DR's Sierra-2 Thread

[Dark Ranger]

Positioning & Setup (Part I)

Part I is the quick ‘n dirty version used for initial comparison. Part II (end of review) is the normal setup, room description, and equipment for anyone interested.

Since I purchased a DIY upgrade kit rather than a complete loudspeaker pair, I did not have the luxury of doing a proper AB-AB comparison. So after a bit of thinking, I came up with an informal testing method along with the following speaker placement:





This is NOT where these speakers normally sit. The black tape on the rear edge of the desk is the usual position. I marked it before moving the MoPads forward. What this modified setup does is create a rough point source and allows me to switch back and forth between the Sierra-1 and the Sierra-2 more seamlessly than if they were farther apart in the usual position.

Please excuse the fingerprints on the upgraded speaker. It’s from handling the cabinet during the component swap. I knew there would be more handling before I was done, so I didn’t clean the cabinet. I probably should have for the pic, that’s one downside of a piano black finish. Oh well. They’ll be cleaned properly when the review is finished.

The next obstacle was how to play back stereo music through two different speakers. Using a raw stereo signal to test two different left/right speakers isn’t exactly apples-to-apples. So what I did was download Nullsoft Winamp (ah, the good ‘ole days) and the “Somewhat Mono” plug-in (by Bernhard Kohlhaas). Once the plug-in was activated, I could collapse a stereo input signal into a mono output signal and send it to my external DAC, ensuring that each speaker received an identical signal. Obviously, the mono signal sounded horrible compared to stereo. But I knew that going in. I only wanted to roughly compare the sonic signature between the two speakers. Another feature that Winamp has is a channel balance control also known as panning. This was the real reason I downloaded Winamp. My stalwart JRiver Media Center doesn’t have a basic panning slider. I tried several things, but the best one still required me to mute/unmute each channel. The delay was just too long. When comparing electronics or speakers, it’s imperative that the switching be near instantaneous due to the fleeting nature of audio memory. Sliding the Winamp balance control between left and right channels enabled near instantaneous switching between the two speakers.

I did not have the capability to properly level-match the Sierra-1 and Sierra-2. However, because they differ in sensitivity by only 0.5 dB (anechoic), I did not find it to be a noticeable issue.

For this informal listening test, I sat about 4 feet away with my ears nearly parallel to the tweeters. The following impressions are recorded using the Winamp software configuration and “point source” speaker placement mentioned above.

[Dark Ranger]

Listening Impressions

What follows is my own subjective opinion based on my setup, in my room, and with my ears. The test was carried out with a single Sierra-1 (with Q-Plug B) and a single Sierra-2 (no Q-Plug) side by side as mentioned above.

Queue the music! Here’s the bulleted list from my first 2 minutes of listening:

• Whoa! Where did that midrange come from?! The Sierra-2 jumped forward and slapped me sideways!
• OK, the Sierra-2 has a stronger midrange, most noticeable from about 300 Hz up to around 1.2 kHz. This makes the Sierra-2 sound more “forward” than the Sierra-1. Voices have more "body" to them, not quite as thin as with Sierra-1.
• Bass is stronger and more pronounced (things like kick drums have more thump).
• Kick drums, toms, and bass are tighter and faster on the Sierra-2, whereas on the Sierra-1 they are a bit looser and not quite as dynamic.
• Doesn't extend quite as deep as Sierra-1.
• Very natural-sounding sibilance.
• Much more transparent and detailed.
• Noticeably more energy in the higher frequencies.

And there you have it folks! See ya next month.

OK, I’m not really that cruel.

So would you believe that my first impression was not one of instant joy and satisfaction? I didn’t immediately like the Sierra-2. After all the waiting, the pining, the anxious anticipation… I had a frightening moment where I actually wondered if I was going to be the only customer returning the Sierra-2 upgrade kits.

So what on earth happened? Well, the Sierra-2 sounds so different than the standard Sierra-1 that it was really a huge shock. I went into the listening session without any preconceived notions of how it should sound. I’d just listen and try to analyze what I heard. But I just wasn’t ready for the stark difference between the two.

After my oddly-confusing initial impressions, I decided to play a variety of my favorite tunes and see how things turned out. What happened over the next four hours astounded me. I slowly realized that the Sierra-2 was offering a truer, more life-like reproduction of my music than my reliable Sierra-1 was. Quite frankly, I was hearing the music like I’ve never heard it before. And that was both awe-inspiring and somewhat scary all at the same time. As I’d play my reference music of realistically-recorded guitars, trumpets, violins, piano, and drums on various albums, I pretty much instantly said “that sounds more real” with the Sierra-2. Here are some examples:

On the title track of the album “When I Fall In Love,” Chris Botti’s trumpet sounds very different between the Sierra-1 and Sierra-2. The Sierra-2 definitely sounds more natural like the trumpets I’ve heard in real life. It was enough for me to go slack-jawed.

