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Thread: Sierra Horizons installed in custom AV cabinet-Absolutely Superb!

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    6

    Default Sierra Horizons installed in custom AV cabinet-Absolutely Superb!

    I have had 3 Sierra Horizons for 8 months awaiting the completion of my house. 8 months without ever hearing these jewels. There is no dedicated theater room, so integrating a system into the family room required a lot of negotiating around the WAF (How I got the 15 inch Mackie behemoth approved on the WAF I will never know). Designed a custom cabinet to allow for plenty of isolation using 2 inches of Sonic Barrier acoustic sound dampening foam all around each speaker with Audimute 1/8" recycled rubber product (as seen in pic #2) between the foam and cabinet. Same isolation on back of each horizon. The bevelled fronts allow the Horizons to rest on the foam without touching the wood cabinet while having a very slightly forward position to avoid any immediate reflection. System components include a Mackie HS 150 sub, Yamaha CX-A5000 Pre/Pro, **** Professional Powermatch 8500N amp (400wpc at 4 ohm), OPPO 105D BluRay, DirectTV receiver/DVR and Panasonic P65VT60. In the box are the DefTech 2 UIW RCS IIs for surrounds and 2 UIW RSS IIs for rear surrounds to complete the 7.1 system. I have waited so long to hear the Sierra Horizons and report the results of this in-cabinet set up, I just had to take a break and post this. Will install those surrounds next week.

    The ribbon tweeters in in the horizons defy description. I know it sounds cliche, but it really is like hearing the music for the first time. Just beyond words. Listening now in 2.1 mode. In case you are wondering, the left and right ribbons are positioned about 56 inches apart on center. Not as far apart as I would have liked given the listening distance of 15-17 feet, but that is just a compromise I had to make. Tweeters are also about 2 inches below ear height. Another compromise due to the header at the top of the cabinet.

    These Horizons are just incredible. Paired with the sub in this system, even in this very active and large room, they are the best these ears have ever heard! There was plenty to be concerned about given the potential for major gremlins when placing any speaker in a cabinet, but the treatment used seems to have nailed it! The noise floor is so low with the balanced set up (except for the sub, for which the CXA-5000 provides no balanced out) is just dead calm when between tunes. BTW, no buzz or hum from the plasma either.

    Cabinet was constructed to allow for an 84 inch TV (without stand), but am waiting for technology to catch up with plasma and, of course, there is no 84 inch plasma available, or at least not one I could afford.

    Just want to say that if you are considering anything other than the Horizons, at least for a center, stop! Look no further. Turns out, delayed gratification was richly rewarded!
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Pocatello, ID
    Posts
    112

    Default Re: Sierra Horizons installed in custom AV cabinet-Absolutely Superb!

    Wow, three horizons with RAALs in the same room.

    Regarding awaiting a new plasma TV, that may be a while since plasma has really lost popularity and most major manufacturers have dropped it. If you have any control over room lighting, note that recent projectors can match or best Plasma in image quality and at a lower price per screen inch. That probably furled an eyebrow as it did for me since I have avoided projectors until recently, but take a look at the JVC D-ILA projectors.
    Granted, without light control it wouldn't work out well. Sony makes some higher brightness LCOS projectors which can work in brighter rooms and still have fantastic quality (and are amazingly quiet) but the contrast ratio is not quite there with JVC (or plasma).
    You can put a screen over the TV area. However, it looks optimized for a TV as you have now, and who knows if a large, awkward object hanging from the ceiling would be within your allotted SAF.

    In any case your new house looks amazing just from that one photo. I see no repeating patterns in the floor so it must be real hardwood, and the mantel looks elegantly designed.
    The custom entertainment center looks like serious business with those Horizons. That's a seriously nice place you have there.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    6

    Default Re: Sierra Horizons installed in custom AV cabinet-Absolutely Superb!

    Thanks, Sivar. At this point I am going to stay with the Panny VT60 already in the cabinet. To the left of the fireplace is a series of tall windows that will rarely be closed as that is the lake view. A plasma is challenged enough in that moderate light during the day, so I am avoiding the projector as the light challenge would be even greater. Thanks for the ideas though. And yes, Plasma is dead, but not in my house. Except for a bathroom LCD TV, plasma is all I own.

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