Grandarf, thank you for the detailed response. I apologze if I inferred price was no object! :) I would be ok spending 3-4X the cost of the sierra's, but if there's really no vast improvement at that level, I'm not one to have to have the most "distinguished" or recognizable name.

I'm really just looking for a noticeable improvement over the dt bp30's in the realm of reduced brightness an improved soundstage.

That first article is certainly convincing, have read it before.
It'd be great if someone in central ohio had a pair for demo.

Unfortunately Columbus doesn't have a lot of showrooms with higher end gear, a road trip may be in order.

It's been a few days since Ascend started shipping the port plugs for Sierra.. Did anyone have a chance to compare the performance at home with and without the port plugs. I know that the performance will vary with different rooms. I will go for them anyways, but it's always nice to hear the feedback from fellow Sierra owners...

I have the speakers 18" from the back wall and I keep experimenting between playing them full range and cross them over at 60htz to Mirage S12. (planning a subwoofer upgrade as well.)

On an unrelated note, I turned off the up sampling on my HK247 and the sound improved a lot. It was counter intuitive:confused:

Has anyone compared the Sierra to the Aperion 6B? I am ready to order a pair of Sierras and a Sierra center but I am not sure. The one thing that interests me with the Aperions is the choices of a center speaker. The Aperions look to be a fine sounding speaker as well from the reviews from current owners. I could order both but would like to avoid that if possible. Usage will be about 50/50 HT and Music in a fairly small room (13'Dx17'Wx8'H).

Bill

At the sake of not starting another "versus" thread. How do these speakers compare with the much more expensive SVS MxS-01 series? The bookshelf ones. The stats are somewhat comparable but stats only show half the story.

Bill,
Hello. I see you are thinking about ordering the sierras, good for you:) They sound great with my proceed amp & preamp. Back to your question about comparing them to the aperions. I have a person(locally) that I have been in touch with recently who ordered the 6b's and the sierras. I may be able to hear them soon plus he wants to hear my rythmik sub. Did you get your 2 ch preamp/HT predictament straightened out yet?

Rob,
check out this thread for some comparisons of the sierras & SVS's plus a few others.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=919069&page=191

Just search the thread for SVS MTS and you can read some impressions of both.

Good luck!

Brandon

Bill,
Hello. I see you are thinking about ordering the sierras, good for you:) They sound great with my proceed amp & preamp. Back to your question about comparing them to the aperions. I have a person(locally) that I have been in touch with recently who ordered the 6b's and the sierras. I may be able to hear them soon plus he wants to hear my rythmik sub. Did you get your 2 ch preamp/HT predictament straightened out yet?



Hi Brandon,

That would be great if you could let me know what you think of the 6Bs. I have my 2CH preamp predictment well in hand as I have a Bel Canto PRe3. I was using a Bel Canto S300 amp for 2CH but went back to the NHT Power5. I just sold my Dyn C1s this morning so I need a set of R&L speakers! I think the Sierras will be my choice. But would like to hear from someone who could give me an idea of how the Sierras and 6Bs compare.

Thanks, Bill

Hi Brandon,

That would be great if you could let me know what you think of the 6Bs. I have my 2CH preamp predictment well in hand as I have a Bel Canto PRe3. I was using a Bel Canto S300 amp for 2CH but went back to the NHT Power5. I just sold my Dyn C1s this morning so I need a set of R&L speakers! I think the Sierras will be my choice. But would like to hear from someone who could give me an idea of how the Sierras and 6Bs compare.

Thanks, Bill

What made you decide to sell the Dyn's? I heard a pair of Dyn's about a year ago at a GTG(dont remember which ones) but they were expensive but sounded great, excellent mids & bass. My sierras kept up pretty well with them considering the price difference between the two.
I had forgot that you have the same NHT power5 amp that I did. The sierras did sound excellent with that amp too, I just prefered the proceed(personal preferences I guess). 200w of ICE power will be more than enough juice;)

I am hoping to hear back from the individual that bought the aperions soon. I can maybe hear both and A/B the two while he has them.

I will keep you informed!

Happy Holidays!
Brandon

I have heard the previous version of the 6B, and compared them directly to the CMT-340 (classic). There are also a threads in the AVS archives with comparisons.

It will be interesting to see howthe 6B and Sierra. Are there many professional reviews of the 6B?

Curtis,

I think stereophile just reviewed the 6B's in last months issue, they seemed to enjoy them very much.

What are your thoughts on the previous 6B's?

Hopefully I can arrange that demo of them against the sierras then I can report back.

It was a good speaker, it played a bit deeper than the 340 classic with some emphasis around 50hz. The 340 was better balanced and more detail through the mids and highs IMO.

That review is not online yet..right? Or did I miss it?

I just glanced at the manufacturer specs for the 6B......82dB sensitivity.....that speaker will take some ooomph behind it. A fair about bigger than the Sierra too.

Are you talking about the stereophile review of the 6T's? If so, I believe its from the January 2009 issue and it may or may not be posted online, I didnt bother looking since I read it already:)

The aperions now have updated drivers supposedly, so who knows what has changed since. Wow, there sensitivity is low, you almost need a seperate amp if the room is decent sized or you like to crank things to "11".

I believe the Stereophile review is on the 6T which is a floorstanding model. I looked for the Jan. issue of Stereophile at B&N the other day but it was not there. It is mentioned on the Aperion site that the review of the 6T was very positive. I would like to read it as it would relate somewhat to the 6B.

Bill

The last 5.1 set up I heard was a logitech z-5500 I had a while back. You can imagine my excitement when Im about to pull the trigger on:

mains - Sierra 1's
center - Sierra 1 center
surrounds -HTM-200 SE

Probably going to go with one of the SVS subs. Im contemplating going with an Onkyo 706...Any other suggestings in the $500 range give or take.

Primarily movies and very little music...


Edit: Fixed per the dog...

The last 5.1 set up I heard was a logitech z-5500 I had a while back. You can imagine my excitement when Im about to pull the trigger on:

mains - Sierra 1's
center - CMT-340 SE C
surrounds -HTM-200 SE

Probably going to go with one of the SVS subs. Im contemplating going with an Onkyo 706...Any other suggestings in the $500 range give or take.

Primarily movies and very little music...

I would defintely hold off on your rear speakers and put that money into getting a Sierra Center. You will be glad you did.

Actually...if you are primarily movies, I would think about going with all 340's up front. No slouch with music either too!

Actually...if you are primarily movies, I would think about going with all 340's up front. No slouch with music either too!

yeah?..it wont be "too much speaker"? The sitting area is approximately 7.5 feet away from the tv/mains?

Also, because of the dimensions of the room, the surrounds will most likely be placed directly behind the seating area, about 6.5 feet.. rather than slightly rearward of the seating area.. so would you recommend the cmb-170's over the htm-200's?

Im trying to play around the room configuration

7.5 feet away shouldn't be a problem.

The surrounds that far back will probably not sound right. You will have to play around with aiming them in different directions.

Hmm.. maybe I can just place the surrounds on stands rather than mounting on the all. That way.. I can place the stands in the optimal place.. and move them off to the side when not in use.

Thanks!

I believe the Stereophile review is on the 6T which is a floorstanding model. I looked for the Jan. issue of Stereophile at B&N the other day but it was not there. It is mentioned on the Aperion site that the review of the 6T was very positive. I would like to read it as it would relate somewhat to the 6B.

Bill

My mistake, I fixed my post to read the 6T's for the review.

Thanks,
Brandon

Actually...if you are primarily movies, I would think about going with all 340's up front. No slouch with music either too!

May I ask why you prefer the 340's over the Sierra's for my use? Which will consist of..

50% Movies/TV
30% Games
20% Music

Im trying to get all the input I can before I take the plunge.

May I ask why you prefer the 340's over the Sierra's for my use? Which will consist of..

50% Movies/TV
30% Games
20% Music

Im trying to get all the input I can before I take the plunge.
From your initial post where you had the 340SE center with Sierra mains, I was assuming you did that to save money.

If money isn't an issue between the two, by all means, the Sierra is a better speaker. With movies and games, IMO, the listening experience is less critical, the 340's are easier to drive, and a great speaker in their own right.

Im contemplating going with an Onkyo 706...Any other suggestings in the $500 range give or take.

Primarily movies and very little music...




I tried the Onkyo 606 and returned it. I had too many issues with it. I now have the Denon AVR-1909 and have been pretty satisfied. The wife and I love the dynamic volume.

I have the same set-up you are thinking about getting. I put my 200SEs on some 31 stands (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=240-767) behind the couch. I move them around as necessary.

Rob,
check out this thread for some comparisons of the sierras & SVS's plus a few others.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=919069&page=191

Just search the thread for SVS MTS and you can read some impressions of both.

Good luck!

Brandon

Looks like the Sierra's are the way to go. I inquired because I just bought an Ultra sub from SVS and would get a 5% discount on future purchases. But it looks like people prefer the Sierra's. A friend of mine has the 340's and he loves them. The Sierra's are a tad smaller so they would work a lot better in the limited space we have. Now the wife wants them in Rosenut ;)

Rob,
The combo of the Ultra and sierras will be very impressive. I have heard both the MTS & sierras side by side, you won't be dissapointed:)

The 340SE's are great too, but the sierras excel in 2ch(HT also) with their impressive mids/lows.

Enjoy your weekend,
Brandon
Post your thoughts once they arrive!

Looks like the Sierra's are the way to go. I inquired because I just bought an Ultra sub from SVS and would get a 5% discount on future purchases. But it looks like people prefer the Sierra's. A friend of mine has the 340's and he loves them. The Sierra's are a tad smaller so they would work a lot better in the limited space we have. Now the wife wants them in Rosenut ;)
What color is the sub? Sierra don't come in Rosenut unless you are thinking natural bamboo?

The Ultra is in Rosenut and the wife wants the speakers to match... but Sierra's don't come in anything close. The Natural might be OK, as our stair banisters are a light colored wood, the piano black is awesome but cost more. Color > Performance :D

The Ultra is in Rosenut and the wife wants the speakers to match... but Sierra's don't come in anything close. The Natural might be OK, as our stair banisters are a light colored wood, the piano black is awesome but cost more. Color > Performance :D
It will cost more, but call Ascend and see if there are custom options.

Ascend has made available the option of custom paint jobs on their other speakers in the past, so I would imagine that this option might also exist for the Sierras as well. What few examples I've read about have been very positively reviewed. Dave F. had his 170's custom painted, for example, and had great things to say about the results. It's an expensive option though ($150-$250 per pair, I'm guessing), but your color options would be pretty much limitless.

Those of you mounting your Sierra center above the TV, what speaker wall mounts are you using? I am having trouble finding a proper setup. I won't be able to put the center channel on our tv stand without mounting the tv on the wall, and mounting the speaker seems easier. Plus, the TV would need to be mounted too high to make watching TV without stretching the neck possible. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Those of you mounting your Sierra center above the TV, what speaker wall mounts are you using? I am having trouble finding a proper setup. I won't be able to put the center channel on our tv stand without mounting the tv on the wall, and mounting the speaker seems easier. Plus, I the TV would need to be mounted too high to make watching TV without stretching the neck possible. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
This is a good solution:
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?t=939

Ah this might be perfect. Thanks!

I ordered a pair of Sierras and a Sierra center in Piano Black yesterday, they should arrive early next week. I look forward to getting them and will post my impressions when I have had some time listening to them.

I have had two pairs of Dynaudio speakers the Focus 140s and C1s. Both are excellent speakers but with the size of my room (small) the C1s were overkill. Also not having the time to sit down and enjoy listening to music made the decision to sell the C1s that much easier. I sold the C1s to a great person who has a very large dedicated music room so I feel better about the sale. Hopefully things will slow down a bit so I can just sit down and enjoy the Sierras:D.

I went back and forth between the Sierras and the Aperion 6Bs. But in the end the numerous positive professional and owner reviews made my decision that much easier. Thanks to Brandon and Curtis for answering my many questions:). Also thanks to Dave F. for taking the time as well to answer my questions here and on the phone.

Bill

Bill....looking forward to reading what you think of them.