Various tracks from Melody Gardot’s debut album “Worrisome Heart” sounded exquisite, the best I’ve ever heard. The piano, double-bass, drums, and trumpet are absolutely outstanding. Her voice sounded even better. I actually stopped critiquing and just listened, even though it was just a collapsed mono signal into one speaker.

On the title track of the album “My Home Is In The Delta,” the Muddy Waters band provided a wonderful medley of natural-sounding guitar, bass, and drums. Similarly, his voice sounded so realistic, full-bodied, and resonant.

I like using Kelly Sweet for reference because she has an amazing voice. The RAAL ribbon sounds incredible during moments like inhaling of breath or parting of lips prior to singing the next verse. Very detailed. Her “We Are One” album never sounded so good.

There’s a drum solo in “Company” on Patricia Barber’s “Modern Cool” album. The toms and kick sound very fast with no overhang on the Sierra-2. Similarly, the multiple crash hits near the end of the solo are more separated and distinct with the RAAL, whereas on the Sierra-1 they kind of blend together.

The “Percussion Imaging Test” track on the “Open Your Ears” album from HD Tracks has one of the best reproductions of a drum kit that I’ve ever heard. I love using it as a demo track. The Sierra-2 did not disappoint. It offered a more dynamic and accurate representation of the kit than my Sierra-1. I was having difficulty processing the stark difference between the two speakers. I finally decided to quit analyzing and just enjoy the solos.

So based on my comparison of the two models, the Sierra-1 standard tweeter has a slightly sugary top end compared to the more pure RAAL ribbon. In fact, the Sierra-1 sounds more like listening to a “speaker” while the Sierra-2 sounds more true to life. There’s a very noticeable improvement of detail from the RAAL ribbon. It’s hard to describe how natural and airy the RAAL ribbons are. This reminds me very much of my Horizon with the custom 70-20XR. High-hats and cymbals have more realism, with more of the natural “metallic” edge but without the harsh sibilance heard in some other tweeters. One of my concerns was ear fatigue from the extended high frequencies and more pronounced midrange. I took solace from my experience with the 70-20XR in my Horizon, which is not fatiguing at all. Thankfully, the Sierra-2 follows suit. All the highs are there, but without any harsh edge that can cause fatigue.

The Sierra-2 sounds so very realistic, natural, neutral, and effortless. The RAAL ribbon offers hyper-detail, but it’s not artificially created detail (such as boosted high frequencies). The amount of resolution is extraordinary. However, I think the pièce de résistance with the Sierra-2 is the midrange performance. I just cannot stress enough the difference in midrange performance between the two models. The Sierra-1 sounds hollowed out in the midrange region compared to the Sierra-2.


Additional (raw) notes from Wednesday’s listening session

For kicks, I removed the Q-Plug B from the standard Sierra-1. Wow! I had forgotten how powerful the bass was. Way too boomy for my small room, which is why I switched to Q-Plugs. In my room and to my ears, the Sierra-2 has “less bass” than the Sierra-1 with no Q-Plugs. To clarify, the bass sounds much more balanced and natural on the Sierra-2, even without a Plug. I might try Q-Plug B with and without once I finish upgrading the other speaker. But for those not using Q-Plugs with Sierra-1, the Sierra-2’s bass probably will not be a strong or boomy as you’re used to.

Additional (raw) notes from Thursday’s listening session

I’ve listened to both upgraded Sierra-2s tonight in a proper stereo configuration. I just cannot wipe the silly grin off my face. I am so awe-struck, which is a complete 180 from last night. I keep saying “wow” during track after track. Each song is like I’m hearing it for the first time. It sounds that different and that good. Much like my Horizon, the Sierra-2 excels with detail at low levels. Dialog is still very intelligible even at low volume levels. Soundstage is very wide and is completely seamless to me. Imaging is impressive.

Q-Plug B reduces the punch quite noticeably on the Sierra-2. Doesn’t seem to deepen or extend bass response like with the Sierra-1. With Q-Plug B installed, the bass sounds more anemic and thin. It’s clear that the bass response and tuning between the Sierra-1 and Sierra-2 is vastly different. In the end, I preferred the Sierra-2 without Q-Plug B. I did not feel that I was gaining anything by using them. Again, I love them with the Sierra-1, but I’m quite pleased with the bass performance of the 2 so far. It’s nowhere near as boomy or overblown in my room like the Sierra-1 was.

