Are These Finds Good Deals?

[Kvn_Walker]

Yup... his Raal cherry done got popped. No going back, now. The only thing better might be beryllium. And that's an expensive habit!

I had emailed T+A and asked if there was a tweeter upgrade path for my speakers and unfortunately there's not. Wish they did have a RAAL or Be drop-in replacement... just for the heck of trying something new. They certainly don't need any improvement in the bass or mids.

 

[KenM10759]

T+A? who is that?

 

[Kvn_Walker]

T+A? who is that?

Home

www.ta-hifi.de

(even though I jokingly call them T&A most of the time )

 

[NINaudio]

Yup... his Raal cherry done got popped. No going back, now. The only thing better might be beryllium. And that's an expensive habit!

Once you hear RAAL its difficult not to fall in love, especially with Ascend.

This is exactly why I ended up ordering Song3's after hearing them. That Raal blew my mind!

 

[NINaudio]

Home

www.ta-hifi.de

(even though I jokingly call them T&A most of the time )

From the looks of their website they call themselves T+A also!

 

[afterlife2]

Which is the cheapest and good RAAL out there? These? https://www.htd.com/Level-THREE-Bookshelf-Speakers?gclid=CjwKCAjw1v_0BRAkEiwALFkj5qLtD-mBVILtAsN5xLfr8ZFgERBwTT5soW-4TPF8mt2NGj3w1sBuiBoCZpUQAvD_BwE

 

[ryanosaur]

Which is the cheapest and good RAAL out there? These? https://www.htd.com/Level-THREE-Bookshelf-Speakers?gclid=CjwKCAjw1v_0BRAkEiwALFkj5qLtD-mBVILtAsN5xLfr8ZFgERBwTT5soW-4TPF8mt2NGj3w1sBuiBoCZpUQAvD_BwE

Raal is a specific manufacturer of true ribbon tweeters. Their offerings are among the best in the industry.
Their least expensive model, the 64-10 tweeter, featured prominently in Dennis Murphy/Philharmonic Audios’s designs, as well as Ascend Acoustics.

If you stumble on Philharmonic Audio Mini-Phil’s, these are stunning speakers.

The Mini Philharmonitor

This is also the same tweeter featured in the BMRs.

 

[John Parks]

I've only had them playing for about an hour now and thus far you'll get no argument from me!

I expected to wowed by the Raals (and I am). The bass is what's catching me off guard. To my ears there's real, usable bass well below 45-50 hz. I can hear the difference when I turn the subs on too. I swear the bass is better with these little speakers than my Ultra towers when crossed over to my subs at 80 hz.

Now by themselves my towers clearly blow them away when it comes to deep bass extension, but... just damn. My Ultra Bookshelf speakers don't have the bass response of these "smaller" Sierras.

View attachment 35599

I'm finding myself wanting to gush, but I need more time to really soak these in. I have a lot of very, very familiar music to listen to over the next few days and I'd like to do a proper full calibration. Right now my subs are all dialed in to cross over with my towers.

I knew as soon as you found them that you would like them - Ascend makes some special speakers! I had the Sierra-1 and upgraded the to NrT status and loved them. I've been eyeing the Sierra-2EX for some time but never pulled the trigger for... reasons. Enjoy!

 

[KEW]

Glad you are liking them.
I am surprised that the bass beats the Ultra BS by such a degree! I believe you, but the Ultra BS is pretty decent for bass.
My Paradigm Signature S-2 beats out the Ultra by a good bit, but it is not cheap (MSRP, I bought used).

 

[Pogre]

Glad you are liking them.
I am surprised that the bass beats the Ultra BS by such a degree! I believe you, but the Ultra BS is pretty decent for bass.

I've been thinking about that and it occurred to me that it's been quite some time since I listened to the Ultra bookshelves by themselves... I might should retract that statement until I perform a bit more of a head to head comparison. At least as close as I can get, before I cement my opinion. You're right, the Ultra books have very good bass also. I'm so enamored with new speaker energy right now that I can't be sure it hasn't tainted my subjective listening skills!

 

[KEW]

I've been thinking about that and it occurred to me that it's been quite some time since I listened to the Ultra bookshelves by themselves... I might should retract that statement until I perform a bit more of a head to head comparison. At least as close as I can get, before I cement my opinion. You're right, the Ultra books have very good bass also. I'm so enamored with new speaker energy right now that I can't be sure it hasn't tainted my subjective listening skills!

Good point!
The RAAL is a decidedly difference, but a;ways best to give things a day or three to settle in. At the same time it is fun to read first impressions followed by a more thorough followup - we get to vicariously experience the excitement of your "new" speakers with you!

 

[zieglj01]

I've been thinking about that and it occurred to me that it's been quite some time since I listened to the Ultra bookshelves by themselves... I might should retract that statement until I perform a bit more of a head to head comparison. At least as close as I can get, before I cement my opinion. You're right, the Ultra books have very good bass also. I'm so enamored with new speaker energy right now that I can't be sure it hasn't tainted my subjective listening skills!

That woofer on the Ascend has a good motor structure and is in a good box ... I would not be surprised by the SPL of the Ascend and I would not be surprised if you get a good clean 5 hz more bass over the SVS. The SVS -3 db point has been measured at 56 hz

 

[ryanosaur]

That woofer on the Ascend has a good motor structure and is in a good box ... I would not be surprised by the SPL of the Ascend and I would not be surprised if you get a good clean 5 hz more bass over the SVS. The SVS -3 db point has been measured at 56 hz

Toward this, Dave /Ascend claims in-room F3@41Hz (anechoic@46Hz).
Seas Prestige Woofers with the Curv Cone are supposed to be very good. I know another designer that likes them very much too! I cannot speak to what aspect of the 2's Seas Woofer is customized (per the website), but I do know the EX Upgrade is a Seas Excel Motor with the Curv Cone, dropping the F3 to 33 and 38Hz respectively (in-room/anechoic).

 

[afterlife2]

I bought something at the thrift store about two months ago that I never posted and never hooked up. Stay tuned

 

[afterlife2]

An oldie analog and no HDMI and half price of the sticker price. I haven’t hooked it up yet, but I have some spare speakers I can hookup maybe sometime this week. Enjoy.

 

[lovinthehd]

An oldie analog and no HDMI and half price of the sticker price. I haven’t hooked it up yet, but I have some spare speakers I can hookup maybe sometime this week. Enjoy.

This many years later you paid 50% of original retail for this Onkyo?

 

[afterlife2]

This many years later you paid 50% of original retail for this Onkyo?

15$! $29.99 was the price at the thrift store, but that Friday it was 50% off!!! This is a powerful receiver and has a subwoofer input!

 

[lovinthehd]

15$! $29.99 was the price at the thrift store, but that Friday it was 50% off!!! This is a powerful receiver and has a subwoofer input!

LOL that's a bit different type of 50% off sticker $15-30 sounds about right range tho.

ps Sub input?

 

[afterlife2]

LOL that's a bit different type of 50% off sticker $15-30 sounds about right range tho.

ps Sub input?

Yep sub input. Here is more info. Can do 7.1 via optical and coaxial.

https://www.intl.onkyo.com/downloads/product_info/pdf/tx-sr504_leaflet.pdf

 

[lovinthehd]

Yep sub input. Here is more info.

https://www.intl.onkyo.com/downloads/product_info/pdf/tx-sr504_leaflet.pdf

You referring to the multich inputs? You need that particularly?