Introducing the Luna Mini Monitor!

[davef]

My wife requires grilles, so magnetic grilles do nothing for me and I'd rather avoid the extra $50 expense if possible. Would standard grilles still be an option or would all grilles be magnetic?

Same here.

Same here. Would prefer non magnetic option if it saves $50

I was thinking about this same issue yesterday. For those who will use grilles, it really doesn't matter if they are magnetic or not.

We really aren't in a position to offer both options, as that would actually split our order quantities into 2 batches and one way to get the costs down a bit is to run higher volume production runs.

So.... with that in mind, I have managed to find a Chinese source for the exact same neo magnets we plan to use and their price is about 1/4th what we would pay purchasing them here. If I can manage to ship them combined with various other misc parts we buy from China (namely our spiked feet and binding posts) -- it also reduces the price. So, with that in mind as I look at the current BOM, we can now afford to offer the magnetic grilles together with the speakers for no additional costs.

Of course, there is an additional labor cost from our cabinet maker to install the magnets, but if we can order the sat cabinets at the same time we order tower or horizon or Sierra-1/2 cabinets from them -- they will waive these additional labor costs as there would be an additional price break on larger quantities of bamboo.

Argghh -- I must share, it is SO MUCH EASIER to simply have a factory in China build a fully completed speaker for us! Building like we do, we have to fully coordinate every little detail.... Of course, there is no way to fully build something like this speaker overseas. I keep saying to myself that we will slowly start making our production at Ascend simpler, yet I keep doing the exact opposite, lol....

Anyway, I hope this comes as good news. I am really trying my best to give you all what you want and create the world's highest performance mini speaker. Something really unique that hopefully won't be copied too quickly

[davef]

I really enjoy my Sierra Towers with RAAL. Part of my fascination with the coming Sierra Sat is its freedom to skimp on lower frequencies (that the full range Sierra 2 must provide) so that its ribbon can be mated with a smaller midwoofer that can approach the low inertia performance of the midrange driver in the Tower. I want the Sierra Sat to sound in mid and high frequencies as close as possible to the Tower with RAAL. However, I understand that products are designed to cost. Is there a different, more expensive midwoofer/crossover arrangement that would make the Sierra Sat sound closer to the Tower with RAAL? If so, how much more would that midwoofer arrangement cost?

The Sierra 1, Sierra 2, Tower, and Horizon all offer driver upgrade choices to prospective buyers. For the Sierra Sat, if there is a more expensive midwoofer arrangement that would significantly reduce any sound difference in mid and upper frequencies between the Sierra Sat and the Tower with RAAL, suggest that buyers be given the opportunity to pay more to get the better sound match.

Hi Ken,

The woofer we will be using in the Sat is exceptional and I am not sure if a better one even exists for this purpose. The moving mass of this 4.5" will actually be less than that of the dedicated mid in the tower - while still providing surprising bass extension. This little woofer basically uses the same magnet size as the woofer in the Sierra-2, and by going with a custom Curv woofer cone, we further lower the moving mass (by nearly 2 grams!) yet improve internal damping, and there is almost no cone breakup modes. The motor force is ridiculous for this size woofer, thus transients are exceptional.

As an example, like with the 6" in the Sierra-2, this 4.5" has lower moving mass than any of the 4.5" EXCEL woofers and even the 4" Scan woofers.

This woofer, being significantly smaller than the Sierra-2, is actually going to cost us the same $$ amount per unit as the S2 woofer. This woofer is really the key to make this speaker happen and in no way does this woofer choice have anything to do with trying to reach a specific price point. I have actually been evaluating several lower cost woofers in an attempt to lower manufacturing costs, but each one presents a compromise. Either we lose bass extension, such that would require a 100 or 120Hz crossover, or we lose midrange performance, or we lose significant efficiency.

While I fully understand the continuous hunt for something better, I myself am plagued with this disease, we can likely only slightly improve one parameter of this woofer, while actually hurting other equally significant performance parameters. I simply and honestly can't find anything better for this application, which is precisely why we are going custom made.

I think you will find the mids on this speaker to be shockingly good....

[davef]

Hey Dave, is there any chance these will be around 1k for the set? I don't think I'll be able to pull off Sats for all my surrounds including Atmos. That would be my end all/be all setup!

I am thinking maybe we can offer a few "group buys" for the Ribbon Sat, in which case I believe we can hit ~$1100 for a pair. $1000/pair is really pushing it...

[SGCSG1]

Can't wait to see a natural bamboo pair with no grills and no grill holes. Should look awesome!

Note to Dave - I have a friend in manufacturing who has been trying to get something going in China for a few years now. Seems there's always one problem or another. And quality control...always a problem.

[tknice]

I am thinking maybe we can offer a few "group buys" for the Ribbon Sat, in which case I believe we can hit ~$1100 for a pair. $1000/pair is really pushing it...

thanks Dave for taking a guess on this and for making time to answer all of our other questions. I can probably speak for everyone and say we are so excited that you are willing to build such high quality speakers and somehow market them at a reasonable cost.

You are the reason my home theater and music sounds so good and I can't thank you enough!

Tom

[MusicHead]

For that size room and with that much power, absolutely. These little speakers can reach surprising levels, they completely fill our extremely well damped listening room, which is similar in size to your room and I never reached more than 80 watts into them...

Fantastic, thanks Dave. Depending on when the Sierra Sat is being released you may have lost a CBM-170 customer but gained one for the baby Sierras

By the way, it is REALLY COOL and very much appreciated that as busy as you are you are making time to go back in the thread and answer the pending questions you had not yet addressed.

In a world of quick sales and forgettable customer service this is mighty impressive. You and Ascend are one of a kind.

[SGCSG1]

I am thinking maybe we can offer a few "group buys" for the Ribbon Sat, in which case I believe we can hit ~$1100 for a pair. $1000/pair is really pushing it...

$1100 a pair with magnetic grills? Natural or Satin black? In.

[Bill66]

This is great news Dave! I too can't wait to see the natural pair without mounting holes. From everything you have explained about that little woofer, this should be an amazing little speaker and just what I was looking for in a small 2.1 channel system. Cheers!

[billy p]

The last few poster echo my sentiment. I was patiently awaiting the SATs release along with adding a new 18 sub....than news regarding the new Seas diamond is released...yea.. I thought about it but the most significant improvement to my system I believe would be to continue as I had planned and no turning back once I have the SATs grills or not.

[davef]

Thanks guys -- I really appreciate the nice comments