Ascend Owners Photo Gallery [Archive] - Ascend Acoustics Community

BGHD

06-10-2007, 04:24 PM

I finally figured out how to embed pictures into a thread, so thought I'd share. How about pictures of your setup?

OK, here's my modest plain-jane "old school" SE living room setup. Any critique/suggestions welcome.:

Pioneer 50" 1120 plasma + Sanus wall mount
Pioneer 74txvi receiver
Toshiba HD-D2 HD-DVD player
Xbox 360
Pioneer 588 DVD player (mainly for SACD/DVD-audio music)
DirecTV HR10-250 Tivo
APC H15 power/line conditioner
Ascend 340 SE LCR + HTM-200 L/R surrounds
Hsu VTF3-MKII sub
Sennheiser HD595 headphones
Harmony 580 universal remote
Salamander Triple 20 cabinet

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/2923/htpics011mu8.jpg

Left surround
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7753/htpics016pi1.jpg

Right surround
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5517/htpics017ed9.jpg

Open cabinet
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6948/htpics015vw7.jpg

Here's how I learned to embed images:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=853110

qqkltb

06-10-2007, 08:55 PM

http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/19666/2002297145214239041_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002297145214239041)
http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/18660/2004034652066514448_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004034652066514448)
Here is the front end of my setup

curtis

06-10-2007, 09:20 PM

Wow!

muzz

06-10-2007, 09:24 PM

Wow!
Yeah, great looking sound....... Video?..... Hmmmmmmm

Mike^S

06-17-2007, 02:11 PM

Show us what you got! Here's some close ups of mine, showing some nice reflections.

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/9562/img0643ma4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4963/img0644ld3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6862/img0645xl1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

curtis

06-17-2007, 10:33 PM

OK....I'll play....

http://changpics.smugmug.com/photos/153975595-M.jpg
http://changpics.smugmug.com/photos/16287108-M.jpg
http://changpics.smugmug.com/photos/164055074-L.jpg
http://changpics.smugmug.com/photos/164055037-L.jpg
http://changpics.smugmug.com/photos/164054850-L.jpg
http://changpics.smugmug.com/photos/164055001-L.jpg

steveklein

06-18-2007, 09:15 AM

wow some of you guys have some fantastic looking setups! i'll post mine when i get it set up (the ups guy just came 10 minutes ago!!!)

marksanctuary

06-18-2007, 01:48 PM

My home theater is a work in progress (who’s isn't with the never-ending upgrade possibilities) please excuse the mess. :rolleyes:

Yamaha RX-V2400 Receiver
Tivo Series-3 HD PVR
Panasonic DVD-F85 5-Disk
Panasonic PT-AX100U HD 720p Projector
92 Inch Screen $25 DIY (White Vinyl Siding and Black Duck Tape, To Be Replaced By An SMX Screen Soon)
Ascend CMT-340 SE Center Speaker
Ascend CBM-170 SE Main Speakers
Sanus SF26 Main Speaker Stands (Height Aligned All Three Tweeters)
80$E-AM3 Side and Rear Speakers (Replacing Soon!)
AudioQuest FLX-14/4 Wire (Twisted Pairs = 11 Gauge)
Klipsch LF-10 Subwoofer
Insteon Lighting Dimmers
Universal Devices Lighting Controller
Harmony 659 Universal Remote

http://sanctuarys.smugmug.com/photos/147253057-L.jpg

http://sanctuarys.smugmug.com/photos/147253066-L.jpg

http://sanctuarys.smugmug.com/photos/147253106-L.jpg

http://sanctuarys.smugmug.com/photos/147253129-L-1.jpg

Mike^S

06-18-2007, 03:24 PM

Awesome pictures everybody! Keep 'em coming. :) :)

drewface

06-18-2007, 03:28 PM

The home theater is a work in progress (who’s isn't with the never-ending upgrade possibilities) so please excuse the mess.mess :confused:
right...

i want to get some new shots of mine. i'll try to post them later.

marksanctuary

06-18-2007, 03:48 PM

mess :confused:
right...Just saying what everyone says when having guests over to their house even with everything picked up, but in text it does not come across as humorous as I guessed. I have been to houses that you know the owner is neurotic about cleaning the house from top to bottom and they will even say “please excuse the mess”, and you want to say, “right…what are you smoking?”

Plus you can't see all the junk I have pushed back in the room out of the cameras view which is mostly all the toys for the two kids (3.5 and 1.5 years old) which seem to never say picked up.

Mike^S

06-18-2007, 04:26 PM

That's why I do close up shots. So you can't see the mess! :D

Actually, if you look closely, you can see some in the reflections. :p

steveklein

06-19-2007, 09:48 AM

my setup really is somewhat of a mess. and pretty pedestrian compared to some of yall.

http://photos-506.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v80/4/37/7003957/n7003957_34561506_3009.jpg

marksanctuary

06-19-2007, 10:08 AM

No worries...looks like your still recovering from the UPS delivery that just came yesterday. ;)

BGHD

06-23-2007, 09:55 AM

Plus you can't see all the junk I have pushed back in the room out of the cameras view which is mostly all the toys for the two kids (3.5 and 1.5 years old) which seem to never say picked up.
Excuse my messy pics too. I had to pushbroom the toys out of the way to take my pics, but you can still see some. Pickin' up toys is a 24/7 job (3mo and 3.5yrs).

Curtis: Pretty sweet how the bamboo Sierras match your old stands & console.

Keeps the pics coming everyone. Y'all are giving me some great ideas to improve my setup.

BGHD

06-23-2007, 09:56 AM

my setup really is somewhat of a mess. and pretty pedestrian compared to some of yall.

Doesn't look 'pedestrian' to me. Care to share what equipment you have?

Mike^S

06-26-2007, 09:19 PM

Doesn't look 'pedestrian' to me. Care to share what equipment you have?

Looks like Piano black Sierras, Onkyo Receiver, Samsung DLP TV, Gamecube, Sony 400 disc CD Changer, and a custom built media pc. Am I close?

ebh

06-27-2007, 09:02 AM

here are 2 quick shots of my setup. also a bit messy right now. looking forward to moving soon to LA and lowering the position of the center channel. I was so happy when I finally found the stud i just sorta bolted it in without measuring, and the tv wasn't up yet. you know what they say about measuring twice and cutting once...

wish i had some sierra's but i think the next upgrade will be a 12" rythmik DIY sub. also, the 200 surrounds are on stands to the side of the couch.

http://www.ericandrachel.net/ebay/ascendsetup.jpg

http://www.ericandrachel.net/ebay/ascendlp.jpg

Jonnyozero3

06-27-2007, 09:35 PM

Okay fine, you twisted my arm... :p

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/5469/2068389910045692689S600x600Q85.jpg
First up, this is the front view of my downstairs home theater. You can see the three L/C/R Sierras in their stunning piano black, as well as a CBM-170SE, the H79 that needs to be calibrated, and my VTF-3HO that has gotten no love with music since the Sierras showed up :eek:

http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/6710/2810458770045692689S600x600Q85.jpg
Next, this is the rear of the room. You can see the CBM-170SE's on the sides on those sweet sturdy stands I still need to post about, and the Classic 170s in the back. That shelf is on my rack is empty because my Xbox is in another country. And yes, my beer fridge is wheel chair accessible.

http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/3423/2651103350045692689S600x600Q85.jpg
This photo makes me hot.

http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/5891/2921615640045692689S600x600Q85.jpg
Finally, this is where equipment formerly of the theater get banished to. I also call it, "The Living Room." If you ask about the Christmas decorations...my answer is: I'm a bachelor and I can do whatever I want. Including leaving my Christmas decorations up in June.

Anyhow, that's my friend's TV that he's about to take back and give to his mom (dammit!), a UFW-10 that I still love, and a pair of 170SEs. The stands will be here in about 18 hrs, if UPS is on the ball. And yes, that's a Nintendo Wii. Go buy one. Now.

That is all.

muzz

06-27-2007, 09:39 PM

"If you ask about the Christmas decorations...my answer is: I'm a bachelor and I can do whatever I want. Including leaving my Christmas decorations up in June."

You have that string of ugly white icicle lights still hung up outside too?

Bahahahahaha

LMAO!! :D

Jonnyozero3

06-27-2007, 10:41 PM

I have a friend in Boston...he'll drive down and kick you in the Sierra!

Okay, he's an Ascend owner too, so maybe he won't. :D

And naw, I took those down. I'm not *that* bad. :)

That said...there's still a Xmas tree in my dining room.... :o

Timbre

07-02-2007, 05:29 AM

Finally, I have an excuse to post my pictures:

http://heartlink.eaph.com/share/Images/AscendHT/264550.jpg

Hey, davef, if you are watching you might remember the concept sketches I faxed you from the Philippines. Look familiar?

http://heartlink.eaph.com/share/Images/AscendHT/287500.jpg

Yes, this is the bedroom. That was the compromise (No HT in Living Room).
Only the bedrooms here have air/con and with the house sometimes feeling like a sauna bath,
I can chill out with a little sonic nirvana.

I will try and put up more pics at:
http://heartlink.eaph.com/viewalbum.cgi?Images/AscendHT

Cheers!

CMT-340 SE L/C/R
CBM-170 SE Surrounds
HTM-200 Rears
HSU VTF-3 MK2 Sub
Arcam AVR300
Arcam DV79
Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD
Sony Bravia KLV-V40A10 40" LCD

chas

07-02-2007, 06:20 AM

Nice bedroom setup! Do you pull the 340's out of the cabinet for movies or do they sound ok in there?

Timbre

07-02-2007, 07:02 AM

Thanks chas,

Actually they sound pretty good inside the cabinets, because DaveF was so kind to help me in the early design. He reviewed my sketches and told me exactly how much space I would need to give the speakers enough breathing space inside there.

And now I recently bi-amped the front speakers with my Arcam in an effort to tweek the sound. So for my serious liistening, I like to slide them out to the edge of the counter so the ledge does not act as a baffle, and interfere with the dispersion. And since I have enough slack in the speaker cable, I can even bring them out and move them closer to the LCD Panel for movies.

The speaker cable I bought from Ascend over a year ago is great because it has 4 leads of 14ga., giving you effectively 11ga. And it was a life saver when I decided to bi-amp the fronts, since the 4 leads of concealed wire were already there.

The 340 SEs are really nice. During stereo play of reference material my soundstage is so wide and high, that there are times I swear I still have the center and surrounds on, and I catch my self checking my controls.

I actually bought speaker cloth to line the inside of the doors and cover the overhead center, but never got around to putting it into place. Think it needs it?

chas

07-02-2007, 07:43 AM

I think I would use the speaker cloth over the center channel opening...the mains look fine.

I hear the Arcams are nice sounding receivers...

musicforme

07-02-2007, 08:14 PM

I finally figured out how to embed pictures into a thread, so thought I'd share. How about pictures of your setup?

