Sierra 1 or 2 for Home Theater

[kingcrowing]

I’m considering purchasing a set of Sierra-1s to use for my LCR for music (in stereo) and for home theater (3.1 with my current sub). I’m trying to decide whether I should get the Sierra-2 for LR now and buy the center in the future or stick with the 1s. The reason I’m unsure is my setup is not ideal, the speakers will be close to walls and I unfortunately don’t have a lot of placement flexibility in my current living room (see picture (http://imgur.com/a/tHFou)).

Reading online it does seem like the 2s have a better sound but are more susceptible to walls and need better placement – is this true? If so do you think the 1s may be better with a non-ideal setup? This is an apartment and I will move in the future so I don't know when I'll have a better setup.

Finally, I currently am auditioning a pair of Zu Omens and the highs are bothering my ears & causing what feels like pressure on my head. I believe this is because of the highs so something with softer treble would be better for my ears. I’m coming from B ose 601 Series IIs that have a pretty soft top end, so I’m wondering which of these would suit my ears better?

Finally, are the Sierras available in Satin Black so they can match the TP-24 Stands?

Thank you!

[kingcrowing]

Also worth noting, I don't exactly have a "sweet spot" seat, you can kind of see the reflection in the second picture, but I've got two couches and the speakers/TV kind of face towards the middle, not ideal I know but it's the best I can do. So having something that sounds good off axis is important!

[Mag_Neato]

Ear fatigue from tweeters is most likely a result of the tweeter ringing, or producing unwanted harmonics which come off as harshness or sibilance. The RAAL ribbon will give you all the detail of the best tweeters while remaining smooth. It is really a special tweeter! I'd go with the 2's if the budget allows.

[kingcrowing]

How does the RAAL tweet compare to the tweeter in the 1 for off-axis seating and being close to a wall?

[doctors11]

That might be the perfect set up for the new Luna's. They're front ported and have the same wonderful tweeter as the Sierra 2's I believe.

[kingcrowing]

I don't see anything about the Lunas on the site - is there a link with information about them?

Edit: I found the thread, I think I don't want anything smaller than the Sierra 1/2s, I'm considering the 2s if I think they will in fact be better in my setup than the 1s. Coming from floorstanders though I think if i went to the Lunas I'd be a little disappointed in volume as I sit about 10' away from my speakers.

[doctors11]

Of course I haven't heard them but those who have were Very surprised how they filled the room. What kind of power are you sending them?

[kingcrowing]

My reciever is a Pioneer Elite VSX-30 at 80wpc. My room is about 15' wide and I sit about 10' back, but the room continues into the dining room and goes back another 15' or so, it's quite large. One of my concerns is I want to be a bit future proofed. I will move in the future and ideally I'd have a larger living room so I'd hate to buy something now that's too small for a future home, especially if the difference is just a few hundred dollars today.

[sludgeogre]

You should really go with the Lunas if you can. They are going to be an incredible speaker. You don't need a lot of power to fill an entire apartment with them. Just pair them with your sub using your receiver and you'll be amazed at how it sounds. The Sierra 2's will also sound great, but like others have said, the Luna is going to be more versatile with regards to placement.

The RAAL tweeter has an incredibly wide horizontal dispersion, so you don't need to worry about off-axis seating. It's also very clear and distortion free, so that ear fatigue you have now will be gone. Zu's speakers are pretty well known for being really harsh because of those oversized super tweeters they use with no crossovers. They claim that this makes them more accurate with regards to tone, but I'm personally not a believer. I've seen a lot of people return them for that reason. Some people love how they sound, much like Klipsch fans, but I think many can tire of them quickly.

[kingcrowing]

I guess I'm just very skeptical of going that small... my current speakers have 2x8" woofers and 4x3" tweeters (I know they won't compare with any Ascend speakers since they're so old but still), so I'm already a little cautious going the bookshelf route so I think going all the way down to the Lunas with only 4.5" woofers is just a bit too much for me.

Also since I want a matching center I'd rather go with the 1 or 2 since those are already released.

[doctors11]

I think that's where the quality of your sub comes into play. What kind do you have? Dave will help you with the recommended crossover point so if you listen to music in 2.1 rather than 2.0 the sub will take the deeper bass and the Luna's will handle the upper bass on up to the highest treble. I agree with you that if you listen to music without the sub you might want to go for the Sierra 2's.

As far as future proofing, if it were me, I would get the Luna's now with a Sierra 2 center. After you move and presumably have more space, then go for either the Sierra 2's or the towers for your mains and move the Luna's to surround duty. That would be an amazing sounding system.

[kingcrowing]

I guess I just have different goals than you - I don't have any interest in surround, I've had the setup in the past and don't think the benefits are worth the hassle. 3.1 is just right for me and I'd like to just make one purchase that will keep me set for many years to come... I have a BIC America 10" Sub and I currently have the crossover set at 80Hz for home theater, that's something I'd be interested in upgrading in the future but for the time being it's good enough.

