes flying by and car crashes) I don't think they have to be that particular. Thanks.

Parts Express has speaker box kits that seem like a good value. Something close to the same cabinet volume would probably work ok.

[davef]

Hello,

Just wanted to toss this question out there. I currently have a pair of the Sierra-1 speakers and was thinking about upgrading them to the 2EX. If I do that though, I'm left with the components minus cabinets for two speakers. Just seems like a waste of product. If anything, I could use them for rear surrounds. Are there any available cabinet plans? Yeah, the components are specked for bamboo cabinets, but for surrounds (e.g., planes flying by and car crashes) I don't think they have to be that particular. Thanks.

We don't offer any cabinet plans but we do have customers who have built their own cabinets for the components. Ideally, you would want to copy both the dimensions and port tuning of the Sierra-1 cabinet.

[Qman]

Hello,

Just wanted to toss this question out there. I currently have a pair of the Sierra-1 speakers and was thinking about upgrading them to the 2EX. If I do that though, I'm left with the components minus cabinets for two speakers. Just seems like a waste of product. If anything, I could use them for rear surrounds. Are there any available cabinet plans? Yeah, the components are specked for bamboo cabinets, but for surrounds (e.g., planes flying by and car crashes) I don't think they have to be that particular. Thanks.

Or, you can simply sell the S-1's to me at half price!

[Pogre]

I'm debating on whether I want to get the EX upgrade for my Sierra 2s or go for the towers with Raal tweets. Can I expect more power handling and dynamics at high volumes with the kit? I have a huge room, sit 15' from the front stage and like it loud sometimes. These little books sound so good that I'm considering replacing my current towers.

To me they don't sound any smaller and do very well until I get to about reference level. That's where the towers seem to ask for more and I'm a little too nervous to push the S2s much harder.

I was perfectly happy with my system until I heard these S2s, damn you, lol.

[msound]

Get the towers, you won't regret it. I have never heard the ex but I had the 2s. It's night and day if you ask me. It's even crossed over at 80hz with my sub and it's still a big improvement. To sum it up in a few words, fuller sounding, clearer midrange, and louder.

[davef]

I'm debating on whether I want to get the EX upgrade for my Sierra 2s or go for the towers with Raal tweets. Can I expect more power handling and dynamics at high volumes with the kit? I have a huge room, sit 15' from the front stage and like it loud sometimes. These little books sound so good that I'm considering replacing my current towers.

To me they don't sound any smaller and do very well until I get to about reference level. That's where the towers seem to ask for more and I'm a little too nervous to push the S2s much harder.

I was perfectly happy with my system until I heard these S2s, damn you, lol.

Hi Pogre,

Very happy to hear that you have been enjoying the Sierra-2. Reference level at a 15 foot listening distance with a speaker rated at 86-87 dB sensitivity is very problematic. To reach 85dB from one speaker at this distance requires only about 20 watts of power into the speaker. The problem is that there is 20dB of headroom, such that reference level peaks = 105dB. To be able to reproduce these peaks at your listening distance with speakers rated at this sensitivity requires a massive 1600 watts of power. Your receiver or amplifier does not have that kind of power (nor can a speaker handle anywhere near this), thus you run the very real risk of causing your amp/receiver to clip badly. This can cause extensive damage to your speakers that is not covered under warranty.

At your listening distance, I highly recommend going with our towers, which have much higher sensitivity and can also handle more power.

Hope this makes sense!

[Pogre]

Hi Pogre,

Very happy to hear that you have been enjoying the Sierra-2. Reference level at a 15 foot listening distance with a speaker rated at 86-87 dB sensitivity is very problematic. To reach 85dB from one speaker at this distance requires only about 20 watts of power into the speaker. The problem is that there is 20dB of headroom, such that reference level peaks = 105dB. To be able to reproduce these peaks at your listening distance with speakers rated at this sensitivity requires a massive 1600 watts of power. Your receiver or amplifier does not have that kind of power (nor can a speaker handle anywhere near this), thus you run the very real risk of causing your amp/receiver to clip badly. This can cause extensive damage to your speakers that is not covered under warranty.

At your listening distance, I highly recommend going with our towers, which have much higher sensitivity and can also handle more power.

Hope this makes sense!

Okay, thank you! Yes, it makes perfect sense. More cabinet volume and more drivers make for better power handling and sensitivity in the towers. I have no idea what to expect from the EX kit, but I think you sufficiently answered my questions there. No matter what, it's still a bookshelf speaker and not meant for reference levels in large rooms! Towers it is then! I need a little more time to get the budget together, but you can expect to be hearing from me soon!

I'm not playing them at reference for the reasons you stated above. -5 (-10 to -15 most of the time) is about as much as I'm comfortable with, even then only for maybe a song and only when crossed over to my subs. Am I still pushing the limits when using an 80 hz crossover at that volume? I have a Monolith 7, using a SR6011 as a pre pro and Audyssey calibrated for mlp.

I'd never push them that hard at full range. Last thing I wanna do is break my new favorite toys!

[davef]

Okay, thank you! Yes, it makes perfect sense. More cabinet volume and more drivers make for better power handling and sensitivity in the towers. I have no idea what to expect from the EX kit, but I think you sufficiently answered my questions there. No matter what, it's still a bookshelf speaker and not meant for reference levels in large rooms! Towers it is then! I need a little more time to get the budget together, but you can expect to be hearing from me soon!

I'm not playing them at reference for the reasons you stated above. -5 (-10 to -15 most of the time) is about as much as I'm comfortable with, even then only for maybe a song and only when crossed over to my subs. Am I still pushing the limits when using an 80 hz crossover at that volume? I have a Monolith 7, using a SR6011 as a pre pro and Audyssey calibrated for mlp.

I'd never push them that hard at full range. Last thing I wanna do is break my new favorite toys!

Adding a subwoofer and high passing the speakers does not change the numbers I provided you previously. The issue is your listening distance in combination with the sensitivity of the speaker and the volume levels you want to play at. To be able to reproduce the 20dB peaks in movie soundtracks without clipping, the "math" indicates that you should not go over 80dB. I would say this is the "safe" range at your listening distance, giving you ~ 15dB of headroom.

[Pogre]

Adding a subwoofer and high passing the speakers does not change the numbers I provided you previously. The issue is your listening distance in combination with the sensitivity of the speaker and the volume levels you want to play at. To be able to reproduce the 20dB peaks in movie soundtracks without clipping, the "math" indicates that you should not go over 80dB. I would say this is the "safe" range at your listening distance, giving you ~ 15dB of headroom.

Understood. I've been mainly listening to music and my normal range is well below reference. I haven't done any real movie watching with them yet. I usually switch back to my towers for that anyway since everything else is voiced to match.

Appreciate you jumping in and preventing me from potentially driving off a cliff tho, so thank you! I'd be gutted if I blew something up.

I'm on your site right now, reading up on the towers with the Raal upgrade...