OK, here's my modest plain-jane "old school" SE living room setup. Any critique/suggestions welcome.:

Pioneer 50" 1120 plasma + Sanus wall mount
Pioneer 74txvi receiver
Toshiba HD-D2 HD-DVD player
Xbox 360 + HD-DVD addon
Pioneer 588 DVD player (mainly for SACD/DVD-audio music)
DirecTV HR10-250 Tivo
APC H15 power/line conditioner
Ascend 340 SE LCR + HTM-200 L/R surrounds
Hsu VTF3-MKII sub
Salamander Triple 20 cabinet

Can you tell me about your Salamander Triple 20?

I showed your photos to my wife and she's on board with how it looks. We currently have a Samsung DLP on a Samsung stand. We want to replace the stand before our baby is old enough to crawl.

Is it possible to baby proof the doors? Also, what color is the wood on your doors? Is that walnut?

Any other info you wantto share about them?

BGHD

07-03-2007, 06:50 AM

Can you tell me about your Salamander Triple 20?

I showed your photos to my wife and she's on board with how it looks. We currently have a Samsung DLP on a Samsung stand. We want to replace the stand before our baby is old enough to crawl.

Is it possible to baby proof the doors? Also, what color is the wood on your doors? Is that walnut?

Any other info you wantto share about them?
Babyproof? Haven't tried it. Luckily, my 3 1/2 yo hasn't been too curious w/ the goods inside. Could probably use any cheapie babyproofing cabinet or drawer latch/lock. Maybe Salamander has locks that work w/ the track system in the posts?

Color? Walnut. Sorry for the horrible, dark pics. I also have a Cinnamon double 20.

Overall, I'm very happy w/ the Salamander furniture. Sturdy, well-built, good ventilation (I leave the back panels off to improve venting). It's not the slickest looking furniture out there & not the cheapest, but it does the job for me. BTW, with some creative rearranging of the shelves & supports, a 340 center can fit within center section. A Sierra should fit no problem.

I just noticed they have a "Chameleon" collection that looks interesting. Cleaner looking without the metal support posts and more door options than the traditional Synergy line.

Feel free to ask any other questions, as I spent countless hours researching the stuff. I narrowed it down to Salamander, Diamondcase.com and Sanus. Fortunately, what sealed the deal was when I found them on sale for about 1/2 off at the Good Guys closeout sale, and the exact color combo (at least for the triple) I wanted too!

tp7539

07-03-2007, 07:47 PM

Beautiful set-ups everyone....my media room is currently in construction, but with the drywall about to go up. Assuming this thread is still going in a month or so, I'll be posting my set up then.

these pictures are getting me a little to anxious.....I have to stop looking.

tp7539

07-05-2007, 06:28 AM

Well, I know I don't yet have my Ascend setup, but I thought I'd post a couple of before pictures then a beautiful after shot. Here is a shot of my media room just before drywall.....

Hopefully soon I'll be sending out the real thing.

LesE

07-05-2007, 06:37 AM

Here are some pics of my modest HT setup.

Not exactly an ideal configuration but the results are still pretty good none the less.

HT Setup:
Samsung HLS-7178W DLP
340SE LRC
170SE Front Wide
200SE Side Surround
Paradigm Micro Rear Surround
SVS 20-39PCi Sub
Onkyo NR-1007 AVR
Yamaha HTR-5960 AVR
SA 8300HD PVR
Emotiva XPA-3 Amplifier
Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD
Oppo BDP-83 BD
Harmony 880 Remote
Vintage Technics SL-P8 CD Player (1984)

2-Channel Setup:
Pioneer SX-1250
Pioneer PL-530 TT
Empire 698 TT
HK ST-7 TT
Pioneer RT-1011L RTR
Pioneer RT-1020L RTR
Teac A2300-SX RTR
Pioneer CT-F1000 Cassette
Pioneer SG-9500 EQ
Pioneer RG-1 DRE
DBX-224X NR
KLH 7000A TNE
DBX-400X Program Selector

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/LesE_photo/P1010036-a.jpg

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/LesE_photo/P9300046-1.jpg

debo

07-05-2007, 12:20 PM

Mag_Neato

07-05-2007, 01:05 PM

Jeff, those are some nice shots! That piano black finish is amazing. Too bad I don't like to dust and polish! the natural finish is very nice for my setup and hides dust and finger prints. I like the faux bamboo plant too.

Those pics are so good Ascend could use them for the website.

BGHD

07-05-2007, 01:51 PM

Those pics are so good Ascend could use them for the website.
Exactly what I was thinking. What's the rest of the equipment?

debo

07-05-2007, 06:32 PM

Those pics are so good Ascend could use them for the website.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Ed

Exactly what I was thinking. What's the rest of the equipment?

H-100 Sub

Rotel RX1056 Receiver

muzz

07-06-2007, 07:17 AM

rizzxx7

08-16-2007, 12:48 PM

here are some of mine
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/rizzxx7/Picture098.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/rizzxx7/Picture097.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/rizzxx7/Picture096.jpg

rizzxx7

08-16-2007, 01:32 PM

I want those sierra's so bad, but I have to get permission from the wife!!!:mad:

BGHD

08-17-2007, 02:34 PM

here are some of mine

Very clean, esp with all wires hidden.

rizzxx7

08-17-2007, 04:20 PM

Very clean, esp with all wires hidden.

it was alot of hard work but well worth it!!!:)

BGHD

09-15-2007, 12:10 AM

it was alot of hard work but well worth it!!!:)
Bump.

I moved recently, so gotta start from scratch on the HT setup. I'm gonna try for a setup not too different than yours, rizzxx (i.e. wall mounted plasma w/ all wires hidden just above console).

Due to space constraints, might have to toss the 340 stands and place them directly on the console. Probably not the optimal distances, but the only other option would be to replace the 340s w/ wall mounted 200s. Will try to post pics when I get a new camera (we "lost" our camera, w/ over 500 pics of our new baby, during the move :( ).

As there's no space near the TV for the sub, still not quite sure where to place the VTF3. Will definitely take creative fishing to get it up and running.

domingos1965

09-15-2007, 12:47 PM

heres mine

domingos1965

09-15-2007, 12:49 PM

Mag_Neato

09-18-2007, 08:40 AM

Thanks to Curtis for hosting these!

http://changpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2938302#190025444-L-LB
http://changpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2938302#190025462-L-LB
http://changpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2938302#190025472-L-LB
http://changpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2938302#190025374-L-LB
http://changpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2938302#190025404-L-LB

Kingrsl

10-12-2007, 07:04 PM

These pics are about 9 months old but since my HT room plans have been postponed, the speakers are still like this. I have added some nice dual subs as well as an EQ and PS3 to spice things up. I should take new pics. My friends think I'm crazy for spending this much on speakers...........until they hear them. :cool:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/Kingrsl/PDR_2399.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/Kingrsl/PDR_2390.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/Kingrsl/PDR_2391.jpg

buddhadas

10-21-2007, 05:54 PM

Thanks again to Curtis!

http://changpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2938302#211120413-A-LB

http://changpics.smugmug.com/gallery/2938302#211120495-A-LB

Peace,

Jim

BGHD

10-22-2007, 09:42 PM

Here's my current non-existent setup. Been busy doing chores around the new house, so haven't had time to setup the goods. Listening to TV speakers is driving me crazy. As I haven't lived in a 2-story house before, I'm struggling to figure out how to wire the HT.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/9180/img0339ah2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

scottyh

10-22-2007, 10:58 PM

Hope ya like the pics!!

340SE mains/ 340SE center/ 170SE rear surrounds/ Axiom QS4 surrounds/ HSU VTF3 MK3 sub
Toshiba HD-A1/ Denon 2807/ PS3
Sony KDS60A2000

rogerm

11-06-2007, 08:45 AM

Here are some pictures of my current set up. The Sierra's sure look and sound great on Jason's beautiful stands. I need a new camera. These were taken with an ancient Agfa e photo. This is my first time at photo sharing, I hope it worked!!

Roger

http://www.photolava.com/view/9594.html
http://www.photolava.com/view/9595.html
http://www.photolava.com/view/9596.html
http://www.photolava.com/view/9597.html

Mag_Neato

11-06-2007, 08:59 AM

rogerm

11-06-2007, 10:03 AM

You are close, It's an NAD 3155 bridged with a 2155. The pair just turned 20.
I use 'em to run the "Maggies"

Roger

JasonColeman

11-06-2007, 02:06 PM

The Sierra's sure look and sound great on Jason's beautiful stands...
Thanks! :)

...and you definitely need a new camera! :D

J.

RayJr

11-13-2007, 01:29 PM

This is pictures of a system I just did a few months ago...
Ascend is well represented in the room.

Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE provide a seamless front sound stage.
HSU VTF3 MK2 Sub gives you the bottom end
http://socalht.com/jeff/installer.jpg
Ascend Acoustics HTM-200 were used for sides and surrounds
http://socalht.com/jeff/back.jpg

More info on this room can be found at:
http://socalht.com/jeff/

Later
RayJr

guard52

11-14-2007, 04:50 PM

New to this forum as I patiently anticipate receiving my Sierra 1's in the near future. Great work by Jason Coleman on matching stands. I was unaware of them until after I received these:[ATTACH][ATTACH]162. Hopefully will post some pics after Sierra's come in.

guard52

12-03-2007, 11:57 PM

Newly arrived Sierras on Lovan stands.

guard52

12-04-2007, 05:25 PM

A closer look at Sierras on Lovan Stands.

Timbre

01-21-2008, 03:05 AM

http://heartlink.eaph.com/share/Images/AscendHT/1818193.JPG

I finally decided to move my Front LR 340's out of the cubby holes
and mount them on some stands.

Here I am enjoying the new orientation. They really belong out of the closet and placed into the room, where they can really shine, and produce the soundstage and imaging they are capable of. :D

Now, all I need is to save up so I can move up to the Sierra-1's.
Oh well, someday I hope.:rolleyes:

chas

01-21-2008, 07:06 AM

Looks great Timbre (except for the toes).

Now, all I need is to save up so I can move up to the Sierra-1's.

Surely someone that can afford an Arcam can spring for Sierra's!;)
(Sorry...I'm jealous of your receiver!):o

curtis

01-21-2008, 08:03 AM

The toes are funny!

Looks great Timbre. Have you tried placing the center channel below the TV?