Just recently finished comparing the Aperion 6 B's and 6C to the Sierra's (L, C, R).
I first need to thank Brandon (merrymaid520) for taking the time to come over to my home with his spl meter and demo music to calibrate the speakers! It was great to get his opinion. He kept his to himself until I would make an observation as he didn't want to influence my thoughts. Turns out we were hearing the same differences.
After switching between both speakers with the same material (resetting levels with the meter to be fair). We both found the Aperions noticeably brighter sounding. The bass was much closer to each other though. Both sets sounded very clear.
You had to kick up the volume some (Onkyo 876) on the Aperions to get the same db's due to the sensitivity diff.
I prefer a more neutral sound and will be returning the Aperions.
As a side note the fit and finish are impressive on both brands. Packaging was excellent on both.
I contacted Aperion this morning to start the return process and told them I preferred the Ascends. They thanked me for giving there product a try and will email me the return info. Great customer service.
Thanks to Dave F. as well. I talked to him multiple times with my newbie type questions and he took his time to explain his answers..never rushing me off the phone. Awesome service!

Hey Mike,

Thanks again for letting me stop by and for borrowing me the port plugs.

I am glad we both were on the same page in terms of hearing the differences between the 2 speakers. Others I have spoke with seem to feel the same way about the aperions. They are a great speaker, but the highs just need to be toned down a bit(just too bright for my tastes at least).

You will love the sierras! Both you and Bill Mac both chose the ascends over the aperions! Congrats on some great purchases.

Happy New Years to all!

Brandon

Thanks for posting your results guys, funny thing is I was just looking at the Aperions just this morning, seems like the Sierra's for the money, just can't be beat, and seem to be favored more after listening to other similar speakers.

Unless something changes between now and tax time, I think I will be going with Sierra's for the front and 170's for my surround. I have yet to read anything super negative about the Sierra's. I hate the term best bang for the buck cbeause it makes me feel like I am settling, but I mean what else would be worth considering in the Sierra price range?

Rob,

Stay tuned, the boys and I are reviewing some more speakers this weekend and will put them up against the sierras once again. They are a great speaker for the money!

Brandon

Excellent, I look forward to reading the results.

On a side note, is it normal for speaker companies not to come out with new\updated products in a 1-2 year time frame? I guess the technology does not change that much, I am from an engineering background and good lord, new vastly updated products come out every six months, video cards, Intel chips, etc. The reason I ask is because I was reading speaker recommendations from the Home Theater magazine site when I noticed some of the recommended speakers date back to 2006-7, or at least the reviews do. We all want the latest and greatest but maybe that does not apply in the speaker world. For example, I passed on the *new* 12.4 driver from SVS for the older Ultra driver but the Ultra is vastly superior to the new driver. Buying audio equipment can make you nuts :p

Those of you mounting your Sierra center above the TV, what speaker wall mounts are you using? I am having trouble finding a proper setup. I won't be able to put the center channel on our tv stand without mounting the tv on the wall, and mounting the speaker seems easier. Plus, the TV would need to be mounted too high to make watching TV without stretching the neck possible. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Since you're talking about moutning your TV on the wall, I'm assuming you have either plasma or LCD. But if it's a CRT or rear projection, this product (http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/OmniMount-Center-Channel-Speaker-Shelf-CCH1B/sem/rpsm/oid/108951/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do) would work. I used it for a long time on my 34 inch toshiba CRT.

Four more days till the Sierra's arrive:eek:. Right now my LCR setup is a Dynaudio Focus 200C with a older Boston Acoustics center for the left front and a BA HDV5 for the right front. I did not find the need to rerun Audyssey in my 805 for this wonderful LCR combo:D! Although I did whip out the RatShack SPL meter to set them all to 75db.

I am curious to know if you get white cloth gloves to handle the speakers. I ordered the Piano Black and would like to avoid handling them without gloves if possible. There was a good tip in the Dynaudio thread that suggests Turtle Wax Ice products for use with Piano Black speakers.

I will be on the look out for that UPS truck come Wednesday, Christmas arriving late in So. Maine:).

Bill

I don't think they come with gloves....but they do come in a cloth bag.

I don't think they come with gloves....but they do come in a cloth bag.

Thats fine. Maybe I can locate a pair of gloves that were left over from some of my av123 purchases. I wonder if there are any microfiber white gloves out there:).

Bill

Since you're talking about moutning your TV on the wall, I'm assuming you have either plasma or LCD. But if it's a CRT or rear projection, this product (http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/OmniMount-Center-Channel-Speaker-Shelf-CCH1B/sem/rpsm/oid/108951/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do) would work. I used it for a long time on my 34 inch toshiba CRT.

I think now we are going to mount the tv on the wall and leave the center speaker on the tv stand as pictured below.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=128094

Four more days till the Sierra's arrive:eek:. Right now my LCR setup is a Dynaudio Focus 200C with a older Boston Acoustics center for the left front and a BA HDV5 for the right front. I did not find the need to rerun Audyssey in my 805 for this wonderful LCR combo:D! Although I did whip out the RatShack SPL meter to set them all to 75db.

I am curious to know if you get white cloth gloves to handle the speakers. I ordered the Piano Black and would like to avoid handling them without gloves if possible. There was a good tip in the Dynaudio thread that suggests Turtle Wax Ice products for use with Piano Black speakers.

I will be on the look out for that UPS truck come Wednesday, Christmas arriving late in So. Maine:).

Bill

Yep. I just picked up the Sierras in piano black from their office in Gardena, and in the package containing your receipt and information about the speakers there is a pair of cloth white gloves for handling the speakers. Though any cotton towel is fine for wiping off finger prints or smudges, as I wasn't comfortable handling the speakers with the gloves for setup because the finish+gloves = very slippery :)

As Curtis mentioned, they also come packaged in really nice white cloth bags. Enjoy!

Yep. I just picked up the Sierras in piano black from their office in Gardena, and in the package containing your receipt and information about the speakers there is a pair of cloth white gloves for handling the speakers.
I stand corrected!

Yep. I just picked up the Sierras in piano black from their office in Gardena, and in the package containing your receipt and information about the speakers there is a pair of cloth white gloves for handling the speakers. Though any cotton towel is fine for wiping off finger prints or smudges, as I wasn't comfortable handling the speakers with the gloves for setup because the finish+gloves = very slippery :)

As Curtis mentioned, they also come packaged in really nice white cloth bags. Enjoy!

malaplace,

Thanks for the info. I would be careful which cotton towels you use. Some can scratch surfaces such as the Piano Black on the Sierras. I wish I could have picked up my Sierras. Two reasons actually, first I would not have to wait and second I would be out of this cold weather:D!

Bill

Bill Mac, I know what you mean. The waiting is the worst part. I lucked out with Ascend and Hsu Research both being local, so I didn't have to wait on the speakers+sub. The most painful wait has been for our new furniture, rugs etc. I have a feeling the Sierras will really come to life once this living room isn't any longer an empty echo chamber.

I come from a car audio/auto X scene where we took great pains to catch the Macy's sales for linens simply to wash and wax our cars without scratching the clearcoat. :) I've also noticed that the Swiffer dry sheets are great for wiping down the Sierras as well.

Bill Mac, I know what you mean. The waiting is the worst part. I lucked out with Ascend and Hsu Research both being local, so I didn't have to wait on the speakers+sub. The most painful wait has been for our new furniture, rugs etc. I have a feeling the Sierras will really come to life once this living room isn't any longer an empty echo chamber.

I come from a car audio/auto X scene where we took great pains to catch the Macy's sales for linens simply to wash and wax our cars without scratching the clearcoat. :) I've also noticed that the Swiffer dry sheets are great for wiping down the Sierras as well.

malaplace,

Well you sure know what to use for cleaning the Sierras more than I do:). My wife has a cleaning business and I believe she uses Swiffer products. I will raid her inventory and try them out. Thanks for the tip.

Bill

The Sierras arrived today:D! I took no chances and met the UPS truck due to bad weather in my area. When there are bad road conditions UPS will not deliver on my road:(. I will not have a chance to set them up till tomorrow though. Due to work I could not even open up the boxes. I should have the house to myself tomorrow so I can run Audyssey and spend some quality time listening to some familiar music. Can't wait:D!

Bill

That is great Bill! Looking forward to your impressions with and without Audyssey.

Awesome, hope they work out great. I ordered me a set last night. I hope they ship today and get to me asap. I live in TN though so it will probably be early next week though :(

That is great Bill! Looking forward to your impressions with and without Audyssey.

Curtis,

Thanks:). I will defintely post my impressions using the 805 with Audyssey for HT and without with the Bel Canto PRe3 (HT Bypass).

I talked to a few members lately that have compared the Sierras with the Dynaudio 140s. They have all said that the Sierras did very well in comparison to the 140s. Being that I had a pair of 140s I very much look forward to listening to the Sierras tomorrow. I get home late so it will be like X-mas Eve, I will be up real early to open them up:D.

Bill

Awesome, hope they work out great. I ordered me a set last night. I hope they ship today and get to me asap. I live in TN though so it will probably be early next week though :(

Congrats:). I know the feeling I live on the East Coast and it took awhile due to the holiday.

Bill

Thanks:). I will defintely post my impressions using the 805 with Audyssey for HT and without with the Bel Canto PRe3 (HT Bypass).

I talked to a few members lately that have compared the Sierras with the Dynaudio 140s. They have all said that the Sierras did very well in comparison to the 140s. Being that I had a pair of 140s I very much look forward to listening to the Sierras tomorrow. I get home late so it will be like X-mas Eve, I will be up real early to open them up:D.
l
Yeah...I have heard the 140's next to the Sierra. Looking forward to your impressions.

I love Bel Canto stuff.....the PRe3 has HT bypass?

Yeah...I have heard the 140's next to the Sierra. Looking forward to your impressions.

I love Bel Canto stuff.....the PRe3 has HT bypass?

Curtis,

Yes the PRe3 has HT Bypass. I have had the Proceed Pre, PS Audio PCA-2, Rogue Audio Perseus and now the PRe3. Of all of those I like the PRe3 the best.

The combination of SQ, feature set, small size (1/2 width), ease of use in my system and the fact that it is dead quiet makes the PRe3 the easy choice for me. There was one on A-gon (where I bought mine) recently for a very low price, it sold fairly quickly.

Bill

I hate when I learn things that make me want to spend money. What I really wish is that the e.One Dac3 had an HT bypass.....that would be killer!

I hate when I learn things that make me want to spend money. What I really wish is that the e.One Dac3 had an HT bypass.....that would be killer!

Curtis,

I looked at the Dac3 as well and was disappointed it did not have HT Bypass. I currently have a PS Audio DLIII which is a nice piece. It works well paired up with the SB Duet. The new pre-amp from Peachtree (Signalpath) looks very interesting. The pre-amp will be similar to the new Nova integrated which has some information in the 2CH forum. The BC S300iu integrated is a nice piece as well.

Bill

Bill....you need to stop. I can't spend any money right now. :)

Bill....you need to stop. I can't spend any money right now. :)

Curtis,

I know the feeling:)! I have tried to curb my spending but I guess I am a bad influence with all this talk. I will not mention any more components unless they are under $100.00. In that case I do not have anything else to say:D.

Bill

All this talk is making me want to spend some (more) money on equipment. The gf is going to be pissed, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to help myself.

Bill....you need to stop. I can't spend any money right now. :)

VISA VISA VISA stimilate the economy :)

I know the feeling:)! I have tried to curb my spending but I guess I am a bad influence with all this talk. I will not mention any more components unless they are under $100.00. In that case I do not have anything else to say:D.

Well...you can always buy stuff for me. :)

All this talk is making me want to spend some (more) money on equipment. The gf is going to be pissed, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to help myself.
This place is bad...takes some good willpower.

VISA VISA VISA stimilate the economy :)
HA...since my divorce...I stay away from credit cards as much as possible! :D

Bill,
Looking forward to reading your thoughts on the newly arrived sierras. It is kind of funny that I started out with sierras a while back and added the proceed pre, you started with the proceed pre and now have sierras but a different pre amp now. How would you describe the difference between the 2 preamps again? Sorry if I may have asked you this once before.

Anyway, hope you enjoy them compared with the outgoing Dyn's.

Brandon

I was able to setup the Sierras today but did not have much time to listen to them. I did listen to several CDs that I am very familiar with and was quite impressed. I found the SQ to be very similar to the Dynaudio Focus 140s. A very nice tonal balance, not harsh at all but with great detail. Imaging and soundstage is excellent as well.

Certainly not the treble detail of the C1s but I did not expect that. The C1s cost almost 8-9 times the amount of the Sierras. But I feel with the limited listening today that as incredible as the C1s sound their SQ is not 8-9 times better than the Sierras IMO. But these thoughts are based on memory and not side by side comparisons. I also feel due to my small room the C1s were limited somewhat to their full potential.

