Ascend Acoustics Sierra RAAL tower FS

G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
What would be the difference between the Ascends and the Salk SS8

Also Pogre you've convinced me to go 7.2.4 so now my dilemma is stay with the monolith gear in 11 channel or go with Yamaha CX-a5200/MX-a5200

I didn't think I'd be bothering you all with this many questions but I've been saving for a while and still have a while to go but I want to get it right the first time. Im 63 and don't plan on buying anything else

Glenn
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
What would be the difference between the Ascends and the Salk SS8
In terms of sound? You'd probably be splitting hairs either way.

All the drivers are different. The Salk has two 8" drivers and passive radiators compared to two 5 1/4" drivers with ports. I've heard the accuton mid in the Salks is an excellent and very revealing driver. They both use RAAL ribbon tweeters, but different model numbers. I think you'd be very pleased either way. If you're equally concerned with aesthetics as you are sound, I think you have more options for finishes on the Salks.
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
I'm most concerned about the sound but my gosh that curly maple with the silver gray stain looks real nice

I can picture what the SS8, 7C, and 4 BMRs all finished like that would look like.

Regarding The pre/pro to work with this set up. Yamaha or Monolith? Or something different?

Glenn
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
I'm most concerned about the sound but my gosh that curly maple with the silver gray stain looks real nice
That's what I ordered my set in, with black burst edges. Pre/pro is mostly personal preference as well as which features you want. They should all work great with them.
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
NINaudio,

Are you getting the SS8s ? My understanding is all of Salks Speakers sound great.

I'm just hoping the SS8s, 7c and 4 BMRs will sound as good as I think they will.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I think you'll be hard pressed to pick a "winner" between Salk and Ascend for sound. Salk definitely has the edge for gorgeous finishes. Sound quality is probably a coin toss, tho the SS8 looks like bit more speaker than the Sierra Ribbon tower.

Yeah... damn. It's been a while since I've looked at the SS8. I'm drooling all over it right now! I've already drooled over the BMRs plenty and am familiar with those. You're making a very good "last speaker ever" choices in my opinion. Clearly you've done some research. As far as your expectations go, that's pretty subjective but I've yet to hear a single complaint about a speaker from Salk Sound.
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
Thanks for your input Pogue,
Any thoughts on the Yamaha vs monolith pre/pro and amps? To get the 11 channels.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I'm happy with my Monolith 7. Yamaha is also pretty awesome. Really down to cost and aesthetics between those 2, imo.
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
NINaudio,

Are you getting the SS8s ? My understanding is all of Salks Speakers sound great.

I'm just hoping the SS8s, 7c and 4 BMRs will sound as good as I think they will.
No, I'm going with the original Song 3's and a Song 3 center. The SS8's are gorgeous, but out of my budget!
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
Those actually are his biggest seller I believe as far as towers go, and I'm sure they sound awesome.

And the finish on the cabinets will be icing on the cake I'm sure.

Enjoy,
Glenn
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
Those actually are his biggest seller I believe as far as towers go, and I'm sure they sound awesome.

And the finish on the cabinets will be icing on the cake I'm sure.
I listened to a pair owned by a fellow forum member here and was sold on the RAAL's.
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
OH, FYI I just found out Dennis has shut down his speaker making business, although he continues to work through Jim Salk, so hopefully he continue selling the BMR's.

Has anyone else heard this?

Glenn
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
let me apologize for posting on this thread
I just realizedI'm in the classified section and butted in on someone else thread.
I thought I was in the regular loudspeaker section.

I may try and move over therein I have anymore questions,

Sorry
Glenn

emathews, I do wish you luck selling the sierra speakers
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
OH, FYI I just found out Dennis has shut down his speaker making business, although he continues to work through Jim Salk, so hopefully he continue selling the BMR's.

Has anyone else heard this?

Glenn
Dennis retired a bit ago. Sad, but I am happy he is well! His speaker designs are fantastic, and his work continues through Salk!
The BMRs are continuing to be available through Salk, as well as DIY Kits through Meniscus Audio (with Cabinets through Speaker Hardware).
As a devout Philharmonic Audio-Dennis Murphy Fan Boy, I will say that the speakers you are considering are Wonderful. My Phil 3s were built as an "every-man's option" to the SS8 from Salk. They were selling at half the cost and were basically as good! :) That said, I am certain that the Salk offering has a slight level of refinement to it that will make it a wee bit better. ;) (Especially since the Phil 3s are not being produced anymore. :( )

Now, on to a more realistic item... I love my BMRs. No doubt. I use them for Surround duty and at Center. I am a Music First kinda guy and am working on building my 5.1 music collection. That said, using BMRs for Rear Surrounds is a bit of overkill. My Mini Phils do Very Well filling in that rear section. This includes listening to DTS 5.1 which uses a Rear Center instead of Surround Rears... If you set up 7.1, it will send the Rear Center to the Rear Surrounds.
This is a very rare situation, I think!

My advice is to talk to Jim and get his recommendation for your room and listening habits. Set up the best 5.x bed layer for your room.
(I leave the LFE number to decide later... two should suffice, but three would be better. ;) )
Add to that with the next grade down of rear surrounds (but with matching tweeters if possible, and only if you REALLY engage in critical listening with discrete multichannel source material!). A good 2-way speaker with Raal 64-10 tweeters would suffice for this, or listen to Jim's advice.
If you decide you need to pursue Atmos, this is even lighter duty in some ways... I would recommend you find good quality (not exceptional quality) ceiling speakers that will fit your room. They do not need to be timbre matched to the rest of the system. A simple truth.

Dennis' speaker designs are high quality, always. He tends to focus on wide dispersion speakers which create a very realistic soundstage which is VERY EFFECTIVE with Orchestral and Acoustic Jazz, for example. His Voicing is Neutral and Accurate. This translates fine, IMO, to Home Theater. But again, I am a Music First kind of guy and I appreciate that Sound Quality.

...

Stay tuned: more to come. :D
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
Wow thanks Ryanosaur for the information. I will definitely talk to Jim as the time gets closer for me to order.
I have read about many here using the BMR for 2 channel listening and wondered if it would be overkill to use as side surround and back surrounds. Initially I was planning on using them for wide surrounds as well but was given good advice by Pogre that that was not something he felt would be necessary at all so ill save a bit of money there.

I looked at other monitors in salks line up but in the SS range they were 1,000 dollars more per pair.

Even in the veracity line up they were slightly more than the BMRs

I did see the little WOW monitors, do you think that's all I need for surrounds?

Thanks in advance for your comments

Glenn
 
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NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
Dennis Murphy recommended the NHT superzeros for surround use with his speakers for quite a while. I got mine before I even knew this and I plan to use them for a while with my Salks once they arrive. I would like to try my hand at building a pair of BMR's from Meniscus at a later point to use as my surrounds.
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
Paging @baronvonellis for you. He's got a full 5 speaker Salk surround system. He might be able to answer your questions. I know he has the supercharged song center, and I know he's got a model with a different tweeter for surround duty, but not sure which one exactly.
 
G

gr8eyes

Junior Audioholic
I actually contacted Dennis a week or 2 ago and he encouraged me to contact Jim about my desired set up and get his advice which is what I will do when I get closer to time to order.
I’m enjoying the advice I’m getting from everyone here though, as I respect people’s ideas that have been there done that.
So I’m wondering what surrounds others here would pick if they had the SS8s up front with 2 15 inch subs
glenn
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Considering the direction of your questioning, it seems like a new thread would be in order. None of this really has anything to do with selling Sierra Towers! :)

I hoping I have time for the other part of my promised reply tonight. Perhaps you'll have that new thread started! :D
 

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