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Thread: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

  1. #61
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    Aug 2007
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    S.E. La. - USA
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    312

    Thumbs up Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Quote Originally Posted by briand View Post
    I'm now thinking about upgrading my speaker cables.
    Would a bare wire connection to the speaker be preferable to spades or banana plugs since it would be 1 interface rather than 2? Convenience is not a factor since I never change out my speakers. I would still use banana plugs on my amp since the convenience there is is needed.
    Hello Briand and Welcome to the Ascend Acoustic forum!

    Over the past 40 years, I've had it both ways in my audio systems. Found the sound degraded over the years due to oxidation of the exposed bare copper wire. I had to cut back 1/2" on both ends each year to remove the oxidation and get to fresh bare wire. I then discovered the o-ring sealed compression banana plugs (like THESE) that make a positive connection, sound good and minimize environmental exposure!

    FWIW, the Blue Jean Canare 4S11 (like THESE) offer ultrasonic welded connectors that have a lock mechanism to secure the connection to the terminal receptacle! IMHO, these 4S11 speaker cables with that welded/lockable connector yielded the Best sound and performance for the investment! I've found better (Morrow Audio), but had to spend 8X the price!

    Hope this all helps!

    Ted
    Sierra RAAL V2 Towers, Axiom EP 500 Sub, Morrow SP7 Grand Reference Speaker Cables, Phillips CD880 XLR Balanced Variable Line Output to Orchard Audio Strakrimson 375w/per ch Stereo Ultra GaNFET Amp..... (Dedicated 2.1 Acoustical Music Listening Room)!

  2. #62
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
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    5

    Default Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Thanks. Makes sense to minimize wire oxidation.
    I am finding with my Sierra 2EX that things in my system that were hardly noticeable with past speakers now can make a significant difference. Good for music enjoyment, bad for wallet.

  3. #63
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    Default Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Quote Originally Posted by briand View Post
    Thanks. Makes sense to minimize wire oxidation.
    I am finding with my Sierra 2EX that things in my system that were hardly noticeable with past speakers now can make a significant difference. Good for music enjoyment, bad for wallet.
    Correct Briand! The Sierra 2EX are very musical, but also very analytical (reason I call mine, "Monitors")! In my experience, they are capable of opening windows into the honest quality of components, cabling, recordings and even room acoustics!!

    Feed them with well matched synergistic electronics, wiring and music in a balanced listening environment and they'll produce Live Surreal 2-channel Stereo Magic!

    Ted
    Sierra RAAL V2 Towers, Axiom EP 500 Sub, Morrow SP7 Grand Reference Speaker Cables, Phillips CD880 XLR Balanced Variable Line Output to Orchard Audio Strakrimson 375w/per ch Stereo Ultra GaNFET Amp..... (Dedicated 2.1 Acoustical Music Listening Room)!

  4. #64
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    S.E. La. - USA
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    Thumbs up Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Quote Originally Posted by elan120 View Post
    I speculate the interconnects will also help, but not sure to what degree, so I will be looking for your review by late November to see how you like them.

    As for my journey, well, it got started again last night. I received an email from Dina that they will be getting the finished cabinets in 3-4 weeks, so looks like I should get the speakers around mid to late October.

    Kevin
    Kevin...Well, the RAAL Towers should be almost in-the-house?!

    FWIW, have been cooking the Morrow Audio Interconnects (2-sets for pre and power amps and 1-sub cable) these past 30-days. They came from Morrow with 300 hours of break-in on them and I added another 400+ hours of music playback. Well, they are going back tomorrow!?!

    Neither the Morrow MA4's or the SUB4 interconnects meet my expectations, that of "improving" the MC CD Pro Reference interconnects I had before! The Morrows were smooth and detailed, but never really matched the MC's open soundstage that precisely places the music (vocals, instrumentals, strings) into the walk-into-the-venue recorded space! My Components + My Interconnects + My Sierra 2EX Monitors/Sub + My Music Room + SP4 Speaker Cables = Magical 3D Stereo that blows the room boundaries down and is a constant mind-blowing experience!!! With my set-up and situation, believe the sonic Balance, Synergy and Realism I already had obtained (especially with the "Morrow SP4 speaker cables") will be enjoyable for many more years to come!!!

    Ted
    Last edited by theophile; 11-21-2021 at 05:16 PM.
    Sierra RAAL V2 Towers, Axiom EP 500 Sub, Morrow SP7 Grand Reference Speaker Cables, Phillips CD880 XLR Balanced Variable Line Output to Orchard Audio Strakrimson 375w/per ch Stereo Ultra GaNFET Amp..... (Dedicated 2.1 Acoustical Music Listening Room)!