I was able to run Audyssey and I was surprised it did not set the Sierras and Sierra Center to large as it did with the 140s and C1s. I believe it set the crossover for the R&Ls to 60 and the center to 70. I watched a short amount of Casino Royale with the MCH track and it sounded very good. My concerns about the lack of 2 bass drivers with the Sierra center were for not. The Sierras across the front were seamless and with the volume cranked they did not flinch.

I currently have the Sierras about 7' apart, 12" off the front wall and slightly toed in. The R&Ls are on 26" Sanus stands (sand filled) and the center is on the top shelf of a Sanus rack (25" from the floor). Due to my room (livingroom) 12" off the front wall is about as far into the room as I can go. When I have the time I will see how the Sierras sound with a different amount of toe in and also with no toe in at all. I am also curious on the amount of break in that is needed. Hopefully tomorrow I will have a few hours to listen to some more music.

So all in all with limited listening I am very impressed (I said that already, I believe:D) with the Sierras. For the cost they seem to be one of the best bargains in audio. I will update my impressions further when I have more time listening to both music and movies.

Bill

Bill,
Looking forward to reading your thoughts on the newly arrived sierras. It is kind of funny that I started out with sierras a while back and added the proceed pre, you started with the proceed pre and now have sierras but a different pre amp now. How would you describe the difference between the 2 preamps again? Sorry if I may have asked you this once before.

Anyway, hope you enjoy them compared with the outgoing Dyn's.

Brandon

Brandon,

Yes that is funny that I now have the Sierras but do not have the Proceed Pre. I do not recall you asking about the differences between the Pre and BC PRe3. It is hard to say as I had the Proceed quite awhile ago and had several pre-amps in between.

I really liked the SQ of the tube based Rogue Audio Perseus but with hum issues and remote volume jumps I sold it. I got the PRe3 after the Perseus and I believe the PRe3 has almost a tube SQ to it. So it is hard to say how the Proceed and the BC PRe3 compare. They are both very good pre-amps that is for sure.

Bill

Thanks Bill. According to UPS my Sierras should be here Wednesday. It seems soo far away. Since my nursing classes start back up Monday I'm going to be extremely busy, but hopefully not too busy to make these speakers sing!

Good stuff Bill. You might want to try the Q-plugs if you think 12" to the back wall is an issue in your room. I plan on trying them out as well. I have plenty of room behind my L/R, 18"-20", but my center only has 8" behind it. I don't notice any problems....but I want to check it out.

Bill,

great news! I am glad you like them so far. They sound very impressive at their price point:) I was just curious about your pre amp journey thats all. I do like my proceed pre & amp3 combo with the sierras. Someday I may dive into trying a seperate DAC & maybe a newer type of ICE amp( I had the older NHT power5 and it wasnt for me).

For now I am working on integrating my rythmik sub with my system and my new Behringer Feedback Destroyer that arrived yesterday.

As curtis mentioned, try the Q-plugs from ascend to see what sounds best to you in your room. I borrowed a set from someone local and played around with diffferent configurations yesterday but did not find much of a benefit if any in my setup.

Curtis, I am curious to hear your thoughts on the plugs considering my sierras are also about 20-22" out from the rear wall.

Curtis, I am curious to hear your thoughts on the plugs considering my sierras are also about 20-22" out from the rear wall.
Behind my L/R speakers are some DIY acoustic panels that a friend gave me...I believe they made a small difference. With you having windows behind your speakers, I would think acoustic panels behind the speakers would make even more of a difference.

Running the speakers fullrange as opposed to small crossed over at 60hz to the sub, I do detect some emphasis in the bass. I am guessing this emphasis is in the 40-45hz area, since that is the area the Sierra's port is tuned to. By using Q-plug "B", that will lower the port tuning, and we'll see if I can hear any changes.

Has anyone found some affordable stands for the Sierras? Assuming I like them I would like to get some stands to complement them. I like the stands on Ascends website, but they are matte black and not the piano black that I would like so they match. I haven't found a top plate on any stand that is big enough to hold the entire speaker, so I guess it will have to hang off some. In the Ascend forums I believe someone was using some Martin Lawrence (something like that anyways) stands from Amazon I believe.

Curtis,

Ya, I know my room needs some treatments but to cover the windows and hide my view would be over the top. I tried both plugs and felt stock form sounded best to me. I do run my sierras full range at times(strictly 2 ch thru preamp) and other times crossed over small @ 60Hz with the rythmik playing. I do both so theres no easy way to determine whats best.

when do you plan on testing them?

Brandon

Has anyone found some affordable stands for the Sierras? Assuming I like them I would like to get some stands to complement them. I like the stands on Ascends website, but they are matte black and not the piano black that I would like so they match. I haven't found a top plate on any stand that is big enough to hold the entire speaker, so I guess it will have to hang off some. In the Ascend forums I believe someone was using some Martin Lawrence (something like that anyways) stands from Amazon I believe.
The top plate does not have to be the same size speaker.....that should open up your choices.....hanging off is perfectly fine.

Ya, I know my room needs some treatments but to cover the windows and hide my view would be over the top. I tried both plugs and felt stock form sounded best to me. I do run my sierras full range at times(strictly 2 ch thru preamp) and other times crossed over small @ 60Hz with the rythmik playing. I do both so theres no easy way to determine whats best.

when do you plan on testing them?

If you get panels, you don't have to keep them behind the speakers all the time.....they are not hard to move.

I have to swing by the shop to pick up the Q-Plugs....just haven't found a good time yet. Hopefully soon.

If you get panels, you don't have to keep them behind the speakers all the time.....they are not hard to move.

I have to swing by the shop to pick up the Q-Plugs....just haven't found a good time yet. Hopefully soon.

I thought about that. i do have some linacoustics(model# RC 10) material left over from the theater room construction. I think that would work. I know i could easily make some and they are light, but I am not sure i would take the time to hall them in/out of the room. Out of curiosity, how wide/tall would you make them after looking at my room/setup?

Has anyone found some affordable stands for the Sierras? Assuming I like them I would like to get some stands to complement them. I like the stands on Ascends website, but they are matte black and not the piano black that I would like so they match. I haven't found a top plate on any stand that is big enough to hold the entire speaker, so I guess it will have to hang off some. In the Ascend forums I believe someone was using some Martin Lawrence (something like that anyways) stands from Amazon I believe.

Try the Piano Black Lovan speaker stands from Amazon.

I have the lovan piano black stands, they are as close as I have seen to a matching finish for piano sierras... I'll take a pic later if I get a chance.

Thank you zkaudio. I guess those are probably my best bet. How are you securing them to your base? My current speaker stands for my front I have industrial velcro on the speaker and stand and have them mounted that way. Did you fill your stand with sand/lead?

I'm considering the sierra-1's for 7.1 and was wondering about the following:

1) my receiver (pioneer elite) has xover options at 50hz and 80hz. Would it be ok to choose 50hz?

2) I need to ceiling mount the two rears and i think the sierra-1's are just too big to ceiling mount. Could i get away with 5 sierra-1's and 2 htm-200's for the rears?

thanks in advance

simon,

I think the 80hz setting would be more ideal to leave the low stuff for the sub to handle. The sierras will sound cleaner with less lows to deal with. As for the sierras & 200SE combo, that should work fine. Sierras for surrounds are more than enough, in fact the 200SE's are great also. If you get into multi ch audio, having all the same is nice, but for movies & etc, the 200's will be more than adequate.

I have the sierras with 170's and they blend well in my setup. Either way you go, you will be very happy!

Good luck!
Brandon

1) my receiver (pioneer elite) has xover options at 50hz and 80hz. Would it be ok to choose 50hz?

2) I need to ceiling mount the two rears and i think the sierra-1's are just too big to ceiling mount. Could i get away with 5 sierra-1's and 2 htm-200's for the rears?

Which Pioneer Elite receive do you have? While I think it would be OK to cross the Sierras at 50hz, it probably would not be good for the HTM-200SE's. So 80hz would be your best bet.

Your receiver can do 7.1, but is limited to just those two crossover settings?

curtis/brandon,

I have a vsx-81txv. It can do, 50, 80, 100, 150, and 200. But the xover setting is for all the speakers. I heard the sierras go down pretty low (into the 40s) so I thought it would be good for them to handle the bass in that range.

I guess if I set xover to 80hz, I might as well get the HTM-200SE's for all 4 surrounds. Although it would be nice to get as many sierra-1's as possible.

My sub is HSU VTF-2 MK3, and i'd be using the speakers mostly for movies.
thanks!

I noticed when I unpacked my Sierras in Piano Black this week that I could see the seams from the bamboo laminate. It shows up if there is direct light on them. The Sierra Center has a perfect finish which looks like it has many coats of clear on it. I called Ascend and spoke with Dina who could not have been any nicer. She was very apologetic that I was sent "B" stock instead of "A" stock by accident. I told her these things happen and it was not a big deal.

Dina gave me the option of having new "A" stock speakers sent or a credit. I opted for the "A" stock when they are available. I am very impressed with Ascend's service and how much Dina wanted to make sure that I was happy. Now all I need is some time "home alone" to really enjoy these great speakers:D!

Bill

I am curious as to what Sierra owners are doing for toe in. I have mine with a slight toe in but was wondering what the norm was. I guess it is also a matter of preference and the room conditions.

Bill

Does anyone have pictures of the stands they are using with their Sierra's? I would want some piano black stands to match the speakers, but haven't seen any pictures of any. I know some have suggested the Lovan speaker stands, but can someone take a picture of them?

I am curious as to what Sierra owners are doing for toe in. I have mine with a slight toe in but was wondering what the norm was. I guess it is also a matter of preference and the room conditions.

it is definitely a matter of preference/room conditions. I currently have mine slightly toed in.

Mine are toed in quite a bit. Almost pointing straight at me.

Thanks for the feedback:). I will try moving them around to see what sounds best in my room.

Bill

I am curious as to what Sierra owners are doing for toe in. I have mine with a slight toe in but was wondering what the norm was. I guess it is also a matter of preference and the room conditions.

Bill

Mine are sort of hang nailed. :D Seriously, I messed with their placement for a while. I was looking for the best imaging to cover the length of my couch. That said, they're slightly toed in. Maybe 15 degrees.

For you guys that are running Sierra's for the front what are you using for surrounds? I have a 7.1 setup and the Sierra's are coming in the middle of the week. Assuming I like them and want to keep them would the 200s be the best bet for wall mounting?

For you guys that are running Sierra's for the front what are you using for surrounds? I have a 7.1 setup and the Sierra's are coming in the middle of the week. Assuming I like them and want to keep them would the 200s be the best bet for wall mounting?

I'm using 2 pair of 200's and very satisfied with them. I cross the Sierra's at 80 Hz with my SVS sub, and the 200's at 100 Hz.

For you guys that are running Sierra's for the front what are you using for surrounds? I have a 7.1 setup and the Sierra's are coming in the middle of the week. Assuming I like them and want to keep them would the 200s be the best bet for wall mounting?
If you need to mount the surrounds flush against the wall, the not only is the HTM-200SE a good choice, it is the only choice.

Alright great. They aren't flush with the wall, but they are close. My 2 rears hang from the ceiling and the 2 on the side have a typical wall mount so they are at an angle like \|

I've got Sierra's across the front, 200SE's for side surrounds, and because of my room config I'm looking at either Niles or Mirage in-ceilings for rear surrounds.

Another basic question for Sierra owners:). Have owners found that there is much of a break in period with their Sierras?

Bill

Another basic question for Sierra owners:). Have owners found that there is much of a break in period with their Sierras?

I think Ascend says 50 hours, but I can't say I heard a difference. It is probably measurable in some way.

I think Ascend says 50 hours, but I can't say I heard a difference. It is probably measurable in some way.

Curtis,

Thanks for the information. They sound great right out of the box:)!

Bill

Thanks for the information. They sound great right out of the box:)!

Can you give us any more comparison tidbits vs. other speakers you have or had?

Can you give us any more comparison tidbits vs. other speakers you have or had?

I will be glad to. I just would like to spend a little more time listening. One problem is my memory which is not very good to say the least:D. I will have more time tomorrow and will list the speakers I have had in my system.

Bill

I will be glad to. I just would like to spend a little more time listening. One problem is my memory which is not very good to say the least:D. I will have more time tomorrow and will list the speakers I have had in my system.

Bill

Looking forward to your impressions Bill. In the mean time, sit back and enjoy them!

There are two pairs of Sierras currently for sale on Audiogon website. One pair of piano blacks for $625, and a pair of naturals for $750. Both sellers are from the state of California.

Wow, $625 for piano black is a great deal!