Cellsplicer

01-21-2008, 03:14 PM

Sources:

Technics SL-P770 CD Player
Computer (Onkyo SE-200PCI Sound Card)
ELAC Miracord 50H Turntable

Amplifier:

BursonAudio PI-100 Integrated Amplifier

Speakers:

Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 Loudspeakers

Audio Technica ATH-AD900 Headphones

http://www.lovelymagic.com/sierra-1/IMG_0395r.jpg

My Setup

http://www.lovelymagic.com/sierra-1/IMG_0393r.jpg

http://www.lovelymagic.com/sierra-1/IMG_0388r.jpg

http://www.lovelymagic.com/sierra-1/IMG_0387r.jpg

Showing the high gloss Piano Black finish

http://www.lovelymagic.com/sierra-1/IMG_0391r.jpg

Technics SL-P770 CD Player + BursonAudio PI-100 Integrated Amplifier

Drew.Ri

01-21-2008, 04:25 PM

LesE, I was wondering what stands you were using for the 340's up front?

BGHD

01-21-2008, 05:11 PM

Cellsplicer,
Just curious, but you use your setup mostly for games or music (or both)?

Cellsplicer

01-21-2008, 08:17 PM

Cellsplicer,
Just curious, but you use your setup mostly for games or music (or both)?

I use it mainly for music, and a tiny bit of movies or TV shows. For gaming, I almost exclusively use my headphones.

Timbre

01-22-2008, 06:41 AM

The toes are funny!

Looks great Timbre. Have you tried placing the center channel below the TV?
Hi Curtis,
No I never tried that. But when watching a movie, I am never aware
of the speaker being so high over the TV. I have it on a slight ramp,
so it is angled down in line to my listening position.

I think I will have to demo the center speaker resting on the counter, just
to compare. But I really enjoy keeping the counter clear.

Timbre

01-22-2008, 06:44 AM

The toes are funny!

Looks great Timbre. Have you tried placing the center channel below the TV?
Well, I was thinking that the toes would give the reader my
vantage point of laying on the bed.

But you are right, it's too much:eek:

LesE

01-24-2008, 06:03 AM

LesE, I was wondering what stands you were using for the 340's up front?

My L & R stands are Plateau RT-23. They're not the heaviest stands but I did fill the posts with sand which helped quite a bit. If it wasn't for the fact that I already had them on hand, I probably would have gone with the Ascend stands when I purchased the 340's. None the less, I am quite satisfied with the results I'm getting with the Plateau stands.

My center is sitting on a an old Paradigm speaker until I can find a suitable speaker stand and I'm using Samson MS-200's for my side surrounds. I have found that having the center out front of the TV worked out better than when it was in the TV stand.

Les.

BGHD

10-25-2008, 06:45 AM

Bump. I enjoy viewing the pics for tips on improving my own setup.

buddhadas

10-25-2008, 07:08 AM

my revised HT.

jschlesi

10-25-2008, 08:01 AM

Nice. How much impovement did you get with sound dampening?

buddhadas

10-25-2008, 08:11 AM

scape

10-26-2008, 09:47 PM

Thanks

In all honesty, my greatest sonic improvement was installing the various traps. Before traps, my room sounded like a gymnasium. The thing I always have to pay attention too, is that now, I can push crazy dbl's without any distortion. This is not only because of the traps but some great amps and speakers as well.

Jim

as out of ordinary a that seems to look, I'm jealous! I have a bit of interference from a close wall; blending a bass trap into the room is almost impossible. I did see a guy that made japanese privacy shades (like for changing your clothing behind :eek:) and redid the fabric into trap friendly.

jschlesi

10-27-2008, 04:25 AM

Did you do any measurements or was it all by "ear".
Also, those look like diy panels. I am started to plan the panels for my room and reading up. Any advice or tips about what you did would be interesting and helpful. Thanks

buddhadas

10-27-2008, 07:32 AM

It was all by ear, I have a friend in the audio business but we never quite managed to test it before, and I am completely happy after.
I am not a DIYer, although if you have the tools they probably wouldn't be to tough to do. I got mine at GIK Acoustics, for not much coin.

Jim

Mike^S

11-02-2008, 03:33 PM

My Sierras have a new home...

and so do I!

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3762/highsmallui0.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=highsmallui0.jpg)http://img84.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/5981/midsmallyz7.th.jpg (http://img118.imageshack.us/my.php?image=midsmallyz7.jpg)http://img118.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/8484/sidesmallrw2.th.jpg (http://img118.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sidesmallrw2.jpg)http://img118.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

I love the new place, but I need some room treatments. There's a some reverberation with the hard wood floors and big bare walls.

curtis

11-02-2008, 07:17 PM

Mike....where did you move to?

Mike^S

11-02-2008, 09:41 PM

Harbor City, it's about 5 minutes away from where I used to live. :p

curtis

11-02-2008, 11:09 PM

Harbor City, it's about 5 minutes away from where I used to live. :p
Cool! Close to Mia and Lana's Dad?

Mike^S

11-02-2008, 11:15 PM

Closer...

I think I heard some rumbling the other day... probably from his 8 subwoofers :p

I hear a GTG may be happening soon?

I'd love to hear a pair of the Rhythmik 12s.

curtis

11-02-2008, 11:31 PM

Yeah...I think you need to sell your F112 and get two piano black Ascend/Rythmik 12's.....to give your new place some symmetry! Might even end up with extra cash in your pocket. LOL!

dmitchell

11-03-2008, 06:17 AM

Here's a photo of my Sierras. In this photo they're being used on my 2 channel music system. I've since moved them upstairs into my living room in my main HT system.

tm3

11-03-2008, 07:01 AM

Here's a photo of my Sierras. In this photo they're being used on my 2 channel music system. I've since moved them upstairs into my living room in my main HT system.

what stands are you using, and how did you attach the Sierras?

dmitchell

11-03-2008, 07:04 AM

I'm using some Sanus stands I bought from FutureShop. They're solid metal and weigh about 25 lbs each, I would guess. I attached the Sierras with blue-tack. They actually hold the speakers on quite nicely. There was no way on earth I was gonna drill holes in my Sierras ;-)

soundfreak38

11-20-2008, 01:30 PM

scape

11-21-2008, 05:04 AM

Hi guys. Thought I would post some updated pics of my set-up. I also want to mention that I have left the paper on my Outlaw LFM-1Pluses just in case I decide to sell them. Figured that would help the re-sale value if I do ever decide to. Lastly, I just bought a new Denon 2808 CI receiver and a Panasonic BD35 BR player. Both are on the top shelf. My Toshiba A-3 is on the bottom shelf. Feel free to offer any comments, tips, praise, and etc. Thanks so much guys! :):)

Cheers,

Phil

PS: I did not realize the files needed to be so small. As such, here a link to my pics for those interested. ;);)

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49603

nice setup! how do you like the 2808? I have the 1909 and think it's great, i was so very tempted by the lowering prices of the 2808, but could not swing it monetarily.
I do notice the subs have an option to plug ports, have you tried this in one or both?

from outlaw site--
"Frequency Response:
25Hz. -180Hz. +/- 2 dB w/o Port Plug
18Hz.-180Hz +/-2dB w/ one port plugged "

I also see that they are both behind the couch, is this due to the size of the room? I read on some sites that it's good to keep them adjacently placed in the middle of the walls if you have 2 subs, but the room size might not need all that.

edit: also noticed you plan on redoing cabling, what gauge are you at now?
I'm sure you've read it but: http://www.audioholics.com/education/cables/speaker-cable-gauge
might help out, personally I'm using 14awg for my front speakers, and even that was a bit hard to terminate (especially into the denon) and I'm not so sure it helps much versus a 16awg for such short distances.

chas

11-21-2008, 06:20 AM

Nice set-up Phil!

How do you like the BD35?

soundfreak38

11-21-2008, 09:42 AM

nice setup! how do you like the 2808? I have the 1909 and think it's great, i was so very tempted by the lowering prices of the 2808, but could not swing it monetarily.
I do notice the subs have an option to plug ports, have you tried this in one or both?

from outlaw site--
"Frequency Response:
25Hz. -180Hz. +/- 2 dB w/o Port Plug
18Hz.-180Hz +/-2dB w/ one port plugged "

I also see that they are both behind the couch, is this due to the size of the room? I read on some sites that it's good to keep them adjacently placed in the middle of the walls if you have 2 subs, but the room size might not need all that.

edit: also noticed you plan on redoing cabling, what gauge are you at now?
I'm sure you've read it but: http://www.audioholics.com/education/cables/speaker-cable-gauge
might help out, personally I'm using 14awg for my front speakers, and even that was a bit hard to terminate (especially into the denon) and I'm not so sure it helps much versus a 16awg for such short distances.

Hi there and thanks for your kind words. So far, I really like my 2808 CI. It is a bit more challenging to set-up, but nevertheless a great piece of gear. BTW, you NEVER run the Pluses with both ports plugged. :eek::eek: I run mine with no ports plugged for "MAX OUTPUT" mode. Extension is into the low 20's with bass that is very articulate, punchy, and tight. This is exactly how I prefer it to be. ;);) I will never use it in "MAX EXTENSION" mode meaning only ONE port plugged.

My Pluses are located directly behind my love-seat. As I am sure you can tell, the room is oblong shaped and not very big. The bass sounds as though it is coming from my front-stage for the most part. This is the kind of effect I prefer. At times, as with explosions I can tell the bass is coming from the back by getting a free back massage. :D:D Keep in mind, that my ht room is only a little over 706 ft.^3. Can you imagine what my Pluses do to my tiny little room? :rolleyes::rolleyes: When watching BR movies, I had to turn them down some or my room was going to get ripped apart. :o:o

When I mentioned replacing my cabling, I was mainly referring to my hdmi cables, sub cables, and etc. Right now, I am using 12 AWG speaker wire with banana plugs. But, I will be replacing the 12 AWG with 10 AWG cut to proper sizes. The same holds true with respect to my hdmi/sub cables, and etc. Anyways, I hope this answers your questions and thanks for your input. It really is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Phil

soundfreak38

11-21-2008, 09:53 AM

Nice set-up Phil!

How do you like the BD35?
Hi Chas and thanks for your kind words. I really like my Panny BR player. The new sound codecs are noticeably better. Still lots of tweaking to do, but it is coming. No real big hurry, since I only have to please myself. :o:o My plan is to upgrade my subs sometime down the road. :eek::eek:

Cheers,

Phil

scape

11-21-2008, 10:12 AM

soundfreak38

11-21-2008, 10:26 AM

haha, sorry that was funny wording! I meant plugging one sub's single port, and leaving the other sub unplugged, or adversely plugging up both subs' single ports. i figured having one sub plugged and one open, you might get the best of both worlds :)
LOL.........you can with one of these:

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/mbm-12.html

Who knows, I may just end up with one of these as well. ;);) Does it ever end? :rolleyes::rolleyes: Oh well, it is fun though.......right? :D:D

Cheers,

Phil

On a side note, I plan to get one of the new 15" subs here in the near future.

chas

12-09-2008, 05:50 PM

A shot of my 340SE's:
http://swbg1.tripod.com/340se_lcr.jpg

buddhadas

12-09-2008, 08:17 PM

Nice setup Chas!
Do you notice the sound improvement with the acoustic treatments? Best upgrade I ever made.

