Sierra-2 Upgrade instructions with video!

[Mag_Neato]

Hi pj, while the ribbon itself is delicate, it is protected behind a metal mesh screen and cannot be directly contacted. The danger to the ribbon is in being affected by a vacuum as the protective paper cover is removed. If the paper cover is simply pulled off, the force of the vacuum has been shown to potentially damage the ribbon. If one is careful to slide the paper cover off, then there is no risk to the ribbon. Once the cover is slid off the tweeter, you can choose to keep the grilles on or off.

Good to know, James. Maybe an extra video showing the paper cover being correctly removed would be a good idea?

[Dark Ranger]

Hi Ed, the fully-assembled Sierra-2s are shipping starting tomorrow December 17th! The Sierra-2 upgrade kits will begin shipping on Wednesday December 18th.

Woohoo! I can't wait.

Good to know, James. Maybe an extra video showing the paper cover being correctly removed would be a good idea?

My Sierra Horizon had this same paper cover over the RAAL 70-20XR when I received it back in April 2012. I just pulled off the paper cover slowly in the direction of the arrow.

The idea is to avoid lifting it straight up in a way that could create a vacuum. So for example, if the loudspeaker is laying on its back and the tweeter is facing straight up, you wouldn't want to lift it straight upwards (12 o'clock), but rather you'd slide it off at a 90 degree angle (9 o'clock or 3 o'clock).

In other words, slide it off in the direction of the arrow.

[JustABrah]

So for the center channel you'd have the arrow facing towards the ground right? Do you need to do something similar for the woofer?

[Dark Ranger]

So for the center channel you'd have the arrow facing towards the ground right? Do you need to do something similar for the woofer?

It doesn't matter how the speaker is oriented--right-side up, on its back, laying on its side--just slide off the paper strip slowly in the direction of the arrow. I can't find a way to explain it any better.

The woofer doesn't require this precaution.

Tell you what, I'll post a short video of how to remove the paper strip when I get my upgrade kits (assuming Ascend doesn't eventually add one due to popular request). My kits were pre-ordered only a few hours after Dave posted the pre-order link, so I should be in the first shipment.

[JustABrah]

It doesn't matter how the speaker is oriented--right-side up, on its back, laying on its side--just slide off the paper strip slowly in the direction of the arrow. I can't find a way to explain it any better.

The woofer doesn't require this precaution.

Tell you what, I'll post a short video of how to remove the paper strip when I get my upgrade kits (assuming Ascend doesn't eventually add one due to popular request). My kits were pre-ordered only a few hours after Dave posted the pre-order link, so I should be in the first shipment.

No I'm not talking about taking the paper off, my center is on its side so the tweeter needs to be flipped just making sure that in that setup the arrow on the tweeter should be facing the floor or if it matters.

[FirstReflect]

No I'm not talking about taking the paper off, my center is on its side so the tweeter needs to be flipped just making sure that in that setup the arrow on the tweeter should be facing the floor or if it matters.

Yes, arrow facing the floor is always correct. You want the tweeter to be vertical, always. So, if it's the Center speaker version, and the cabinet is rotated 90 degrees, you need to rotate the tweeter 90 degrees within the cabinet so that the tweeter is still vertical

[billy p]

Hah...for the sake of a 100 bucks I'd sooner send them back and let Ascend handle the changes. Those videos were nice but you can see those dudes could do that switch blindfolded...

[jamesg]

So for the center channel you'd have the arrow facing towards the ground right? Do you need to do something similar for the woofer?

Yes, that is correct. The tweeter must always be oriented "vertically," that is, with the ribbon running long-ways from top to bottom. This is true whether a main or center. The woofer has no orientation, it is omnidirectional.

[Mag_Neato]

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to post a piece of information which could help some of those who wish to perform the upgrade on the 1st generation Sierra-1 cabinets.

First of all, yes, I did the Sierra-2 upgrade to my already NrT-upgraded Sierra-1's. Christmas was better than planned!

Having done the NrT upgrade to my 1st gen cabinets, the issue of the different crossover board mounting hole pattern had already been addressed. Also, I had replaced the original fiberglass in black mesh netting bags with Dacron material as in the videos.

The issue I had this time was that the woofer recess cutout in the baffle was too small for the new woofer's mounting flange diameter.....by a pretty good margin(1-2mm). After speaking with Dina on the phone she suggested sanding the surface to open it up. The final option would be to send the speakers to Ascend and have them do it as they could address that issue. I was already in the DIY state of mind so there was no way I was going to let this stop me!

After sanding and sanding and sanding, the woofer still would not fit. The opening had actually become truncated, or chamfered, from the top down to the flange mounting surface, so while the woofer flange fit into the opening near the top, it did not fit as the inside diameter became smaller towards the bottom. I had a drill-powered flapping wheel on hand, which is a wheel made up of strips of sandpaper bonded to a center hub. I tried to straighten the sides with this but it did not prove very effective. I ended up using a utility knife and applying a score-and-carve method around the diameter where the side meets the mounting surface. I was able to open up the base of the cutout enough o allow the new woofer to fit.

This was very time consuming and resulted in several scuffs/scratches in the cabinet finish. At this point I was a little aggravated. I would suggest anyone with the early cabinets who are thinking of the upgrade to consider their woodworking skill level and comfort level of modifying these cabinets before deciding whether to do it themselves or having Ascend do it.

Other than that, the -2's sound absolutely amazing!!

[pj-]

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to post a piece of information which could help some of those who wish to perform the upgrade on the 1st generation Sierra-1 cabinets.

First of all, yes, I did the Sierra-2 upgrade to my already NrT-upgraded Sierra-1's. Christmas was better than planned!

Having done the NrT upgrade to my 1st gen cabinets, the issue of the different crossover board mounting hole pattern had already been addressed. Also, I had replaced the original fiberglass in black mesh netting bags with Dacron material as in the videos.

The issue I had this time was that the woofer recess cutout in the baffle was too small for the new woofer's mounting flange diameter.....by a pretty good margin(1-2mm). After speaking with Dina on the phone she suggested sanding the surface to open it up. The final option would be to send the speakers to Ascend and have them do it as they could address that issue. I was already in the DIY state of mind so there was no way I was going to let this stop me!

After sanding and sanding and sanding, the woofer still would not fit. The opening had actually become truncated, or chamfered, from the top down to the flange mounting surface, so while the woofer flange fit into the opening near the top, it did not fit as the inside diameter became smaller towards the bottom. I had a drill-powered flapping wheel on hand, which is a wheel made up of strips of sandpaper bonded to a center hub. I tried to straighten the sides with this but it did not prove very effective. I ended up using a utility knife and applying a score-and-carve method around the diameter where the side meets the mounting surface. I was able to open up the base of the cutout enough o allow the new woofer to fit.

This was very time consuming and resulted in several scuffs/scratches in the cabinet finish. At this point I was a little aggravated. I would suggest anyone with the early cabinets who are thinking of the upgrade to consider their woodworking skill level and comfort level of modifying these cabinets before deciding whether to do it themselves or having Ascend do it.

Other than that, the -2's sound absolutely amazing!!

This is a bit worrying.

I have Sierra 1's that were part of the first batch of Espresso cabinets. Has anyone else upgrading from older Sierras had this problem?