Can't decide between Horizon LCR, or Sierra 2s LR with Horizon C

[yesplease]

Hey yesplease,

What is your impression of the HTM-200s as surrounds? Are there Sierra Sats in your future or do the 200s match your fronts well enough to not move up?

While I really like the idea of Having RAALs all around by adding Sierra Sats to my existing Sierra 2 fronts, the reality of limited funds chasing multiple things has me considering the 200s for surrounds.

Yes, they are more then good enough for surrounds and atmos. For movies, I seriously doubt anyone could tell the difference with double blind testing. Remember, it is very rare for you to get any voices out them (like Gravity) that could make the small difference audibly noticeable.

IMHO, replacing surround and rear HTMs with the Sierra Sat. for movies, is more of a want or mental thing (like wanting massive amps with efficient & easy to drive speakers :-) rather then an actual performance need. I can cross all of mine at 60-80hz.

The 200s are terrific and really underpriced. Also, I probably wouldn't use a ribbon tweeter for the atmos speakers due to their limited vertical dispersion.

But then again, I'm craving some more 220wpc Anthem amps so I can have a matching set. 100% unnecessary.

[Todd WI]

Thanks for the info guys!

I just ordered a pair of 200s to use for surrounds (at least for now).

[sludgeogre]

Yes, they are more then good enough for surrounds and atmos. For movies, I seriously doubt anyone could tell the difference with double blind testing. Remember, it is very rare for you to get any voices out them (like Gravity) that could make the small difference audibly noticeable.

IMHO, replacing surround and rear HTMs with the Sierra Sat. for movies, is more of a want or mental thing (like wanting massive amps with efficient & easy to drive speakers :-) rather then an actual performance need. I can cross all of mine at 60-80hz.

The 200s are terrific and really underpriced. Also, I probably wouldn't use a ribbon tweeter for the atmos speakers due to their limited vertical dispersion.

But then again, I'm craving some more 220wpc Anthem amps so I can have a matching set. 100% unnecessary.

This is great to know. I know I'm going to get a pair of Sierra Sats for my surrounds, but when I do eventually get an Atmos setup I was going to use the HTM 200 SE's.

It's always great to see an Audiophile that doesn't explain and justify away their purchases pretending that they're going to get some huge, magical sound upgrade, and be honest and just say "ya know, I really, really want it." I did that with my Schiit Bifrost Multibit upgrade, and I also did that when I went with balanced connections between my Marantz AV7701 and Emotiva XPA-5 and my F12 subs. Sure, unbalanced would probably sound exactly the same, but I always wanted a fully balanced setup, just because.

[davef]

Yes, they are more then good enough for surrounds and atmos. For movies, I seriously doubt anyone could tell the difference with double blind testing. Remember, it is very rare for you to get any voices out them (like Gravity) that could make the small difference audibly noticeable.

IMHO, replacing surround and rear HTMs with the Sierra Sat. for movies, is more of a want or mental thing (like wanting massive amps with efficient & easy to drive speakers :-) rather then an actual performance need. I can cross all of mine at 60-80hz.

The 200s are terrific and really underpriced. Also, I probably wouldn't use a ribbon tweeter for the atmos speakers due to their limited vertical dispersion.

But then again, I'm craving some more 220wpc Anthem amps so I can have a matching set. 100% unnecessary.

As good as our 200's are, after testing this myself, there are very noticeable difference between using the 200's and our forthcoming ribbon sats as rears. The easiest thing to notice is that the sats have extremely wide horizontal dispersion, MUCH more so than our 200's, and even noticeably more than our Sierra-2. This is due to the ribbon tweeter, smaller woofer and much narrower baffle. The end result with the Sat's as rears is a very wide and immersive rear soundstage (and even as front mains). I was actually a bit surprised at just how noticeable this difference was compared to our 200's and even 170's as surrounds. They throw sound everywhere, but yet maintain the precise imaging of a monopole design. Horizontal off-axis response on the ribbon sats is amazing....

As far at ATMOS ceiling speakers, 200's are likely the better choice as they provide a more symmetrical 360 degree coverage area.

[Todd WI]

dang it Dave, every time I get close to convincing myself on the 200s you add some details about the Sats and reel me back in.

[davef]

dang it Dave, every time I get close to convincing myself on the 200s you add some details about the Sats and reel me back in.

Sorry -- didn't mean to but I really had to share my experience when comparing our 200's to the R-Sat...

[Todd WI]

No problem, the 200s will be my surrounds For a while. I might eventually replace them with Sats, but other upgrades (including ascends in other places) are now pencilled in before that.

[sludgeogre]

As good as our 200's are, after testing this myself, there are very noticeable difference between using the 200's and our forthcoming ribbon sats as rears. The easiest thing to notice is that the sats have extremely wide horizontal dispersion, MUCH more so than our 200's, and even noticeably more than our Sierra-2. This is due to the ribbon tweeter, smaller woofer and much narrower baffle. The end result with the Sat's as rears is a very wide and immersive rear soundstage (and even as front mains). I was actually a bit surprised at just how noticeable this difference was compared to our 200's and even 170's as surrounds. They throw sound everywhere, but yet maintain the precise imaging of a monopole design. Horizontal off-axis response on the ribbon sats is amazing....

As far at ATMOS ceiling speakers, 200's are likely the better choice as they provide a more symmetrical 360 degree coverage area.

This really makes me excited to get my Sierra Sats. I'm using Klipsch R-15M bookshelf speakers as surrounds and the beamyness and harshness of them is terrible. The longer I live with them, the more I can't stand them. Can't wait for my Sierra Sats and eventually HTM 200 SE atmos setup.

[yesplease]

As good as our 200's are, after testing this myself, there are very noticeable difference between using the 200's and our forthcoming ribbon sats as rears.

Damn!!! Thanks a lot!

Curious how far the speakers were from the lp when you noticed that? And you were listening to a movie right?

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

[Todd WI]

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

At least he gave you a pass on your ceiling speakers, for now anyway.