Expert opinion request - Sierra 2EX or Sierra Tower

[racrawford65]

You are welcome, Kaushik

See Sneetch already explained phantom center - thanks, Sneetch. Again, if you are mostly music, you may not even need a center and just get by with the "phantom" center when it's movie time. Alternately, if you are set on a center, what about under the mantle, perhaps angled up slightly if needed, mounted either to the brick or to the wood (eg, maybe an "l" bracket)? Upcoming Luna Duo might work (dimensions in the Luna thread post 972).

I've not heard the Towers with dome tweeter so can't comment on this versus the RAAL. Suggest you call Dina or Dave at Ascend and see what they recommend based on the type of music you listen to. I listen to anything from classical to jazz to classic rock to heavy metal, and all sound excellent to me with the RAAL. Speakers I had before moving to the S2s were Def Tech Monitors with Al dome tweeter. They could be fatiguing over a listening session.

[Agd]

I've actually been running a phantom center since I got my Sierra 2s and it's been great. I fought with my previous center often, so it's been convenient just getting my LR dialed in and not worrying about leveling or balance between an extra channel. Plus my receiver has more watts to dedicate to the LR

[nkblitz]

Hi all - thanks for the tips on the phantom center! Is this something that is tricky to setup, requires special knowledge or the folks at Ascend can help me do this? From what I hear based on your explanations I will not miss the center if the phantom center is setup correctly?

Unfortunately the fireplace under the mantel runs hot enough that I cannot put anything under or in front of the mantle. I can look around the internet for another brand that makes a low profile center, but based on what you all are suggesting I would get along just fine with the L&R phantom setup?

Thanks!

[nkblitz]

One more thing .. will the phantom require the speakers placed next to the mantle on either side or can be pushed out to the corner of the room?tv over fireplace.gif

[Agd]

Personally, my research has led me to ascend as the end game set up from a price to performance standpoint. If you get the towers and try the phantom center there's a very good chance your search ends there. If you still feel something is missing you can start the search for center channels, but my experience with the Sierra 2 is that you never notice it's missing, it's really that good.

Set up wise, you just tell your receiver that it's not there and it splits that channel between the left and right front

[Agd]

Also regarding being pushed to the corners, mine are 14 feet apart and still have a very strong centered image. The horizontal dispersion is really incredible, you wouldn't need to have the towers right by the mantle

[nkblitz]

That's great to hear. Gives me the needed flexibility! Thanks again for all your help.

[Sneetch]

I just received my Horizons with RAAL being used as Left and Right mains. I am blown away by the imaging of them! If I had gone with them first, even as a home theater enthusiast, I likely would have just skipped the center channel altogether. I continually checked the receiver to ensure it was only doing 2 channel as I would swear the center channel was on!

I thought the sierra2's were amazing, yet the horizons are a whole new level, the towers I expect are the same in presence over the sierra2's.

So yeah, I would recommend going with the towers for your room and get the RAALs if you can and see how that works for you, I would expect you will be very happy with them and no need for a center channel. Let us know what you choose to do!

[esnewtunemakers]

@Sneetch: just curious...You enjoy the Horizons better than the 2's as your L/R? I ask because I am considering replacing my 2's as L/R with the Sierra Towers (and "relegating" the 2's to surround duty).

Thanks for posting your impressions!

[Sneetch]

@esnewtunemakers: If you are considering the towers, I would not hesitate. According to what I have read from Davef, the towers are much better at imaging than a pair of horizons. And as I noted above, I am really impressed with the imaging of the horizons.

My space I couldn't accommodate for the towers else I would have gone that route. With my S2's also regulated to the rear and a pair of luna's for my surround channel, I am REALLY loving my home theater setup and listening to music both 2 channel and multi-channel. I have ZERO regrets and expect to be very content for many years with this new setup.

TL : DR in the words of Nike, just do it!
(not a paid spokesperson of nike or ascend, lol)