Still in the process of deciding what to get, leading towards Sierra-1's for everything that's mentioned throughout this thread. But I do have a question, I want to compare apples to apples if you will. What other speakers would you say are very similar in terms of cost and performance to Sierra's? It's not as easy as buy, listen and return if you don't like, shipping costs do suck. So what could I go listen too at my local home theathre\big box store that would compare to Sierra's? I just want something I can physically hear so I have some sort of reference to what I will be getting with the Sierra's.

For example sakes, I am also looking at PSB Image series (http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Image-Series) and Dynaudio Excites (http://www.dynaudio.com/eng/systems/lines/excite/excitex16.php).

Still in the process of deciding what to get, leading towards Sierra-1's for everything that's mentioned throughout this thread. But I do have a question, I want to compare apples to apples if you will. What other speakers would you say are very similar in terms of cost and performance to Sierra's? It's not as easy as buy, listen and return if you don't like, shipping costs do suck. So what could I go listen too at my local home theathre\big box store that would compare to Sierra's? I just want something I can physically hear so I have some sort of reference to what I will be getting with the Sierra's.
Here is what a reviewer and owner of Paradigm Signature 2 (V1) said in editorial.
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?t=3136

FWIW, I auditioned the PSB T45 speakers in my home for a weekend as I was looking to upgrade from Paradigm Atoms as my fronts. After listening to them I found them a bit boomy. (The Image bookshelves might not have the same problem and it could be my room.) So, I returned them and pulled back from my search wondering if I needed to plan on spending a bit more. Then Ascend announced the Sierras and after reading Dave's discussion of the road he took to coming up with the speakers, I figured spending ~$50 for an in-home audition (i.e. the shipping costs back if I didn't like them) was worth it. I didn't send them back. :D


Mitch

I received my Ascend Sierra's today and have been testing them out for the past few hours. I did some A/B with my Onkyo HTIB speakers and there was a big difference. I heard things I haven't heard before and there was a much larger range on the speakers, things seemed good before, but comparatively the Onkyo's were somewhat monotone. My wife even noticed a big difference, moreso than me actually so thats always a plus! Going to try to mess around with room placement and such over the next few days.

I would have been shocked if you didn't hear a big difference. :)

Enjoy!

I know the feeling. I had been suffering from my a Samsung HTIB from my law school dorm and never got around to upgrading until this past holiday season. The Sierras definitely ushered in a great xmas. It's amazing to hear some of the musical elements that I hadn't heard in years. Enjoy!

I currently have the speakers all set to small and the crossover at 60hz. I watched Narnia: Price Caspian tonight and various scenes in other movies just to test out the speakers. They blend very well with my sub, a Bic H-100. It makes me want to upgrade it next although the surrounds would be the logical choice. My wife would probably kill me if I got a bigger sub because I have broken enough stuff. While watching Narnia one of her willow figurines (two people holding each other, looks like its wood carved) got jolted off a table in the back of the room and broken in 2 places, my right leg and head was decapitated (hope its not a sign lol)!

I had a friend come over who has been in various marching bands, etc. for quite a few years and he played some music. I believe one was 1812 overture and a song by the Planets I think. He said the speakers sounded trebly. Would placement or anything like that effect that, I'm not really familiar with the technical terms of sound.

Wow, $625 for piano black is a great deal!

Gone from the gon. :)

I had a friend come over who has been in various marching bands, etc. for quite a few years and he played some music. I believe one was 1812 overture and a song by the Planets I think. He said the speakers sounded trebly. Would placement or anything like that effect that, I'm not really familiar with the technical terms of sound.
Not sure I have heard anybody call the Sierras trebly...but yet, placement and the room can affect the highs.

I had a friend come over who has been in various marching bands, etc. for quite a few years and he played some music. I believe one was 1812 overture and a song by the Planets I think. He said the speakers sounded trebly. Would placement or anything like that effect that, I'm not really familiar with the technical terms of sound.

Could you describe the room these are in. Any hardwood floors, cathedral ceilngs, little or no furniture etc. Sounds like a room issue perhaps.

It also depends on what kind of speakers that person is used to. If his speakers have a very laid back or muted treble, then a speaker like the Sierra may sound "trebly" to him.

The room is probably about as bad as you can get, it is a rectangular room roughly 13x20 with 8 foot ceilings. Hardwood floors, 3 berklines, a couch, popcorn machine, a table and component rack. It is my living room and has an open doorway to my kitchen and a door to go to my bedroom. There is 1 medium sized window in the room as well.

I'm sure that is probably going to tip off some alarms for people, but it is a living room and the WAF for panels on the wall is slim to none.

vili,

Are the sierras real close to any side walls by chance? Maybe you have some bad room reflections going on in there. Also, any chance theres a decent sized area rug to help out in the high frequency department? Your friends experience was the opposite of what everyone noticed at my recent GTG with my sierrras. They had felt mine began to roll off somewhat in my room.

Just trying to help out.

Brandon

Thanks merrymaid.

They are about 2 feet in front of the wall and about 4 foot from the side walls so there shouldn't be any problems there. I don't have an area rug or anything like the unfortunately to try but if I come across one I will. Anything else I could try possibly? I have the speakers toed in about 15-20 degrees inward.

Play around with the toe-in. Try no toe-in and see how you like it.

Your speaker placement sounds adequate. As Curtis said, play around with the toe in and also try an area rug if you feel the highs are a bit bright. You may be getting some reflections off those hard wood floors. I have all carpeting and lots of leather furniture in my room, so its a bit opposite of yours.

Good luck,
Brandon

I will try to mess around with it some tonight. I get off work at 5 and then have to go and install a ladies computer/sound system and transfer her files. Hopefully it won't take too long.

I will try to mess around with it some tonight. I get off work at 5 and then have to go and install a ladies computer/sound system and transfer her files. Hopefully it won't take too long.

Now you did it. You tempted the computer Gods. It'll be an all night event now.

Haha, probably so. There's no telling what she has, she told me she bought a transfer cable for vista but she also backed up all her content on DVDs. She is one of those "cat ladies" so it will be an experience! Told her the minimum charge is $100 though, so it's all good :)

Well today I took Brandons advice from another thread, I just reclined the Lazyboy, relaxed and listened to some music. Lately I have been too busy tweaking, changing discs and basically over analyzing music whenever I sit down. So today I put on the Eagles Long Road to Eden, cranked it and really enjoyed the sound out of the Sierras.

In the past several days I have tried different degrees of toe in and no toe in at all. I found no toe in to be the least desirable in my room. The imaging, soundstage and bass impact seemed very flat. So today I increased the toe in amount more than I have had it and found this to produce excellent SQ. I started listening with the Eagles then a few Mark Knopfler CDs, a Jeff Beck tune off Blow by Blow (Diamond Dust) and then Jack Johnson.

I have always been a big Dire Straits fan and have bought a number of Mark Knopfler's CDs lately. All the tracks I listened to today are very well recorded IMO and I am very familiar with them. I have used most of these tracks for demoing speakers in the past year.

With CD two of Long Road to Eden I found that the imaging was excellent and the soundstage extended outside of the speakers. Then onto Mark Knopfler where I found his unique voice was reproduced very well by the Sierras. So far with vocals I feel this is where the C1s excelled but the Sierras are not far off the mark (pardon the pun:D). As with the Eagles LRTE the imaging and soundstage was excellent as well.

The Jeff Beck tune Diamond Dust is a beautiful instrumental track with incredible guitar work (no surprise there:)), keyboards and strings. I have listened to this album for over thirty years and know it by heart. Once again the SQ was excellent with this track. The Jack Johnson CD (In Between Dreams) I am not as familiar with as the others but found the CDs SQ to be very good with good tracks on it. Again the Sierras reproduced this CD very well as with everything else mentioned.

All in all today was very enjoyable as I just listened to the music and was not trying to gauge every little detail. I also found that with the positioning of the Sierras that bass extension was deeper along with the before mentioned improved imaging and soundstage. I will hopefully be able to have some more time soon to do what I did today much more often:).

I would also like to note that during todays listening I never once felt any listening fatigue even with fairly high volumes. I did get a chance to listen to some 2CH with Audyssey through my 805 in Stereo mode but I much preferred the SQ of my Bel Canto PRe3 in comparison.

I thought I would list some of the speakers I have had in the past few years:

Boston Acoustics T-930
Defintive Technology 2006
Rocket 750
Onix Ref1 and Ref1.8
Dynaudio Focus 140 and C1

I would say the Sierras are voiced very similar to the Dynaudios. Although I did not do a side by side comparison I feel the Sierras sound very much like the 140s. This is all off memory and a very poor one at that:eek:! The Bostons were so long ago I can not recall how they sounded. The Def Techs were OK for HT but for music not very good IMO. The Rockets are a great speaker as well but again more for HT than music. The Ref1 and 1.8s were a more detailed speaker but I found that if I did any extended listening they would cause listening fatigue quite easily. The 140s were one of my favorites for all types of listening and the C1s are just an incredible speaker. Now the Sierras are in my room and so far I am very impressed. Not only with music but for HT as well. The Sierra Center is excellent and is totally seamless with the R&L Sierras.

Well I have rambled on long enough for one sitting:D! Bottom line is I feel that the Sierras are a straight up bargain for a speaker of this quality. I am glad I finally had the chance to hear them and agree fully with the many positive reviews.

Bill

Well today I took Brandons advice from another thread, I just reclined the Lazyboy, relaxed and listened to some music. Lately I have been too busy tweaking, changing discs and basically over analyzing music whenever I sit down. So today I put on the Eagles Long Road to Eden, cranked it and really enjoyed the sound out of the Sierras.

In the past several days I have tried different degrees of toe in and no toe in at all. I found no toe in to be the least desirable in my room. The imaging, soundstage and bass impact seemed very flat. So today I increased the toe in amount more than I have had it and found this to produce excellent SQ. I started listening with the Eagles then a few Mark Knofler CDs, a Jeff Beck tune off Blow by Blow (Diamond Dust) and then Jack Johnson.

I have always been a big Dire Straits fan and have bought a number of Mark Knofler's CDs lately. All the tracks I listened to today are very well recorded IMO and I am very familiar with them. I have used most of these tracks for demoing speakers in the past year.

With CD two of Long Road to Eden I found that the imaging was excellent and the soundstage extended outside of the speakers. Then onto Mark Knofler where I found his unique voice was reproduced very well by the Sierras. So far with vocals I feel this is where the C1s excelled but the Sierras are not far off the mark (pardon the pun:D). As with the Eagles LRTE the imaging and soundstage was excellent as well.

The Jeff Beck tune Diamond Dust is a beautiful instrumental track with incredible guitar work (no surprise there:)), keyboards and strings. I have listened to this album for over thirty years and know it by heart. Once again the SQ was excellent with this track. The Jack Johnson CD (In Between Dreams) I am not as familiar with as the others but found the CDs SQ to be very good with good tracks on it. Again the Sierras reproduced this CD very well as with everything else mentioned.

All in all today was very enjoyable as I just listened to the music and was not trying to gauge every little detail. I also found that with the positioning of the Sierras that bass extension was deeper along with the before mentioned improved imaging and soundstage. I will hopefully be able to have some more time soon to do what I did today much more often:).

I would also like to note that during todays listening I never once felt any listening fatigue even with fairly high volumes. I did get a chance to listen to some 2CH with Audyssey through my 805 in Stereo mode but I much preferred the SQ of my Bel Canto PRe3 in comparison.

I thought I would list some of the speakers I have had in the past few years:

Boston Acoustics T-930
Defintive Technology 2006
Rocket 750
Onix Ref1 and Ref1.8
Dynaudio Focus 140 and C1

I would say the Sierras are voiced very similar to the Dynaudios. Although I did not do a side by side comparison I feel the Sierras sound very much like the 140s. This is all off memory and a very poor one at that:eek:! The Bostons were so long ago I can not recall how they sounded. The Def Techs were OK for HT but for music not very good IMO. The Rockets are a great speaker as well but again more for HT than music. The Ref1 and 1.8s were a more detailed speaker but I found that if I did any extended listening they would cause listening fatigue quite easily. The 140s were one of my favorites for all types of listening and the C1s are just an incredible speaker. Now the Sierras are in my room and so far I am very impressed. Not only with music but for HT as well. The Sierra Center is excellent and is totally seamless with the R&L Sierras.

Well I have rambled on long enough for one sitting:D! Bottom line is I feel that the Sierras are a straight up bargain for a speaker of this quality. I am glad I finally had the chance to hear them and agree fully with the many positive reviews.

