Is Sierra 2 enough for my room or stay with current cmt340?

[mharris2007]

Hi everyone,

I have cmt340se lcr with 18” subwoofer in my family room that is 32x18x8 which works out to 4600 ft3. I want to upgrade to Sierra 2 but am concerned they may not play loud enough? The room is open to other parts of the house on two sides as well. We sit 12’ away and the L/R speakers are 12’ apart.

Here’s a short video showing my room setup with my wife trying to duck out of the way. Lol.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bUFyOG6Pai2CTrafaFirkFzZ37WvGrR9

I’m heading to ascend Friday to listen to the cmt340 and Sierra 2 back to back just to ensure the upgrade would be noticeable. Reason I’m sure it will be, is because in my dedicated music room I have Raal towers and horizon Raal and they are incredible. More towers won’t work with my room as you can see. Bookshelf/monitor is all that will work.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1c63R2IL4fKFAxcre3g2PnOznNhiHhN3c

I listen to pretty much 100% music. Lots of edm, indie rock and roll, classic rock, oldies, and some
Pop. HT doesn’t work with a 5 yo and 19 month old. Ha. Plus I love music way more.

Any input appreciated. I have an email into Dave about it, but figured I’d put it out in public to help any others that may have the same question, and maybe Dave will just answer here.

Matt

[curtis]

Since your going to Ascend to listen, that is where you will make the best decision.

What I will advise is to move your 340's out of the corners, also get them to front edge of the counter for the best sound.

[mharris2007]

I know the Sierra 2’s are going to sound better than the 340’s at ascend but I don’t know how much better in my room or at volume in my room.

I can move them away from the walls but then my listening distance will be farther than they are apart (not equilateral triangle anymore).

[diesel79]

Only way to know is to trial them in your room.

If you think they are worth the upgrade cost at Ascend, bring a set home and give them a try.

[curtis]

I can move them away from the walls but then my listening distance will be farther than they are apart (not equilateral triangle anymore).
That is just a guideline, not a hard rule.

On top of that, you want to move them forward on the table so there isn't a reflection point caused the table/ledge in front of the speaker.

[mharris2007]

Only way to know is to trial them in your room.

If you think they are worth the upgrade cost at Ascend, bring a set home and give them a try.

I think this is the play and what I will do, just trying to avoid the hassle if someone has used the S2's in a big room and had feedback regarding that.


That is just a guideline, not a hard rule.

On top of that, you want to move them forward on the table so there isn't a reflection point caused the table/ledge in front of the speaker.

I will move them forward. Thanks for that. I will also try to move them away from the wall, but the wife won't like a hole being in the countertop where the wire comes through, LOL. Last question, is there a recommended distance they should be away from the wall? Thanks.

[billy p]

Love that cabinet with quad SI 18s...:cool: If your planning on going to Ascend why reserve that visit solely for the S2. I'd give the NrT S1 a whirl too. A wee bit more dynamic or sparkle perhaps since its for HT( rather music....cest la vie...lol)....because you got the low end covered.

[diesel79]

I think this is the play and what I will do, just trying to avoid the hassle if someone has used the S2's in a big room and had feedback regarding that.

Ah, I see. I sit about 11-12’ from my S2’s and they are plenty loud for me. My first level is all open and about 11.5-12,000 ft^3. It’s pretty loud about everywhere in the house. Lol

I’m not sure how they compare to the towers though as I’ve never heard those. I did just get a Horizon w/RAAL that is awesome.

On another note, how about using horizons for mains? Looks like you could use them horizontally or vertically on your shelf.

I’m jealous of your music room. Looks awesome! I can’t even fathom what 4-18’s sounds/feels like.

[mharris2007]

Love that cabinet with quad SI 18s...:cool: If your planning on going to Ascend why reserve that visit solely for the S2. I'd give the NrT S1 a whirl too. A wee bit more dynamic or sparkle perhaps since its for HT( rather music....cest la vie...lol)....because you got the low end covered.

LOL. I'll give the S1 NRT a listen too, but to me when I auditioned the towers, what made the towers special was the RAAL. When compared to the NRT it was just so much better to my ears.

Where the sierra 2's are going there's only one 18". I had to custom make the cabinet to fit into one of the white cabinets you can see in the video. Definitely not going to keep up with the 6 18" woofers I have in the dedicated room with the RAAL towers. LOL.


Ah, I see. I sit about 11-12’ from my S2’s and they are plenty loud for me. My first level is all open and about 11.5-12,000 ft^3. It’s pretty loud about everywhere in the house. Lol

I’m not sure how they compare to the towers though as I’ve never heard those. I did just get a Horizon w/RAAL that is awesome.

On another note, how about using horizons for mains? Looks like you could use them horizontally or vertically on your shelf.

I’m jealous of your music room. Looks awesome! I can’t even fathom what 4-18’s sounds/feels like.

Diesel! Yes! That's what I was wondering about, and you've answered it! Glad to hear it works well with your setup, which means I'm sure it will be fine for me too.

The towers with a RAAL sound just like the Towers with the RAAL. I actually broached the subject of using horizontal horizons for my mains in that room, but the wife quickly put the kibosh to that because of "design challenges". LOL. To me, the horizon raal is beautiful, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

Yeah the music room is allot of fun. There's actually 6 18's. Two in the back as well. I have each of the 18's powered off of one channel of an inuke 6000. I had to add 3 dedicated 20 amp circuits for the subwoofers alone. Everyone that comes and has a listen all say the same thing: it's a very unique experience that otherwise can't be had. Ha ha. Where do you live? I'm in Newport Beach. You're welcomed to come by any time for a listen.

Matt

[diesel79]

You will have to report back what you think of the S2’s.

Unfortunately I’m nowhere near Newport Beach. I’m in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. Actually just waiting for the next blizzard to get here in about an hour or so. Lol

If I ever get out there I’d love to swing by and check it out!

[billy p]

LOL. I'll give the S1 NRT a listen too, but to me when I auditioned the towers, what made the towers special was the RAAL. When compared to the NRT it was just so much better to my ears.

Where the sierra 2's are going there's only one 18". I had to custom make the cabinet to fit into one of the white cabinets you can see in the video. Definitely not going to keep up with the 6 18" woofers I have in the dedicated room with the RAAL towers. LOL.
Matt

I got your two rooms confused ....thinking the RAAL towers where the music room and 340 for HT. Reread your post and used the linked hence my altering the post...lol.
Btw....say hello to the missus and good luck at the demo....:)

[mharris2007]

You will have to report back what you think of the S2’s.

Unfortunately I’m nowhere near Newport Beach. I’m in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. Actually just waiting for the next blizzard to get here in about an hour or so. Lol

If I ever get out there I’d love to swing by and check it out!

LMAO :-)

You poor guys. That sounds awful. But that's all the more reason to have nice speakers; because you can't go outside!

You're welcomed to swing by anytime. Thanks again for your input on the S2's in a big space.

[diesel79]

As long as you have a 4wd truck or something with awd you are good to go. Lol. The really cold spells are what gets tough. Double digit negative temps are no fun. Usually get a week or 2 stretch of that. :)

[mharris2007]

I got your two rooms confused ....thinking the RAAL towers where the music room and 340 for HT. Reread your post and used the linked hence my altering the post...lol.
Btw....say hello to the missus and good luck at the demo....:)

CMT are for the family room which I run 5.1 for TV, but I also listen to allot of music in there 2.1. I'm sure the demo should be fun! Dina an Dave are great. THanks for your help.

[mikesiskav]

The Sierra-2 will have better detail and clarity but the 340 has 5db higher sensitivity. So you just need more amplifier power to reach the same output levels with the Sierra-2. Also the driver arrangement (MTM vs MT) may have some difference in the sound. Almost forgot, the maximum output capability for the 340 is higher than the Sierra-2, so that's something to consider if you like to play things really loud. For my listening, the Sierra-2 is plenty loud.

[mharris2007]

The Sierra-2 will have better detail and clarity but the 340 has 5db higher sensitivity. So you just need more amplifier power to reach the same output levels with the Sierra-2. Also the driver arrangement (MTM vs MT) may have some difference in the sound. Almost forgot, the maximum output capability for the 340 is higher than the Sierra-2, so that's something to consider if you like to play things really loud. For my listening, the Sierra-2 is plenty loud.

Appreciate your insight. I talked to Dave and he agrees to just test them at my house and see what happens. That's what I'm going to do, and I'm sure it will turn out great.

[Jaybeez]

Curious as to your thoughts once you hear them, but if you listen at moderate volume I think you might find the S2's will give you plenty of detail without the need for lots of volume.
With all that brick you may want to consider some room treatment. I really like LA Sound Panels in Burbank. Good folks and great prices.

[mharris2007]

Curious as to your thoughts once you hear them, but if you listen at moderate volume I think you might find the S2's will give you plenty of detail without the need for lots of volume.
With all that brick you may want to consider some room treatment. I really like LA Sound Panels in Burbank. Good folks and great prices.

Hi jay,

Well I listened to the s2’s at ascend ab’d to the towers with nrt and I liked the towers more. The midrange sounded less “stressed” if that makes sense. I discussed with my wife about just being done with it, and getting 3 horizons and she started crying because she says they’re big and ugly 😂😂😂😂😂😂. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I got the Sierra 2’s home and ab’d them with the 340’s (turning up the Sierra 2’s a little obviously to compensate for their decreased sensitivity) and they are clearly more transparent than the 340se’s but the 340se’s presented a more “full” “larger” “bigger” sound. So I gained a little but gave up a little it seems. I’m going to rerun ypao on my Yamaha 681 tomorrow. I tried to do it today but it just kept giving me “error 1 no front speaker” but that’s a totally different story 🤯🤯🤬🤬🤬. I’m updating the firmeare now and if that doesn’t fix it, which I’m Assuming it won’t, I’m just gonna reset the whole receiver.

As for room treatments: There’s a 0% chance of that happening in the family room. I told her that it’s happening in the music room whether she likes it or not, but if she cries at the thought of 3 horizons in the fam room, no chance of treating the walls.

I’ll check back in once I get ypao re ran and listen to them a little more.

Matt

[Jaybeez]

There are folks that can do custom panels with artwork that is either stock or things you can send them (ref: family room).

I'm in negotiations for custom panels for our living room. My wife is a photographer, and I'm hoping to send some of her images in and have panels made. Would be a gallery of sorts and make our room sound a whole lot better.

[mharris2007]

There are folks that can do custom panels with artwork that is either stock or things you can send them (ref: family room).

I'm in negotiations for custom panels for our living room. My wife is a photographer, and I'm hoping to send some of her images in and have panels made. Would be a gallery of sorts and make our room sound a whole lot better.

LA sound panels will put a picture on the panel? I may be able to get my wife on board with that if they can throw a picture of my kids on there or something and not have it look janky.

[N Boros]

^^^

I think many of the soundproofing companies will put artwork on panels. GIK for example also does and their panels are quite inexpensive.

[mharris2007]

^^^

I think many of the soundproofing companies will put artwork on panels. GIK for example also does and their panels are quite inexpensive.

Awesome! Thanks!

[mharris2007]

Hey everyone, I thought I’d revisit this and let everyone know how it played out.

So I bought the Sierra 2’s and replaced the cmt 340’s for a week. Put the 340’s back in and thought I liked them more, then swapped in the Sierra 2’s again. At that point there was no going back to the 340’s. The detail and imaging was incredible the second time around.

This weekend I moved the Sierra 2’s away from the walls, and got my uxl 18 installed with an inuke 3000dsp. I had to custom make the enclosure to fit in a cabinet so it’s 100% stealth. I sprayed it with high gloss white cabinet paint. After dealing with some Yamaha receiver issues (I hate Yamaha after having only and pioneer avr’s), this setup sounds absolutely, ridiculously amazing. The Sierra 2’s more than keep up with the sub and with my big room. I mean it is absolutely amazing. I can’t say how much of It was moving them away from the side walls vs the sub, but man, it’s breathtaking. Super stoked! Thanks Dave and Dina for dealing with my eccentricity.

https://s26.postimg.cc/yt775tsrt/BD56097_C-_FBF6-4_E03-8_ECA-95_C9_BD009726.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://s26.postimg.cc/7vda43va1/5607984_B-76_C3-47_D4-9442-_A956_C907_F3_A7.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/lca8mz5lh/)

https://s26.postimg.cc/9aeut2wft/131_A1_A86-0_D9_C-4510-_B611-_FAEFB0_BA7_C8_A.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/6t33ltcj9/)

[davef]

Hey everyone, I thought I’d revisit this and let everyone know how it played out.

So I bought the Sierra 2’s and replaced the cmt 340’s for a week. Put the 340’s back in and thought I liked them more, then swapped in the Sierra 2’s again. At that point there was no going back to the 340’s. The detail and imaging was incredible the second time around.

This weekend I moved the Sierra 2’s away from the walls, and got my uxl 18 installed with an inuke 3000dsp. I had to custom make the enclosure to fit in a cabinet so it’s 100% stealth. I sprayed it with high gloss white cabinet paint. After dealing with some Yamaha receiver issues (I hate Yamaha after having only and pioneer avr’s), this setup sounds absolutely, ridiculously amazing. The Sierra 2’s more than keep up with the sub and with my big room. I mean it is absolutely amazing. I can’t say how much of It was moving them away from the side walls vs the sub, but man, it’s breathtaking. Super stoked! Thanks Dave and Dina for dealing with my eccentricity.

https://s26.postimg.cc/yt775tsrt/BD56097_C-_FBF6-4_E03-8_ECA-95_C9_BD009726.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://s26.postimg.cc/7vda43va1/5607984_B-76_C3-47_D4-9442-_A956_C907_F3_A7.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/lca8mz5lh/)

https://s26.postimg.cc/9aeut2wft/131_A1_A86-0_D9_C-4510-_B611-_FAEFB0_BA7_C8_A.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/6t33ltcj9/)

Wow Matt -- just wow... Another fantastic looking room! I think you might possibly have the most subwooferage (word?) in any home on the West Coast... Happy that you are enjoying the 2's!!!

[mharris2007]

Wow Matt -- just wow... Another fantastic looking room! I think you might possibly have the most subwooferage (word?) in any home on the West Coast... Happy that you are enjoying the 2's!!!

Ha ha! I wasn’t expecting this sub to be so musical given the box/space restrictions, but it does well. Doesn’t sound as good as the sealed servo 15” rhythmik I had, but it’s close enough for me. Between my cars and my house I have a total of 7 18” subwoofers and 3 12” subwoofers. Lol. The Sierra 2’s are awesome! Thanks again.