  5. #65
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Posts
    77

    Default Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Quote Originally Posted by theophile View Post
    Kevin...Well, the RAAL Towers should be almost in-the-house?!

    FWIW, have been cooking the Morrow Audio Interconnects (2-sets for pre and power amps and 1-sub cable) these past 30-days. They came from Morrow with 300 hours of break-in on them and I added another 400+ hours of music playback. Well, they are going back tomorrow!?!

    Neither the Morrow MA4's or the SUB4 interconnects meet my expectations, that of "improving" the MC CD Pro Reference interconnects I had before! The Morrows were smooth and detailed, but never really matched the MC's open soundstage that precisely places the music (vocals, instrumentals, strings) into the walk-into-the-venue recorded space! My Components + My Interconnects + My Sierra 2EX Monitors/Sub + My Music Room + SP4 Speaker Cables = Magical 3D Stereo that blows the room boundaries down and is a constant mind-blowing experience!!! With my set-up and situation, believe the sonic Balance, Synergy and Realism I already had obtained (especially with the "Morrow SP4 speaker cables") will be enjoyable for many more years to come!!!

    Ted
    Thank you for the detailed update, Ted,

    Very good to know you already have the combination you want. That is the state I will be working on for a short while, but in couple weeks, my first step should start, by having the room ready to take the RAAL tower delivery. It has been longer wait then I originally planned, but I am now just happy I finally can get the setup started. Once I have the initial setup going, and all the break in done, I plan on following your steps by getting a set of Morrow speaker cable to see if I am able to duplicate your sucess.

    Kevin

  6. #66
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    Jul 2021
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    77

    Default Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Ted,

    Thank you for the speaker cable tip, I placed an order today with their 10 day burn-in service at a very good discount.

    Regards,
    Kevin

  7. #67
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    Aug 2007
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    S.E. La. - USA
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    Cool Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Quote Originally Posted by elan120 View Post
    Ted,

    Thank you for the speaker cable tip, I placed an order today with their 10 day burn-in service at a very good discount. Regards, Kevin
    You're welcome, Kevin! Hope you find their virtues offer your setup superior sonics and great value like I did!

    Will we be seeing a RAAL Tower review from you soon?!?

    Ted
    Sierra RAAL V2 Towers, Axiom EP 500 Sub, Morrow SP7 Grand Reference Speaker Cables, Phillips CD880 XLR Balanced Variable Line Output to Orchard Audio Strakrimson 375w/per ch Stereo Ultra GaNFET Amp..... (Dedicated 2.1 Acoustical Music Listening Room)!

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Posts
    77

    Default Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Quote Originally Posted by theophile View Post
    Will we be seeing a RAAL Tower review from you soon?!?

    Ted
    Probably not until Jan-2022 due to delivery is unlikely to happen in December, but the 2EX will be shipping soon, so I will have them setup in RAAL Tower's place until Tower is delivered.

    I received one of the two amps earlier this week, and speaker cable is being build, so once I have the 2EX here, I will still have plenty of fun before the yearend.

    Kevin

  9. #69
    Join Date
    Dec 2022
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    3

    Default Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    My Background: Musician and Engineer. I've played some combination of trumpet, guitar and keyboards since 2nd grade. Engineer is day job: Combination of computer hardware and software design.

    I've had my Sierra 2EXs for 1.5 years now and I thought I'd chime in on their performance. I'll follow Ted's original review format and add my own comments. My setup with the Sierras is Moode Audio running on a Raspberry Pi 4b, streaming into a Topping E30 DAC in pure DAC mode into an Academy Audio preamp then into dual mono Hypex NC400s into the 2EXs.

    I've owned two audiophile monitors sets since I started in the hobby 20 years ago. Both had exceptional imaging, dynamics and richness. The first were Dunlavy SM1 studio monitors. The second were Alon Acarian 1s. The SM1s were the fastest, best imaging monitors I'd ever heard. Amazingly the 2EXs almost exactly match them in that respect.

    The Alon 1s are dipoles and have the most amazing holography with the ability to project the sound stage behind you. With well-recorded live music the 2EXs equal if not exceed them in this respect. I tested the 2EXs with an ambiphonic recording of a nature setting with birds flying around a lake and the room became the lakefront and I was completely surrounded. I could identify individual birds and their species as they slowly flew by. Stunning.

