Sierra Tower

[donovin.last]

I was hoping to see if anyone has the Sierra Tower in Denver/Colorado Springs area that would not mind doing a demo. I'm looking for some new speakers but its hard to spend 2k and not hear them. I have also narrowed it down Focal 926, Kef R500 speakers that you can hear in store demo. I'm also trying to get some info on Axiom, Aperion and Ascend are on my top five but cannot demo them. Any information would be helpful.

[SteelyNJ]

I can't help you with the demo as I'm across the country in NJ but I will tell you that I bit the bullet a couple of months back and bought two Sierra Horizons (w/ RAALs) on pure faith to replace a pair of vintage B&W Matrix bookshelf speakers. They are absolutely the real deal but the other speakers you mentioned are probably worthy contenders. I do like Focal speakers although I've never heard the 926.

[N Boros]

Last summer I sold off my Axiom M22s, VP150 and QS8s to replace with some other speakers. They were version 2s and while I thought the sound was good and accurate I found them very fatiguing. When listening more than a couple of hours at reasonable volume levels my ears would be ringing. By reasonable volume, I mean I turn up the volume on a movie to the point where I can just discern what is being said, even in quiet scenes. This listening fatigue after having them for about 8 years, in three different houses just really started to get on my nerves. Just to let you know, from version 2 to version 3, Gene Dellasalla (president of Audioholics), was unable to discern the difference in the improvement in the crossovers in Axiom's listening room. From what I understand the improvements from version 3 to version 4 are also about as subtle in sound quality. Yet the price has been increasing to the point where I don't think that Axiom's are a good of a value as they once were.

After selling them I had enough budget to replace them with a stereo pair of good quality speakers (where I plan to fill out a 5 channel system when I save up in the future). I did a 30 day, in home, demo of the a pair of Aperion verus grand centers (I can't fit a floor-standing speaker, but wanted to try a 3-way design), a pair of SVS ultras and a pair of Sierra 2s. I felt that they were all a big step up in sound quality over my Axiom speakers. It was a big improvement in listening fatigue with all speakers. All three had good off axis response, meaning that they tone doesn't change much when you move around to different seats on the couch. I also learned about imaging with all three brands that I didn't really know of when I had my Axiom speakers. Imaging is the ability of the speakers to be able to project some sounds to out into the room toward you when you are sitting in the sweet spot. The SVS did this a bit, maybe a few feet, at most. But, the Aperion and Ascend speakers could sometimes fool you into thinking you have surround speakers in the setup. It is really, almost magical. While the Aperion speakers projected a larger soundstage in height and width (I think due to the fact that they are three way speakers), I felt that the Sierra 2s had this extra bit of clarity on almost all material that just makes it sound more lifelike. I felt that all three speakers were quite neutral, not under- or over-emphasizing any frequencies and could do well at delineating the sounds. By delineating, I mean that none of the various sounds get smeared together. You can pick out each individual instruments and vocals clearly, on good recordings. In the end, I sent back the Aperion and SVS speakers and have been happily living with the Sierra 2s. I really think it is due to the Raal ribbon tweeter (being put together in a very well designed speaker package). We can see on the website that it measures more accurate in terms of transient response. It must be that this is part of what makes the speaker sound more lifelike and clear in comparison to other well designed speakers.

Good luck. I think you are on the right track. I say listen to as many speakers as possible (at least the ones on your list) to see what sound you like. Some you might need to do in store demos. Most internet direct speakers you can do a 30 day (or more) in home audition. I would take advantage of this as much as possible. Most internet direct companies have websites like this one, where you can see if there is someone in your area that you can do an audition with to hear for yourself. Different people prefer difference speakers for many different reasons, so it really is a personal choice. But, as shown on the website the Ascend speakers are very accurate speakers in terms of flat frequency response, wide dispersion, very good transient response and all speakers can be driven well without the need for external amplification in most cases. Most importantly they have very good prices for the performance they offer in the different lines of speakers.

[curtis]

Imaging is the ability of the speakers to be able to project some sounds to out into the room toward you when you are sitting in the sweet spot.
To make it an analogy that most people can understand...soundstage is the size/dimension (3 dimensional) of the picture, imaging is how well that picture is in focus.

In other words, imaging is the ability to pin-point elements in the soundstage.

[N Boros]

To make it an analogy that most people can understand...soundstage is the size/dimension (3 dimensional) of the picture, imaging is how well that picture is in focus.

In other words, imaging is the ability to pin-point elements in the soundstage.

Thanks for pointing this out. I was not aware that imaging was referring to focus. I've been reading print and online reviews of speakers for about 10 years now and I thought that imagaing was referring to the depth of the soundstage.

This definition makes more sense. Let me reiterate then in terms of the correct use of the terminology. The Ascend (Sierra 2s), Aperion (3-way Verus Grands ) and SVS (Ultra bookshelf) speakers can all produce depth of soundstage. The Ascend and SVS were about the same in height and width. The Ascend and Aperion were equal in depth. The SVS was the one lacking in depth, only able to come out about a few feet into the room. The Aperion speakers definitely won in terms of height and width through (which I attribute to their 3-way design).

All three speakers could image very well. I could easily pinpoint any specific element in the soundstage. Though the Ascend speakers were able to bring this extra layer of clarity over the other two. Things just sounded more lifelike and realistic, in comparison. I probably wouldn't have noticed, if I never heard the Ascend speakers. But, once I realized that this extra level of performance was possible for such a modest difference in price, I had to have the Ascend Sierra 2s.

After doing the three way demo of these speakers and sending the SVSs and Aperions back, I spent about two months listening to various material using just the Sierra 2s as my mains (no other speakers). I started wondering if I even really needed surrounds since the Sierra 2s produced produced sounds behind me with surround and ambient material. I just happened to have some Aperion outdoor speakers sitting around (not being used) that I hooked up as surrounds. Very soon after, I was watching an episode of Boardwalk Empire Season 4, where there was lightning off in the background. It was very eerie, because the sound produced was about 5 to 10 feet outside the circle of my speakers (if you draw an circle so that your fronts and surrounds lie on the circle) right between the right front and right surround. I paused the show and listened outside to see if I could hear any more thunder, since I was convinced that it was some thunder outside. But, what struck me is that I can usually tell thunder outside since it doesn't sound as clear, when travelling through the walls, etc. But, the sound really sounded so realistic to me that I didn't know what was going on. I then replayed the scene and noticed it again. I had never heard something like this before. I can only attribute this to the fact that the Sierra 2s (and I guess my Aperion speakers as well) can produce a good sized soundstage (especially in terms of depth), which even when using a 5.1, 7.1, or even an 11.1 can be put to use. Again, I lived with 5 speaker setup of Axiom speakers for about 8 years and never heard anything like this before.

[curtis]

When it comes to imaging...Dave has some kind of special sauce. All Ascend speakers at their price points have exceptional imaging.