I listen to music in 2.0 as intended (mainly vinyl) so I don't really want to start using a sub for music, the sub is really just for movies. I'd say I listen to 60:40 Movies:Music so music is quite important to me, and lately I'd say it's becoming almost reversed as I've been getting back into vinyl recently.

Edit: I would be curious to have some discussion about my original post though... Sierra 1s vs Sierra 2s for HT, those are the two models I'm most interested in.

Edit 2: Reading through the Luna page this is from Dave on if the sats would perform better than the 2s: "For main left/right speakers, if given the choice of Sierra-2 or R-Sat's, I would recommend the Sierra-2 for everyone unless budget / size / space constrained." so I think that answers that for me.

[mikesiskav]

For 2.0 music listening, I would go Sierra-2 over the Luna.

Personally I don't like to place any speaker that close to the rear or side walls. I think you would get better performance by giving them more room to breath. But I can understand if this isn't really possible.

[kingcrowing]

Sadly this is the space I have to work with... I've spent a lot of time rethinking my layout and I've asked a lot of people who have been to my place if there's a better location for my setup but sadly I haven't found a better option. living in a small apartment I've got to have room for seating etc. so I'm trying to work with what I've got for the time being and hopefully wherever I live next I'll be able to spread out my system a bit more and move my turn table to it's own rack as well.

I read through a lot of the Luna thread and now I'm pretty sure I want to get the Sierra-2, and it looks like they can be ordered in Satin black, so I may just bite the bullet and get a pair and a center!

[mikesiskav]

I definitely think you're making the right choice. The RAAL tweeter and Curv woofer in the Sierra 2 really make a worthwhile improvement over the Sierra 1.

[sludgeogre]

If you're really against the subwoofer for music, then yes, the Sierra 2 is the right speaker for you out of all of the ones that you have mentioned. Heck, even the Sierra Tower with RAAL tweeters, that'd go down in the bass range even further, but your apartment probably wouldn't be able to fit it very well.

[kingcrowing]

The tower would be my ideal choice but with the RAAL tweeter that's over $1,000 more than the Sierra-2s so I just don't think it makes sense. I do have a sub for movies so I think the 2s will be good. The fact that I really want a matching center means the 2s (with center) is about the most money I feel comfortable justifying.

[kingcrowing]

That said, would the towers be worth considering? I could save up a bit more and go for them with a Sierra 2 center but I wonder if that would be over kill?

[Mose Harper]

The Sierra 2 makes for a remarkable center and in conjunction with the Sierra 2s L & R, you'll have a sweet, seamless soundstage for HT.

If you are going up to the RAAL towers, you'll want the Horizon. As good as the Sierra 2 is, there would definitely be an imbalance there for HT purposes. Of course if you went with the Towers, you could always get by with a phantom center while you saved up for the Horizon.

But honestly, three Sierra 2's and a sub and you'll be golden.

JMO (I've owned both)

[kingcrowing]

Awesome. The Horizon is just way too big for me so I think 3 Sierra 2s seems like a happy medium as far as size & price. I also like the idea of having all three totally matched for HT and with my sub (probably crossed over at 80hz) it'll be a good setup. And that price is much easier to swallow!

[theophile]

Awesome. The Horizon is just way too big for me so I think 3 Sierra 2s seems like a happy medium as far as size & price. I also like the idea of having all three totally matched for HT and with my sub (probably crossed over at 80hz) it'll be a good setup. And that price is much easier to swallow!

"Sounds" Great! ;)

I have my Sierra 1's 8" away from the back wall in a 2.1 setup...soundstage is very expansive, wide and deep! Three Sierra 2's will Blow-Your-Mine with Great Audio compared to the **** 601's...ENJOY!!!

Ted

[kingcrowing]

Again looking at the price though, it's a full $1000 more to go from three Sierra-1s to three Sierra-2s (both setups a pair of stands for LR channels). Is there that much of a benefit?

[doctors11]

I just took delivery of Sierra 1's LCR about a week ago. I have nothing to compare them with but they sound fantastic. How about splitting the difference quality and price-wise and go for Sierra 1's NRT?

[mattyhoops]

I just took delivery of Sierra 1's LCR about a week ago. I have nothing to compare them with but they sound fantastic. How about splitting the difference quality and price-wise and go for Sierra 1's NRT?

Hey, I was wondering if you got your Sierra 1's yet. So you are pleased with them? Better than your Def Tecs (I believe)? I'm super happy with mine. Wish I could hear 2's. Either way, upgrading is not in my budget right now. ;)

Sorry to high-jack your post kingcrowing. I have 1's as my LCR and as I said I'm very happy with them. Have not heard the 2's to compare. I am in a room that opens up to the kitchen and hallway. I still feel like I need a sub for stereo music listening. For their size the 1's have amazing bass extension but kind of gets lost in a large-ish open room. Also depends on what kind of music you listen to.

