[JordanT23]

Hello, first off I love this place and thank you for all the vital and important info you guys provide! I am currently running a Sonos setup with Playbar, Sub, and two Sonos Ones as rears. I am looking to move to the NEW Sonos Amp, and a pair of bookshelves in hopes to achieve louder, better, and more dynamic sound with movies and video games. I will be keeping the Sonos Ones as rears, and I am open to upgrading the sub as well if needed.

Based on this setup and mainly the Sonos AMP, is there any bookshelf speakers better than the Ascend Sierra 2-EX for under $2-3k? Is the 85db sensitivity a concern for this amp and louder volumes? Any help or input is greatly appreciated!! Thank you!

 

[Soulburner]

I don't see how the Sonos Amp would be integrated into a video system? There is only one HDMI - how does it handle in and out? And, I see it has RCA inputs - would you use preouts from an A/V receiver? Or would you be swapping cables all the time between devices?

 

[Soulburner]

For speakers, see this thread: https://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/3084990-best-bookshelf-under-3k.html

 

[D33vious]

If you're willing to go the used route, these would compare favorably with the Sierra 2EXs


https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649545011-philharmonic-bmr-speaker-pair/images/2363967/


edit: My apologies. I actually meant to say that the BMRs would compare similarlry with the Sierra 2EXs. Guess I was more tired than I realized when typing, and said the opposite of what I meant. Not having heard the Sierras, I really believe these would sound very similar, with minor differences.

 

[JordanT23]

I don't see how the Sonos Amp would be integrated into a video system? There is only one HDMI - how does it handle in and out? And, I see it has RCA inputs - would you use preouts from an A/V receiver? Or would you be swapping cables all the time between devices?

One HDMI ARC, all other inputs go to TV for video switching.

 

[JordanT23]

If you're willing to go the used route, these would compare favorably with the Sierra 2EXs


https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649545011-philharmonic-bmr-speaker-pair/images/2363967/

Have never heard of these, will do some research on them, thank you!

 

[Soulburner]

One HDMI ARC, all other inputs go to TV for video switching.

To make sure I understand: so all of your devices that will play sound are connected to your TV? And you will rely on ARC to feed to the Sonos Amp?

 

[JordanT23]

One HDMI ARC, all other inputs go to TV for video switching.

To make sure I understand: so all of your devices that will play sound are connected to your TV? And you will rely on ARC to feed to the Sonos Amp?

Yes, sounds right. Really only a PS4, music through AirPlay 2. Shouldn’t that work? Thanks

 

[echopraxia]

Yes, sounds right. Really only a PS4, music through AirPlay 2. Shouldn’t that work? Thanks

I use my Sonos Amp connected to my LG TV via HDMI ARC, and it works just fine (just gotta turn on ARC and set the right audio modes on the TV).

Personally I really like ARC, especially for modern smart TVs whose UIs are just as good IMO as many devices like Fire TV or Roku or whatever. Modern TVs basically are their own “receiver” with multiple inputs, and personally I find it super convenient to only have to deal with one remote vs three.

For example in one room I have a receiver, older TV, and Amazon Fire TV. I have to use three remotes to watch anything! One for the Fire TV, one for the receiver, and one for the TV. I often have to grab all three and perform the ritual of “TV remote power on”, “receiver remote power on”, “Fire TV remote home button”. It’s so much more hassle than it needs to be.

Whereas, in another room, thanks to ARC (via the Sonos Amp) and a more modern LG smart TV, I need only one remote (the LG TV remote)! I turn the TV on and play something, and it just works — sound comes out through the Sonos Amp as it should. The volume adjustment works great, all sound comes out through the Sonos Amp, and Sonos Amp works perfectly when automatically switching between TV or music streaming from my phone.

When I upgrade my other TV eventually, I will probably use ARC for it as well (via my non-Sonos receiver); it’s just so convenient having just a single remote for all typical TV related actions.

 

[Russdawg1]

If you're willing to go the used route, these would compare favorably with the Sierra 2EXs





https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649545011-philharmonic-bmr-speaker-pair/images/2363967/

I’m not so sure... they are more equivalent than one being better than the other....

But if we were talking favorable, the Sierra 2Ex only has a single minimal crossover dip vs the two of the larger BMR crossover dips

But it’s a toss up really.

 

[D33vious]

I’m not so sure... they are more equivalent than one being better than the other....

But if we were talking favorable, the Sierra 2Ex only has a single minimal crossover dip vs the two of the larger BMR crossover dips

But it’s a toss up really.

Thanks for calling me out there. I actually typed the complete opposite of what I meant. I said compare favorably when I meant to say similarly. I have gone back and corrected my post.

 

[Russdawg1]

Thanks for calling me out there. I actually typed the complete opposite of what I meant. I said compare favorably when I meant to say similarly. I have gone back and corrected my post.

No worries at all. Happens to everyone.

 

[JordanT23]

I’m not so sure... they are more equivalent than one being better than the other....

