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Thread: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
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    6

    Default Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    I am trying to determine what my next towers should be. How does the the Sierra tower compare to the following speakers:

    Polk Lsim 705
    Teckton Double Impact
    Paradigm Prestige 95F

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    17

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Quote Originally Posted by AbuDilan View Post
    I am trying to determine what my next towers should be. How does the the Sierra tower compare to the following speakers:

    Polk Lsim 705
    Teckton Double Impact
    Paradigm Prestige 95F

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    LOL. I am biased but the towers are certainly better (and a better value) in my opinion and that's why I have them.

    .

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Just outside Pearland, TX
    Posts
    301

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Having never heard any of those other than the Polks--including the Sierra Towers (yet)--I'm going to guess with high confidence that the Sierras are better than the Polks. I own a bunch of Ascends and have heard a bunch of Polks, including the Polk Lsim 705, so that's where the confidence comes from. The Polks are OK speakers but I'd take my bookshelf Sierra-1 NrTs over the Polks any day.

    I'm going to guess with somewhat less confidence that the Sierras are pretty even with than the Paradigms, though they cost less. A lot less; the Paradigms are $5000/pair. This guess is based on the fact that I actually like Paradigms, but find in general that Ascends are better at similar price points. By spending more on the Paradigms, you're probably at about parity. The Paradigms probably dig deeper, but for almost double the price, they'd better. I'm always a little put off by manufacturers that don't put some graphs up there. FR is good, but FR + spectral decay is even better.

    No idea about the Tecktons. Based on the fact that they don't carry much of a following on AVS, I'm going to guess (with minimal confidence) that they're not as good. They look gimmicky, but then that's what a lot of people think about ribbon tweeters, so maybe there's something there. Like I said, low confidence.

    What I'd really like to hear is the Sierra Towers head-to-head with the Salk SongTower, which are very close in price, and also both have the option for RAAL ribbons, again at about the same price. I think of Dennis Murphy (of Philharmonic, and the designer of the SongTower) as a spiritual cousin of our own DaveF. The Sierra is a traditional 3-way bass reflex whereas the SongTower is a 2-way, but the Salk is a transmission line rather than bass reflex. Would just love to hear them both in A/B someday.
    Luna Duo V2 LR, Titan Horizon V2, and Rythmik L22 & L12 in HT, Sierra-LXs in study, S-2EXs and Duo V2 C in bedroom, S-1 NrTs in dining room, S-1s at work, HTM-200s in kitchen. Brother owns CMT-340s and dad has a pair of CBM-170s.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    360

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Look for posts by Enrico. He went from Polk LSI towers to Ascend RAAL towers and is very happy.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    SoCal
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    265

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Some random comments from the peanut gallery:

    1. Tekton makes absolutely ridiculous claims about how their speakers work, and how speakers work in general, and they exaggerate their specs like crazy. For those reasons alone I wouldn't consider them.

    2. Paradigm, in my opinion, lost their way with the new Prestige series. I've seen measurements of several models from several sources (Stereophile, NRC, Euro mags, etc), and none of them have been good. Paradigm supposedly has a new anechoic chamber. Either it's not calibrated right, or they don't know how to use it, or they don't care to make neutral speakers any more.

    3. The Polks, from what I've seen, measure fairly well and are well-engineered. What's more, I've read rumors they're about to be closed out and can be had at 50% off or more. At those prices they become a good buy. Whether they're as good as the Sierra towers, I can't say. I think in some ways they are about as good and in some ways they are not as good. They're the only one on this list I would even consider against the Sierras, and only at the closeout pricing.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
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    USA
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    5,538

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Quote Originally Posted by AbuDilan View Post
    I am trying to determine what my next towers should be. How does the the Sierra tower compare to the following speakers:

    Polk Lsim 705
    Teckton Double Impact
    Paradigm Prestige 95F

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!
    Welcome to our forum!

    Please feel free to contact me directly if I can be of any assistance.
    .
    .
    .
    Good Sound To You!

    David Fabrikant
    www.ascendacoustics.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Just outside Pearland, TX
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    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Beave View Post
    1. Tekton makes absolutely ridiculous claims about how their speakers work, and how speakers work in general, and they exaggerate their specs like crazy. For those reasons alone I wouldn't consider them.
    I didn't know this but somehow I'm not surprised.

    2. Paradigm, in my opinion, lost their way with the new Prestige series. I've seen measurements of several models from several sources (Stereophile, NRC, Euro mags, etc), and none of them have been good. Paradigm supposedly has a new anechoic chamber. Either it's not calibrated right, or they don't know how to use it, or they don't care to make neutral speakers any more.
    That's a shame. I've always kind of liked Paradigm.
    Luna Duo V2 LR, Titan Horizon V2, and Rythmik L22 & L12 in HT, Sierra-LXs in study, S-2EXs and Duo V2 C in bedroom, S-1 NrTs in dining room, S-1s at work, HTM-200s in kitchen. Brother owns CMT-340s and dad has a pair of CBM-170s.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
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    6

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Great feedback. I will keep researching

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Maine
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    15

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    I have owned a lot of different speakers and I find the Sierra RAAL towers to be a tremendous bargain. I have heard the Polks and the Tektons and while there is nothing really wrong with them, the Sierra's outclass them pretty much all around. I haven't heard the Paradigms, but I'd be surprised if the Sierra's didn't compete with them well.

    If you're using a sub, I don't think you can go wrong with the Ascends, the base is good and the midrange and treble are even better.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
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    6

    Default Re: Sierra Tower versus Other towers (help!)

    Anyone else?

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