[kingcrowing]

I also have a large room that opens in a dining room then kitchen so that's a concern. I do have a sub I use with home theater but prefer to use Stereo for music (I mainly listen to rock, Pink Floyd, Phish, Radiohead are my top bands), so that kind of makes me think it may be worth springing for the Sierra-2s so I can keep with Stereo for music.

[mikesiskav]

I have my Sierra 2 in a fairly large room as well. 13x35 ft including the dining and kitchen. I would say that the Sierras do pretty well on their own full range, no sub, for music. If you have a high quality sub or two, that is properly integrated, it does sound even better, even for music. I run my subs for everything, movies, music, games, etc.. But I would say it depends on your sub. Not every sub can match the quality of the Sierra 2.

[kingcrowing]

Cool, that's probably about my setup as well. And I'll often listen to music while I'm way in the back in the kitchen or walking around the house so good to know it does decent in that environment.

I have a pretty mediocre sub I got on Amazon years back (BIC America 10") that definitely won't keep up with any Ascends, but it'll do for now and in the future I'll upgrade it when I've got more space and money!

[mattyhoops]

I also have a large room that opens in a dining room then kitchen so that's a concern. I do have a sub I use with home theater but prefer to use Stereo for music (I mainly listen to rock, Pink Floyd, Phish, Radiohead are my top bands), so that kind of makes me think it may be worth springing for the Sierra-2s so I can keep with Stereo for music.

I don't think the Sierra 2 has any louder or deeper bass extension than the 1. Actually, I think the 1 has a very small advantage on bass extension over the 2. From what I've read I'm sure the 2 is a better speaker than the 1, but I think they're pretty even in bass extension when ran in full range.

[kingcrowing]

I have seen a few others say that as well... the big question I have that I was hoping Dave could maybe chime in on, is which speakers is better in a less than ideal listening setup? Many people sitting outside of the "sweet spot" and speakers being closer to the wall than ideal, etc.

[sludgeogre]

I have seen a few others say that as well... the big question I have that I was hoping Dave could maybe chime in on, is which speakers is better in a less than ideal listening setup? Many people sitting outside of the "sweet spot" and speakers being closer to the wall than ideal, etc.

I won't speak for Dave, but I'm willing to bet that the Sierra-2 is the better choice because of the RAAL tweeter and it's mega-wide dispersion. The RAAL allows you to walk around the room with barely any difference in frequency response. There is a slight vertical shift (when you stand up) but not a lot. It's a unique feature of the RAAL that really makes a difference in real world situations.

[JustABrah]

I went from Sierra-1NrT to the Sierra-2 for home theatre and I think it's worth it.

[davef]

I have seen a few others say that as well... the big question I have that I was hoping Dave could maybe chime in on, is which speakers is better in a less than ideal listening setup? Many people sitting outside of the "sweet spot" and speakers being closer to the wall than ideal, etc.

I would say that of all the different speakers we currently manufacture, the least finicky with regard to placement would be the Sierra-2. The RAAL ribbon used in the '2 has exceptionally wide and linear horizontal dispersion. It is very spacious...

[amnesia0287]

I went from Sierra-1NrT to the Sierra-2 for home theatre and I think it's worth it.

Concur. I liked the upgrade so much I pretty much immediately ordered some towers too :D

[crazycuz2k]

I have the Sierra-1 NrT's and the Sierra-2, I have not heard the Sierra-1's. With the sale right now on the Sierra-2 natural/piano black, it's a no brainer for me to spend the extra $190 for a pair of Sierra-2's. The RAAL tweeter is so much faster and articulate, displaying more dynamics and control. The midrange and bass is tighter if not as deep. At $500 per pair difference between the 1/2, I don't know if you're getting 40% more performance. The nice thing though is that Dave built the Sierra-2's so that you can upgrade the 1's when you have the budget. I don't think you can go wrong either way as all the speakers are neutral and sound 10x better than it's pricepoint. It's a matter of what you're used to... ignorance is bliss. Personally... once hearing the RAAL tweeter, it's hard to go back.

[scape]

I read this post: http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?6195-S-1-NrT-s-or-S-2-!&p=54538#post54538 and am wondering if getting up and walking around with the s2 is better sounding than the 1 or 1-nrt. I noticed the bstock s1 with nrt upgrade is virtually as much as the s2 bstock so it's a tough choice for someone who's never heard either.

[davef]

I read this post: http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?6195-S-1-NrT-s-or-S-2-!&p=54538#post54538 and am wondering if getting up and walking around with the s2 is better sounding than the 1 or 1-nrt. I noticed the bstock s1 with nrt upgrade is virtually as much as the s2 bstock so it's a tough choice for someone who's never heard either.

Sierra-2's have MUCH wider horizontal and more linear horizontal dispersion than the Sierra-1 NrT. The 2's definitely sound better than any comparable dome when walking around the room.