Peace,

Jim

chas

12-10-2008, 03:50 AM

Thanks Jim...and yes the room does sound better with treatments.

scape

12-10-2008, 05:02 AM

A shot of my 340SE's:

wow, nice clean setup! way to go, i'm jealous :D

how did you choose where to place the traps?

chas

12-10-2008, 06:07 AM

wow, nice clean setup! way to go, i'm jealous :D

how did you choose where to place the traps?

Thanks. I just put the traps in the most common areas....super-chunk style traps in the front corners and panels behind the front mains. I had another panel behind the center until I wall-mounted the tv...I may put one back under the tv.

soundfreak38

12-10-2008, 02:25 PM

A shot of my 340SE's:
http://swbg1.tripod.com/340se_lcr.jpg
Very nice chas! So clean looking. I also like the color coordination. It gives a nice touch to the room. Thanks for sharing. Feel free to post more if you don't mind. ;);)

Cheers,

Phil

chas

12-10-2008, 03:00 PM

Very nice chas! So clean looking. I also like the color coordination. It gives a nice touch to the room. Thanks for sharing. Feel free to post more if you don't mind. ;);)

Cheers,

Phil

Thanks Phil. That shot was strategically planned to hide the mess of wires that I need to tidy up somehow. Once I get my blu ray player I'll pull everything out and maybe run some channels to clean things up a bit. Here's a shot that's a bit more 'revealing'::o

http://swbg1.tripod.com/front_wall.jpg

scape

12-10-2008, 03:54 PM

chas

12-10-2008, 04:07 PM

nice, did you make the traps yourself?

yes...they're all diy.

moehop

12-10-2008, 04:34 PM

wHAT KIND OF IMPROVEMENT DID YOU GET FROM THE PANELS BEHIND THE SPEAKERS.

chas

12-10-2008, 04:49 PM

wHAT KIND OF IMPROVEMENT DID YOU GET FROM THE PANELS BEHIND THE SPEAKERS.

Here's an answer to that question from Bryan Pape of GIK Acoustics:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9786349#post9786349

Gov

12-10-2008, 06:00 PM

Very nice Chas!!! I like the treatments very much. I wish I could do them, but the way its layed out it would not work.

chas

12-10-2008, 06:14 PM

Very nice Chas!!! I like the treatments very much. I wish I could do them, but the way its layed out it would not work.

Thanks Mike....still enjoying the ice-power?

Gov

12-10-2008, 06:48 PM

Thanks Mike....still enjoying the ice-power?

Oh, you know it!! These new Elites are a real powerhouse :D I keep wondering how some Sierra's would sound with it :D

rmj

12-10-2008, 08:23 PM

Here's mine + the tree

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/535/tvsierratreefu2.jpg

As you can tell, I need some stands...I guess I'm very meticulous as I have yet to find a suitable set after a few months of searching :rolleyes:

Trying to resist the urge ( :o ) to get the center and some surrounds with this holiday sale

edit- photo should work now, thanks for the heads up

chas

12-11-2008, 06:07 AM

Hi rmj...your photo isn't showing up.

merrymaid520

12-11-2008, 10:31 AM

sbeveraggi

12-11-2008, 10:57 AM

Here are some recent photos of my sierra setup and newly added Rythmik D-15 SE.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll4/bbriesath/IMG_3900.jpg
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll4/bbriesath/IMG_3901.jpg

Brandon

Great pics Brandon. :)
Is the piano black finish on the sub as outstanding as on the Sierras?
There seems to be a difference, but maybe it's only the pics.

chas

12-11-2008, 12:04 PM

Here are some recent photos of my sierra setup and newly added Rythmik D-15 SE.

Brandon

Nice system Brandon! That's one monster of a TV...:)

merrymaid520

12-11-2008, 12:47 PM

Great pics Brandon. :)
Is the piano black finish on the sub as outstanding as on the Sierras?
There seems to be a difference, but maybe it's only the pics.

Hello. The finish matches perfectly to me eyes. The pic is deceiving probably from the low lighting and that my flash was used.

Chas,

Thanks! Its a 61" JVC DILA LcOS tv, kind of outdated now though, its only 720p. Looks good with blu-ray still:D

Later,
Brandon

soundfreak38

12-11-2008, 02:42 PM

Thanks Phil. That shot was strategically planned to hide the mess of wires that I need to tidy up somehow. Once I get my blu ray player I'll pull everything out and maybe run some channels to clean things up a bit. Here's a shot that's a bit more 'revealing'::o

http://swbg1.tripod.com/front_wall.jpg
I fully understand Chas as I need to do the same. I plan to just replace all of my cabling to more appropriate sizes thus making it easier to do so. I still like your set-up. Very nice touch. The panels look great too! Kudos to you my friend.

Cheers,

Phil

chas

12-11-2008, 08:52 PM

I fully understand Chas as I need to do the same. I plan to just replace all of my cabling to more appropriate sizes thus making it easier to do so. I still like your set-up. Very nice touch. The panels look great too! Kudos to you my friend.

Cheers,

Phil

Thanks again Phil. I'm still leaning towards the BD35 for blu ray...have you found anything that you don't like about yours?

soundfreak38

12-12-2008, 10:34 AM

Thanks again Phil. I'm still leaning towards the BD35 for blu ray...have you found anything that you don't like about yours?
Chas, I just love my Panasonic BD35 BR player. Excellent picture and awesome sound-what more would anyone want eh? ;);) My vote is to go for it. BTW, care to shed some more light on your panel building as I need to do the same. How much did the materials set you back if you don't mind me asking? Also, what kind of camera are you using? Your pics are fantastic! Very good quality. :):)

Cheers,

Phil

chas

12-12-2008, 11:43 AM

Chas, I just love my Panasonic BD35 BR player. Excellent picture and awesome sound-what more would anyone want eh? ;);) My vote is to go for it. BTW, care to she some more light on your panel building as I need to do the same. How much did the material set you back if you don't mind me asking? Also, what kind of camera are you using? Your pics are fantastic! Very good quality. :):)

Cheers,

Phil

The camera is a Canon...A620 I think. I actually want to replace it as it does not have an image stabilizer and I get a lot of blurry shots (maybe my hands aren't as steady as they once were). It also gets pretty grainy in low light. My last 3 cameras were Canons so I'll probably stick with them.

Glad you like the BD35 as I ordered one this morning!

I don't recall the cost of the treatments as I gathered materials over a long period of time. The 703 fiberglass was the most expensive item, and I think I used two cases of that. The wood (cheap fir strips from Home Depot) and cloth (I used burlap from ATS Acoustics for the panels as they had a close match to my wall color, and speaker cloth from Joanne's for the corner traps) was relatively inexpensive. Feel free to PM if you want more details.

soundfreak38

12-12-2008, 05:57 PM

The camera is a Canon...A620 I think. I actually want to replace it as it does not have an image stabilizer and I get a lot of blurry shots (maybe my hands aren't as steady as they once were). It also gets pretty grainy in low light. My last 3 cameras were Canons so I'll probably stick with them.

Glad you like the BD35 as I ordered one this morning!

I don't recall the cost of the treatments as I gathered materials over a long period of time. The 703 fiberglass was the most expensive item, and I think I used two cases of that. The wood (cheap fir strips from Home Depot) and cloth (I used burlap from ATS Acoustics for the panels as they had a close match to my wall color, and speaker cloth from Joanne's for the corner traps) was relatively inexpensive. Feel free to PM if you want more details.

Chas, I am glad you decided to order the Panny BD35 BR player. I am sure you will like it. Like you, I also have a canon, but mine does have image stabilization. That will be a good move imho. Thanks for the info regarding the traps. I will look you up whenever I get to that point. However, it may be a while yet. Things are really hectic here given the holiday shopping season. Hope all is well your way my friend.

Cheers,

Phil

scape

12-13-2008, 06:16 AM

http://peepfair.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/stereo.jpg

not quite as thrilling as some setups, but it gets the job done. i was planning on ordering more 340's but as it happens I may be going to Norway for a year and couldn't bring my stereo! x(

The tv is actually a 42" plasma, it looks oddly small in this shot, the camera has a widescreen lens

also please ignore the mess, i'm usually moving crap around back there!

chas

12-13-2008, 06:24 AM

scape

12-13-2008, 11:01 AM

Nice scape! I thought my tv looked small in my shots too:confused:

Do you use the laptop as a HT PC?

thanks! :)

i do. it has svideo out, which is not exactly ideal, but neither is internet video :)

i mostly play pandora on it so just audio, but sometimes video from hulu or sidereel for some tv entertainment-- it works out well enough to be honest, but certainly isn't streamlined by any means. as htpc's are getting better with hdmi + audio out, i may be building a simple setup, but truth be told having a small lcd screen off to the side makes things easier sometimes.

jk121764

03-24-2009, 07:05 PM

Here's my 2 channel setup. :)

http://i40.tinypic.com/2relhxv.jpg

scape

04-01-2009, 10:15 AM

just moved, this is my new setup
http://i42.tinypic.com/xcqaf6.jpg
Room from afar, you can see the energy surround sounds near the couch.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2qncv2w.jpg
this is the best angle I could muster to fit the speakers into view, cellphone pics are terrible, haha

http://i40.tinypic.com/znn2ow.jpg
this is the speaker stand I built for the 170's, they're a tad tall, but fit the audio to the tv perfectly, since that is raised up as well. i might remake short stands and use these for the surround

pj-

04-02-2009, 03:44 PM

It's been many years, but I finally had enough dough to start buying my (realistic) dream home theater.

http://i40.tinypic.com/fpcvwn.jpg

Sub is a VTF2-MK3, receiver is an HK AVR-254, tape measurer is stanley.
I'm going to get sierras up front and move the 170s to the back this month

get_zwole

04-06-2009, 03:11 PM

not a very good pic black wall black speakers, gotta hide the wires still but im happy with my setup.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r113/gbart1985/P1010077.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r113/gbart1985/P1010078.jpg

dmitchell

04-06-2009, 03:17 PM

Very nice. Are those concrete walls?

get_zwole

04-06-2009, 04:11 PM

Very nice. Are those concrete walls?

thank you, no they are just textured drywall i used a slick kind of paint as im not a fan of the dryer looking paints. The color is actually silver on the sides and roof and dark black on the back wall, the flash kinda makes it look weird.