Although I’m giving up a noticeable amount (to me) of bass extension going from the Sierra-1 (w/Q-Plug B) to the Sierra-2 (no plugs), the other benefits FAR outweigh the reduced extension. I can always add a sub, and honestly, it’s not really that bad.

One might pose the question: so does the Sierra-2 help you enjoy music even more? For me, unequivocally yes. I honestly can’t imagine it getting better than this, but I know Dave’s RAAL Sierra Towers could answer that question. Good thing I absolutely cannot fit them anywhere in my room. Sure, one day I can see myself upgrading to the RAAL Sierra Towers, but that’s not until I get a bigger place and a lot more cash. Until then, the Sierra-2 reference monitors satisfy me completely.

[Dark Ranger]

Conclusions

The legendary Sierra-1 makes nearly all of my music sound great. It’s forgiving, laid-back, and relaxed. It also has a slightly warmer presentation compared to the cooler, more analytical Sierra-2. However, the Sierra-2 is by far the more accurate speaker of the two. If I could use an analogy:

The Sierra-1 is like looking through a clear, clean double-pane window into the outside world. You see the sun shining, you can see the wind blowing through the trees, and you can see the tulips resting comfortably underneath the window sill. However, you know you’re not actually experiencing reality. Well, the Sierra-2 flings that window wide open. You can feel all of the sun’s radiance, the rustle of the wind on your skin, and the smell of the tulips underneath the window sill. It gives you that “little bit more” you know exists out there.

I think this is a testament to how amazing the Sierra-1 really is. I absolutely love listening to music on them. They are forgiving enough that horrible recordings are listenable. With the Sierra-2, it’s just pure, brutal honesty. Horrible recordings sound horrible. But with excellent recordings, they sound absolutely stunning.

The Sierra-2 offers a significantly different sonic character than the Sierra-1, and that made it a little hard to get used to. However, I can honestly report that the new Sierra-2 is more accurate, more transparent, and is the better speaker. It’s remarkably neutral. In fact, it sounds very much like my RAAL Horizon, which is exceedingly neutral and transparent. I’ll be honest and say that I did not immediately like the Sierra-2. It wasn’t love at first sight, as much as I wished it would be. But it has worked its magic on me little by little and has completely won me over. The more I listened to the Sierra-2, the more I realized that the Sierra-1 (as good as it is) just couldn’t keep up with its younger sibling with things like detail, dynamics, and neutrality.

Would I purchase another pair of Sierra-1? Absolutely, with no hesitation.
Would I purchase a new pair of Sierra-2? Absolutely, with no hesitation.


--End of review--


Positioning & Setup (Part II)

This section is optional reading and intended for those wishing to know more about my room, my normal speaker placement, and associated software and electronics.

My two listening positions consist of a near-field arrangement at 2 feet and at 6 feet. This is because the speakers rest on a computer desk. At 2 feet, any listening here is mainly background music while working. For regular music and movies, as well as evaluations, the listening position is situated at 6 feet back. The speakers rest on Auralex MoPads to raise the tweeter height by 2 inches and to help decouple the speaker from the desk at certain frequencies. The front left/right speakers are 37 inches apart measured from the center of each MoPad. My normal Sierra-1 toe-in is about 5 degrees, so I started there with the Sierra-2.

The room itself measures 12.5 feet wide, 10 feet deep, with a sloped ceiling an average of 8.25 feet high. The entire room volume is 1,031.25 cubic feet. The speakers are positioned along one of the 12.5 feet wide walls. The back of each Sierra-2 is 13 inches away from the front-facing wall. The speakers themselves are over 3 feet away from a side wall. There is no specialized acoustic treatment in the room except for standard floor carpeting. The wall behind the listening position holds a row of four-post racks (nearly floor-to-ceiling coverage) which store a variety of items including cardboard boxes, plastic cases, and paper-based objects offering a small amount of absorption and diffusion. I have recently added vertically-hanging thick bath towels in the small space between the wall and wire racks to help with absorption. It’s noticeably better than a bare, uncovered rear wall. I’d love to professionally treat the room one day, but it’s taken a backseat to more important things.

For pure 2 channel music (no sub), my usual source device is a custom HTPC running JRiver Media Center. I output bit-perfect audio from a HT Omega Claro halo PCI card via a 2 meter Emotiva X Series optical interconnect to an Emotiva XDA-2 preamp/DAC combo. ASRC is engaged. The XDA-2 analog output is sent to a pair of Emotiva XPA-1L monoblock amplifiers via 5 meter Emotiva X Series XLR interconnects. The final leg from amp to speaker occurs with 6 meter Ultralink 14-gauge speaker cables (wired to 11.2-gauge) with bare-wire connections at the binding posts.

