Amp pairing for Sierra 2 bookshelves and Vtf-1 Mk2

[rojo]

Also are you sure that the R-S500 is the same as the A-S500 because they is quite a tidy price differential there I can't imagine adding in a receiver unit would drop the price like that. Am i wrong in assuming they might have cheaped out on the innards of the R-S500 as opposed to the other?

You're probably not entirely wrong. I have no firsthand experience with either, so I can't say for certain. But I have read that the integrated amp has a beefier power supply than the receiver. Be that as it may, I'm highly skeptical that changing your amplification would have any but a placebo effect on the sound stage and imaging of your speakers though. There'd certainly be a more profound result from moving the speakers out to a wider angle, and playing with toe-in-out. I still say if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, buy a measurement mic and play around with Room EQ Wizard and EqualizerAPO.

You might also consider the possibility that the lifelessness is in the program material. If you're listening to net radio streams, find higher bitrate streams. If you're looking for plausible imaging from hip hop, switch to jazz. etc. Good speakers such as yours often reveal flaws in bad recordings.

 

[agarwalro]

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?5672-Minimum-Listening-Distance

In this thread Dave mentioned that the Sierra 2 drivers properly sum "in inches" of the speaker. They're okay to use near field.

Don't worry the amp power. You're barely using 1 or 2W. At 10W you'd have hearing damage after a few continuous hours of music. The amp is not the bottleneck. Play with placement, toe-in, lean, etc.

IMO, the suggestion to start measuring is spot on. People with decades of experience or auditory training may not, everyone else measurers. Kinda like tuning an instrument. Years ago, when I bought my first guitar, the guy tuned it by ear and it was better than what I got with a tuner . Today, I can tell when a strings off, but still need a tuner to figure out by how much.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Also i would say that the sound is lacking in clarity and the soundstage imaging leaves a bit to be desired. I doubt that it's the speakers themselves as they employ the highly regard RAAL ribon tweeter and SEAS woofer and my Dac is comparable to a Rega Dac with its upgrade so that leads me to believe it must be the amplifier that's causing the trouble.

I think your are over rating the speakers and under rating the amp.
It is the speaker that makes the biggest difference, not the amp.
Perhaps you should try to borrow another amp to honestly compare the Yammy to, not just based on an imagined factor.
I doubt you will get good soundstage in nearfield listening, no room reflection to speak of.

 

[Swerd]

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?5672-Minimum-Listening-Distance

In this thread Dave mentioned that the Sierra 2 drivers properly sum "in inches" of the speaker. They're okay to use near field.

Good to know. Thanks for that info. My guess was wrong.

 

[jinjuku]

Everything about placement (toe in, distance apart, etc...) is spot on. Also room treatments.

I can take any amp regardless of price and ruin the sound stage with incorrect placement of the speakers.