Endgame Sierra Bookshelf?

[N Boros]

I've been following the new Sierra tower thread and it is exciting to see how much development is happening with that speaker. The problem for me, is that I am in a fairly large room, but only sit about 7 to 8 feet away from my main speakers, where I'm not sure if tower speakers are the right fit at such a close seating distance.

The new ELX tower with the ribbon tweeter brings the "text-book perfect directivity with our EX woofer and RAAL ribbon tweeter" from the Sierra-2EX V2 speaker and combines it with the "dynamics, bass extension and sheer power" from the woofers in the Sierra-LX.

When trying to decide between the two speakers for mains, Dave suggests making the decision based on listening habits: "The S2EX V2 is the more detailed speaker and is best for acoustic music, jazz, most classical. The LX has way more 'slam' and much deeper bass and with enough power, can play much louder without strain. The LX is better for rock, dynamic home theater and is the better choice for those who 'listen to everything'."

Choosing the Sierra ELX tower speakers with the ribbon tweeter, no choice in listening preferences seems to be necessary, since the speaker seems to bring the best of the 2EX V2 and LX into one speaker that also has more output and less distortion.

This gets me wondering if it is possible to find a woofer for the Sierra bookshelf speaker that has the best aspects of the 2EX V2 and LX woofers in just one woofer, or are some of those characteristics competing with one another? If it is possible, it seems like that would make it an "Endgame" bookshelf speaker in the Sierra line. Imagine having all those great qualities of the ELX towers, but in a bookshelf speaker. Obviously the towers would have more output and less distortion and all of the advantages of a three way design, but the bookshelf speakers would have much of the same greatness of the ELX towers in a compact form factor. If such a woofer is possible, and the ribbon tweeter in the bookshelf speakers seems to be limiting the output capabilities, then perhaps moving to the 70-20xram RAAL ribbon would be the right fit. If it is possible for the speaker to come in at around the base price of the Sierra tower speaker, then there would be a market for such a speaker.

[Mag_Neato]

I've been following the new Sierra tower thread and it is exciting to see how much development is happening with that speaker. The problem for me, is that I am in a fairly large room, but only sit about 7 to 8 feet away from my main speakers, where I'm not sure if tower speakers are the right fit at such a close seating distance.

The new ELX tower with the ribbon tweeter brings the "text-book perfect directivity with our EX woofer and RAAL ribbon tweeter" from the Sierra-2EX V2 speaker and combines it with the "dynamics, bass extension and sheer power" from the woofers in the Sierra-LX.

When trying to decide between the two speakers for mains, Dave suggests making the decision based on listening habits: "The S2EX V2 is the more detailed speaker and is best for acoustic music, jazz, most classical. The LX has way more 'slam' and much deeper bass and with enough power, can play much louder without strain. The LX is better for rock, dynamic home theater and is the better choice for those who 'listen to everything'."

Choosing the Sierra ELX tower speakers with the ribbon tweeter, no choice in listening preferences seems to be necessary, since the speaker seems to bring the best of the 2EX V2 and LX into one speaker that also has more output and less distortion.

This gets me wondering if it is possible to find a woofer for the Sierra bookshelf speaker that has the best aspects of the 2EX V2 and LX woofers in just one woofer, or are some of those characteristics competing with one another? If it is possible, it seems like that would make it an "Endgame" bookshelf speaker in the Sierra line. Imagine having all those great qualities of the ELX towers, but in a bookshelf speaker. Obviously the towers would have more output and less distortion and all of the advantages of a three way design, but the bookshelf speakers would have much of the same greatness of the ELX towers in a compact form factor. If such a woofer is possible, and the ribbon tweeter in the bookshelf speakers seems to be limiting the output capabilities, then perhaps moving to the 70-20xram RAAL ribbon would be the right fit. If it is possible for the speaker to come in at around the base price of the Sierra tower speaker, then there would be a market for such a speaker.

It is highly improbable to implement the larger RAAL into a Sierra monitor with appropriate woofer near the price of the base tower. I priced out having those RAALs installed in my 2EX's and the cost for just those 2 tweeters with labor was just North of $1,500, and Dave said the cost of them will be going up.

EDIT: I just peeked at the towers and hadn't realized they had gone up to around $3K for the dome version, so maybe it is not so far-fetched!

[High Fidelity]

This is interesting. I wonder what a Sierra monitor would sound like with the RAAL 70-20XR and either the EX or LX driver.

The only Sierra that I’m aware of that had the RAAL 70-20XR was a custom Sierra 1.

[curtis]

The only Sierra that I’m aware of that had the RAAL 70-20XR was a custom Sierra 1.

Also, I think the cabinet has to be modified to fit the backside of the 70-20XR.

[billy p]

Endgame I'd say the Seas Diamond with the appropriate midwoofer...remove any what ifs.

[curtis]

Endgame I'd say the Seas Diamond with the appropriate midwoofer...remove any what ifs.

Hmmm...I wonder if Dave has messed around with Diamond and the LX woofer.
The EX woofer was derived from the woofer used in the Sierra Diamond, right?

[RicardoJoa]

My guess The raal 70-20 and lx woofer would be very close to end game .

[Mag_Neato]

I wonder if the Titan woofer would allow a high enough crossover point to integrate properly with the big RAAL?

[SunByrne]

I wonder if the Titan woofer would allow a high enough crossover point to integrate properly with the big RAAL?

My guess is no. I could be wrong, but IIRC from Dave's thread on the design of the LX one of the things that makes the LX woofer such a heavy hitter is that it's designed to have a low crossover point. I know the 70-20 can be crossed lower than the 64-10 or 70-10, but I'd be surprised if it's as low as the Titan tweeter.

[N Boros]

This is interesting. I wonder what a Sierra monitor would sound like with the RAAL 70-20XR and either the EX or LX driver.

The only Sierra that IÂ’m aware of that had the RAAL 70-20XR was a custom Sierra 1.

I could be wrong, but I thought there were a handful of people that Dave has done custom speakers for with the 70-20XR in the Sierra bookshelf cabinet. I know one such person even had the Sierra tower midrange for the woofer with this upgraded tweeter. If so he can likely speak about how such a speaker would sound, in comparison.

What I am more interested in would be a new woofer that has the best aspects of both the LX and EX woofers. In other words the detail and perfect match (directivity) with the RAAL ribbon tweeter AND the power, mid bass punch and extension of the LX woofer.

I am more interested in the woofer because Dave has already said that the 70-20XR is the best ribbon tweeter that one can get and the diamond tweeter puts the bookshelf speaker out of just about everyone’s budget, yet doesn’t seem to surpass the ribbon tweeter in all performance aspects.

If such a woofer is possible and the bookshelf 64-10 RAAL ribbon tweeter is the limiting factor in output where it can’t match the output of the woofer, then perhaps stepping up to the 70-20XR.

That would be my dream bookshelf speaker where it is exceptional with any kind of music or source material that you throw at it.