Bill

I totally agree on the comparison to the 140. I thought exactly that when I heard the Sierra's. I think the Ascend has a better mid-bass and more articulate bass presentation, whereas the 140 has more of it but is just not quite of the same caliber. I gave the nod to the 140 tweet but the Sierra is very similar. Glad you are liking them Bill!

Bill,

Great review thus far. Sounds like they will fit the "Bill" for ya.......pun intended:)

Thats funny, I also enjoy the Eagles LROE album, and also use the same Jack johnson CD for demoing. The JJ CD has some great bass to test those sierras. Both are well recorded in my opinion. If you like Mark knoflers stuff, do you have the Brothers In arms SACD by chance, its awesome!

Take care,
I will keep you informed on the 2100 once it arrives.

Brandon

Sounds to me like you like them Bill.

I thought you would.

Bill,

Great review thus far. Sounds like they will fit the "Bill" for ya.......pun intended:)

Thats funny, I also enjoy the Eagles LROE album, and also use the same Jack johnson CD for demoing. The JJ CD has some great bass to test those sierras. Both are well recorded in my opinion. If you like Mark knoflers stuff, do you have the Brothers In arms SACD by chance, its awesome!

Take care,
I will keep you informed on the 2100 once it arrives.

Brandon

Brandon,

Yes the Sierras fit the "Bill" quite well. Sounds like something out of a Seinfeld:D.

I do have the Brothers in Arms DVD-A and it is a great sounding version. I listen to it in 2CH as I no longer have a SACD/DVD-A player. Which could change in the near future as I am looking at Oppo's new BR player.

So it sounds like you have ordered the 2100, I will look forward to your impressions:).

Bill

Sounds to me like you like them Bill.

I thought you would.

Muzz,

Yes I do like them very much. I do believe you knew I would from past conversations:D. It took awhile but I finally have them and for now they will be staying. Not only do the Sierras sound excellent but do so at such a low cost.

Bill

I am surprised that there has not been any activity in this thread:D. I have logged a fair amount of listening and I am still very impressed with the Sierras. I have to admit I was looking at a pair of Dyn 140s but decided to stay with the Sierras.

Today I listened to Peter Gabrial's So (remastered) which I just bought. Although I did not compare the original CD version (which I have) to the remasterd version. The SQ is excellent and on a few tracks it almost sounded like it was in surround:eek:! The bass output is excellent as well and the Sierras handled the low end with authority.

I then listened to Mark Knopflers Shangra-la which IMO is one of his best yet IMO. Again with this disc the SQ is excellent and the Sierras just shine:). I also listened to Brothers In Arms (20th anniversary disc) the other day and anyone that knows this disc it has incredible SQ and depth. Once again the Sierras handled this CD with ease even at some high volumes.

I had reduced the toe in somewhat but today increased the toe in even more and found that this works best in my room. My math is not very good so I am not sure what the degree of the toe in is. But the inside back edge of the speaker is 12" of the front wall and the outer back edge is 13 3/4". Now that is 1 3/4" difference so would that be 17.5 degrees:confused:? I know that is close to the front wall but it is the most I can bring the speakers into the room.

The one down side is the R&L Sierras that were shipped are "B" stock by accident so I am waiting for "A" stock when available. So I will have to go through the break in period again but that is not much of a problem. So where are all the Sierra owners hiding out:D.

Bill

Hi Bill,

I am so pleased to hear that you are enjoying your Sierra-1! Brothers in Arms is one of my favorites too :)

I truly apologize for the handling error with your speakers. We had a large B-stock sale on the piano black Sierra-1 and, well, while we strive for perfection - we can never quite get there :o

I believe you had instructed my CS manager to wait before we arranged for replacements in case you decided to return the speakers. Since it sounds like you intend to keep the speakers, would you like us to arrange for the replacement now?

Thanks in advance!

So where are all the Sierra owners hiding out:D.

Listening to their Sierras of course!

Listening to their Sierras of course!

Ah I should have known, I wish I was right now:D.

Bill

Hi Bill,

I am so pleased to hear that you are enjoying your Sierra-1! Brothers in Arms is one of my favorites too :)

I truly apologize for the handling error with your speakers. We had a large B-stock sale on the piano black Sierra-1 and, well, while we strive for perfection - we can never quite get there :o

I believe you had instructed my CS manager to wait before we arranged for replacements in case you decided to return the speakers. Since it sounds like you intend to keep the speakers, would you like us to arrange for the replacement now?

Thanks in advance!

David,

Yes I will call Dina today and get that ball rolling. I feel bad mentioning the snafu but it shows the type of service Ascend offers. No need to apologize as these things happen. My only regret is that I am not listening to the Sierras right now. I really believe the Sierras are one of the best bargains in the Audio world:). The SQ from these speakers for the cost is amazing. I am surprised that you can keep any in stock!

Thanks, Bill

David,

Yes I will call Dina today and get that ball rolling. I feel bad mentioning the snafu but it shows the type of service Ascend offers. No need to apologize as these things happen. My only regret is that I am not listening to the Sierras right now. I really believe the Sierras are one of the best bargains in the Audio world:). The SQ from these speakers for the cost is amazing. I am surprised that you can keep any in stock!

Thanks, Bill

It is absolutely OK mentioning the minor snafu. We shipped a lot of Sierra-1 over the holidays and I am just pleased that we were able to fulfill all of our orders in a timely basis. We usually mark B-stock items with a sticker on the speakers and then this same sticker gets transferred to the shipping box when it is cleaned and packaged. I suspect that something might have gotten boxed out-of-order and somebody who ordered B-stock ended up with your pair of A-stock speakers, especially since your center was perfect.

I hate when these things happen but thankfully it is a very rare occurrence.

I will take care of this for you - no need to give us a call.

Have a great weekend!

It is absolutely OK mentioning the minor snafu. We shipped a lot of Sierra-1 over the holidays and I am just pleased that we were able to fulfill all of our orders in a timely basis. We usually mark B-stock items with a sticker on the speakers and then this same sticker gets transferred to the shipping box when it is cleaned and packaged. I suspect that something might have gotten boxed out-of-order and somebody who ordered B-stock ended up with your pair of A-stock speakers, especially since your center was perfect.

I hate when these things happen but thankfully it is a very rare occurrence.

I will take care of this for you - no need to give us a call.

Have a great weekend!

David,

Well some lucky person got a pair of "A" stock when they were expecting "B" stock. The center is perfect and has a mirror like finish:).

The one thing I forgot to mention in my thoughts was the build quality of the Sierras. I rapped on the side of the cabinent and it is solid as a rock:eek:. I also like how the rear port is installed. I had a pair of monitors from another ID company and the ports on both speakers would pull out. With these same speakers the binding posts would turn and needed to be tightened. I found none of these issues with the Sierras.

Enjoy your weekend as well!

Thanks again, Bill

I was wondering if anyone has compared Sierra's to older Paradigm's ?

I have been using 9se's, CC300 & 5se's in the back for music & HT for many years. I would like to upgrade & have a better match across the front for HT & DVD DTS Concerts. The CC300 is the weak link in this system, being not as open or full range. The newer Paradigm Center Channel Speakers all use different drivers now & I don't feel I could get a good match, plus it's been awhile for an upgrade. I also use a SVS 20-39PC+ Sub, other equipment in the system includes Lexicon, Acurus A200x2 & A200x3, Meridian CD, Sony BD.

Thanks

I also listened to Brothers In Arms (20th anniversary disc) the other day and anyone that knows this disc it has incredible SQ and depth. Once again the Sierras handled this CD with ease even at some high volumes.

You should try the SACD. It's sounds awesome in my system...total immersion (Sierra's across the front and 200SE surrounds).

Listening to their Sierras of course!

Exactly! :D

You should try the SACD. It's sounds awesome in my system...total immersion (Sierra's across the front and 200SE surrounds).



Exactly! :D


I concur, the Brothers In Arms SACD is outstanding on the Sierras. A few other favorite albums of mine on the ascends:
Almost any Jack Johnson CD especially the Curious George Soundtrack
The DVD-A version of Rob Thomas - something to be(excellent male vocals)
Fleetwood Mac Rumours on DVD-A
Any Eagles albums including Long Road out of Eden, Hotel California(DVD-A), and the Very Best of Album(remastered).

I listen to mine nearly every evening after work, before the wife gets home:)

I was wondering if anyone has compared Sierra's to older Paradigm's ?

I have been using 9se's, CC300 & 5se's in the back for music & HT for many years. I would like to upgrade & have a better match across the front for HT & DVD DTS Concerts. The CC300 is the weak link in this system, being not as open or full range. The newer Paradigm Center Channel Speakers all use different drivers now & I don't feel I could get a good match, plus it's been awhile for an upgrade. I also use a SVS 20-39PC+ Sub, other equipment in the system includes Lexicon, Acurus A200x2 & A200x3, Meridian CD, Sony BD.

Thanks

Although I have not compared the Paradigms to the Sierras I think with your fine system you should give them a listen if possible. I feel with the Sierras and Sierra center I get a seamless soundstage across the front for movies. The Sierra center does an excellent job with dialog and I believe having three matched speakers for LCR is the way to go.

Bill

I listen to mine nearly every evening after work, before the wife gets home:)

Brandon,

I am doing the same thing right now:D. My wife works some days and I work afternoons. Soon as the garage door closes up goes the volume:eek:.

Bill

Although I have not compared the Paradigms to the Sierras I think with your fine system you should give them a listen if possible. I feel with the Sierras and Sierra center I get a seamless soundstage across the front for movies. The Sierra center does an excellent job with dialog and I believe having three matched speakers for LCR is the way to go.

Bill

Thanks so much for the response Bill, I feel you are on the money. Having a seamless image across the front is what I've been missing, but also in a pkg that will have the dynamics. The other problem I have is room layout.

The room has a large fireplace in the center so I have everything in the left corner at an angle, Samsung 61A750 DLP on a CWD cabinet with the right 9se on the hearth, left 9se on a stand to match the height- this one also sits in a large opening to the dining room. I wonder if having the sierras rear port firing into the brick on the right & opening jam on the left would create a problem ?. Also not having wall's to reflect off of, can they still through a good image right & left ?. The 9se's in this position keep the image very focused in the center & tight, not much depth. This is another reason I'm leaning towards a monitor type speaker, I feel they tend to have better dispersion right & left of their cabinets & disappear. Of course it doesn't help having them only 6' apart either.

A pointer to the raffle update. Raffle #1 for the gloss cherry stained Sierras is closed, but raffle #2, the biggy, is still open:
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?p=30971#post30971

Question re speaker placement:

I have Sierra's L/C/R and have to make a compromise re placement. Seating has ears ~10 ft from the speakers, about 36" high. The ideal separation (according to Ascend) of the L and R would thus be .73 x 10 ft ~ 7.3 ft, and height 36" above the floor. Because my screen is 9 ft wide, though, I have two choices:

1) 7.3 ft apart, but with the tweeters ~22" above the floor (since they would go underneath the screen), but can be angled upward,

2) 36" high but ~ 10 to 11 ft apart (because of the width of the screen).

Any suggestion about which compromise would be better? (At present I'm using (1), with the speakers angled upward toward our ears, and they sound pretty good.)

Question re speaker placement:

I have Sierra's L/C/R and have to make a compromise re placement. Seating has ears ~10 ft from the speakers, about 36" high. The ideal separation (according to Ascend) of the L and R would thus be .73 x 10 ft ~ 7.3 ft, and height 36" above the floor. Because my screen is 9 ft wide, though, I have two choices:

1) 7.3 ft apart, but with the tweeters ~22" above the floor (since they would go underneath the screen), but can be angled upward,

2) 36" high but ~ 10 to 11 ft apart (because of the width of the screen).

Any suggestion about which compromise would be better? (At present I'm using (1), with the speakers angled upward toward our ears, and they sound pretty good.)
Remember, the recommendation in the speaker manual is a starting point.

Can you easily try option 2? If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

Question re speaker placement:

I have Sierra's L/C/R and have to make a compromise re placement. Seating has ears ~10 ft from the speakers, about 36" high. The ideal separation (according to Ascend) of the L and R would thus be .73 x 10 ft ~ 7.3 ft, and height 36" above the floor. Because my screen is 9 ft wide, though, I have two choices:

1) 7.3 ft apart, but with the tweeters ~22" above the floor (since they would go underneath the screen), but can be angled upward,

2) 36" high but ~ 10 to 11 ft apart (because of the width of the screen).