But if we were talking favorable, the Sierra 2Ex only has a single minimal crossover dip vs the two of the larger BMR crossover dips

But it’s a toss up really.

Would you say these speakers are the best choices? Or is there anything else up to $2-3K that is substantially better? Thanks!

 

[Russdawg1]

Would you say these speakers are the best choices? Or is there anything else up to $2-3K that is substantially better? Thanks!

I’d say that currently the now discontinued Philharmonic BMR and Sierra 2Ex are the leaders in this range currently, in fact even above their price range.

Off the top of my head, the only thing that could come close would be the R3 by Kef at $2000 or the Revel M106 also at $2000.

The Revel M126Be would be closer up top, using a very nice beryllium tweeter but it costs $4000. With a healthy dealer discount of 25% off, that brings it to $3000.

The problem though, is that the Sierra 2Ex and BMR will murder the above listed in the bass range. Overall extension and punch is something Dave didn’t skimp on with his 2Ex model. That thing sounds like a subwoofer is integrated with that 6” woofer.

 

[Soulburner]

For speakers, see this thread: https://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/3084990-best-bookshelf-under-3k.html

^ This is pretty much the same question being discussed here

 

[JordanT23]

I’d say that currently the now discontinued Philharmonic BMR and Sierra 2Ex are the leaders in this range currently, in fact even above their price range.

Off the top of my head, the only thing that could come close would be the R3 by Kef at $2000 or the Revel M106 also at $2000.

The Revel M126Be would be closer up top, using a very nice beryllium tweeter but it costs $4000. With a healthy dealer discount of 25% off, that brings it to $3000.

The problem though, is that the Sierra 2Ex and BMR will murder the above listed in the bass range. Overall extension and punch is something Dave didn’t skimp on with his 2Ex model. That thing sounds like a subwoofer is integrated with that 6” woofer.

Great input, thanks! Does that bass matter when a subwoofer is integrated in the system? Do you think the Sonos AMP will push these speakers without issue? Will check out the other options you mentioned, appreciate it!

 

[Russdawg1]

Great input, thanks! Does that bass matter when a subwoofer is integrated in the system? Do you think the Sonos AMP will push these speakers without issue? Will check out the other options you mentioned, appreciate it!

Yes, it does. The midbass punch from the Sierra 2Ex’s happens before the crossover. That will be easily heard even when crossed with a subwoofer. The lower extension also means better transition between the two drivers, woofer and subwoofer. As you know, crossovers don’t just stop at 80hz (for example) they continue way down to 40hz (and up to 160hz) and they are only 6-12dB down at those points.

Someone posted a link that the Sonos amp pushes out 200 watts into 4 ohms right? That’s a pretty decent sized amp.

I doubt it’ll have a problem whatsoever.

Oh and to add to your confusion, there is the Buchardt S400.

 

[aarons915]

Great input, thanks! Does that bass matter when a subwoofer is integrated in the system? Do you think the Sonos AMP will push these speakers without issue? Will check out the other options you mentioned, appreciate it!

Not really, as long as you have enough to blend with an 80Hz crossover you're good. The bookshelves under 3k thread has a lot of the same discussion.

 

[echopraxia]

For the curious, here’s the link to a review showing the Sonos Amp pushes 200 Watts at 4 Ohms, without distortion: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/review-and-measurements-of-sonos-amp.6957/

You’ll note also that this review is a bit incomplete, because it’s really hard to test fully digital amplifiers (much to the reviewer’s frustration, unfortunately), since most testing equipment is geared towers analog amps. What this does show though is that the Sonos Amp has extremely low TDH+N in digital playback modes (which is the whole reason most people use Sonos Amp), but has poor performance if you use the analog inputs (high nose floor), and it handles very well all the way up to 200 Watts output (at 4 ohms) before encountering any distortion or clipping.

 

[echopraxia]

Not really, as long as you have enough to blend with an 80Hz crossover you're good. The bookshelves under 3k thread has a lot of the same discussion.

Speaking from experience, whether a 80hz crossover is tolerable to you will depend on your location-sensitivity to bass frequencies:

I may be particularly sensitive to bass, because I’m very picky with subwoofers (I can’t stand SVS, but love Rythmik), and I can VERY easily localize my subwoofers when I have the crossover set to 80hz.

It’s so bad, in fact, that I generally cannot stand a 80hz crossover unless my subwoofers are arranged symmetrically in the room, but unfortunately my optimal subwoofer positioning is not symmetric in my speaker room. A crossover of 60hz is about as high as I can tolerate, but even in that case it feels too localizable sometimes (the only good solution to that would probably be symmetric stereo subwoofers, but unfortunately my room acoustics makes that suboptimal for bass response).

Anyway, I have the Sierra Towers (RAAL) crossed over at 60hz with two Rythmik F18 subs, and the setup sounds incredible. I have high hopes for the Sierra 2EX since by all accounts, it sounds like they’re actually warmer sounding than the towers.