dali ikon 2 or ascend sierras ?

[simmons225]

just looking for a opinion i want to spend under a $1000 I have read good things about the ascend sierras. would floor standing speakers be better for 2ch. I have heard paradigm studio line and I liked the 20s I dont have a problem buying used. I want a idea what to audition. befor I buy or demo the ascend sierras. I live in the st louis area. thanks

 

[gus6464]

just looking for a opinion i want to spend under a $1000 I have read good things about the ascend sierras. would floor standing speakers be better for 2ch. I have heard paradigm studio line and I liked the 20s I dont have a problem buying used. I want a idea what to audition. befor I buy or demo the ascend sierras. I live in the st louis area. thanks

I just got a pair of Ikon 2 this week for my 2ch system. Read my initial impressions in this thread http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=377956&postcount=13

I haven't heard the Sierra and I don't know of anyone that has heard them both so it's a tough call really. I would recommend you got out and audition as there a lot of good speakers in your price range. These are some I have heard that you might find to your liking.

Epos M12.2 (New M12i coming out end of march)
Totem Rainmaker
B&W CM1
Monitor Audio RS1
Monitor Audio GR10 (can be had for $1000 from saturday audio)
Polk LSi9

This is a speaker that I haven't heard but are well regarded in the forums.

ERA D5

I would say make yourself a list and go out and listen to some speakers.

 

[TJHUB]

just looking for a opinion i want to spend under a $1000 I have read good things about the ascend sierras. would floor standing speakers be better for 2ch. I have heard paradigm studio line and I liked the 20s I dont have a problem buying used. I want a idea what to audition. befor I buy or demo the ascend sierras. I live in the st louis area. thanks

I think it would come down to a preference thing between the two speakers that only you could answer (obviously).

That said, I like Paradigm Studio's as well. I currently have B&W 602.s3's and I could really live with either of the two when comparing Studio's to my B&W's. Out of pure curiosity, I ordered the Sierra's this past Monday and they are scheduled for delivery this Monday the 25th. I have the mains and center coming and I'm really looking forward to hearing all the hype. Then I'll decide if the Sierra's are going to stay with me or not...

 

[simmons225]

all the hype about the sierras got me addicted. so I have been looking up dealers in my area . I found b&w paradigm so far I liked the look of the dali ikons but there is no dealer near st louis.

 

[gus6464]

all the hype about the sierras got me addicted. so I have been looking up dealers in my area . I found b&w paradigm so far I liked the look of the dali ikons but there is no dealer near st louis.

What kind of music do you like? Maybe that can help narrow down the search.

 

[simmons225]

I listen to adult alternative music, pop, rock, and some blues as well. I have recently purchased a onkyo 805 receiver and I am interested in Aperion 5 series.

 

[The Clam]

I'm going through a similar process. I'm a newbie and have been making the rounds listening to whatever I can find. I'm also trying to match up speakers with an Onkyo 805, and I listen to a similar musical assortment with some classical thrown in the mix too. I was considering some of the ID speakers inlcuding Aperion but just don't feel comfortable buying without ever hearing them first and don't want the headache of sending them back. I've listened to bookshelf models from Klipsch, Paradigm, Vienna Acoustics, Def Tech, KEF, Mirage, B&W and a few others I must be forgetting. Then I heard the Totem Sttafs and have shifted to thinking that a floorstanding model is just more to my liking. I'm going to try to listen to the B&W CM7 and other Totem models this weekend. I'm planning to listen to more but the choices are just overwhelming and I feel like I'll never be able to decide.

 

[gus6464]

Totem is a good choice for classical music. For rock I would look at PSB and Dali and maybe Paradigm if you go for the Studios. My $1000 floorstander of choice is the Totem Arro. As for the CM7 you might really find them to your liking but they like a lot of power to come alive. Also take a look at the Ikon 6 floorstander in that price range.

I am a huge fan of British speakers and my favorites are ones from Epos, Spendor, and Quad. B&W has become IMO a bit expensive for what you get nowadays because of the name recognition. There's just something about British designed speakers that make their midrange great.