Any suggestion about which compromise would be better? (At present I'm using (1), with the speakers angled upward toward our ears, and they sound pretty good.)

I would at least try option 2 to see how it sounds. As Curtis says the Ascend distant suggestion is a good reference point, each room will be different. I would think option 2 would be better as the speakers will be positioned level and not directed up at an angle.

Mine are 6' apart and I sit 7'6" away dead center. If I could I would try them further apart but it is not a option in my fairly small room. Let us know how it sounds if you change to option 2:).

Bill

cschang, BillMac: Thanks for the feedback. I did try option (2) some while ago and felt that there were 'gaps' in the front stage sound field, and that's the reason I have gone to option (1). As said, I find it fine, but thought I would check with the experts here to see if there were some fundamental reason why one might be preferable. As usual, the (correct) advice is to 'try it and see how you like it'!

IMO the further apart and higher would sound better than closer and lower. It will at least sound fuller or louder. I've had speakers low before and seems you need to play them louder to get to the desired spl level. So ideal height and further imo is better than ideal separation and lower. But try both ways and see for yourself which you like.

cschang, BillMac: Thanks for the feedback. I did try option (2) some while ago and felt that there were 'gaps' in the front stage sound field, and that's the reason I have gone to option (1). As said, I find it fine, but thought I would check with the experts here to see if there were some fundamental reason why one might be preferable. As usual, the (correct) advice is to 'try it and see how you like it'!

When you tried option 2 earlier did you try different degrees of toe in? When I first got my Sierras I had them postitioned with minimal toe in. I then tried more toe in and then a bit more. I found that with the Sierras in my room a fair amount of toe in gives me the best imaging for both 2 CH and HT. Worth a shot, but the bottom line is what sounds best to you:).

Bill

When you tried option 2 earlier did you try different degrees of toe in? When I first got my Sierras I had them postitioned with minimal toe in. I then tried more toe in and then a bit more. I found that with the Sierras in my room a fair amount of toe in gives me the best imaging for both 2 CH and HT. Worth a shot, but the bottom line is what sounds best to you:).

Bill

Thanks, Bill. Yes, I use 'full' toe in, i.e., I have them basically pointing right at the prime sitting location. So with the speakers in the 'low' position, they are angled up and toed in to point right at our heads!

Ironmike: My room is really not very large (14'W by 17'L), so getting enough volume is absolutely no problem (AVR is Onk 805). SPL of 75dB is '0' on the master volume of the 805, and it's almost impossible listen to anything with it above -10.

As said, in trying option (1) and (2), the only significant difference that I noted was that option (2)--with the L and R 'wide' and 36" H--seemed not to have a smooth and uniform front wall of sound, presumably because the L and R were so far apart. In option (1)--speakers ~ 7.5' apart with tweeters ~ 22" H--I have the L and R speakers mounted vertical on a low stand, but 'inverted, i.e., with the tweeters at the top. This puts the tweeters of all 3 speakers--L, C (which is horizontal), and R--at essentially the same height. Also, when I recline my recliner--as often--my ears are probably only 32-34" H.

Brandon,

I am doing the same thing right now:D. My wife works some days and I work afternoons. Soon as the garage door closes up goes the volume:eek:.

Bill

I don't remember closing the door ;)

Glad your enjoying them Bill, had we gotten together for that shootout, you would have seen that I was telling ya the truth.:D

Are there any 340se or Sierra owners in the San Diego area willing to let me listen to their setup?
I'm seriously considering them for my HT upgrade, but the fewer speakers I have to pay to ship back the better.

See my other post for more info:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1087577

nickmo, if you can't find a San Diego resident, you're welcome to demo my Sierra's in Long Beach if you're willing to make the drive one weekend afternoon. Only as a last resort if you can't make up your mind, as I'm out of town for work for a few weeks...

I don't remember closing the door ;)

Glad your enjoying them Bill, had we gotten together for that shootout, you would have seen that I was telling ya the truth.:D

Muzz,

No I closed the door after you took off with the A7200:D. I am enjoying the Sierras very much that is for sure and I never doubted you were telling the truth. I was just happy with the Dyn 140s at the time:). Both excellent speakers that is for sure, one just costs a little less;).

Bill

nickmo, if you can't find a San Diego resident, you're welcome to demo my Sierra's in Long Beach if you're willing to make the drive one weekend afternoon. Only as a last resort if you can't make up your mind, as I'm out of town for work for a few weeks...
If that doesn't work....you can drive just a little further to my place for a listen as well.

Yes, definitely check out Curtis' setup. After all, it was the act of blasting his amazing system that sold me on the Sierras in the first place. Though my VTF3 is no slouch, I still find myself jealous of his sub (and full surround setup) quite often. :)

Yes, definitely check out Curtis' setup. After all, it was the act of blasting his amazing system that sold me on the Sierras in the first place. Though my VTF3 is no slouch, I still find myself jealous of his sub (and full surround setup) quite often. :)
I have made one small change since you were here. I have added Q-plugs to my Sierras, and it has smoothed out the bass response in my room.

The winner of raffle #1 has been picked!
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showpost.php?p=31060&postcount=78

Congrats to the owner of ticket #70 and the owner of a new pair of Sierras:)! It was cool how Dave did the drawing I, watched the video and was hoping it would be ticket #98 or #99:D. Money well spent on a very worthy cause.

Bill

I have made one small change since you were here. I have added Q-plugs to my Sierras, and it has smoothed out the bass response in my room.

Curtis, I tried the plugs and thought it took a little of the 'sparkle' and 'presence' away from the Sierra's. I was surprised, since the published frequency response shows them to affect only the low frequency region. It could all be in my imagination, though, for I'm not an experienced audiophile. At present, anyway, I'm going without them. And the Sierra's really are great for HT (my primary use): one hears every nuance of dialog, background sounds, etc., so clearly and distinctly.

Curtis, I tried the plugs and thought it took a little of the 'sparkle' and 'presence' away from the Sierra's. I was surprised, since the published frequency response shows them to affect only the low frequency region. It could all be in my imagination, though, for I'm not an experienced audiophile. At present, anyway, I'm going without them. And the Sierra's really are great for HT (my primary use): one hears every nuance of dialog, background sounds, etc., so clearly and distinctly.
Interesting. The Q-plugs only affect the tuning of the port, which does not come into play with the treble. But of course, the change can be perceived differently.

Congrats to the owner of ticket #70 and the owner of a new pair of Sierras:)! It was cool how Dave did the drawing I, watched the video and was hoping it would be ticket #98 or #99:D. Money well spent on a very worthy cause.

Not just any 'ole pair of Sierras....but custom cherry stained with a high gloss finish! I was pulling for #83.....but congrats to #70.
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/images/ascenduploads/Sierra1_chpair.jpg

Not just any 'ole pair of Sierras....but custom cherry stained with a high gloss finish! I was pulling for #83.....but congrats to #70.
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/images/ascenduploads/Sierra1_chpair.jpg

Those are fine looking Sierras:D! The winner will have a pair of collectable Sierras for sure. I wonder if they will have a special serial number like #1 & #2-DCHG (Dark Cherry High Gloss):D.

Bill

Yes, definitely check out Curtis' setup. After all, it was the act of blasting his amazing system that sold me on the Sierras in the first place. Though my VTF3 is no slouch, I still find myself jealous of his sub (and full surround setup) quite often. :)
Curtis, what sub are you running? I want to pick something that will integrate really well if I go with the Sierras.

Thanks

Curtis, what sub are you running? I want to pick something that will integrate really well if I go with the Sierras.

Rythmik F15.

If that doesn't work....you can drive just a little further to my place for a listen as well.just remember, it's customary to bring Curtis some beer. I don't know if I started that custom, but I was happy to keep it going. :)

How's it going? I still have the full 5.1 setup that I bought at the HT show we went to, the 340 across the front, 170 surrounds, and the Outlaw LFM-1 sub. That was quite a ways back, but they still sound good.

I don't want to come to your house again, just because I'll get the upgraditis too! ;)

sorry to thread hijack, but just wanted to say hi!

I'm just getting started in the world of non-htib audio, I got a pair of 170s but am very unsure of where to go next. I need to fill out the rest of the 5 speakers, and I'm thinking of moving the 170s to the back, but I don't know what to do for the front. My room is pretty small, and judging by the size of the 170s, the 340s would be pretty serious overkill. Would Sierras be a good choice for mains if I'm using an HK AVR254 for amplification? If I got Sierras for mains, would a 340 or hbm-200 center sound weird?

just remember, it's customary to bring Curtis some beer. I don't know if I started that custom, but I was happy to keep it going. :)

How's it going? I still have the full 5.1 setup that I bought at the HT show we went to, the 340 across the front, 170 surrounds, and the Outlaw LFM-1 sub. That was quite a ways back, but they still sound good.

I don't want to come to your house again, just because I'll get the upgraditis too! ;)

sorry to thread hijack, but just wanted to say hi!
Hey Pete! Hope all is well with you. I'm still in the same place, and if your curiosity gets the best of you, you are welcome to stop by for a listen. :)

I'm just getting started in the world of non-htib audio, I got a pair of 170s but am very unsure of where to go next. I need to fill out the rest of the 5 speakers, and I'm thinking of moving the 170s to the back, but I don't know what to do for the front. My room is pretty small, and judging by the size of the 170s, the 340s would be pretty serious overkill. Would Sierras be a good choice for mains if I'm using an HK AVR254 for amplification? If I got Sierras for mains, would a 340 or hbm-200 center sound weird?
What are the dimensions of your room? 5 CBM-170SE's all the way around would be great. All the Ascends are well timbre matched, so if used together, they would not sound "weird".

So a couple days ago I mapped out a route to both Ascend's and Hsu's offices here in southern Ca, and they are within spitting distance of each other. I'm in San Diego so driving up to listen to speakers at the HQ's of both these companies would only cost me a tank of gas. Plus if they have any b-stock or product ready to go while I'm there, maybe I'll save myself the cost of shipping, too.:D
I'm thinking of heading up next week on Friday or in four weeks also on a Friday. I guess all I have to do is call ahead and make some appointments. I don't know why I never considered visiting them before. Thanks for the suggestion:).

So a couple days ago I mapped out a route to both Ascend's and Hsu's offices here in southern Ca, and they are within spitting distance of each other. I'm in San Diego so driving up to listen to speakers at the HQ's of both these companies would only cost me a tank of gas. Plus if they have any b-stock or product ready to go while I'm there, maybe I'll save myself the cost of shipping, too.:D
I'm thinking of heading up next week on Friday or in four weeks also on a Friday. I guess all I have to do is call ahead and make some appointments. I don't know why I never considered visiting them before. Thanks for the suggestion:).
Ascend doesn't have a demo area at their facilities......call them to verify.

Good luck...and have fun!

Ascend doesn't have a demo area at their facilities......call them to verify.

Good luck...and have fun!

Oh no!! Maybe I will be visiting you:)

I'm just getting started in the world of non-htib audio, I got a pair of 170s but am very unsure of where to go next. I need to fill out the rest of the 5 speakers, and I'm thinking of moving the 170s to the back, but I don't know what to do for the front. My room is pretty small, and judging by the size of the 170s, the 340s would be pretty serious overkill. Would Sierras be a good choice for mains if I'm using an HK AVR254 for amplification? If I got Sierras for mains, would a 340 or hbm-200 center sound weird?Back when I got the 340 and 170, I did an A/B test, and to me, the 170 sounded better than the 340.

Granted, that was the original design, so I can't say how the SE models compare. But the 170 is a great front speaker, especially for a small place.

One thing I see from the Ascend raffle though, is that Dave is pairing the Sierras with the HTM-200 as surrounds. Curtis, is that a good match? Or would the 170 do better?

What are the dimensions of your room? 5 CBM-170SE's all the way around would be great. All the Ascends are well timbre matched, so if used together, they would not sound "weird".

My room is 11x17. I guess I could just get 170s all around, but I was hoping to justify being more irresponsible with money..

My room is 11x17. I guess I could just get 170s all around, but I was hoping to justify being more irresponsible with money..

Go for the Sierras you will not be disappointed. Plus you will be irresponsible with your money (I know I am):D. My room is 13'd x 17'w and the Sierras with the Sierra Center sound excellent for both HT and Music.

Bill

I called Ascend yesterday and pulled the trigger on 3 Sierras and a Rythmik D15SE. I can't wait to hear them! These are my first non-HTIB speakers, and I haven't been this excited about a purchase since I bought my first car:)
Thanks to everybody on this thread for taking the time to respond to my questions and for your advice.

