Originally Posted by
Chipless
I realize that this thread was started a year ago, but I wanted to provide a quick opinion since I have owned and listened to both the Sierra 2s and Sierra RAAL Towers in the exact same room with the same gear connected to both of them. I only have about 25 hours of time with the Towers thus far, so I wouldn't consider break-in complete since Dave has indicated things are settled after about 50 hours. However, I can't imagine them sounding much different than they do now, but only time will tell.
Anyway, the Sierra 2s are EXCELLENT speakers. I was truly blown away by them. I was so impressed by them that I decided to upgrade to the RAAL Towers figuring that if Dave can make a bookshelf sound that good, then his towers ought to be the end-all of speakers. So, are the Towers "better" than the Sierra 2s? Yes. They definitely are. The sound is even more natural than that of Sierra 2s (the Towers "disappear" more often during listening sessions than the Sierra 2s did). Additionally, the whole soundstage is larger/wider with the Towers. I have dual Rythmik FV15HPs, so the difference in bass extension/output between the two is negligible. Now for the important question: Are the Towers worth the difference in price? Well, that obviously depends on how much disposable income you have, but I would say that for the average middle class person, yes, the price difference is worth it, but just barely so. Now, if you can't have a sub for whatever reason, then the towers are definitely worth the extra cost. Honestly, I might have considered going back to the Sierra 2s to reinvest the price difference in acoustic treatments/vacations/beer/etc, but since I have the Horizon RAAL for a center, the thought didn't even cross my mind. The front soundstage is SEAMLESS with movies. Could you get away with Sierra 2s all across the front? Absolutely. However, the Horizon RAAL is much better as a center channel, which is the most crucial speaker for HT. So, in my opinion, if you are going the combined HT and 2-channel stereo route, the Towers are definitely worth the increased cost. If you can't have a sub for whatever reason, and are going with a pure stereo setup, the Towers are once again definitely worth the extra cost. With a pure stereo setup, and a subwoofer, the Towers are just barely worth the extra cost (assuming "middle class" income). In summary, the Towers are worth it in every situation! However, in the last situation, I wouldn't hesitant to purchase the Sierra 2s. In fact, that's the route I would take.
This goes without saying, but everything above is just one average man's opinion. Additionally, the lack of specific listening comments regarding the two was intentional. I have not spent enough time with either to give a proper breakdown by each attribute. However, I feel confident providing the general conclusion listed above. I hope this helps those on the fence!