Philharmonitor vs sierra 1 bookshelfs? need graph geek for a second...

[ImcLoud]

Has any one heard both? Does anyone know how to read the graphs and tell which should excel in a music only system? thanks guys
also which other bookshelfs would you put in the league with these 2 for under $1000ish

 

[j_garcia]

Going to guess based on people who's opinions I tend to agree with, the Phils are going to excel. Have not had a chance to hear them myself, but I also tend to agree with Dennis's design philosophy too.

 

[slipperybidness]

Going to guess based on people who's opinions I tend to agree with, the Phils are going to excel. Have not had a chance to hear them myself, but I also tend to agree with Dennis's design philosophy too.

The Philharmonitors are really good.

Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to hear any of the Ascends, but I certainly want to. When I bought the Phils, I finally narrowed it down to the Sierra vs. Phil. I ended up going with the Phil, one of the reasons I made that decision is that they are front-ported, which can give a little more lee-way with placement options.

Others to consider would be Salk, SVS Ultra, active studio monitors.

 

[fuzz092888]

The Philharmonitor is great, I'm sure the Ascends are as well. There's also another Dennis Murphy design, built by Salk

CAOW1 - home

 

[j_garcia]

I already asked Salk about locating an audition for me of the WOW1: WOW1 - home

But these things are really impressing me at the moment:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/pros-joes-systems-gallery/28576-first-pic-new-room-8.html#post987957

 

[slipperybidness]

Has any one heard both? Does anyone know how to read the graphs and tell which should excel in a music only system? thanks guys
also which other bookshelfs would you put in the league with these 2 for under $1000ish

FWIW
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/loudspeakers/85201-$1000-less-stereo-pair-what-would-you-buy-why.html

 

[Swerd]

Has any one heard both? Does anyone know how to read the graphs and tell which should excel in a music only system? thanks guys
also which other bookshelfs would you put in the league with these 2 for under $1000ish

I've heard both and both are very good. I heard the Sierra-1 several years ago, and the Philharmonitor recently.

I'd give the nod to the Philharmonitor because it's 6½" woofer (and cabinet) is larger than the Sierra's 5½" woofer, and is likely to produce better bass. Another reason is because I have a lot experience with several of Dennis's speaker designs and I know I like his results.

Another speaker in that price range and performance league is the Salk SongSurround I. Dennis also designed it. All Salk speakers have an unsurpassed cabinet finish quality. Five different veneers are available at the standard price. The SongSurround I and the CAOW1 speakers are essentially identical. The SSI has a 4th order crossover and the CAOW1 has a 2nd order crossover. I've heard both, and I cannot tell the difference.

The only possible down side to the Philharmonitor is that it comes in one finish, as shown on the website.

EDIT: The lack of other finishes is a major reason how the price was kept low, allowing it to compete with those other two speakers.

 

[j_garcia]

I don't mind the color, but Walnut would probably not be my first choice on those and is one of the things that held me back a bit on just buying a pair of Phils.

 

[slipperybidness]

I don't mind the color, but Walnut would probably not be my first choice on those and is one of the things that held me back a bit on just buying a pair of Phils.

The finish is pretty good though, just that there isn't any option for something different

 

[lsiberian]

I don't mind the color, but Walnut would probably not be my first choice on those and is one of the things that held me back a bit on just buying a pair of Phils.

You like them pretty speakers now.

 

[j_garcia]

The finish is pretty good though, just that there isn't any option for something different

Yes, that's kind of where I was going with that. I don't mind it, but would have liked other options. Pretty sure Salk is building them, so I don't see why other finishes wouldn't be an option.

 

[ImcLoud]

I wonder if you can get them in piano black, Or maybe no finish and we can have the paint shop glass balck, wetsand and buff them to piano...

Well, off to the concert, staying in a hotel tonight because Im not going to want to drive home when its over...

 

[Swerd]

Yes, that's kind of where I was going with that. I don't mind it, but would have liked other options. Pretty sure Salk is building them, so I don't see why other finishes wouldn't be an option.

I wonder if you can get them in piano black, Or maybe no finish and we can have the paint shop glass balck, wetsand and buff them to piano...

The Philharmonitor is Dennis's design and is built as a joint venture with someone in Taiwan, Alexis Sound. Alexis Sound sells them in Asia, and Philharmonic Audio sells them in the USA.

The cabinets are made in Taiwan and are, so far, only available in that one finish. This is instrumental in holding the cost down. Salk does not build these cabinets.

 

[fuzz092888]

The Philharmonitors come straight from overseas IIRC, which means no custom stuff. There are only two ways to get them a different finish. One would be to buy them, and have your professional woodworker strip the veneer and reveneer it (or simply sand/prime/paint) or ask Dennis if he would make a pair of crossovers for you and buy the drivers and a pair of pre-finished PE cabs (this is how the originals were done) to put together yourself. I don't know if he would do the latter, but it couldn't hurt to ask if you are serious about getting them and wanting them in a different finish.

EDIT:For the latter the front baffles would need to be routed from blanks also purchased from PE.

 

[Swerd]

I'm going to make a guess that without the Asian partner, Philharmonitors might easily cost double what they sell for now. Maybe more.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

You guys beat me to it...Alexis Sound



Is the center available though? It would make for more sales (for traditional HT placements) IMO. I thought about the Philharmonitors for my next set of speakers but I would want that center.

 

[fuzz092888]

You guys beat me to it...Alexis Sound



I the center available though? It would make for more sales (for traditional HT placements) IMO. I thought about the Philharmonitors for my next set of speakers but I would want that center.

Someone else asked this as well. I'm not sure whatever happened, but I'll tell you what I told them and that it couldnt hurt to ask. Dennis hasnt mentioned selling their center but they have an email address for US sales on their website where you could ask them.

 

[j_garcia]

Didn't know that, thought Salk was building them. Looks nicer on the Alexis site too, almost black like it says on the Philharmonics site. Satisfied with what I am listening to right now, but still interested in hearing the Phils.

 

[fuzz092888]

Didn't know that, thought Salk was building them. Looks nicer on the Alexis site too, almost black like it says on the Philharmonics site. Satisfied with what I am listening to right now, but still interested in hearing the Phils.

I think the picture is a little deceiving and that the color is only really evident because of the flash. In room, they should look much darker like on the Alexis website.

The Phil gallery also some good shots of what they'll look like in a brightly lit room

Philharmonic Audio