I called Ascend yesterday and pulled the trigger on 3 Sierras and a Rythmik D15SE. I can't wait to hear them! These are my first non-HTIB speakers, and I haven't been this excited about a purchase since I bought my first car:)
Thanks to everybody on this thread for taking the time to respond to my questions and for your advice.
Keep us posted. Did you get a chance to listen to them somewhere?

I called Ascend yesterday and pulled the trigger on 3 Sierras and a Rythmik D15SE. I can't wait to hear them! These are my first non-HTIB speakers, and I haven't been this excited about a purchase since I bought my first car:)
Thanks to everybody on this thread for taking the time to respond to my questions and for your advice.

I think you'll be in for a treat :)

Keep us posted. Did you get a chance to listen to them somewhere?

No, I didn't. I listened to the Hsu HB1s in their demo room, and I would have been happy paying $2K for that setup. After that I knew the Sierras would be a big move up in sound quality and still allow me to spend under $3K. They are over my original budget, but not by too much:).
Now I'm thinking that my current receiver is unworthy of my new speakers and is in need of an upgrade to a receiver/amp combo:D...

Now I'm thinking that my current receiver is unworthy of my new speakers and is in need of an upgrade to a receiver/amp combo:D...
What receiver do you have? and be careful....it is a vicious cycle! :)

I am thinking of upgrading the speakers in my basement front projector based home theater and need some advice. I currently have 170SE's across the front all a foot or so into the room and fairly close to the edges of my wall mounted projection screen. Their flat black finish is perfect and reflects little to no light from the projector or screen.

I'm looking at the Sierra's as an upgrade as I've found myself listening to more and more music and concert dvd's since I bought the 170's, but am worried about light reflections. I actually love the look of the natural bamboo speakers with the black grill covers on but their lighter color is concerning. The color of the piano black certainly seems like it would be better but the mirror like reflections I see in some online pictures are very concerning. Advice from anyone with personal experience with these speakers in a darkened home theater setting would be appreciated.

Steve

What receiver do you have? and be careful....it is a vicious cycle! :)

I have an Onkyo 605. If I did go for an upgrade I would be looking for the least expensive receiver I could find that takes 7.1PCM over HDMI, passes whiter than white and below black video, no issues with the PS3, and has amp pre-outs. Then I'd pick up a used multichannel amp from audiogon. I'd need to stay between $700 and $900 on the pair.

I am thinking of upgrading the speakers in my basement front projector based home theater and need some advice. I currently have 170SE's across the front all a foot or so into the room and fairly close to the edges of my wall mounted projection screen. Their flat black finish is perfect and reflects little to no light from the projector or screen.

I'm looking at the Sierra's as an upgrade as I've found myself listening to more and more music and concert dvd's since I bought the 170's, but am worried about light reflections. I actually love the look of the natural bamboo speakers with the black grill covers on but their lighter color is concerning. The color of the piano black certainly seems like it would be better but the mirror like reflections I see in some online pictures are very concerning. Advice from anyone with personal experience with these speakers in a darkened home theater setting would be appreciated.

Steve

I have the Sierra's with bamboo finish but also wanted a flat black. I thus have covered them (top and sides) with light wt black cotton cloth. I pull it around the top and sides, and then tape it underneath. Primitive and simple, but works quite well. I considered painting them a flat black, but the bamboo is so beautiful and someone may appreciate it if I ever get rid of them. (And the black cloth is less reflective than any paint would be.)

I've had the chance to compare the Sierra to a few Dynaudio products. In short, Sierra won.

The mid range of the sierra is crisper than the Focus 140. The S1.4 was close to the sierra but I still preferred the Sierra. I would not however prefer the sierra for loud rock music because voices seem to overpower the instruments. The focus may be better for loud music.

For those hesitating, definately try out the sierra.

I have the Sierra's with bamboo finish but also wanted a flat black. I thus have covered them (top and sides) with light wt black cotton cloth. I pull it around the top and sides, and then tape it underneath. Primitive and simple, but works quite well. I considered painting them a flat black, but the bamboo is so beautiful and someone may appreciate it if I ever get rid of them. (And the black cloth is less reflective than any paint would be.)

Thanks for the input! I may give that a try.

I already made a black muslin covered sound absorber to mask a white closet door too near the screen so I'm not beyond practical, though home decorating insensitive, choices where theater use is concerned. It certainly does the job and conveniently hides in the closet when my wife's friends come over!

My Sierras are scheduled to arrive today!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D

My Sierras are scheduled to arrive today!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D

Congrats:)! I am sure you will be very happy with them, I know I am. Let us know what your impressions are when you have them all setup. What finish did you get?

Bill

Congrats:)! I am sure you will be very happy with them, I know I am. Let us know what your impressions are when you have them all setup. What finish did you get?

Bill

I got them in natural. I won't have them truly set up for a few weeks:(. We're in the process of moving into our new house :):)and a lot of projects are ahead of setting up the home theater:mad:

http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040889/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040890/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040894/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040892/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040893/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040898/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040901/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040902/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040903/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040904/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040906/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040907/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040908/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040910/web.jpg
http://gallery.me.com/swensonn/100197/P1040912/web.jpg

Very cool.

The one you opened is the center channel.....it has a full length grille and the tweeter is rotated 90 degrees(because it is meant to be placed horizontally).

Very cool.

The one you opened is the center channel.....it has a full length grille and the tweeter is rotated 90 degrees(because it is meant to be placed horizontally).

I saw that. I'm a little upset because I specifically requested that all the speakers be configured for vertical use.:mad:
I'm going to call Ascend tomorrow to find out what can be done.

I saw that. I'm a little upset because I specifically requested that all the speakers be configured for vertical use.:mad:
I'm going to call Ascend tomorrow to find out what can be done.
They will probably give you the option to exchange it or walk you through turning the tweeter. Although you are probably going to want a matching grille. They might still be in the office if you call now.

Makes me want to take my sierras out of storage just so I can look at them!

Like many of you I have poured over the forums and reviews and have tussled with what to purchase and I think I have found the candidates.

My main goal is to build a system gradually with quality components... The good news is I am starting from scratch save the receiver which is an Onkyo 605. My room is about 10 x 20 x 8 (conservatively) with a dining room off the main which is about the same size. Makes a big "L"...

I listen mainly to Electronica, Rock, Hip Hop and New Age... Oh and I am trying to stay in the $500-$900 range for the mains. Unless I am missing something it seems to me that in the price point I am looking in a bookshelf with sub is the way to go over a floor stander(thought about the rocker rs450s???)...

I appreciate your input.

Considerations:

1. Ascend Sierra 1's (Would love to hear these!)
a. CMT-340's or 170's (could start with these then move them to rear.)
2. Paradigm Studio 20's
3. NHT Classic 3 (close out deals)
4. Canton ERGO 603 (close out deal)

I would love to audition the Ascend products and I am really leaning towards the sierras but I would like to listen to them before I pull the trigger. I am in Denver so if you live any where within a reasonable drive I would love to hear them.
PS I would love to addition any other speaker you may have that you think competes... ie swans, av123 , etc...

I just bought a sierra-1 center and I need a speaker stand for it pretty soon. Wall mounting is not possible in my application. My tv is on a stand that sits 20 inches off the ground. The bottom of the screen is another 6 inches off of the stand. So the height of the stand and speaker can definitely not be over 26 inches with spikes attached for my carpeted floors. The sierra center is 7.5 inches tall. Please help me out here!!!

I just bought a sierra-1 center and I need a speaker stand for it pretty soon. Wall mounting is not possible in my application. My tv is on a stand that sits 20 inches off the ground. The bottom of the screen is another 6 inches off of the stand. So the height of the stand and speaker can definitely not be over 26 inches with spikes attached for my carpeted floors. The sierra center is 7.5 inches tall. Please help me out here!!!

An 18 inch stand would be perfect for you. Racks and Stands has a great selection: http://www.racksandstands.com/Speaker-Stands-C7.html


Hope this helps!

Hello folks,

Quick question about the midrange quality on the sierras,

I recently sent back a nice pair of 5B's that I tryed to make work out but I was not happy with the midrange presentation , definitly to laid back for MY taste.

I then auditioned some Hayen Grands and feel they were right in the ballpark as what i expect for some bookshelf mains. Seem to have a fairly lively presentation acoustics and vocals.

Does anyone have any opinion if the Sierras sound more toward one of the two mentioned above ? They appear to be impressive all around from what iI have read. The price of the Sierras are as about as much as I want to spend, I simply dont feel like shelling out at least 1200 for the Hayden Grands .

the midrange is a strong point IMO. I have not heard the latest Aperions, but have heard previous generations, and compared to those, Ascends are more neutral, refined, and accurate in their presentation.

Have not heard the Hayden Grands, but hopefully someone will chime in with experience.

Where are you located? Maybe there is a Sierra owner near by.

I Just purchased three sierras and an F12. They are bit back ordered but I'm jacked to finally order. I have an SC-07 and 111FD to hook up to. I am back and forth on a blu ray but can't wait to get the sierras so i can remove the freakin speakers from the TV and turn on the SC-07.

I have compared the Haydens to the Sierra not in same room but a persons house from ascend web site and the Haydens at Magnolia HI FI. Very similar in presentation IMO the Sierras were a bit more detailed and obviously the winners.

I felt the Hayden's had a very focused sound stage and sounded kinda dull of axis. I read somewhere the Sierras were Good of axis which is what I'm looking for, also as I want to enjoy sound through out a living room -open to dining room area .

Its looking good to give them a try.

Some photos of new finishes that will soon be available on Sierra's:
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showpost.php?p=31558&postcount=14

wow...

anyone want 5 natural sierra-1's? once swmbo sees those cherry ones, my wallet is in trouble...

I'm in the market for black L-C-R Sierra's if anyone is looking to upgrade to a new finish...

Espresso gloss on the left and cherry gloss on the right. These are stains applied to the bamboo and not veneers.

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/images/ascenduploads/both.jpg

wow...

anyone want 5 natural sierra-1's? once swmbo sees those cherry ones, my wallet is in trouble...

Hmmm....I've love to have the front 3 (assuming one is the horizontal oriented center). Guess it would just depend on the financial situation at the time. Let me know if you are selling though...

The new finishes are amazing.

I'm in the market for black L-C-R Sierra's if anyone is looking to upgrade to a new finish...

Just a heads up - there is still a pair of piano black L/R on audiogon.

obligatory disclaimer - no affiliation with the seller

Just a heads up - there is still a pair of piano black L/R on audiogon.

obligatory disclaimer - no affiliation with the seller

Thanks Alpha...hoping to find someone that will sell all three at once but I will check those out.

More pictures are here:
http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showpost.php?p=31558&postcount=14

This is my wish come true. I may end up owning a pair of these, afterall http://img236.exs.cx/img236/9268/scratchchin6hy.gif ...

While the natural finish is nice, it's too close to my entertainment center in color tone/look. I'd either want a speaker finish to match my entertmnt. center exactly or I'd want a significant color contrast. Gloss black would provide the latter but I'm so over glossy black finishes in everything (though I can respectfully appreciate many still favoring it).

Now, only question is.. which one? Both seem to be similarly brown-ish, even the cherry version here which is not as reddish of a cherry as I'm used to seeing in typical "cherry" labeled speaker finishes. Not that I'm complaining per se.. I've always thought that there should be more finishes available in the brown family and have been perplexed by the lack of this seemingly versatile finish. The default, more common options always seem to be black (understandable), maple, red cherry and when available, an often hideously homely-looking oak finish, which I tend to see in DIY speaker circles (what can I say.. I got a bit of metrosexual coursing through these veins so visual aesthetics matter a bunch to me :p).

Kudos to Dave & co. for what I think are very fine additional finish options. http://www.replay.ru/forum/style_emoticons/default/drinks.gif

Isn't there a potential problem with the glossy finishes reflecting too much light, esp if one has them near the screen with a front projector? I think I would prefer the old, dowdy, dull matt black finish of the 340's and 170's. I actually have covered the sides of my natural-finished Sierra's in a light-weight matt black cotton material.

Isn't there a potential problem with the glossy finishes reflecting too much light, esp if one has them near the screen with a front projector? I think I would prefer the old, dowdy, dull matt black finish of the 340's and 170's. I actually have covered the sides of my natural-finished Sierra's in a light-weight matt black cotton material.

I wouldn't mind seeing a durable, low maintenance matte black Sierra finish.

Both seem to be similarly brown-ish, even the cherry version here which is not as reddish of a cherry as I'm used to seeing in typical "cherry" labeled speaker finishes.