 

[mziegler]

Unless your credit card can't handle it, you can try the Sierras risk-free for 30 days. If you don't like them, you would be out shipping, which would not be too bad.

I have not heard Ikon 2, only the Ikon 1. I compared it directly to the Totem Rainmaker and Ascend 340. I was least impressed with the Dali--I found it very thin. The Totem was a good speaker, but I still preferred the 340SE. In looks and sound, the Sierra is a class above the 340SE. I own Sierras.

gus6464: did you listen to the Ikon 1 also? How was the 2 different? I have also heard the bookshelf Helicon, and I didn't care for it either. Obviously many well informed people love Dali, so it is obviously a matter of taste.

The Sierra is a very different speaker, so if the choice were between the Dali and Sierra you would be foolish not to hear both.

I REALLY like Era speakers, especially the Design 5.

I agree that B&W is overpriced. I hear great things about Quad.

I understand the "headache" of sending speakers back, but if you are not ordering floorstanding speakers, it is not that difficult. I live in Los Angeles, so it is often easier to use shipping than to drive across town. Even more important, nothing beats listening in your own home. I tried out the Design 5 and NHT Classic Three in my home, and it really wasn't a hassle. Some dealers will allow you to try a speaker in your home as well.

 

[simmons225]

I ordered the sierras yesterday. I just need to get out and listen to something else. do you think the onkyo 805 is fine for the sierras.

 

[gus6464]

Unless your credit card can't handle it, you can try the Sierras risk-free for 30 days. If you don't like them, you would be out shipping, which would not be too bad.

I have not heard Ikon 2, only the Ikon 1. I compared it directly to the Totem Rainmaker and Ascend 340. I was least impressed with the Dali--I found it very thin. The Totem was a good speaker, but I still preferred the 340SE. In looks and sound, the Sierra is a class above the 340SE. I own Sierras.

gus6464: did you listen to the Ikon 1 also? How was the 2 different? I have also heard the bookshelf Helicon, and I didn't care for it either. Obviously many well informed people love Dali, so it is obviously a matter of taste.

The Sierra is a very different speaker, so if the choice were between the Dali and Sierra you would be foolish not to hear both.

I REALLY like Era speakers, especially the Design 5.

I agree that B&W is overpriced. I hear great things about Quad.

I understand the "headache" of sending speakers back, but if you are not ordering floorstanding speakers, it is not that difficult. I live in Los Angeles, so it is often easier to use shipping than to drive across town. Even more important, nothing beats listening in your own home. I tried out the Design 5 and NHT Classic Three in my home, and it really wasn't a hassle. Some dealers will allow you to try a speaker in your home as well.

I did some A/B'ing yesterday with my Ikon 2 and my old Epos with a friend and we both seem to have figured out why some people find the Dali to be thin sounding. At first listening my friend also said the same thing that he though the Dali to be thin.

But after some more switching back and forth he started to enjoy the Dali more. I think Gene was the one that summarized the Dali sound best on his bookshelf faceoff when he characterized the Dali as "live music". Most speakers tend to overemphasize either the lows, mids, or highs. That is why friend who tends to prefer forward speakers didn't care too much for their sound at first because they just didn't make anything stand out. And to me that is the point of a speaker, not to make anything stand out and just show you what's there. The more and more I listen to them the more and more my Epos feel boxy compared to the Ikon. I am a fan of live music so that is why I prefer the Dali sound. The Epos put the vocals in front of the music whereas the Dali's put everything in the same plane so nothing stands out unless it's really supposed to. We found this out after listening to Damien Rice where they would put his voice up front. In fact the Dali made him sound just like he did when the wife and I saw him perform last year.

As far as Ikon 1 and 2 the driver on the 2 is bigger but mostly where they differ is extension but not by much and output. The 2 have more output than the 1's which makes them better for bigger rooms.