BGHD

04-21-2009, 09:38 PM

Cool. The thread I started >2 yrs ago lives on (see original post). Major components about the same, except the following changes:

-Toshiba HDDVD player's gone
-Added PS3
-Changed remote to Harmony One
-Pio plasma no longer wall-mounted
-Moved 340SE center channel into cabinet
-DirecTV DVR changed to Fios with TivoHD
-Different house
-Same crappy Costco satellite clock

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7619/img5008l.jpg

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/3861/img5009.jpg

curtis

04-21-2009, 10:00 PM

I have that same clock in the living room! :)

ccotenj

04-22-2009, 06:07 AM

BGHD

04-22-2009, 10:24 PM

that's nice bghd... :)

that's a salamander synergy triple stand, right? if so, how do you like it? was it difficult to assemble?

i'm hunting a new stand right now, and i'm trying to decide between the salamander and the studiotech ultra. it's hard to find a closed cabinet design that is deep enough to actually be functional.

I'm happy with it. Not difficult to assemble. Top & bottom pieces on the triple are crazy heavy though (maybe just for my wimpy self though), so may need help. My receiver barely fits. Optional wheels make tweaking easier, esp if have hard flooring.

stevec

04-27-2009, 10:24 AM

Dave and Brian, Thanks for building such great products!. I still have a couple of things to work on (and aquire) to complete my "HT". But I am loving the picture and sound. Below are some pictures of my setup.

You will notice that my CMT 340s are wall mounted. I need a steeper angle on both the sides (currently around 14 degrees, need to make it 22) and the back (currently 14 degrees, need 20). I am designing\builidng supports which will sit on the mall mounts and increase the angle.

I also need a better DVD player. Probably I'll wait a bit cause I want to make sure I can play DVD Audio and SACD as well.

Loving all the clearness,
stevec

System:
Panasonic TH-50PZ800U Plasma HDTV
ATT UVERSE HD DVR
Onkyo TX-SR806 Receiver
Denon 1600 DVD Plaver
PlayStation 3
Sierra 1 Left, Right, and Center
Rythmik D-15SE Subwoofer
CMT 340SE Side Surrounds
CMT 340SE Rear Surrounds (THX Distance Placed)

scape

04-27-2009, 10:29 AM

how's those rear surrounds working out at such a placement?

stevec

04-27-2009, 10:40 AM

how's those rear surrounds working out at such a placement?
By placement are you referring to the height, depth behind the listener, or space between (THX recommended)? As I posted they still need to be angled down more. The sound focus is above the listener by about a foot or so. Once I get the angles right, I will then retune the system.

Of course if you look at my room situation, it very much sonically challenged. That is why I went for the CMT as surrounds, I wanted something that I could get a fuller sound from given that I have a lot of "space" (behind the listener) to deal with.

scape

04-27-2009, 10:49 AM

stevec

04-27-2009, 11:24 AM

mostly referring to distance and the akwardness of the room behind the couch (does sound get 'trapped' in the kitchen a bit?). I had a room very similar and the surrounds were such a pain to figure out, haha. have you thought about just using tall stands behind the couch, or even hanging them down from the ceiling?
kudos on the system though, looks killer!
hang them from the ceiling? you must not be married.. :).. yeah you are right the rear sound is not ideal... I actually am thinking about taking out a bit of the kitchen dividing wall (some time next year).. that will eliminate some loss.

thanks for the kudos on the system... Pretty much all my wiring is in wall (I have an access panel in the back room).. I designed those floating shelves (no brackets anywhere)... It just needs a few more electronics...

scape

04-27-2009, 11:36 AM

hang them from the ceiling? you must not be married.. :)..

lol, true I am not; but nonetheless it may look terrible hanging them anyway, haha. the kitchen wall looks to have a support beam to hold up that wall-- it's not my place but if I owned it I think I would remove that kitchen wall down to the countertop height, regardless of the speakers; it'd open up that room :D

chas

04-27-2009, 11:39 AM

I like those floating shelves Steve!

davef

04-28-2009, 03:45 PM

Mike_in_FL

05-15-2009, 05:28 AM

I'm happy with it. Not difficult to assemble. Top & bottom pieces on the triple are crazy heavy though (maybe just for my wimpy self though), so may need help. My receiver barely fits. Optional wheels make tweaking easier, esp if have hard flooring.

I have also been looking at that stand to go under my screen. I only have 23 inches from the floor to the bottom of the screen, and I think that is one of the few that will fit (without the wheels).

Do you have the cabinet doors open for the purposes of the photo, or to improve cooling of the components? My video scaler in particular gets real hot, even in it's current location where it is on an open shelf. I am not sure from the picture - which door panel did you go with? Do you find much "bleed through" from the lights on the equipment? Sorry for all the questions!

It is good to see that the 340SE center fits in the cabinet too. One of the main reasons I want a new stand is that it will enable me to get my center off the floor where it is now (Dave F, pretend you didn't hear that!;)).

Thanks,
Mike

Abiathar

05-25-2009, 05:55 AM

Here is my front setup now that we have moved into the new town home. I need to upgrade my sub and I'm watching for b-stock HTMs to add to the rear, currently have some JBLs back there. Have 3 170's across the front being pushed by a Onkyo 805 with a Sony 5 DVD changer, Sony PS3 and a Onkyo SACD/DVD-A player and a Samsung LN46B550 for the display. Monoprice has a kit to run the power and signal cables in the wall that will be added sometime.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s91/abiathar/0519091624.jpg

Photo was taken on my cell phone, but still came out fine.

Steve

BGHD

06-14-2009, 08:40 AM

BGHD

06-14-2009, 08:59 AM

I have also been looking at that stand to go under my screen. I only have 23 inches from the floor to the bottom of the screen, and I think that is one of the few that will fit (without the wheels).

Do you have the cabinet doors open for the purposes of the photo, or to improve cooling of the components? My video scaler in particular gets real hot, even in it's current location where it is on an open shelf. I am not sure from the picture - which door panel did you go with? Do you find much "bleed through" from the lights on the equipment? Sorry for all the questions!

It is good to see that the 340SE center fits in the cabinet too. One of the main reasons I want a new stand is that it will enable me to get my center off the floor where it is now (Dave F, pretend you didn't hear that!;)).

Thanks,
Mike

Sorry for late response, but been wasting too much time on Facebook. :)

-Cabinet doors: Open for both reasons. Usually open a door mostly when using either xbox or ps3, as I can hear the fans working overtime when it's closed. Doesn't seem to be a problem for other equipment.

-Lights: Have the standard black metal mesh. Would guess maybe 50% of light visible through the screen. Some of my components allow dimming too, which helps.

-Center: As per Ascend's rec, left off the panel behind the center channel. Seems to help make it sound less 'hollow.' I had my CC on the floor for a long while b4 buying the stand too. :D

Abiathar

06-14-2009, 09:04 AM

Here is the link to the in wall kit from Monoprice. You have to go to you're local hardware store to get the Romex wire to run inside the wall, easy enough.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042505&p_id=4652&seq=1&format=2

Steve

chas

06-14-2009, 09:18 AM

How do you like the 170 as a center speaker?

Mike_in_FL

06-14-2009, 09:20 AM

Sorry for late response, but been wasting too much time on Facebook. :)

-Cabinet doors: Open for both reasons. Usually open a door mostly when using either xbox or ps3, as I can hear the fans working overtime when it's closed. Doesn't seem to be a problem for other equipment.

-Lights: Have the standard black metal mesh. Would guess maybe 50% of light visible through the screen. Some of my components allow dimming too, which helps.

-Center: As per Ascend's rec, left off the panel behind the center channel. Seems to help make it sound less 'hollow.' I had my CC on the floor for a long while b4 buying the stand too. :D

No problem, thanks for the response!

Mike

BGHD

06-16-2009, 12:23 AM

Abiathar

06-17-2009, 06:46 PM

I love the 170 as a center. I looked at the 340's but wanted all 3 fronts to be identical and 3 340's was out of the budget. I looked at everything and decided 3 170's with my current sub would fill the role perfectly. Now that I have a bigger room, the sub is a bit weak, but that will be remedy in the future.

Steve

fraseronly

09-17-2009, 10:33 PM

Very cool product, esp if there's no outlet or switch to tap into to add a new outlet behind the TV.

I just installed a similar product from Power Bridge

http://www.powerbridgesolution.com/home.html but I think both options have a flaw. You have to run romex from an existing outlet. If you have to run cable anyway why not just put in a new outlet behind your wall mount ? Then you dont have the annoyance of the cable being plugged in at the bottom. Just pass your HDMI or video source cables through the wall. You can even get recepticles with surge built in which will deliver clean power to your TV. Not cheap but an example is listed below.

http://www.psaudio.com/ps/products/detail/soloist-in-wall-power-conditioner?cat=cables-accessories

Am I missing something ?

Fraser

jschlesi

10-29-2009, 06:50 AM

I also used the monoprice box w/scoop. Worked great. Much cheaper.

indulger

12-29-2009, 01:41 PM

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb120/debo_57/HomeTheatre1.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb120/debo_57/Sierra-1.jpg
They look great with my fake bamboo plant!
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb120/debo_57/Sierra_Grill_On.jpg

Come on Debo, put your pics back up. I'm trying to sell my wife on these and you had the best pics to illustrate "WAF":D

jschlesi

12-29-2009, 03:44 PM

I have some left over scoops I will let go for shipping only if someone is interested.

mthoodmark

01-16-2010, 12:02 PM

2 channel setup for my workspace at home:

Rotel RA-970BX
2 x Sierra-1
24" Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP
20" Dell monitor

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k234/masmediaspace/IMG_0051-1.jpg

White_Sierras

02-09-2010, 05:51 AM

My Sierras are the foundation of my new home's set-up. As you can tell, I'm working on the white theme. Many thanks to Dave and Dina at Ascend for working with me on the custom, white grilles. These are the best speakers I've ever owned!

If anyone has any component suggestions, I am always open to ideas. So far, I have the Sierras positioned as the main speakers in my great room and a number of in-ceiling speakers throughout the rest of the house. I bought a Niles 1260 multi amplifier, but I am completely torn as to which multi-zone receiver to buy. All my cables are by Noble Soundlab, and they are white as well.

http://greenturtledesign.com/misc_web_content/white_ascend_acoustics_sierra-1s_b.jpg

markie

02-09-2010, 06:47 AM

Those white grills look fantastic with the Sierras! Clean and perky looking. Great idea!

Reminds me of a song from Sound of Music:

Edelweiss, edelweiss, every morning you greet me
small and white,
clean and bright,
you look happy to meet me.

Bright only on looks, not sound!

I'd appreciate seeing some pics of your set up if you get around to it. :)

White_Sierras

02-09-2010, 06:58 AM

Thanks! I think white compliments the bamboo really well.

I'm building the home myself, so I can assure you that a lot of TLC went into the audio system. I'll have pictures not too long after move-in day.

curtis

02-09-2010, 07:17 AM

Those look great!!

Hey, not a big deal, but the grilles are upside-down. Do you see how the top of the grille frame covers the top of the tweeter frame?

The grilles should be flush with the top of the speaker.

