Considering the Sierra-1 - Need advice

[powers2020]

Hello gang! I am considering getting 3 Sierra-1's for LCR. My listening mix is probably 50/50 music/home theater. Here is my issue - I have a built in cabinet that we are just finishing up that will be used for the TV and LCR speakers (pics attached). The shelves that will hold the left and right speakers are only 17" deep, the center is only 12" deep. Another issue is that the sidewall on the right is only about 18" from the right edge of the cabinet. Speakers will be about 8' apart. Main listening position is about 13' away. The room is quite big and is completely open on the left into the kitchen/breakfast nook. I know there are a lot of bad things going on with this set-up, but my question is how much will the sound quality suffer? Will the Q-plugs result in a significant improvement in sound quality? Is it worth it to spring for the Sierra's or will the performance of these speakers be lost given the obvious set-up limitiations? I will likely use a sub placed somewhere along the right wall, likely 4-5 feet in front of the cabinet.

Also, I will need to have my rear surrounds mounted in the ceiling (which I acknowledge is not ideal, but try to tell that to the wife!:D) Any suggestions on ceiling mount speakers that are a good match for the Sierra's? Thanks!!

[Mag_Neato]

Nice looking room!

That TV looks much wider than an ordinary widescreen set. True?

It looks like 3 Sierra center channels would work in that set up. Q-plugs would definitely be needed, though I would run it by Dave and get his recommendations.

[powers2020]

Thanks. We are still working on the cabinet (note the lack of paint and the putty on the walls!!) The TV is a 50" elite. Looks a little wider b/c the speakers are still on -- I had them on when we were watching in the other room when the cabinet was being built and haven't taken them off yet.

[Tushar]

Will the Q-plugs result in a significant improvement in sound quality?

I have same layout of room as yours, but maybe slightly bigger (19' deep, 38' wide, seating area 10-15 away).
For 5.1 audio, I have Q-plug in my center channel which is in a 19" wide, 19" deep, roughly 11" tall cabinets.

Without the Q-plugs voices from center channel were congested.
With the closed plug, the speaker sounds very clean, clear. My wife also noticed more detail first when I installed in the center speaker to resolve the congestion issue and later when the open plugs interested into my L, R speakers.

My wife having just thrown away the 3 unused Q-plugs in my set, so I will be buying another 2 to move my L,R speaker stands back to the wall and away from my 5 year old.

My expectation is will sound good this way for 5.1, may lose on 2.0 audio (even with sealed speakers I've found that some distance into the room really helps the bass.

[davef]

Hello gang! I am considering getting 3 Sierra-1's for LCR. My listening mix is probably 50/50 music/home theater. Here is my issue - I have a built in cabinet that we are just finishing up that will be used for the TV and LCR speakers (pics attached). The shelves that will hold the left and right speakers are only 17" deep, the center is only 12" deep. Another issue is that the sidewall on the right is only about 18" from the right edge of the cabinet. Speakers will be about 8' apart. Main listening position is about 13' away. The room is quite big and is completely open on the left into the kitchen/breakfast nook. I know there are a lot of bad things going on with this set-up, but my question is how much will the sound quality suffer? Will the Q-plugs result in a significant improvement in sound quality? Is it worth it to spring for the Sierra's or will the performance of these speakers be lost given the obvious set-up limitiations? I will likely use a sub placed somewhere along the right wall, likely 4-5 feet in front of the cabinet.

Hi Powers,

Based on your setup and the info you have provided, I would say Sierra-1 L/C/R would definitely be the way to go! Q-Plugs would definitely be beneficial and highly recommended.

Any loudspeaker will be compromised in this type of setup -- however, many of the advanced performance features of the Sierra-1 will result in this type of positioning actually having a lesser negative effect on Sierra-1 performance compared to most speakers. This is due in part to the versatility of using Q-Plugs and the symmetrical dispersion of the speaker.

Sierra-1 would be your very best choice, even considering the compromised positioning.

Hope this helps!

[powers2020]

Thanks a lot Dave (and others)! Any advice on rear surrounds to go in the ceiling that would be a good timbre match? Also, I would want to get the L/R Sierra-1's set up horizontally on the second shelf (same spot as the speakers shown in the pics). Any disadvantage to that versus getting them vertical and putting them one shelf lower? Thanks again!

[debo]

I would definitely go with vertical on the lower shelf. It also would be nice if you could lower the center to the ledge in front of the TV.

[Bill Mac]

I agree with using vertical Sierras for the R&L speakers on the lower shelf. If you could somehow raise the plasma as high as it could go either by adding a shelf or mounting it on the back panel of your cabinent. If you did that you could place a Sierra Center (horizontal) on the same shelf as the R&L fronts. That way you would have a seamless blend for the LCR speakers when watching movies.

I have my R&L Sierras mounted on stands about 6' apart. I have my Sierra Center on the top shelf of my Sanus NF213 rack which is almost the same height as the R&Ls. Having your speakers as close to the same height improves how the speakers blend from side to side during movies. I am still amazed at how good the Sierras sound for movies:). It is almost like there is a continous speaker stretching 8' across the front of my room:D. And for music it even gets better:).

Bill

[powers2020]

Thanks Bill and Debo. A few things -- The TV will definitely be a little higher b/c I will be mounting on the wall. Also, it will ultimately be bigger as well (60" vs. 50"). That should help some, but I want to make sure for music that the L/R aren't too high (i.e., above the listening height when we are sitting down on the sofa). I could move the L/R up by one shelf, but I am also nervous about having all the speakers that high will make it sound like the sound for home theater is coming from too high above the screen...thoughts? Also, I had read on some earlier posts that there isn't any real downside setting the speakers up horizontal since the tweeters are rotated 90 degrees. Anyone out there agree/disagree?? Thanks!

[get_zwole]

i would set the l/r vertical on the bottom shelf if possible and when you mount the tv try to get the center lower then the tv its way too high right now. I thinjk that will be fine, that and some q plugs and you will be sounding fantastic ;)l.

[powers2020]

Does anyone have suggestions for in-celing rear surrounds to match Sierra-1s?

[powers2020]

Just spoke to Dave and pulled the trigger on 3 sierra's set up horizontally and a rythmik f12se. Now the hardest part...the waiting!

[DougMac]

Just spoke to Dave and pulled the trigger on 3 sierra's set up horizontally and a rythmik f12se. Now the hardest part...the waiting!
Congrats! Tell us what you think once they're hooked up.

I looked at your room and it looks like the surrounds will be problematic. I've watched enough surround material to believe that timbre matching is very important. Not only is it about panning a sound from front to back, but also it is about how some movies expand the orchestra into the surrounds to give a huge sound stage.

I think finding in ceiling speakers that will adequately match the Sierras will be hard. Even if you found a good match, placing the speakers in the ceiling presents its own sonic challenges.

Your photos made me think of another possible solution. It may not be optimum, but it might be better than ceiling speakers. I see a column in the kitchen area approximately lined up with your sofa. You might consider getting 200's and mount one on the column and the other directly across on the wall. I'm suggesting 200's because they are sealed and can be mounted close to the wall. You may get some difference in sound because of the wall on one side and open space on either side of the speaker on the other. I don't know if the difference would be significant.

Doug

[powers2020]

Doug-

Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, I think I am stuck with the ceiling mount unless I want to live by myself (i.e., without the wife and kids!:D) Dave F suggested the Sonance Original Series Medium ceiling mounts and said he has heard from others that those speaker gave a good result. Does anyone else have any feedback on those? Also, if the surrounds are in the ceiling, how far behind the listening position should they be? Thanks!!