I listened to the Totem Rainmaker and I found that they like to color the midrange. I wasn't that impressed with their sound as I found it to be very boxy. It's why I really like the Monitor Audio RS1 and my friend didn't care for them at all. He prefers a forward speaker so to him they just sounded dull.

 

[mziegler]

Your post illustrates perfectly why people need to go out and listen.

While I'm not disputing a single thing you write, your post also demonstrates why people should never really argue about this hobby. Just think, for example, about how different venue acoustics vary--a jazz club, for example, compared to Disney Hall. For that matter, good luck accounting for differences in studio recordings.

I do think that if the OP is really interested in Dali and Ascend, he really needs to hear both--they are very different speakers.

I wouldn't describe the Sierra as forward, at least in comparison to a really forward speaker like the B&W 805.

 

[trnqk7]

To the OP-I am from St. Louis as well and there is a Dali dealer in the area. Elegant Home Theatre (just type it into google) carries the Dali line. I am ordering Ikon 6's, Ikon 1's, and Vokal 1 from them right now. I have their only pair of the Ikon series at the house right now, a pair of Ikon 6's they lent me until mine come in, but they would be able to let you hear the Dali "sound" as they still have the Helicon's in the shop. I can get you their number if you want in a pm. They have been great to deal with. Greg is the person who you will be talking to if you contact them. I know you already ordered the Sierra's, but if you still want to hear the Dali's, you should give them a call.

 

[mziegler]

simmons225: trnqk7 is making a great offer which I would recommend you take, expecially after your Sierras arrive--a mini GTG would be a lot of fun.

Keep in mind that they will sound different in the two settings, and what you prefer in one will not necessarily be the same in both.

Also be sure to level match, otherwise the less efficient speaker will almost always sound worse.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

all the hype about the sierras got me addicted. so I have been looking up dealers in my area . I found b&w paradigm so far I liked the look of the dali ikons but there is no dealer near st louis.

There aren't any dealers for the Sierras. You have to buy them online and return them if not satisfied.

 

[simmons225]

simmons225: trnqk7 is making a great offer which I would recommend you take, expecially after your Sierras arrive--a mini GTG would be a lot of fun.

Keep in mind that they will sound different in the two settings, and what you prefer in one will not necessarily be the same in both.

Also be sure to level match, otherwise the less efficient speaker will almost always sound worse.

I will go listen to the dali's thanks to trnqk7. I will also listen to the digm's I'm so new to this so I hope I can find something I like. When I compaird the digm's I liked the studio 20 over the signature 20. [would it be rude to ask the shop to audition the sierras] ? I think it might be . I currently have the bic acoustech line. I hope I notice A big diffrence . I have A friend that is going to bring A older pair of paradigms over I dont know the model. thanks again. TJUB let me know what you you think about your new purchase.

 

[simmons225]

To the OP-I am from St. Louis as well and there is a Dali dealer in the area. Elegant Home Theatre (just type it into google) carries the Dali line. I am ordering Ikon 6's, Ikon 1's, and Vokal 1 from them right now. I have their only pair of the Ikon series at the house right now, a pair of Ikon 6's they lent me until mine come in, but they would be able to let you hear the Dali "sound" as they still have the Helicon's in the shop. I can get you their number if you want in a pm. They have been great to deal with. Greg is the person who you will be talking to if you contact them. I know you already ordered the Sierra's, but if you still want to hear the Dali's, you should give them a call.

thanks. I just talked to Greg seems very nice over the phone. The home theaters thay have on there website were awsome.

 

[trnqk7]

They are very awesome and he's a great guy. He let me bring in my own speakers to audition, so I don't think he'll mind if you bring in a pair or two-just let him know in advance. I do currently have his Ikon 6's and will for the next couple of weeks as far as I know-so not sure how that will work out for you-mine are on their way from Denmark as we speak Glad you got ahold of him though!

 

[mziegler]

Very cool developments. Have fun listening.

 

[simmons225]

Very cool developments. Have fun listening.

I can't wait till the 29th to here the ascend's I was so discouraged by tjhub's review I had to read others to feel better. but I will have my own opinion. and I can always return them.