White_Sierras

02-09-2010, 07:28 AM

Ha! Yeah, I realized after I took the picture, but what are you going to do? Until I put them in their proper place, in the days to come, the grilles are living in a jumbo zip-loc to keep them pristine.

For all those who want to see where the speakers are destined to live, older pictures of my home's set-up in progress are on http://avclarity.blogspot.com/.

curtis

02-09-2010, 07:33 AM

HA...Got it!

I wonder what other colors are available. My landlord has decided to pay for materials to put in a bamboo floor in my house, and friends are going to help with the labor for installing and painting. Your white grilles have me wondering if I can get/make a grille with a complimenting color.

White_Sierras

02-09-2010, 08:17 AM

Check e-bay for a sampling of colors, but keep in mind I coordinated all this with Dave. I'm unsure if he prefers working with one type of fabric over another.

curtis

03-16-2010, 01:22 PM

Just did some major redecorating throughout the house. Basically new paint/colors, and ripped out the carpet in the entire house and put in bamboo flooring. So I thought I'd show before and after pictures of the living room and the Sierras.

Before:
http://changpics.smugmug.com/Other/Ascend-Acoustics-pictures/P1020168/158567243_qZETY-L.jpg
http://changpics.smugmug.com/Other/Ascend-Acoustics-pictures/P1020602/195739213_2uA6F-L.jpg

After:
http://changpics.smugmug.com/Other/Ascend-Acoustics-pictures/P1030045/811951444_2ztV3-L.jpg

Much more dramatic change in person.

Not completely finished around the house...but the major stuff is complete.

buddhadas

03-16-2010, 01:49 PM

Love the color choice Curtis, really stunning! The floors look like they turned out beautiful as well. Great Job!

curtis

03-16-2010, 01:56 PM

Love the color choice Curtis, really stunning! The floors look like they turned out beautiful as well. Great Job!
Thanks...I can't take credit for the color choices, I had friends that pretty much chose colors throughout the house other than my daughter's room.

The wall in the picture they called an "accent" wall, and darker because the TV is against it. The other walls in the living room are a lighter gray...almost like the sofa.

The floors were a lot easier to put in than I thought. It is an "engineered" bamboo floor with a thin cork backing.

This weekend we are putting in the moldings.

The house is really totally transformed. I love it.

chas

03-16-2010, 01:58 PM

Much more dramatic change in person.

Not completely finished around the house...but the major stuff is complete.

Actually looks pretty dramatic to me - major improvement...looks great Curtis!

markie

03-16-2010, 04:15 PM

Looks just fine! I notice the TV stand in the newer pics have dark knots in the wood on the front part of the top shelf. You must have turned the stand around! :cool:

Is there much of an acoustic difference without the carpet?

Mark

curtis

03-16-2010, 04:27 PM

yeah...the stand got turned around. I also put furniture sliders on it to make it easier to move and get behind it. Also contemplating a new TV and what to get.

Yes...the acoustic difference is noticeable, but not as bad as I thought it was going to be.

The speaker stands seem to have lightened in color over time.

indulger

04-11-2010, 07:48 AM

Finally got some work done. I've been acquiring piece by piece since Christmas. To date I am about 95% finished. I still have to decide whether I want front heights or rear surrounds(decided on the front heights), and hang some automated drapes to cover the screen, when we are not watching the projector. I also have to repaint the living room, since my wife let me cut into the wall to hook up the ceiling outlet. I figure it's a small price to pay for getting permission to turn the living room into a mini theater.
I previously had b*se 901's as mains, w/acoustimas surrounds and a technics receiver. They lasted for about 15 years. The Tv and Projector screen were on opposite sides of the room. Bout time I upgraded and rearranged some things.
Now:
Denon AVR-4310CI
Oppo-80 Bluray
(old) Sony DVD player
Dishnetwork for HDTV
Pioneer Plasma
Epson 8100 projector
Sierra-1 L/C/R
HTM 200SE Surrounds
Rythmik D15SE Subwoofer
Nintendo Wii (daughters)

I threw in a Logitech Squeezebox Duet and Harmony One, an 8-port gigabit switch, Auralex Great Gramma & a set of mopads, and a home built computer.
Before:
http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/Before2.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/Before.jpg

After:
http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/001.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/002.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/003.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/005.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/006.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/004.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/FrontHeights.jpg

Link to all photos:
http://s827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/indulger64/Home%20Theater/

ediblestarfish

06-14-2010, 03:38 AM

Hope I haven't been too annoying around here with my other posts. :E

Tossed up the whole area on my Flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ediblestarfish/sets/72157624087544805/) if you want to go though a little more with written notes and bigger images. Let's just say I have some pent up frustration with 'computer speakers'.

Have here the Sierra-1's and a Rythmik F12SE I got at the same time.

It's very difficult to tune for listening in such a close area, and took weeks of positioning and re-positioning; extremely temperamental and unforgiving. Toe-in, tilt-up, grilles off, stands back, monitor forward, desk down, seat back... I literally changed the whole room just to accommodate the speakers as best I could.

Overall, I finally managed to find a good compromise, and am happily playing music nearly all the time. :)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4673437840_cc3f1efa63.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1308/4673437116_f4e4234320.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4673434758_faeb1aa717.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4673435706_03221a77bf.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1282/4672810597_aefa414c45.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4673439848_f55f0ccc98.jpg

davef

06-14-2010, 06:01 PM

Wow -- nice setup and great pics!

Thanks for sharing!

warlord260

07-22-2010, 08:41 PM

http://s816.photobucket.com/albums/zz88/warlord260/improved/
is a photo of my 340se set-up

chas

07-23-2010, 04:14 AM

Nice warlord....looks like you have plenty of bass!

warlord260

07-24-2010, 03:03 AM

Nice warlord....looks like you have plenty of bass!

With the twin Epik towers i have plenty of output.

markie

11-02-2010, 12:17 PM

Nice, those Sierras look mighty fine. Of course the more astute of us notice the colour coordination between the lava lamp and the sitting cushion, hehe.

Interesting about the increased base response on that wall, good to know.

I look forward to hearing the impression the Sierras leave on your listening buddies on Friday. :)

DavidD

11-02-2010, 05:36 PM

What stands are you talking about? (I don't want to make the same mistake.)

RobH

11-02-2010, 05:53 PM

Stands were Pangea DS03's.

kbosch74

01-06-2011, 08:50 AM

My Sierra-1's arrived yesterday! Wow. I replaced a pair of Infinity RS8 towers and CC1 center channel. I expected an improvement...I did not expect to be floored. My first thought when I plugged in The Beatles Love CD was..."I should have done this years ago". Best $1,400 I've spent in a long time.

I wanted the natural bamboo color, but was worried about the contrast to (a) the stands and (b) the dominant dark woods throughout my living room. But the contrast is beautiful...even my wife, who originally thought I was crazy not going with black, really likes the look.

Here are a few pictures. The last is icing on the cake...my kids were also in awe of the new sound in the living room. I put Roger Waters' In the Flesh Live DVD in and this was their instant reaction:

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m77/kbosch74/Sierras.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m77/kbosch74/Sierras3.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m77/kbosch74/Sierras4.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m77/kbosch74/Kids2.jpg

buddhadas

01-06-2011, 09:04 AM

Beautiful setup!
Any way you could bring the center down one shelf?

kbosch74

01-06-2011, 09:14 AM

Beautiful setup!
Any way you could bring the center down one shelf?

Thanks. I tried that, couldn't tell a difference so I left it up top.

kbosch74

01-06-2011, 10:18 AM

After thinking about your post, buddhadas, it occured to me that it would just look better on the lower shelf (since that's where my previous center channel was, I didn't give it any thought). Not sure if the photo details it, but this entertainment center has three can lights, one of which is now directly over the Sierra. Cool. Here is the updated picture:

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m77/kbosch74/Sierras5.jpg

buddhadas

01-06-2011, 02:10 PM

Nice job, that does look better, more "natural" as it were. :D

markie

01-06-2011, 04:05 PM

A fantastic looking setup!

curtis

01-06-2011, 07:25 PM

Try moving the speakers so their front baffles are at least a little in front of the entertainment center.

kbosch74

01-08-2011, 06:41 AM

Try moving the speakers so their front baffles are at least a little in front of the entertainment center.

I'm afraid to...it might sound a little better, and I know the wife will tell me to put then back since "they're sticking out". This is one of those life/audio balance decisions. :)

BTW, that old Onkyo 602 in the cabinet...I felt like I was feeding Twinkies to my new thoroughbreds, so I just bought a new Onkyo SR808 last night for them...should be here next week. I think I'm finally done with the living room setup. God forbid I actually get started on my vision for a media room in the basement. Might have to sell one of my kids to afford the "vision".

BGHD

01-09-2011, 12:15 PM

My suboptimal setup. Due to glare, WAF, ability to run cables, etc, this is location #4 (yes, tried all 4 walls!) in my family room. In Calif so rarely (make that NEVER!) use the fireplace, so have tried this location for about 3mo. Best in terms of glare, but lowest for WAF, cabling & furniture location.

Am planning to finally buy new corner sectional couch so considering to move HT equipment back to older location (where keyboard's currently located), which isn't optimal for cabling/fishing & glare, but will have to do. Suggestions appreciated.

See reply #123 for previous setup:

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showpost.php?p=31912&postcount=123
Current, pared-down setup:

Ascend 340 SE fronts
200 & 170SE surrounds (still not currently connected)
Hsu VTF3-mkII
Pio 74txvi receiver
Kawai keyboard (no integrated speakers)
TivoHD with Verizon Fios
PS3 for Bluray & Black Ops!
Sennheiser HD 950 headphones
Same Costco satellite clock

Pio 588 DVD player generally unused as no longer buy/listen to DVDA/SACD
Xbox 360 is gone/broken
Harmony One was dropped/broken :(

365

366

367

dmitchell

01-09-2011, 12:18 PM

The little person on the couch looks perfectly happy with the setup :)

coolhub

02-02-2011, 03:11 PM

drewface

02-09-2011, 06:51 AM

Pics of my CMT-340's and LG 60". I made the riser for the center channel. I have the HTM-200'S for the rears. Was thinking about getting the CBM-170 and put one one each side of the the center channel or would this be too much?I don't think you would gain anything from adding a pair of CBM-170s to the front line of speakers. If you want to update something, I'd say replace your 340s with the sierras.

coolhub

02-10-2011, 08:55 PM

I don't think you would gain anything from adding a pair of CBM-170s to the front line of speakers. If you want to update something, I'd say replace your 340s with the sierras.

ok, thanks.

GirgleMirt

02-10-2011, 09:09 PM

Pics of my CMT-340's and LG 60". I made the riser for the center channel. I have the HTM-200'S for the rears. Was thinking about getting the CBM-170 and put one one each side of the the center channel or would this be too much?

