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Thread: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

  1. #11
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    Sep 2020
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    Oakland, TN USA
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Great thread!

    I am in a similar situation now as I have a pair of HTM-200's on order to replace my existing Mirage OmniSat rear channels, and am researchng a new center channel to replace an identical OmniSat. Since, I have the Sierra Towers w/ RAAL ribbons, the Horizon would be great! Currently, however; I haven't the room for one on my shelf below my Sony TV. The Horizon is something that might come later after I upgrade to a flat panel television that I can mount on the wall freeing up the entire top shelf where my current TV sits.
    I've exchanged a few emails with David discussing this, and the CMT-340 SE is a good choice from the $$$ aspect. But; the Sierra Duo LCR would be best, especially regarding my space of 8.5" ! About $900 is quite the investment! So; right now, common sense might dictate that just go ahead & buy the 340!
    My internal argument here is; what if I buy the Duo now, and later on after I get a new TV and free up that top shelf, that I wish I had waited and invest in a Horizon!! Yeah.... The wheels are always turning!
    No quick decision here, though! Not in a big rush. My 200's won't be arriving until probably January.

    I open to my fellow members thoughts here!

    - Greg

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2015
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    Houston, Texas
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Greg,
    I guess your Sony is too heavy to put on top of the Horizon (eg. Horizon on stand, TV on Horizon)?
    Before ordering my Horizon, I traded emails with Dave about putting the TV directly on top of the Horizon - wasn't an issue (I did plan on putting a Symposium platform between speaker and TV, though). That said, I have a flat panel LG OLED.
    Since then, I built a new TV riser and will put the Horizon on the entertainment center top shelf under the riser. Just waiting on the Horizon -- looks awfully funny with the Duo there now -- alot of open space! LOL.

    Robert

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    65

    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    In my experience, I also felt the dialogue was a tad bit clearer. But one drawback that I had with the Duo was the sweet spot which was a bit small for my liking (horizontal position). However when I placed the Duo vertically it absolutely fixed that problem. If you don't have the room to place the Duo horizontal, I would choose the Sierra 2 placed vertically. Do note that in my situation it was due to the center channel being only about six feet away. The closer you are the smaller the sweet spot.
    Last edited by msound; 12-08-2021 at 10:56 PM.
    TV: LG 65C8 - Receiver: Emotiva XMC-2 (9.1.4) - Blu-ray: UB820, x800m2 - Music: Sdtrans384 - Amp: Parasound A23 & A52+, Outlaw 7075 - LCR Speakers: Ascend Towers Raal ELX & Horizon RAAL ELX - Surround: (10) BG Radia PD-6i - Sub: Rythmik F18 - Power Cable: PS AC5, PS SC, Venom v14 - Speaker Cable: Furez - Interconnects: Neotech, Mogami, Pure Silver - Probe: Display Pro & i1 Pro2 - Software: Colourspace HTL & Rpi4 - Bias - MediaLight - Remote: Harmony Elite

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Quote Originally Posted by racrawford65 View Post
    Greg,
    I guess your Sony is too heavy to put on top of the Horizon (eg. Horizon on stand, TV on Horizon)?
    Before ordering my Horizon, I traded emails with Dave about putting the TV directly on top of the Horizon - wasn't an issue (I did plan on putting a Symposium platform between speaker and TV, though). That said, I have a flat panel LG OLED.
    Since then, I built a new TV riser and will put the Horizon on the entertainment center top shelf under the riser. Just waiting on the Horizon -- looks awfully funny with the Duo there now -- alot of open space! LOL.