For 2.1 channel music (with a subwoofer) or for multichannel movies, my usual source device is the same custom HTPC running either JRiver Media Center (music) or CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra 12 (movies). I output bit-perfect audio via a 5 meter Emotiva X Series HDMI interconnect to an Emotiva UMC-1 preamplifier/processor (with 50 Hz crossover for mains). The analog output is sent to a pair of Emotiva XPA-1L monoblock amplifiers via 2 meter Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 RCA interconnects. The final leg from amp to speaker occurs with 6 meter Ultralink 14-gauge speaker cables (wired to 11.2-gauge) with bare-wire connections at the binding posts. The Emotiva UMC-1 pre/pro also outputs the LFE and high-passed frequencies via a 5 meter Monster subwoofer interconnect to a Rythmik Audio F15SE servo subwoofer.

[markie]

Totally awesome review Jacob! And up to until 3:30 AM posting it. My (new Ascend) hat is off to you, hehe!

I appreciate your frankness about just what a different beast the Sierra 2 is from the Sierra 1, to the point that it was a bit of a mind bender. At first I was surprised the difference caught you off guard, because I thought your RAAL Horizon Centre would have acclimatized you to the sound. But then I realized you're listening primarily to movie dialogue with the Centre, very different than listening to music.

Again, awesome review, thanks!
Mark

[Jhnsmj]

Great review, Jacob. When you have a chance, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how a Sierra-2 center might compare to the RAAL Horizon. My setup can't fit a standard Horizon, so I'm considering either a custom Horizon (at a higher price) or a Sierra-2.

Enjoy those 2s!

-another Mark

[petmotel]

Great review Jacob! I received my Sierra-2s Thursday morning, been playing them at moderate levels to give the suspensions a chance to limber up a bit before I do any serious listening.

My first impressions were thinking as far as detail and that beautiful RAAL treble, the twos are comparable with my beloved Towers. Initially I was a bit disappointed with the dynamics compared to the Towers. Well that lasted until Friday afternoon when I decided they had broken in enough to give them some real juice, and I was literally blown away. Dynamics really shine when you feed them some oats!

I was originally going to compare the Twos with my NRTs, as well as Towers, I think you have done such a good comparison with the Ones, I'm probably just going to do an AB-AB comparison with my RAAL Towers to get a feel for the differences in dynamics.

Jay

[billy p]

Jacob are you sure you don't work for Dave.....

Well executed review...DR....I would not have expected anything less...from you!!

Re, Bill

Ps: Look forward to Jay's thoughts on the Sierra 2 vs. RAAL Towers...

[Dark Ranger]

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback! I really appreciate it.

I appreciate your frankness about just what a different beast the Sierra 2 is from the Sierra 1, to the point that it was a bit of a mind bender. At first I was surprised the difference caught you off guard, because I thought your RAAL Horizon Centre would have acclimatized you to the sound. But then I realized you're listening primarily to movie dialogue with the Centre, very different than listening to music.

Yeah, you pretty much came to the same conclusion I did. In the back of my mind, I figured it would be an easier transition because of my time spent with the RAAL Horizon. But the center channel content is usually much different than what gets sent to the front left/right.

When you have a chance, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how a Sierra-2 center might compare to the RAAL Horizon. My setup can't fit a standard Horizon, so I'm considering either a custom Horizon (at a higher price) or a Sierra-2.

You bet! It's a little hard to compare the two speakers in a multichannel setup since each speaker performs a different role, but I definitely want to get in some more multichannel listening with concerts, movies, and SACD content.

I was originally going to compare the Twos with my NRTs, as well as Towers, I think you have done such a good comparison with the Ones, I'm probably just going to do an AB-AB comparison with my RAAL Towers to get a feel for the differences in dynamics.

I agree with you about the dynamics; the Sierra-2 loves to boogie. Very impressive for a two-way bookshelf monitor. I'm curious what you'll find during the AB-AB comparison with your RAAL Towers.

Jacob are you sure you don't work for Dave.....

You made me laugh out loud, Bill. Thanks!

[Dark Ranger]

Here are two iPhone pics of my entire front stage. I took these this afternoon after wiping down the cabinet surfaces for fingerprints and dust. They're not the best pictures, but you can get an idea of the positioning. The second pic shows more of the HTPC (left side of desk) and Rythmik sub (right side of desk).







I'll post a few pics of my entire audio rack after I can find time to wipe it down. It's very dusty!

[RPM]

D.R.

Thanks for a great comparison review, well worth the wait!
It does have me in somewhat of a dilemma however. I was pretty close
to ordering a Rythmik sub to go with my Seirra 1 pair, but this upgrade seems
like money well spent as well. It would be great to do both right away but thats not
possible. which would be better first?