Introducing the Sierra-LX!!!

[davef]

Quite welcome, and thank you.

I realize this is potentially the splitting of hairs, but between the S2EX and the S1LX, all things being equal:

1. Which one throws the wider sound stage?
2. Which one throws the most coherent sound stage, the most recognizable positioning?

Surprisingly, the LX seems to throw the wider soundstage. I would say S2EX and LX are equal with regards to imaging.

[curtis]

Quite welcome, and thank you.

I realize this is potentially the splitting of hairs, but between the S2EX and the S1LX, all things being equal:

1. Which one throws the wider sound stage?
2. Which one throws the most coherent sound stage, the most recognizable positioning?

Surprisingly, the LX seems to throw the wider soundstage. I would say S2EX and LX are equal with regards to imaging.

While I didn't have the 2EX, I had the Sierra-2, in my room it is definitely and bigger soundstage, and has not lost imaging.

[SunByrne]

1. Which one throws the wider sound stage?

LX by a hair's breadth.

2. Which one throws the most coherent sound stage, the most recognizable positioning?

EX by a hair's breadth.

Thus, call it a draw.

The EX does a couple things very slightly better than the LX, all of which are things involving high-frequency detail. The EX advantage in these areas is quite small.

However, the LX does several things (flatter response, vertical dispersion, bass extension and impact) substantially better than the EX , so if you don't already own either, get the LX.

More details here (warning: long).

[Alleric]

Was I imagining things, or did I see a discussion on these forums at one point describing upgrade kit issues depending on what kind of cabinet one has? If this is indeed true, how does one derive if they have the correct kind of cabinet to go from a Sierra 1 to a Sierra LX?

I just want to confirm before I pull the trigger on a trio of kits.

[Mag_Neato]

Was I imagining things, or did I see a discussion on these forums at one point describing upgrade kit issues depending on what kind of cabinet one has? If this is indeed true, how does one derive if they have the correct kind of cabinet to go from a Sierra 1 to a Sierra LX?

I just want to confirm before I pull the trigger on a trio of kits.

You are not imagining things! I may have been the one who started that discussion. The issue(s) involved the early, 1st gen Sierra-1 speaker cabinets. Different tolerances, different insulation(fiberglass wrapped in black fishnet casing & glued to the cabinet), and different mounting hole positions for the crossover board. The biggest issue, for me, was going from the standard Sierra-1/NrT woofer to the Sierra-2 CURV woofer. The frame on the new woofer has a slightly larger outer diameter and did not fit in the older cabinet's cutout. I had to open it up with the crude tools I had on hand. It worked, but it was a PITA. If you pull out a woofer and see that older insulation...... yellow fiberglass wrapped in black fishnet, you will most likely run into issues. If that is the case, I'd send the speakers to Ascend and let them handle the upgrade.

[SunByrne]

You are not imagining things! I may have been the one who started that discussion. The issue(s) involved the early, 1st gen Sierra-1 speaker cabinets.

To be clear, these are the really early S1 cabinets. Mine are from 2010 and they were fine (they've now been S1s, S1NrTs, S2s, S2EXs, and now LXs), but if you have 2009 or before (like Mag_Neato said, check the damping material) then, yes, it'll be tricky.

[Alleric]

To be clear, these are the really early S1 cabinets. Mine are from 2010 and they were fine (they've now been S1s, S1NrTs, S2s, S2EXs, and now LXs), but if you have 2009 or before (like Mag_Neato said, check the damping material) then, yes, it'll be tricky.

Thanks to both of you. I was about to take Mag's information and go open the cabinet, but methinks you've saved me a bit of time. Mine were ordered in late 2011, early 2012.

[Alleric]

Ordered the LX upgrade kits.

This popped into my head this afternoon. I still have the port inserts that used to be offered on the site for the S1's. By definition these lower the port tuning on the cabinet. Anyone have experience on the LX's comparing the performance with/without these? I'll of course scan it myself once I get things swapped, but was curious.

[natetg57]

Ordered the LX upgrade kits.

This popped into my head this afternoon. I still have the port inserts that used to be offered on the site for the S1's. By definition these lower the port tuning on the cabinet. Anyone have experience on the LX's comparing the performance with/without these? I'll of course scan it myself once I get things swapped, but was curious.

I think you'd only need those if your speakers were extremely close to a wall or corner, otherwise they won't be needed.

[curtis]

I think you'd only need those if your speakers were extremely close to a wall or corner, otherwise they won't be needed.

Ordered the LX upgrade kits.

This popped into my head this afternoon. I still have the port inserts that used to be offered on the site for the S1's. By definition these lower the port tuning on the cabinet. Anyone have experience on the LX's comparing the performance with/without these? I'll of course scan it myself once I get things swapped, but was curious.

If I remember correctly, they were specific to the Sierra-1 and its woofer.
Hopefully Dave will chime-in.