    Robert
    Robert; Good morning! Below s a photo of my family / living room. Note; the Sony AVR is on the bottom shelf, and on the center shelf sits my Mirage center channel. Ths shelf allows about 8.25 inches of height. As it stands now; if I were to go forward with a new center channel, I would probably buy the CMT-340 SE. More affordable & practcal at this time - especially since my wife & I decided to go ahead and buy a 65" Sony that will be arrving Tuesday. The deal was just too good to ignore! Lol! So; for now, it will be sittng where the current 60" Sony Bravia KDS-60A3000 is. Hopefully in 2022, I'll wall mount it allowing for the Horizon center on the top shelf. We'll just have to wait and see with some home projects coming.

    Regarding the room; from the center channel to the main couch (center) seating area, the distance is 11.5'. The Sierra Towers are 11' from center of the couch seating.



    Another concern with a new TV on the way is connectng audio from it to my Sony ES AVR. The AVR has no HDMI and the new TV has no RCA Audio Out! Lol! I have a Toslink cable arriving today that should solve that problem.
    I'll test it today with my current arrangement. Just so happens the Optical Audio Out on my Old Sony TV is rght next to the Audio Out where the RCA cables are.

    - Greg
    Last edited by Outlaw Cajon; 12-11-2021 at 06:38 AM.

  5. #15
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    May 2015
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    Houston, Texas
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Congrats on the new TV, Greg.
    Best, Robert

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    New York, NY
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Quote Originally Posted by ahender View Post
    From a post from Dave:

    “This depends. The Duo center only becomes the better center channel option compared to the Sierra-2/2EX if using a subwoofer and if the Sierra-2/2EX can only be positioned horizontally. If no sub, or if the S2 center can be placed vertically - it is not the better center.”

    This applies to the current Duo. Not sure about the Duo V2.
    One question, if you're saying the Sierra 2 is better if placed vertical is it as easy as just rotating the Sierra center tweeter position and standing it up? Would I need to do anything else other then that?

  7. #17
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovesound View Post
    One question, if you're saying the Sierra 2 is better if placed vertical is it as easy as just rotating the Sierra center tweeter position and standing it up? Would I need to do anything else other then that?
    That's all you need to do. The only other difference between the standard Sierra-2 and if you have the center channel version, bought as a center from Ascend, is that the grill on the center version is longer so it covers the entire baffle.
    Ed

    * Sierra-2EX's W/V2 crossover upgrade
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    *World's Best Cables Canare 4S11 speaker cables

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    New York, NY
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Quote Originally Posted by Mag_Neato View Post
    That's all you need to do. The only other difference between the standard Sierra-2 and if you have the center channel version, bought as a center from Ascend, is that the grill on the center version is longer so it covers the entire baffle.
    That's great, thanks. I'm going to try this and see if it really sounds that much better standing up as the center. If it does I may just use the money I was saving for the Duo and put it towards buying EX upgrade kits for all 3 Sierras.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    65

    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovesound View Post
    That's great, thanks. I'm going to try this and see if it really sounds that much better standing up as the center. If it does I may just use the money I was saving for the Duo and put it towards buying EX upgrade kits for all 3 Sierras.


    Upgrading all three to ex and standing up the center Channel would be the preferred method in my opinion.
    TV: LG 65C8 - Receiver: Emotiva XMC-2 (9.1.4) - Blu-ray: UB820, x800m2 - Music: Sdtrans384 - Amp: Parasound A23 & A52+, Outlaw 7075 - LCR Speakers: Ascend Towers Raal ELX & Horizon RAAL ELX - Surround: (10) BG Radia PD-6i - Sub: Rythmik F18 - Power Cable: PS AC5, PS SC, Venom v14 - Speaker Cable: Furez - Interconnects: Neotech, Mogami, Pure Silver - Probe: Display Pro & i1 Pro2 - Software: Colourspace HTL & Rpi4 - Bias - MediaLight - Remote: Harmony Elite

  10. #20
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Center speaker help S2 vs DUO

    Quote Originally Posted by msound View Post
    Upgrading all three to ex and standing up the center Channel would be the preferred method in my opinion.
    Agree with this!
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    Good Sound To You!

    David Fabrikant
    www.ascendacoustics.com

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