Needs lots of advice on Sierra tower speaker purchase - please help

[consequential]

I'd love to get additional opinions here (and much appreciate those who offered thus far).

Any additional answers to my questions, advice etc.. would be greatly appreciated.

On the AVS forum I'm getting feedback that I wouldn't see much difference going from bookshelves to towers given that I'll have a good sub and crossed over at 80.

Although there is that mid driver that will be there the advice I'm getting over there is saying the difference would very small.

I'd love to get some information on this as I'm struggling with the decision to go with bookshelves or towers.

thanks

[davef]

Thank you sir, any chance you could clarify this for me too?

So are you saying the dedicated midrange will be working on the tower even if I crossover at 80 or 60?

Setting your speakers to small reduces the amount of bass below the crossover frequency that the speakers are being sent. Receivers typically set a 12dB octave high pass filter - meaning that with an 80Hz filter, the bass at 80Hz is reduced by 3dB, 40Hz will be -15dB. Midrange frequencies (typically considered 250Hz and up) are not affected by this filtering.

[consequential]

Setting your speakers to small reduces the amount of bass below the crossover frequency that the speakers are being sent. Receivers typically set a 12dB octave high pass filter - meaning that with an 80Hz filter, the bass at 80Hz is reduced by 3dB, 40Hz will be -15dB. Midrange frequencies (typically considered 250Hz and up) are not affected by this filtering.

Thanks a lot Dave.

Any chance you could provide answers to my original post if yours differ from the answers already provided?

Thanks so much!

[davef]

1. Because this forum is managed by Ascend, does anyone know if negative reviews of Ascend products are censored so that only positive reviews/information is allowed on here? I'm asking because I haven't seen anything negative or remotely critical about the Sierra towers in 3hrs of reading on this forum last night. That could be for several reasons such as the speakers being that amazing but again, I'm doing my due diligence.

Hi consequential, Just a quick comment - the only things we have ever censored from this forum is spam... We are not a retail manufacturer, our towers are built here in the states and cost a fortune. - our profit margins are very small. As such, customer returns on towers really hurt us - therefore we really try our best to make honest recommendations. for your system, Curtis is right - you are considering two very very different types of speakers, with completely different goals.

Are you looking for massive dynamics and extreme volume levels, or are you looking for precise imaging combined with accurate timbre and about as much resolution (detail) as is technically possible with a speaker?

[consequential]

Hi consequential, Just a quick comment - the only things we have ever censored from this forum is spam... We are not a retail manufacturer, our towers are built here in the states and cost a fortune. - our profit margins are very small. As such, customer returns on towers really hurt us - therefore we really try our best to make honest recommendations. for your system, Curtis is right - you are considering two very very different types of speakers, with completely different goals.

Are you looking for massive dynamics and extreme volume levels, or are you looking for precise imaging combined with accurate timbre and about as much resolution (detail) as is technically possible with a speaker?

Thanks David and I appreciate you being straight with me

I'm looking for precise imaging with accurate timbre and loads of resolution. Being able to play a little loud would be good too.

I don't know what dynamics mean in home theater sound though.

[davef]

Thanks David and I appreciate you being straight with me

I'm looking for precise imaging with accurate timbre and loads of resolution. Being able to play a little loud would be good too.

this is an easy choice for you -- you will want our Ribbon Towers. With regards to precise imaging and resolution, the technology used in our towers is nearly impossible to beat. Additionally, our towers will play plenty loud - we often demo them at 110dB at 10-11 feet back being run full range. I don't recommend listening at those volume levels as all it takes is about 15 minutes for hearing damage.

I don't know what dynamics mean in home theater sound though.

Dynamics is the ability to accurately reproduce the volume changes from very soft passages to very loud passages. Our ribbon towers have excellent dynamics, but with the PSA line of speakers, they can potentially play at louder volume levels so they would technically have greater dynamic capability. Although I strongly doubt they would be able to reproduce soft passages as well as our ribbon towers can so it is a bit of a toss up there...

[consequential]

this is an easy choice for you -- you will want our Ribbon Towers. With regards to precise imaging and resolution, the technology used in our towers is nearly impossible to beat. Additionally, our towers will play plenty loud - we often demo them at 110dB at 10-11 feet back being run full range. I don't recommend listening at those volume levels as all it takes is about 15 minutes for hearing damage.


Dynamics is the ability to accurately reproduce the volume changes from very soft passages to very loud passages. Our ribbon towers have excellent dynamics, but with the PSA line of speakers, they can potentially play at louder volume levels so they would technically have greater dynamic capability. Although I strongly doubt they would be able to reproduce soft passages as well as our ribbon towers can so it is a bit of a toss up there...

Thanks again sir!

One last question would be if you still recommend the towers over your bookshelves given I'll have the v1800 sub?

You're awesome!

[sludgeogre]

Are you looking for massive dynamics and extreme volume levels, or are you looking for precise imaging combined with accurate timbre and about as much resolution (detail) as is technically possible with a speaker?

This is really what it's all about. I've heard a bunch of high sensitivity speakers that make all sorts of wild claims, but all of them sound like they're yelling at you to some degree, and none of them reproduce all of the detail that is there. I don't know why the trend in speakers seems to be toward these awful designs. Probably because of the loudness wars in music people just equate high SPL and tons of muddy bass with quality for no good reason.

[curtis]

I'll throw another wrench in this, why are you set on the PSA sub?

[consequential]

This is really what it's all about. I've heard a bunch of high sensitivity speakers that make all sorts of wild claims, but all of them sound like they're yelling at you to some degree, and none of them reproduce all of the detail that is there. I don't know why the trend in speakers seems to be toward these awful designs. Probably because of the loudness wars in music people just equate high SPL and tons of muddy bass with quality for no good reason.

Well I don't think it's fair to make this generalization. I've read extensively on various forums and people love the PSA speakers. Further Tom has been very honest with me and even pointed me to his 210's or 110 speakers instead of his more expensive 210 towers as he felt They might be a better value based on my room and needs.

So high sensitivity speakers should not be generalized and being bad or poor speakers. I also wouldn't expect anyone to speak badly of PSA speakers just because they are highly efficient and unless you heard them it would be unfair to say what they do or don't do.

I just want to be perfectly fair to both PSA and Ascend.