386

LOL! I thought, hey! I just bought that exact same TV for my sister! Then realized that those are 340SEs next to the TV :eek: I bought her the 42 inch version... lol The 340SEs would look slightly bigger next to her's... :/ :D

nonagon

02-11-2011, 10:13 AM

Here are some pics of my 2 channel setup:

Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1s (Dark Cherry)
Emotiva UPA-1 monoblocks
Dared MC-7P tube preamplifier
Sony PS3 for CD/Blu-ray player
50" Pioneer Elite Kuro
MIT Cables Interconnects
Transparent Cables Music Wave Plus speaker cable

Sounds (and looks) like heaven!

soundseeker

02-11-2011, 11:58 AM

^^ That looks really sharp.

nonagon

02-11-2011, 12:21 PM

^^ That looks really sharp.

Thanks, sounds even better than it looks! The Sierra-1s are just amazing.

merrymaid520

02-11-2011, 01:39 PM

nonagon

02-11-2011, 01:51 PM

^^^^
Nice setup! I have to admit I am jealous of your TV:) I still have my JVC DILA 720P rear projection HDTV and considering grabbing a 54" Panny Plasma, but not sure if the smaller size will bother me or not.

Ascend Towers are coming soon, so that should tide me over for a bit:)

Thanks, the Elite is beasty; it really stinks that Pioneer got out of the plasma game. I think their 9G Kuros still offer the best picture quality to this day. The Panasonics are great too; I'm sure you'll be satisfied over your rear projection.

Funambulistic

02-11-2011, 02:56 PM

^^^^

Very nice set up! Love the Wassily chair :cool: Who is the manufacturer of your AV credenza?

And I agree with you about the Pioneer plazmas: best ever made (not that I could afford one - mine is a Panny and I love it).

nonagon

02-11-2011, 04:33 PM

davef

02-14-2011, 02:30 AM

nonagon

02-14-2011, 07:21 AM

Wow!!!! Please come decorate my home :D

Deal; I'll do it for a pair of NrTs! Any word on when the new stock shipment is supposed to arrive?

davef

02-16-2011, 12:51 AM

Deal; I'll do it for a pair of NrTs! Any word on when the new stock shipment is supposed to arrive?

I would estimate about 6-8 weeks, at which point we will have plenty of stock on hand for NrT upgrades and factory assembled Sierra-1 NrT.

ronbo

02-16-2011, 01:27 PM

nonagon

02-16-2011, 02:12 PM

I have the same Nelson bench. Love the area rug. Where did you get it?

Thanks. The rug was my parents'. It is quite old; they got it in Malaysia or Singapore and it is most likely originally from Pakistan.

Operajay

02-21-2011, 06:05 PM

My simple, non-exciting setup:

Funambulistic

02-21-2011, 08:40 PM

Operajay: I see three Sierras across the front. How can that NOT be exciting? :D

butch4695

02-22-2011, 04:18 PM

Hi guys , first post here . I have been enjoying my Sierra 1`s for almost a year now and I am still amazed at the quality of sound and craftsmanship from these small speakers . Just wanted to post a couple of pics of my setup and say I have enjoyed looking through this thread and seeing the other members setups . My HT setup and stereo setup are in the same room so it depends on what mood I`m in as to what is on at the time . My Sierra`s are powered by an Onkyo M-504 amp and P-301 pre , Rega P-1 tt and an Onkyo C-S5VL CDP . http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac132/butch4695/2011_0219clouds0010.jpg

merrymaid520

02-24-2011, 04:38 PM

Thought I would join in on the fun! My bedroom setup, sorry its not the new Towers....stay tuned:p
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll4/bbriesath/IMG_6064.jpg

RobH

06-05-2011, 07:51 PM

I made a few changes to my listening room...The Mini Monkeyhaus (http://www.monkeyhaus.net/). Finally got some furniture (a couch), and also swapped out the Harman Kardon 3490 receiver for an Onkyo A-9555 integrated amp that I had previously purchased prior to the HK.

I wasn't sure the Onkyo would be a good match with my speakers, since both the speakers (non-NRT Sierra 1's) and the amp have been described by some as having slightly rolled off highs. I should have tried the Onkyo earlier...the sound with the Sierra's is great!...very smooth, warm and detailed. The Onkyo has loads of power, too, even though rated at only 85wpc. Stereophile magazine tested it and found that it "comfortably exceeded its rated power, clipping at 110Wpc into 8 ohms, 175Wpc into 4 ohms." Another nice feature of the Onkyo is a very subtle loudness control to add minor bass and treble boost at lower listening levels. For normal to loud listening, the Onkyo has a pure direct mode which bypasses all tone controls. The pure direct mode sounds exceptional.

I have collected and listened to music since the 70's [having spent many hours and dollars at Licorice Pizza and Middle Earth records; both local record shops where I grew up in Southern Calif]. Music collecting and listening continues to be a passion of mine. The Sierra's have reminded me that it's the music that matters, and the equipment is only a tool to enjoy the music...and that's a good thing!

Thanks, Dave, for such a great and affordable speaker.

hearing specialist

06-06-2011, 01:49 PM

Cool! FWIW, your Onkyo produces 200x2 at 4ohms and 230x2 at 3 ohms "Dynamic Power". I'm sure you know this but your bass control is at 100hz but your loudness control is an octave lower at 50hz. That's probably why your diggin the loudness feature with the Sierra's. Now those would look mighty pretty sittin on some sand filled stands :D

Brian in Bakersfield...

scape

06-06-2011, 04:19 PM

looking great man! i'd raise up the sierra's about half a foot to a foot and bring them away from that left side wall, if possible.

Funambulistic

06-06-2011, 08:37 PM

@Rob - I remember seeing your setup on the Stereophile website; how cool is that? :D I got wood stools in an espresso finish to match my piano black Sierras and my decor. They sound awesome and totally agree with you: they are THE BEST speakers (albeit with the NrT upgrade) I have ever owned as well. BTW, what happened to the pink lava lamp?

markenki

06-18-2011, 02:04 PM

Hello folks, I'm a new Sierra-1 owner and wanted to introduce myself. In the late 90's I put together a system consisting of a pair of B&W DM302 speakers powered by a Yamaha RX-V595 amplifier, supplemented by a DIY subwoofer a friend of mine designed for me. The down-firing subwoofer has a 12" NHT 1259 woofer housed in an internally-braced sealed cabinet built from 3/4" mdf filled with fiberglass stuffing. This served as both my HT and music setup. After my kids were born, I stopped listening to music on this system, and listened mostly on my laptop. Recently, I bought a Yamaha HTIB, freeing up my old system, which I set up in our basement for dedicated music listening. The old Yamaha receiver was really noisy, so I bought a new NAD amplifier to replace it. At the same time, I also bought a NAD CD player. The B&W's were pretty good but I wanted to find something better in the $500-$1000 range. By chance, I read a post by someone on an online forum who mentioned Ascend. After reading numerous reviews, I decided to take advantage of the current Ascend sale and ordered a pair of Sierra-1's.

I received the Sierras last week and have been thoroughly enjoying them. The first thing I noticed is that knocking on the cabinets is like knocking on a solid piece of wood! They're beautifully finished and solidly built. And the sound! They're revealing things about CDs I've had for years that I didn't know were there. Really amazing clarity and soundstaging.

One advantage for me of having a separate setup for music only is that I don't have to compete with the rest of the household (a wife and two boys). The setup is in the basement, so I can listen any time of day or night and not worry about waking anybody up. I listen mostly to jazz, and primarily trumpet players as I am also learning to play the horn. Chet Baker is my favorite. Listening right now to his "The Touch of Your Lips", I'm in acoustic heaven.

Thanks to Dave and Dina for answering my questions and being so helpful and accommodating. I believe they will be hearing from me again within a year.

Here's my current setup:
Ascend Sierra-1
NAD C 326BEE Stereo Integrated Amplifier
NAD C 515BEE CD player
DIY subwoofer with an NHT 1259 woofer
AudioSource AMP 100 Stereo Power Amplifier to power the subwoofer

Regards,

Mark

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h110/markenki/022ss.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h110/markenki/019ss.jpg

markie

06-18-2011, 03:23 PM

Wow, what a great setup. So clean. Thanks for the pics!

hearing specialist

06-18-2011, 05:07 PM

Very nice and thank you for sharing your photos. Sometimes something like this is all it takes to nudge someone else to make the decision to get those. Your room looks awesome and I know it sounds really nice! :D

Brian in Bakersfield...

markenki

06-19-2011, 05:13 PM

Thank you very much for the kind words.

While listening to "Chet Baker in Tokyo" earlier today, a CD I've listened to many times, and with which I am very familiar, I noticed there were some passages where I felt the bass was a bit strong. I made a mental note to turn down the sub a bit. After the CD was done, I turned off the CD player, the amplifier, and was about to turn off the sub amp when I saw that it was already off. It had been off the whole time! For kicks, I sometimes turn off the sub just to see what the unassisted speakers sound like. I'd forgotten I had turned off the sub before I started listening to the CD. Amazing! These Sierras do not need a sub!

To be clear the CD sounded great, and the strong bass is in no way a negative observation. It's just that my previous speakers didn't produce this level of bass and so I was unaccustomed to the sound I was hearing.

It seems the bass on the Sierras has gotten stronger over the past few days. Is that what breaking them in is expected to do?

While listening to "Seven Steps To Heaven" on the same CD, I heard a faint trumpet in the distance from about 04:55 to 05:55, as if Chet were playing away from the mic. That's a sound I had never heard before! Wow! I am now looking forward to listening to all my CD's again and hearing for the first time what they really should sound like!

Kudos to Dave and team for making such an amazing pair of speakers!

Regards,

Mark

bilesteve

06-19-2011, 07:53 PM

You have a very neat looking hang out in your basement and I enjoyed reading your mini-review. Thus far, I am not an Ascend owner (I have ancient B&W Rock Solid monitors) but may be an Ascend owner by Christmas should I be so lucky.

Keep everyone informed of your musical discoveries.

scape

06-20-2011, 04:22 AM

great looking setup, the gloss black for all 3 is especially nice. you might want to consider placing your sub slightly differently, maybe it sounds fine, but just a suggestion since it looks cramped a bit-- sometimes even just rotating it 45 degrees is all it takes to change the sound.

markenki

06-20-2011, 09:24 PM

Thank you both, and thanks for the suggestion on the sub position. I'll play around with its position and see whether I notice a difference.

