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Thread: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

  1. #11
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    Nov 2016
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    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    Thanks Alex.. I ended up trimming the treb just a skosh.. While i would prefer to run flat, it has helped. With regards to placement..... as much as it pains me to say it, i prefer the speaker placement, aesthetically anyway, out at the edges.. Ill play with the closer some more. I had tried already and was seeing negligible variances. If anything, the "brightness" that i was attempting to get away from was pronounced. Haven't tried again since trimming the treb gain a smidgen. Makes sense to do so..

  2. #12
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    Feb 2016
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    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    Quote Originally Posted by epatt View Post
    Thanks Alex.. I ended up trimming the treb just a skosh.. While i would prefer to run flat, it has helped. With regards to placement..... as much as it pains me to say it, i prefer the speaker placement, aesthetically anyway, out at the edges.. Ill play with the closer some more. I had tried already and was seeing negligible variances. If anything, the "brightness" that i was attempting to get away from was pronounced. Haven't tried again since trimming the treb gain a smidgen. Makes sense to do so..
    If you prefer it that way, then to hell with it, heh. Not a dealbreaker by any means. It looks really cool too. Enjoy that beautiful setup!
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

  3. #13
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    Nov 2016
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    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    Moved em in.. Keep'n em. One more question and maybe i should be starting another thread. I currently have the Parasound Integrated, love it, but i cant help but thinking, should i go separates???? P5/A21? I believe the sound is very mush the same but the separates would provide an additional 90w per channel. Being the Sierra 2s are on the low-er efficiency side of things (in caparison to Focal, Sonus, Klipsch and others), would i see an improvement with the additional power? The only other difference, written anyway, is the DAC in the Integrate supports more formats.

  4. #14
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    Feb 2016
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    457

    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    Quote Originally Posted by epatt View Post
    Moved em in.. Keep'n em. One more question and maybe i should be starting another thread. I currently have the Parasound Integrated, love it, but i cant help but thinking, should i go separates???? P5/A21? I believe the sound is very mush the same but the separates would provide an additional 90w per channel. Being the Sierra 2s are on the low-er efficiency side of things (in caparison to Focal, Sonus, Klipsch and others), would i see an improvement with the additional power? The only other difference, written anyway, is the DAC in the Integrate supports more formats.
    Cool, glad you liked the change.

    I don't think you'll get much of an improvement, if any, from going with separates. You have a really stellar integrated, one of the best ones out there, with that much power in a near field setup, you're totally golden. Even with the low efficiency rating, at the distance you're sitting you're never going to use all of the power your amp is providing.

    The only reason I'd go with separates (and do) is because you can change out your DAC and try different things like miniDSP and other types of gadetry. I'm a huge fan of Schiit's Multibit DACs. They are absolutely nuts and go far beyond what any other DAC does, IMO. No need to bother with multiple formats when those DACs will squeeze every last drop of detail out of normal 16/44.1 music.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
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    8

    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    Damn it man.. Im on a spending spree

    When i do finish the office, the speakers will get a nice home.. Stands. Probably a few months out. My thinking was that at that time, they will have much more room to "breathe" and the additional power would be great. I did hook them up today at the parasound dealer to the separates, and they filled a rather large showroom with ease. Feed my addiction and tell me it would be wise to spend it now

    On a side note, he was trying/suggesting that i look at the Sonus Faber Olymica1.. I obliged. I listened, then we hooked up the $6000 less expensive speakers (Sierras) and he wasn't sure how to justify the spend. It changed the dialog from sound quality to.. these are "made in italy", look at the lines, contours, leather and materials and such. Now, i can and do appreciate the details in the package, but not at the price premium we were talking in this case...and, to my ears today, a less engaging sound. As i had suspected, and mentioned in my starting post, the higher (brightness) i was struggling with, was such a difference in a more traditional listening setup. While i was listening to the Sierras he actual went and googled Ascend. Great experiance for me..

    @ Dave,

    if you see this. I would not be surprised if this dealer didn't contact you asking how to bring you in house..

    regards,

    elliott

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,529

    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    Quote Originally Posted by epatt View Post
    Damn it man.. Im on a spending spree

    When i do finish the office, the speakers will get a nice home.. Stands. Probably a few months out. My thinking was that at that time, they will have much more room to "breathe" and the additional power would be great. I did hook them up today at the parasound dealer to the separates, and they filled a rather large showroom with ease. Feed my addiction and tell me it would be wise to spend it now

    On a side note, he was trying/suggesting that i look at the Sonus Faber Olymica1.. I obliged. I listened, then we hooked up the $6000 less expensive speakers (Sierras) and he wasn't sure how to justify the spend. It changed the dialog from sound quality to.. these are "made in italy", look at the lines, contours, leather and materials and such. Now, i can and do appreciate the details in the package, but not at the price premium we were talking in this case...and, to my ears today, a less engaging sound. As i had suspected, and mentioned in my starting post, the higher (brightness) i was struggling with, was such a difference in a more traditional listening setup. While i was listening to the Sierras he actual went and googled Ascend. Great experiance for me..

    @ Dave,

    if you see this. I would not be surprised if this dealer didn't contact you asking how to bring you in house..

    regards,

    elliott
    Thanks for sharing this experience! Those Olympica 1's do look fantastic.

    One thing you might want to try with your setup - our ribbon tweeters have such broad horizontal dispersion that in many cases, toe-in is not necessary. For nearfield usage - I much prefer the Sierra-2 with zero toe-in.

    Enjoy!
    .
    .
    .
    Good Sound To You!

    David Fabrikant
    www.ascendacoustics.com

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    360

    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    An extra $6,000 for some contours and leather? No thank you!

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Posts
    8

    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    agreed, and.. again, I did prefer the sound of the Sierra2. At least in that environment on that day with that music.

    Update,

    happily enjoying the Sierra 2 with the Parasound Integrated. Trying everything under the sun in that 2K speaker range, and 2-3k amp separates/integrated, this combo for me provided the best sound, with the most flexibility, at the best price..

    thanks to this forum for the thoughtful feedback. It can be intimidating posting on such a deeply benched forum like this, with folks that seem to have been around for years who have obviously forgotten more than i know about HiFi.. Much appreciated guys. thank you.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    183

    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    Quote Originally Posted by davef View Post
    Thanks for sharing this experience! Those Olympica 1's do look fantastic.

    One thing you might want to try with your setup - our ribbon tweeters have such broad horizontal dispersion that in many cases, toe-in is not necessary. For nearfield usage - I much prefer the Sierra-2 with zero toe-in.

    Enjoy!

    Just seeing this thread and was going to suggest the same thing (no toe in). This works in my near field listening quite well.
    Also, my S2's are on stands with my ears about at the point between the woofer and ribbon tweeter. Perhaps being on the desk in your set up puts the tweeter closer to your ears, relatively speaking and may make them sound "treble heavy". Just a thought.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    457

    Default Re: Really wanting to keep the Sierras

    I finally have my theater (mostly) set up and I'm sitting about 9 feet back from my towers, with them 10 feet apart, and I have them with zero toe in right now and the imaging is totally spot on, soundstage is huge and stable with a perfectly centered voice in stereo mode. It's pretty crazy. That big RAAL tweeter really puts out a wide sound, just as shown in the measurements.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

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