Sierra-2 Development Thread

[Nickh90]

Questions: your setup appears to be mostly for music, not movies, right? Did you get the NrT tweeter or the RAAL ribbon?

If you can fit Towers in there, go for it. Those are pretty much "end game" speakers without spending mega buckaroos. The Towers also go pretty low and will sound great without a sub. However, I realize some folks like more thump and punch beyond what two 5.25" woofers can do.

Personally, I'd keep the Towers and save up for a sub down the road.

It is for 100% music. Movies need not apply I got the raal, go big or go home right!? I just can't help to think what a sierra 2 and a f12 would be like versus the sierra towers.

Normally I'd have boughten the towers and been on my marry way, ahh but that's where the problem therein lies... Drum roll please. . . . . . . .

the wife saw the charge on the card.


Me in deep doodoo now son.

Me and my trusty dog have something in common now. We both share the same dog house.

I can not wait to drown my miseries in a sierratowerfullaregret!

[Harley Weewax]

Short time lurker here who just had to chime in.

Boy-howdy am I glad I heard (read) about Ascend. I experienced some recent good fortune and am in a position to put together a (damn) decent home theater set-up. In doing my research I came across Ascend Acoustics on AVSForums. Long story short, I decided on the Sierras with the NrT upgrade up front and CBM-170s in the rear. Add in a Rhythmik sub (FV15HP) and I figured I was set. Of course I had seen this thread on the Sierra 2s in the forums but I thought to myself:

"Self, you are going to read about the next speaker that is going to come out who-knows-when and put off making a decision and just complicate things. Paralysis by analysis. Just order what you want and we will read up on this Sierra 2 after."

Well, whoops. This Sierra 2 looks like the bee's knees. I read through pretty much the whole thread and realized I made a mistake. I have lusted for a ribbon equipped speaker for quite sometime and now have I missed the boat?

Well an email and phone call later I have switched my order and now wait with bated breath (and ears) for my Sierra 2s. I must say, so far Ascend has been a pleasure to do business with. The young lady I spoke with on the phone ( She sounded young at least. Rawrr.) was extraordinarily accommodating and left me feeling well informed and taken care of. (Thanks Dina. Sorry about the Rawrr earlier, no offense taken I hope.)

Now after seeing the measurements, comments from Dave, and the photos, I realize I made a great decision. Never have I been so excited and confident about an audio purchase that I have made blindly. I have been an audio geek for a long time, but have stayed confined to stereo, vinyl, and tubes. I am absolutely confident that this HT setup will be one that stays with me for a long time.

In closing, I feel like I am dealing with a family-run company that truly cares about their speakers and their customers. It has come through not only in Dave's constant updates here, but in my dealings with their customer service. If anyone out there is on the fence about doing business with these folks, sit no longer.

HW

[Dark Ranger]

It is for 100% music. Movies need not apply I got the raal, go big or go home right!? I just can't help to think what a sierra 2 and a f12 would be like versus the sierra towers.

Normally I'd have boughten the towers and been on my marry way, ahh but that's where the problem therein lies... Drum roll please. . . . . . . .

the wife saw the charge on the card.


Me in deep doodoo now son.

Me and my trusty dog have something in common now. We both share the same dog house.

I can not wait to drown my miseries in a sierratowerfullaregret!

The great thing about the Sierra Towers w/RAAL is that it's Ascend's flagship speaker. You've ordered top-of-the-line speakers to create an outstanding foundation. My opinion: as great as the Sierra-2 will be, the RAAL Towers remain superior in several areas, including dynamics and overall resolution (among other things). My comment about the Towers sounding great in your room (regarding bass) is also because you have a small room--10' x 11' if I remember correctly. The four 5.25" drivers will have no problem delivering tight, clean bass in that small room. I have a similar sized room (10' x 12.5') with a pair of Sierra-1. Even with just two 5.25" drivers total, it fills the room nicely.

That being said, it's your system and your money. Go with your gut. You might consider calling Ascend and sharing your thoughts about this. It might help narrow down your decision. Personally, I very much like clean, fast, and tight bass, but I'm not a bass head. I normally listen to my Sierra-1 pair full-range. If I had Towers, I'd do the same thing. My Rythmik is only turned on for movies these days. Yes, I understand that I'm probably in the minority on that.

What matters is that you're happy. You just need to determine which regret would affect you more--giving up flagship performance for the main speakers or giving up deep, clean, and fast bass from a Rythmik subwoofer.


