Ascend Sierra 2 info

[cschang]

That's almost unheard of, that they sell upgrade kits? And only the drivers with no need to swap out the crossovers? After investing heaily recently in KEF and Focal I wish they would offer that sort of options when they launch their next generation of the current models.

There is a crossover change as well, but it is a fairly simple process.

 

[TheStalker]

RAAL sucks, as do all ribbon tweeters. They should have used one of those aluminum Seas tweeters with that fantastic Seas Curv midwoofer.

 

[cschang]

RAAL sucks, as do all ribbon tweeters. They should have used one of those aluminum Seas tweeters with that fantastic Seas Curv midwoofer.

I'm definitely not a fan of all ribbon tweeters, as I am also not a fan of all dome tweeters...aluminum or otherwise.

That said, the only RAAL I have extensive listening with is the 70-20XR and I think, in the application heard it in, it is excellent.

 

[ImcLoud]

I like soft dome tweets, but ribbons can be nice too...

 

[Ponzio]

I like soft dome tweets, but ribbons can be nice too...

I've listened to ribbons at various times; on a pair of Totem's & I forget the others (expensive too) ... dull ... completely un-impressed every time. And every salesman always said "well, they're not for everybody" after I gave them my impressions. I'm thinkin' ... "you ain't lying"

Silk dome & beryllium for me.

 

[slipperybidness]

RAAL sucks, as do all ribbon tweeters. They should have used one of those aluminum Seas tweeters with that fantastic Seas Curv midwoofer.

Ridicous? Is this Ridicous???

 

[cschang]

I've listened to ribbons at various times; on a pair of Totem's & I forget the others (expensive too) ... dull ... completely un-impressed every time. And every salesman always said "well, they're not for everybody" after I gave them my impressions. I'm thinkin' ... "you ain't lying"

Silk dome & beryllium for me.

There are not many ribbons that I like.

Which Totems? I'm not familiar with Totems that use ribbons.

 

[fuzz092888]

There are not many ribbons that I like.

Which Totems? I'm not familiar with Totems that use ribbons.

AFAIK Totem has never used a ribbon tweeter so I'm curious as to what model it was as well.

 

[Ponzio]

AFAIK Totem has never used a ribbon tweeter so I'm curious as to what model it was as well.

I stand corrected. I heard them here Surround Sounds, Inc. Home Audio Theater Television HDTV Exton PA next to the Totem models. I'll be dammed if I can remember the name. This was over 2 years ago and from looking at their site product lines I don't see anything that rings a bell. For some reason I think it began with a "M".

 

[ImcLoud]

I stand corrected. I heard them here Surround Sounds, Inc. Home Audio Theater Television HDTV Exton PA next to the Totem models. I'll be dammed if I can remember the name. This was over 2 years ago and from looking at their site product lines I don't see anything that rings a bell. For some reason I think it began with a "M".

You need to hear the csb1's, them tweets sound really good..

 

[Ponzio]

You need to hear the csb1's, them tweets sound really good..

May be so but aren't they ID only? Where would I go for a demo, unless I order them & return ship? I've already gotten enough grief just outfitting 3 rooms from Cruella DeVille.

I'm going to call Surround Sound on Monday (closed today) to find out the name of speaker company with the ribbon tweeters I listened to there. It's possible to they don't carry/sell them anymore. I didn't recognize/remember the name of the company on their products line web page. I also want to call the other 2 B&M shops to find out the same. I always make it a point not to talk out of the side of my a$$ without the facts and I'm afraid I've given off that impression.

 

[Ponzio]

Just to make sure I wasn't getting a head start on dementia, I called the 3 shops where I heard the ribbon tweeters.

The most memorable one was at Surround Sound, where I listened to the Monitor Audio PL300 and was completely underwhelmed, especially at the asking price ($11K). I also called Community Audio where I demoed the Dali Ikon 6 MK2 and the bookshelf model. Like I said previously, they just weren’t my cup of tea. Too laid back for my tastes; my preferences run more to the detailed highs with a full-bodied mid-range. I will admit though that I enjoyed the Sinclair Audio 460T that I heard at Quest For Sound. This is the shop that I first heard the KEF LS50’s and convinced me to purchase them. I ended up going back one more time to demo them side by side. It may have been an unfair comparison, bookshelf vs. tower, but they were the 2 best to my ears, at my budget. I felt the LS50's had more depth, surprisingly, than the Sinclair towers. Sometimes I wonder whether I should have bought them for my upstairs sound room. At that time there was an authorized internet dealer who had them for sale for $550 + shipping but I had a … here comes that dreaded word … a budget, so I put them out of my mind. What’s the old saying, “regrets, yeah I’ve had a few”, and those 460T’s would definitely fall under that category.

 

[cschang]

Just to make sure I wasn't getting a head start on dementia, I called the 3 shops where I heard the ribbon tweeters.

You really need to hear a RAAL. Extremely detailed and natural, but without emphasis. If you equate a detailed treble as being emphasized, then they may not be for you. But judging by your like of the LS50, I doubt that is the case.

Of the speakers you mentioned...I have only hear the Dali Ikon...I did not like them at all.

 

[Ponzio]

Extremely detailed and natural, but without emphasis. If you equate a detailed treble as being emphasized, then they may not be for you. But judging by your like of the LS50, I doubt that is the case.

My speaker shopping days are over, thank goodness. Too much temptation.

I'm very happy with what I ended up with for my 3 rooms; Focal 1027Be, LS50 & Epos Epic2 in that order of preference. I don't equate a detailed treble as being emphasized but crisp and natural sounding without the sibilance. A good example of what I'm talking about are the Paradigm Reference Studio 20 v.5's. A great speaker that I was seriously considering buying but I couldn't help thinking that the crossover had a lot more to do with the sound than it should. Very forward but not very natural, whatever the hell that means. it was only when I had the LS50's, The Sinclair 460T's & the Paradigm's in the same room were my suspicions confirmed.

But ... and that's a big BUT ... if I find myself out there again on the hunt for some new speakers I will consider speakers with RAAL tweeters. I prefer blondes and married one but I did date brunettes and redheads, so I am open minded.

 

[slipperybidness]

You really need to hear a RAAL. Extremely detailed and natural, but without emphasis. If you equate a detailed treble as being emphasized, then they may not be for you. But judging by your like of the LS50, I doubt that is the case.

Of the speakers you mentioned...I have only hear the Dali Ikon...I did not like them at all.

As most of us AH'ers say, the material of the drivers is really a moot point. It is how the drivers are implemented that is important.

That being said, I personally like ribbons in general. The Founteks in my Philharmonitors are nice. And I like the AMT (not quite a ribbon) in my GEs too.

 

[cschang]

Here's something you don't see everyday...

Aleksandar from RAAL made a post on Ascend's forum:

Sierra-2 Development Thread - Page 113