    So in my mind the 2EXs are like a combination of a Dunlavy SM1 and an Alon 1 with tighter, more extended bass -- except, and this is totally subjective, they are more musical. I think its due to that amazing RAAL ribbon tweeter and its almost magical cohesion with the Seas woofer creating accurate sweetness combined with rock-solid pacing

    That tweeter is so accurate, but never harsh. Bells sound exactly like bells. Saxaphones and trumpets are sweet and accurate. I have a few recordings that mix trumpets and cornets and you can clearly hear which is which, who the the manufacturer is and what kind of bell they have (76 LA Benge and 1934 Olds Standard for the curious). Guitars are airy and sensuous.

    I listen to about 70% Jazz/Fusion, 20% Rock and 10% classical. One of the first albums I tested was Bob Curnos LA Big Band performance of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays tunes. It really stretched the 2EXs and they shined. Reproduction of complex human vocals and acapella is amazing in Cadence's renditions of Feeling Groovy and Spinning Wheel. Turn on the 200 wpc NC400s, give the 2EXs enough juice and they rock out without break up (be careful). Spin some Yes/Fragile/Roundabout, RUSH (anything) or early Chicago (Brand New Love Affair, Dialog Parts 1 and 2) and... wow. Energy, dynamics, separation and pace all day long.

    So I love these things more than some relatives. No they aren't free, but they *are* a great deal on a slice of sonic bliss and an example of great craftsmanship so rare these days. Thanks Dave!

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    69

    Default Re: AA Sierra-2EX Monitor Review

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Burnes View Post
    My Background: Musician and Engineer. I've played some combination of trumpet, guitar and keyboards since 2nd grade. Engineer is day job: Combination of computer hardware and software design.

    I've had my Sierra 2EXs for 1.5 years now and I thought I'd chime in on their performance. I'll follow Ted's original review format and add my own comments. My setup with the Sierras is Moode Audio running on a Raspberry Pi 4b, streaming into a Topping E30 DAC in pure DAC mode into an Academy Audio preamp then into dual mono Hypex NC400s into the 2EXs.

    I've owned two audiophile monitors sets since I started in the hobby 20 years ago. Both had exceptional imaging, dynamics and richness. The first were Dunlavy SM1 studio monitors. The second were Alon Acarian 1s. The SM1s were the fastest, best imaging monitors I'd ever heard. Amazingly the 2EXs almost exactly match them in that respect.

    The Alon 1s are dipoles and have the most amazing holography with the ability to project the sound stage behind you. With well-recorded live music the 2EXs equal if not exceed them in this respect. I tested the 2EXs with an ambiphonic recording of a nature setting with birds flying around a lake and the room became the lakefront and I was completely surrounded. I could identify individual birds and their species as they slowly flew by. Stunning.

    So in my mind the 2EXs are like a combination of a Dunlavy SM1 and an Alon 1 with tighter, more extended bass -- except, and this is totally subjective, they are more musical. I think its due to that amazing RAAL ribbon tweeter and its almost magical cohesion with the Seas woofer creating accurate sweetness combined with rock-solid pacing

    That tweeter is so accurate, but never harsh. Bells sound exactly like bells. Saxaphones and trumpets are sweet and accurate. I have a few recordings that mix trumpets and cornets and you can clearly hear which is which, who the the manufacturer is and what kind of bell they have (76 LA Benge and 1934 Olds Standard for the curious). Guitars are airy and sensuous.

    I listen to about 70% Jazz/Fusion, 20% Rock and 10% classical. One of the first albums I tested was Bob Curnos LA Big Band performance of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays tunes. It really stretched the 2EXs and they shined. Reproduction of complex human vocals and acapella is amazing in Cadence's renditions of Feeling Groovy and Spinning Wheel. Turn on the 200 wpc NC400s, give the 2EXs enough juice and they rock out without break up (be careful). Spin some Yes/Fragile/Roundabout, RUSH (anything) or early Chicago (Brand New Love Affair, Dialog Parts 1 and 2) and... wow. Energy, dynamics, separation and pace all day long.

    So I love these things more than some relatives. No they aren't free, but they *are* a great deal on a slice of sonic bliss and an example of great craftsmanship so rare these days. Thanks Dave!
    Nice review Jim!
    Speakers: Sierra Towers w/RAAL, Rythmik L12 sub
    Pre/Amp: HK3490 (120w)
    Source: Schiit Modi 3+, Tidal HD

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