EDIT: what kind of music do you normally listen to? That might help seal the deal. If you like electronic (trance, d&b, dubstep, etc.) or orchestral/chamber, a subwoofer would definitely complement the lowest octaves. Of course, just about any genre can benefit from a good subwoofer.

[Dark Ranger]

Short time lurker here who just had to chime in.

...

In closing, I feel like I am dealing with a family-run company that truly cares about their speakers and their customers. It has come through not only in Dave's constant updates here, but in my dealings with their customer service. If anyone out there is on the fence about doing business with these folks, sit no longer.

Hi Harley!

I'm glad to see you hopping on the rowdy Sierra-2 bandwagon. I think current Sierra-1/NrT owners are going to be thrilled, as well as new customers looking for an outstanding bookshelf monitor. Ascend is a class act and it's easy to become a customer for life.

[sonicboom]

Personally, I very much like clean, fast, and tight bass, but I'm not a bass head. I normally listen to my Sierra-1 pair full-range. If I had Towers, I'd do the same thing. My Rythmik is only turned on for movies these days. Yes, I understand that I'm probably in the minority on that.

I have Ascend's less bass-capable speakers (the 340 and 170 SE series). Run full range, they give me satisfying, clean and tight bass for music. The truth is, I'm more and more tending to prefer listening to music without the aid of a subwoofer. I have dual 12-inch Emotiva subs for the lower frequencies but I just use them for movies now like DR.

At the moment, all I can do is imagine what the Sierra or the Towers can do. Actually I'm really itching to upgrade. (In this audio-life, who is not?) And for my personal preference now for less and less sub usage, perhaps the Towers are in my horizon.

[pierreterrier]

Nick, I have a room twice as big as yours and there is no way I ever want to listen to my raal towers for music with my sub on. They are simply outstanding on their own in the bass department, always baffles me how much clean beautiful and powerful bass comes out of those little 5.25" woofers. I also have some JBL with 8 inch woofers on another set up and the bass on those is nowhere as powerful and definitely not as clean. The towers are the bomb for bass will always be my assessment, got over 500 hours of listen on them now and that has never changed; no sub for this happy Tower customer. Of course your room acoustics and tower placement will have a lot to do with your bass output. Mine are 12 feet apart, 8" from the walls at about a 30 degree angle and using no plugs. The room is fully carpeted over extra thick padding, nothing but wood and large upholstered couch and recliner with multiple plush pillows. The windows are on the back wall behind the speakers, no glass up front at all, no metal anywhere. It works perfect for me. Plus I got walls of vinyl stacks, haha.

[Nickh90]

Nick, I have a room twice as big as yours and there is no way I ever want to listen to my raal towers for music with my sub on. They are simply outstanding on their own in the bass department, always baffles me how much clean beautiful and powerful bass comes out of those little 5.25" woofers. I also have some JBL with 8 inch woofers on another set up and the bass on those is nowhere as powerful and definitely not as clean. The towers are the bomb for bass will always be my assessment, got over 500 hours of listen on them now and that has never changed; no sub for this happy Tower customer. Of course your room acoustics and tower placement will have a lot to do with your bass output. Mine are 12 feet apart, 8" from the walls at about a 30 degree angle and using no plugs. The room is fully carpeted over extra thick padding, nothing but wood and large upholstered couch and recliner with multiple plush pillows. The windows are on the back wall behind the speakers, no glass up front at all, no metal anywhere. It works perfect for me. Plus I got walls of vinyl stacks, haha.

You guys absolutly positively kick other forums ass'. Never have I been so content with a purchase, which is a big deal due to constant adhd...need I say squirrel??

But really, I have started strong in my quest for ultimate speakers after coming from 1000$+ custom and universal iem's and headphones. Started with two rf7II's- way to "shouty" wih a disassociated midrange. To wharfedale 10.2's- too thick and maybe lacking the top end I've been so a costumed to. Now I have 2 rx6 which I got a great deal on but they seam slightly too bright with a not so prevalent midrange. I ordered some emptek55ti's and they are a fantastic set of speakers for the price payed 580$. But I can not wait to hear what these towers have to offer. I personally love some good acdc, and baritone type vocals, the deep was of the voices comes across as something that rips through the air and grabs your attention and it's great! Also like electronic music and country. I guess I'm just about as diverse as it comes with music.

Truly can not wait any longer for these bad boys.

[pierreterrier]

Your father will be floored

[Harley Weewax]

Squirrel!?!

That should have read:

SQUIRREL!!!

[pierreterrier]

ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity disorder... or squirrel, good one.