Regards,

Mark

davef

06-30-2011, 01:08 PM

Hello folks, I'm a new Sierra-1 owner and wanted to introduce myself. In the late 90's I put together a system consisting of a pair of B&W DM302 speakers powered by a Yamaha RX-V595 amplifier, supplemented by a DIY subwoofer a friend of mine designed for me. The down-firing subwoofer has a 12" NHT 1259 woofer housed in an internally-braced sealed cabinet built from 3/4" mdf filled with fiberglass stuffing. This served as both my HT and music setup. After my kids were born, I stopped listening to music on this system, and listened mostly on my laptop. Recently, I bought a Yamaha HTIB, freeing up my old system, which I set up in our basement for dedicated music listening. The old Yamaha receiver was really noisy, so I bought a new NAD amplifier to replace it. At the same time, I also bought a NAD CD player. The B&W's were pretty good but I wanted to find something better in the $500-$1000 range. By chance, I read a post by someone on an online forum who mentioned Ascend. After reading numerous reviews, I decided to take advantage of the current Ascend sale and ordered a pair of Sierra-1's.

I received the Sierras last week and have been thoroughly enjoying them. The first thing I noticed is that knocking on the cabinets is like knocking on a solid piece of wood! They're beautifully finished and solidly built. And the sound! They're revealing things about CDs I've had for years that I didn't know were there. Really amazing clarity and soundstaging.

One advantage for me of having a separate setup for music only is that I don't have to compete with the rest of the household (a wife and two boys). The setup is in the basement, so I can listen any time of day or night and not worry about waking anybody up. I listen mostly to jazz, and primarily trumpet players as I am also learning to play the horn. Chet Baker is my favorite. Listening right now to his "The Touch of Your Lips", I'm in acoustic heaven.

Thanks to Dave and Dina for answering my questions and being so helpful and accommodating. I believe they will be hearing from me again within a year.

Here's my current setup:
Ascend Sierra-1
NAD C 326BEE Stereo Integrated Amplifier
NAD C 515BEE CD player
DIY subwoofer with an NHT 1259 woofer
AudioSource AMP 100 Stereo Power Amplifier to power the subwoofer

Regards,

Mark

Great looking system and thanks so much for the wonderful review!!! I am going to copy your post into our "reviews" section so it can be easily referenced...

Thanks again!

nonagon

07-02-2011, 04:09 PM

Here is a quick video demo of my system that I posted photos for a few months ago. There don't seem to be many videos of these speakers or other components on YouTube so thought it would be worth sharing.

Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 Dark Cherry Gloss
Dared MC-7P tube preamp
Emotiva UPA-1
50" Pioneer Elite Kuro
PS3, playing a Chesky disc

http://youtu.be/9DJGt_bAO-U

markie

07-02-2011, 05:27 PM

Me like! Classy. There could be some feng shui happening there! :)

Just took a look at your pics from a few months ago and saw the number nine in the last one. ;)

scape

08-09-2011, 05:26 PM

rearranged my setup and built a small center channel stand-- it sounds much better with the center channel out in the open (ofcourse i had to take the time and do time-domain corrections,) but i won't be here too much longer; and by my next place i hope to upgrade to some floor standing models *wink*

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GZEytRBJCHs/TkHEAPyvPXI/AAAAAAAAAi8/1erlyTaGmB4/s640/2011-08-09_19-06-54_675.jpg

buddhadas

08-09-2011, 05:41 PM

That looks like one happy plant!

scape

08-09-2011, 05:56 PM

haha

actually the lower half is not so happy-- i need to put it outside more often to give it a burst of sun. it's funny though, when the sub is going hard the plant gets buffeted by the port's exhaust.

chas

08-09-2011, 07:43 PM

Nice stands...did you make them all?

scape

08-10-2011, 05:14 AM

i did, i was going to stain them but decided the contrast looked nice. it's pine from the indoor wood section of lowes (it has shades of color which i thought was cool) and the hardware is from the build a chair section-- it allows me to spin the top panel the speaker sits on or even the whole post, depending on how i want it to look. the side stands held up for about 3 years now, they can be disassembled too, as I have moved twice in that time. i like them because they are light in weight and in looks- rather minimal.. the center channel's base is too big i think, i think i was being over cautious

Hksvr4

10-24-2011, 08:07 PM

A more updated pic.
http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt165/Hksvr4/IMG_3441.jpg

BGHD

11-18-2011, 11:19 AM

Hksvr4,
Looks great. What subs?

Hksvr4

11-22-2011, 08:21 AM

^^ Epik Dragon and Legend.

markie

11-22-2011, 11:50 AM

Nice setup, clean and cheery!

But gosh if I didn't know better those fish faces on the TV screen look strangely human and sentient, and a little bit ticked off!

A more updated pic.
http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt165/Hksvr4/IMG_3441.jpg

Gov

11-22-2011, 03:17 PM

^^ Epik Dragon and Legend.

Just looked at your picture, what no love for the Epik logo on those babies!! :D

kylem

11-22-2011, 04:26 PM

Just looked at your picture, what no love for the Epik logo on those babies!! :D

My Epic Valor didn't come with a badge or logo, but maybe that was just because it was a first generation model.

Gov

11-22-2011, 06:43 PM

My Epic Valor didn't come with a badge or logo, but maybe that was just because it was a first generation model.

My Phoenix did not either, but I bought one and put it on. Epik sells them for 5 bucks and they look great!

kylem

11-22-2011, 07:36 PM

My Phoenix did not either, but I bought one and put it on. Epik sells them for 5 bucks and they look great!

Interesting, I didn't know that. Thanks. But then again I didn't put the logos on my Sierra's either.

Hksvr4

12-01-2011, 01:27 PM

Just looked at your picture, what no love for the Epik logo on those babies!! :D

Hey Gov what's up!! The logo fell off on the Legend, besides I'm not a fan of the logo.

Cane1992

12-13-2011, 05:44 AM

My gear and setup....

Onkyo TX-NR1009 - setup in 9.2 and powering the center and surround speakers
Oppo BDP-95 - for CD/SACD/DVD-A and BluRay
Emotiva XPA2 - powering the Ascend Acoustic Towers
Logitech SqueezeBox Touch - for Pandora, internet radio and to play CD's home from server
Rythmik F12SE - a pair of subs in piano black with the silver woofer
Ascend Acoustic Towers - Ribbon in piano black are on order...:)
Ascend CMT-340 SE - will be replaced by the STC with ribbon when available
Ascend CBM-170 SE - surround wide and surround side
Speakercraft AIM8 -for the back surround channel in the ceiling
Denon turntable with Shure M97xE
Monster Power Center
Logitech Harmony 1100 remote
Panasonic VIERA TC-P65VT30 - 65inch

scape

12-13-2011, 07:36 AM

wicked setup :) keep us posted!

I read that surround heights might be more beneficial than surround wides. have you thought of trying it?

nice plasma, i like the viera line

Cane1992

12-13-2011, 08:37 AM

Thanks. Yeah I have thought about trying out the front high. And yes the Panny VT30 is sweeeeet. Avatar in 3D is amazing!

raggededge

12-27-2011, 07:31 PM

Cane1992,

How how do you have your plasma mounted from the ground? I'm looking to get the same TV, but not sure on mounting height.

curtis

12-27-2011, 07:36 PM

Cane1992,

How how do you have your plasma mounted from the ground? I'm looking to get the same TV, but not sure on mounting height.
The proper height, which is not always the most aesthetic, is when viewing the TV (seated), the line of sight falls in the bottom third of the TV.

raggededge

12-28-2011, 07:01 AM

The proper height, which is not always the most aesthetic, is when viewing the TV (seated), the line of sight falls in the bottom third of the TV.

I agree, that is how I have my DLP setup now. I'm looking to upgrade to plasma and I'm surprised to see how many are mounted so high. I was wondering if this worked out okay, it would help me with placement of my center channel.

debo

12-28-2011, 10:16 AM

You can raise the height of a plasma without losing picture quality, just beware of raising to high and getting a stiff neck while viewing.

Don1953

12-29-2011, 07:46 PM

:) - plasma's are still a great buy - i have a pioneer kuro 60 '' - bought about 3 years ago, still can't beat the picture:p:p:p

Don

NICKTENN

01-12-2012, 09:05 AM

50" Sammy 1080P Plasma
Old Onkyo 7.1 receiver
CMT-340se center
CBM-170se fronts
HTM-200se surround sides
Onkyo HTIB surround backs
Rythmik FV-12 subwoofer

Crappy iPhone pics:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/NICKTENN/c555ef61.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/NICKTENN/6f7928c8.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/NICKTENN/IMG_6573.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/NICKTENN/e594337b.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/NICKTENN/0b3a4b05.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/NICKTENN/736a2764.jpg

RobH

01-12-2012, 11:23 AM

Room and system have been a work in progress.
Here are some pics of my mostly finished room...

Equipment:

Sony TA-F444ESX Integrated Amp (Love this amp! Was a Craigslist find)
Sony PS 1 (redbook CD playbook)
Yamaha SD1800 Universal Disc Player (SACD playback)
[Classic] Sierra 1's
Salamander Equipment Rack
Boltz CD Rack

[iPhone pics]

steph32123

01-23-2012, 03:54 PM

Just got my Sierra Towers in, they look and sounds awesome!

http://i.imgur.com/Ar0Rel.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/5x5Nrl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/q9Ft9l.jpg

dmitchell

01-23-2012, 03:55 PM

Wow.... awesome!

Congrats.

Hksvr4

02-22-2012, 11:17 AM

DIY 31" pedestal for CMB-170's. A little project we did over the past weekend. Still need to make some adjustments like insulation and paint. Total cost was $41 and 2hrs labor.

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt165/Hksvr4/66a218cd.jpg

logicology

02-22-2012, 11:46 AM

Just got my Sierra Towers in, they look and sounds awesome!

http://i.imgur.com/Ar0Rel.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/5x5Nrl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/q9Ft9l.jpg

Are those Cherry or Espresso?

davef

02-26-2012, 11:17 PM

Are those Cherry or Espresso?

Those look like the satin cherry finish.

chas

02-27-2012, 04:11 AM

rtrose

02-27-2012, 05:28 PM

+1 Those stands look pretty nice. I am going to be building a center channel stand soon, so I'm all about seeing how you built your stands.

Nice work.

Regards,

RTROSE

Hksvr4

02-27-2012, 08:31 PM

Here you go
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1395412

chas

02-28-2012, 05:47 AM

Great...thanks!

Hksvr4

02-28-2012, 11:30 AM

iphone pic.

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt165/Hksvr4/ea3d014d.jpg

zheka

02-28-2012, 12:04 PM

Hello,
I was looking through the pics hoping I can find any sierras in a dedicated HT. One thing that bothers me with mine is the highly reflective finish that can become a distraction in a front projection set up. So far I managed to toe-in mine so that from the LP i do not see the reflective sides (top for the center and inner for the mains). However when i have to give up my seat I begin obsessing about it. Anyway, I am curious if anybody tried to come up with some sort of light absorbing cover. I was thinking perhaps a black velvet stretch fabric sock of some sort.

curtis

02-28-2012, 01:04 PM