In the pictures it is definitely a natural cherry and not a red cherry.

Very nice, These two new veneers are absolutely gorgeous.
They are not veneers. They are stains and high gloss finish applied to the bamboo cabinet. What ever finish you get, natural, piano black, or these new finishes, the cabinet is made of bamboo with the finish applied to it.

In the pictures it is definitely a natural cherry and not a red cherry.

yea, definitely looks more "natural"... almost like cherry that has aged for awhile...

one of my audio racks is solid cherry... it's amazing how much darker it has gotten over the years... i actually managed to go a couple years without switching out avrs recently, and underneath the feet of the avr was SIGNIFICANTLY lighter...

. I got a bit of metrosexual coursing through these veins so visual aesthetics matter a bunch to me :p).


lol... if it makes you feel any better, you aren't alone... :) i have SERIOUS speaker lust right now... those cherry ones are gonna look great in my room...

wow,

Great finish options for those who want something other than natural or PB!

Great work Dave & the ascend crew.

yea, definitely looks more "natural"... almost like cherry that has aged for awhile...

Red cherry gets the red color from the stain. Cherry will take brown stains fine.

Very nice finishes for sure:)! I will be down for the Cherry for sure. Although the Espresso looks excellent as well. I hope it brings in more buyers for the Sierra's from people that wanted more finish options.

I had a chance to buy a pair of Dynaudio 140s at a great price several months ago but I passed as I am very happy with the Sierra's. I had 140s before and enjoyed them very much but having three Sierra's across the front is such a seamless sound presentation for HT. For 2 CH music the Sierra's are just awesome:D. Best speaker for the money hands down! With that is the incredible service from DaveF and the Ascend crew.

Bill

I hope these new finishes aren't much more expensive than piano black. There's a recession on, Ascend!!

I would love to audition the Ascend products and I am really leaning towards the sierras but I would like to listen to them before I pull the trigger. I am in Denver so if you live any where within a reasonable drive I would love to hear them.
PS I would love to addition any other speaker you may have that you think competes... ie swans, av123 , etc...

I use the Sierra's for two channel. I have pretty decent front end electronics (tubes) and have owned many speakers. All of the speakers have had strong points but also had weak points. The only slight crit I had of the Sierra's were a slighty recessed mids possibly because of an overpowering mid-bass. This was corrected with the accessory Q-plubs, and is why I recommend getting the plugs (minor investment) along with the speakers. With the plugs I can't find any weakness at all, which is something for a speaker that costs under a grand.

The only monitor I'd consider other than the Sierra is the PMC tb2i based on reviews:

http://www.pmc-speakers.com/images/products/imgResize.php?img=147a74476bf5a3_tb1.jpg

But these cost 2 and half times as much as the Sierras. I can't imagine them sounding much better.

I have my center channel in my media cabinet, there is no glass or anything like that, but the back of it is closed off except for holes for cables. Would the plugs be an upgrade in SQ in a situation like that?

I have my center channel in my media cabinet, there is no glass or anything like that, but the back of it is closed off except for holes for cables. Would the plugs be an upgrade in SQ in a situation like that?

Possibly. I think it will vary whether they are used for two channel or home theater, and what your driving electronics are. You might prefer the sound just the way it is without them. There are two types of plugs in the kit, so it will take some experimentation. :)

One other sticking point for me with respect to a possible future Sierra set up is the fact that the use of the same speaker as a center placed horizontally results in an unbalanced visual appearance given the asymmetrical positioning of the drivers & grill cover. That just bugs my internal desire for order & balance or something. :o

So much so I'd probably opt to seek out a different center, whether from Ascend or another speaker company. Or skip it all together and do the phantom center thing. If it's mainly for dialogue anyway, who cares, right?.. I'm not a home theater connoisseur with a dedicated video room (just a multi-purpose living room). Just as long as a center works reasonably well sonically with the left and right speakers, provides clear dialogue and doesn't pose too much of a visual distraction given it's prominent placement centered below the TV/flat panel... I'd be happy.

Besides this issue, I'd love to see smaller versions of the Sierra for surround duty. I noticed from my lurking over in the Ascend forum that this is being considered and has gained some traction for future possible development. Maybe I could use one of these for center channel duty instead, given what should be it's sonic compatibility with the Sierras (thinking out loud here).

One other sticking point for me with respect to a possible future Sierra set up is the fact that the use of the same speaker as a center placed horizontally results in an unbalanced visual appearance given the asymmetrical positioning of the drivers & grill cover. That just bugs my internal desire for order & balance or something. :o



The horizontal center comes with a full length grill cover. If you keep it on you never notice the fact that it is not the symmetrical driver array we have become accustomed to seeing in a center speaker.

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/images/products/speakers/SRM1C/sr1cpb_gr_hr.jpg

.. I got to thinking after I posted that maybe I had seen something somewhere about a full grill cover being available, afterall. Thanks for confirming, chas_w. :)

Possibly. I think it will vary whether they are used for two channel or home theater, and what your driving electronics are. You might prefer the sound just the way it is without them. There are two types of plugs in the kit, so it will take some experimentation. :)

I have a Pioneer elite SC05 driving my speakers and I just use it for home theater. My surrounds are just some Onkyo speakers atm so nothing crazy. I have my LCR as ascend sierras.

I have a Pioneer elite SC05 driving my speakers and I just use it for home theater. My surrounds are just some Onkyo speakers atm so nothing crazy. I have my LCR as ascend sierras.

In that case they might be find just the way they are. If you notice the mids a little recessed and the midbass a little too overpowering you might want to order the plugs. I suspect it's not much of an issue for HT. :)

lol if anything I need more bass...I'm just weird that way. They do a good job though, my sierra's are better from 50-80hz than my bic h-100 sub.

Was just curious if the plugs would help with anything since my placement isn't the best as in the speakers being pretty close to the walls and the center in the cabinet. MCACC may of done enough corrections for me not to notice that big of a difference though.

lol if anything I need more bass...I'm just weird that way. They do a good job though, my sierra's are better from 50-80hz than my bic h-100 sub.

Was just curious if the plugs would help with anything since my placement isn't the best as in the speakers being pretty close to the walls and the center in the cabinet. MCACC may of done enough corrections for me not to notice that big of a difference though.

Usually the plugs tend to cut down on bass, so with HT you might be better without them. Two-channel for music and expensive electronics is quite a different animal. :)

Here are the descriptions of what the two different Q-Plugs do:

Q-Plug A consists of a cylindrical tube with a 5mm thick “end cap” made of acoustic foam that allows a specific amount of air to pass through.

It is recommended to use Q-Plug A when the Sierra-1 will be wall mounted or within several inches of the wall. Use of this port plug can also improve subwoofer integration as the in-room response of the speaker changes to -3dB at 60Hz with a 12dB/octave roll-off as compared to a stock Sierra-1 which is approximately -3dB at 40Hz in room with a sharp 24dB/octave roll-off.

Q-Plug B
This plug was designed to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of the Sierra-1, especially when used in smaller rooms or where room modes cause over emphasized bass. It consists of the same cylindrical tube as Q-Plug A but without the end-cap.

Q-Plug B creates a mass loaded damped port, lowering the port tune frequency by 10Hz while also damping port tube resonances and dramatically reducing port noise. When compared to a stock Sierra-1, we get 3dB less output in the 50-70Hz range and 3dB more output in the 30Hz range. The speaker will have less “punch” but a deeper bass response. The woofer will contribute more to the bass output which can result in a cleaner and even more articulate response. One interesting phenomenon that I noticed was that imaging was improved and the soundstage was deepened. I attributed this not to the deeper bass response but to the damping of spurious out-of-phase port noises that can cause subtle comb filtering.

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?t=3781

I currently use the "B" plugs in my L/R Sierras and they have smoothed out and extended the bass response in my room. Plug "A" in my center channel since I do not have as much clearance behind them, and it has also made a positive effect.

I hope these new finishes aren't much more expensive than piano black. There's a recession on, Ascend!!

We will offer these at the very best price possible. Pricing will be posted by tomorrow evening :)

We will offer these at the very best price possible. Pricing will be posted by tomorrow evening :)


I think 5pm is the official start of evening, federal law.

Any info on the Sierra for 2 channel playback?

Any info on the Sierra for 2 channel playback?

That's what I use mine for (for nearfield listening). Quite stellar. :)

That's what I use mine for (for nearfield listening). Quite stellar. :)

Thanks. I want them for the main part of my basement outside the theater room just for some music during parties...

Pricing on the premium finishes has been posted:

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?t=3963

I think 5pm is the official start of evening, federal law.

Ha -- I am indeed late but prices have finally been posted on our forum :)

Ha -- I am indeed late but prices have finally been posted on our forum :)

Ok I read the thread but I'm confused.. If I order one of the new finishes and prepay, I'll actually be paying LESS than what piano black costs.

I thought this was supposed to be a premium product :p

Seriously though, that's a great deal and I'm going to order as soon as I pick a color, which is going to be tough.

I would be happy to take a set of 2nd hand sierra1's off anyones hands so they can order up a new finish set

Wow, great price for an amazing finish. These speakers are top notch.

I remember somebody wrote a review comparing these to the dana, swan, and such. That reviewer must have bronze ear because after hearing both, it is impossible to say that the swan d2.1 could even come close to these. That reviewer must have worked for swan ;P.

Anyways, great speaker for a great price.

I would be happy to take a set of 2nd hand sierra1's off anyones hands so they can order up a new finish set

There's a set of 5 Sierra 1's in the natural bamboo finish for sale here in the Classified section. Nice guy and very reliable buyer/seller.

Link... (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/vbclassified.php?do=ad&id=10010)

Jason

Seriously though, that's a great deal and I'm going to order as soon as I pick a color, which is going to be tough.

the color decision would have been tough for me, but swmbo immediately voted "cherry"... i believe i would have made that decision anyway, i'm partial to that color...

either way, they'll sound great...

thanks jason... ;)

You're welcome...good luck with the sale! :)

BTW, I'm going to experiment with the cherry finish...

Jason

You're welcome...good luck with the sale! :)

BTW, I'm going to experiment with the cherry finish...

Jason

cool. i have my fingers crossed.

BTW, I'm going to experiment with the cherry finish...

Jason

What, you mean in making matching stands? I remember you sold your Sierras some time ago.. or at least attempting to (not sure if you ever did).

What, you mean in making matching stands?

i'm hoping... :)

y'know, even if they weren't plyboo, something that would take a color to match wouldn't be bad either...

i'm hoping... :)

Mmmmmwaaaahaaaahaaaa....:D

I think I got the finish matched for the cherry Sierras. I need to apply another coat of finish before posting pics. I still need to experiment with using a lacquer (I'm using a polyurethane for now), but the Plyboo looks amazing with the color on it! I may get enough gloss with the poly, but I'll have to wait and see...

Jason

Ok I read the thread but I'm confused.. If I order one of the new finishes and prepay, I'll actually be paying LESS than what piano black costs.

I thought this was supposed to be a premium product :p

Lemme help. By paying now, they have your money instead of you. That makes it less likely you change your mind and go spend that money on something else. In other words, Ascend is apparently familiar with the saying, "a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush". Less money than what they'd prefer, margin wise, is presumably better than no money/no margin at all. Business 101, IOW.

Mmmmmwaaaahaaaahaaaa....:D

I think I got the finish matched for the cherry Sierras. I need to apply another coat of finish before posting pics. I still need to experiment with using a lacquer (I'm using a polyurethane for now), but the Plyboo looks amazing with the color on it! I may get enough gloss with the poly, but I'll have to wait and see...

Jason

i knew my confidence in you would be rewarded... :D

you have MUCH more patience than i...

Lemme help. By paying now, they have your money instead of you. That makes it less likely you change your mind and go spend that money on something else. In other words, Ascend is apparently familiar with the saying, "a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush". Less money than what they'd prefer, margin wise, is presumably better than no money/no margin at all. Business 101, IOW.

I understand the concept, my comment was playfully expressing that I thought the prepay offer was a good deal. I know they're not doing me any real favors as they now have 1300 of my dollars while I have nothing but some pictures to look at for the next month..

I understand the concept, my comment was playfully expressing that I thought the prepay offer was a good deal. I know they're not doing me any real favors as they now have 1300 of my dollars while I have nothing but some pictures to look at for the next month..

Well that's email or forum type for us all. Interpretting what someone was really thinking or their intent, such as playful sarcasm, is darn near impossible to do. Did you really mean its not a premium speaker or are you just praising the great deal. Now we know. :rolleyes: