Sierra Towers W/ RAAL vs Sierra 2 EX Upgrade

[brianniebur]

I have Sierra 2's as LCR with 2 subs. Popped in here and saw that there was an upgrade option to Sierra 2 EX. Would cost about $1,000 to upgrade all and decided to do it.

Then I got to thinking, why not take that $1,000 and use it to upgrade the LR with Sierra Towers with RAAL. I realize it's $3,000 vs $1,000, but have always wondered how much better the towers would be. I could use the Sierra 2's as surround.

I'm probably 90/10 movies/music.

With two subs do you think it is worth the extra money to get the towers or will I be "almost" as happy with the 2EX's and save $2,000? Would still be using the one Sierra 2 as a center channel.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks

[Mag_Neato]

If you intend to keep the Sierra-2 as a center then it's a no-brainer. Upgrade your LCR to the EX.

If you replace the L/R with RAAL towers then the standard Sierra-2 will not match nearly as well as all EX's up front.

[jimb]

If you intend to keep the Sierra-2 as a center then it's a no-brainer. Upgrade your LCR to the EX.

If you replace the L/R with RAAL towers then the standard Sierra-2 will not match nearly as well as all EX's up front.

UNLESS, you would still feel like you were not done and really wanted to try Towers. Then Towers now, with an upgrade of just the center to S-2EX might be an end point. I think Dave has said, regarding centers, that the S-2EX is about 50% of the way between the S-2 and RAAL Towers. There's nothing wrong with S-2EX as LCR. I think they are pretty darn good. I'd just consider whether I was intending it as an interim system, or putting pieces of my final system (is there such a thing?) in place.

By the way, if you can afford the risk of paying return shipping, they DO permit 30 day home trial to help answer this to YOUR satisfaction.

[racrawford65]

I went with the Towers w/ RAAL from the S2's for LR and think the upgrade was well worth it. For center, went from S2 to Luna Duo (which Dave posted somewhere gave the Horizon a run for the money). S2 went to surround. S2 Center not in use currently.

I'm 90/10 music/movies.

[jimb]

I went with the Towers w/ RAAL from the S2's for LR and think the upgrade was well worth it. For center, went from S2 to Luna Duo (which Dave posted somewhere gave the Horizon a run for the money). S2 went to surround. S2 Center not in use currently.

I'm 90/10 music/movies.

Following that approach, for brianniebr, the question could then be, whether to upgrade the center S-2 to S-2EX, OR go to LunaDuo. The EX upgrade costs quite a bit less, and already fits in current use (I assume). In that case, I'd go with an EX upgraded S-2 center (eventually).

[brianniebur]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

With the added costs of upgrading the center, I'm really only putting $700 (the cost of the LR upgrade) towards the towers. I think at this point I will just upgrade the LCR to 2EX. It sounds like that makes a big improvement (not that the S2's need much of an improvement) and probably gets me most of where I want to be for 1/3 the costs.

Again, I appreciate the advise.

Now to order the upgrades.

[Mag_Neato]

That is a "sound" decision!

Really, you can't go wrong with a matched/balanced front end.

[Bruce Watson]

Following that approach, for brianniebr, the question could then be, whether to upgrade the center S-2 to S-2EX, OR go to LunaDuo. The EX upgrade costs quite a bit less, and already fits in current use (I assume). In that case, I'd go with an EX upgraded S-2 center (eventually).

Under these same conditions (more or less) I upgraded my center from an S-2 to a Luna Duo. I could not, and still can not, believe what an improvement that is. Not only did it cure my wife's problems with dialog, but she actually still talks about it, and it's been months. I was running the S-2 center channel about 1.5 dB hot after Audyssey, now with the Luna Duo I'm running at 0 dB. Dialog is considerably easier to understand, and overall balance and matching with the S-2s at L/R and the S-1 surrounds is better, with the subs doing the heavy lifting as always.

When I asked Dave/Dina (before buying the Luna Duo) about it, they told me (IIRC) that the Luna Duo would be about midway between the 2EX center and the Horizon. And I'm not hearing anything at all that says that's not true. I never thought such a small speaker could make me so happy. Just sayin'.

[jimb]

...
When I asked Dave/Dina (before buying the Luna Duo) about it, they told me (IIRC) that the Luna Duo would be about midway between the 2EX center and the Horizon. ...
It would be nice to get confirmation on that comparison from Dave.

[diesel79]

I have had my EX’s for a couple weeks and they are a big step up from the 2’s in midrange clarity imo. That being said I have no experience with using a 2 or EX as a center. I have mine paired with a Horizon and it sounds phenomenal.

[goldark]

I have had my EX’s for a couple weeks and they are a big step up from the 2’s in midrange clarity imo. That being said I have no experience with using a 2 or EX as a center. I have mine paired with a Horizon and it sounds phenomenal.

I'm really considering the upgrade from the 2's to the 2 EX's due to comments like these. Was the upgrade easy to do yourself? I know you said they were a "big step up" in midrange clarity. Considering the S2's midrange is excellent, I've always wondered how much room for improvement can there be.

[diesel79]

I actually ended up canceling my order for the upgrades and going with a whole new set of speakers with the USA made cabinets. My S2’s are currently boxed up and looking for a new home. Lol. Or to be used as surrounds or in a 2.0 setup sometime in the future.

Don’t get me wrong, the S2’s are great speakers, the EX just brings it up a few notches. I’m also hearing little nuances in music I’ve never heard before. It could just be me or my room, but I think these image a better too.

Dave’s description of what they bring to the table over the S2’s is dead on accurate.

[Bruce Watson]

It would be nice to get confirmation on that comparison from Dave.

Call him. If my memory is wrong, please correct me. I don't want false information out there because I've got a faulty memory!

Either way, it won't change the speaker itself. My Luna Duo center demotes my pre-EX S-2 center from "excellent" to "really good". The Luna Duo is a large step up for me.

[jimb]

Call him. If my memory is wrong, please correct me. I don't want false information out there because I've got a faulty memory!

Either way, it won't change the speaker itself. My Luna Duo center demotes my pre-EX S-2 center from "excellent" to "really good". The Luna Duo is a large step up for me.

Thanks. In the not too distant future, I anticipate getting either a Luna Duo or Horizon center.

[diesel79]

Thanks. In the not too distant future, I anticipate getting either a Luna Duo or Horizon center.

You might as well go for the Horizon!

[jimb]

You might as well go for the Horizon!

I am so inclined, but... it's just that little bit (too much?) taller.

[diesel79]

I am so inclined, but... it's just that little bit (too much?) taller.

Gotcha. Well if you can make it work they are awesome. I’d love to have them for my LCR, but can’t in this room.