Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX Review

[ShadowBoxer]

They also affect the pressure in the cabinet, which affects how the drivers move. And stop moving.

That should have little to no effect on a tweeter surrounded by stuffing which has very tiny movement to begin with. If it did, designers would have the tweeter in it's own chamber.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

At least my brain says so.

Beware of expectation bias.

 

[Narek]

With the ports plugged, I had plenty of treble by the numbers. But it seemed I didn't by ear.

I'm no golden ear, but I do listen to jazz. Plugged, horns sound a bit less brassy, so maybe it cuts down overtones? I can hear more clear differences between sax and trumpet with the ports open. At least my brain says so.

I can also hear the studio better on Kind of Blue. "Air" as they say, if I am using that term correctly. If you can access the extended version, it has studio outtakes. It's very easy to hear the studio in those, and then you can listen for it on the main tracks.

In the end, after adapting and tweaking, all that matters is which you like more. Options are good!

Agreed. It's nice we can have two different kinds of sound from the same speaker. Owning the Sierra's has taught me that I prefer warmer sound. Im going to audition super lintons and sourcepoint 8.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

Beware of expectation bias.

Since I don't have double blind data, I have to account for it. I have my methods. Confirmation, or to be more technical failure to disconfirm, using measurements is the last step.

However, there is a methodological flaw beyond that issue. I never went back and tried ported with sub other than very briefly. In part that is because ported LXs and a sealed sub and my room is a BAD idea. Would the sound to my ear match more with the ported/no sub or sealed/sub measurements? Don't know, don't care to be honest. Not relevant to my life, not worth dragging the sub out again.

It will have to remain a mystery.

 

[AscendDF]

I unplugged my ports and all I can say is that the presentation is brighter now. Cymbals have more shimmer as you described. Not sure which I prefer now. I was listening to plugged for over a year now. Gonna take me a while to get used to the contrast in sound.

Just a quick note, plugging the ports on our LX will have no effect on high frequencies, it will only effect frequencies from about 150Hz and lower, with the majority being at 90Hz and lower.

 

[Narek]

Just a quick note, plugging the ports on our LX will have no effect on high frequencies, it will only effect frequencies from about 150Hz and lower, with the majority being at 90Hz and lower.

Good to know, perhaps its something to do with your ears not hearing the lower frequencies the same as when ports are plugged, which makes you believe the sound is brighter. A couple of days later and the speakers don't seem as bright.

 

[AscendDF]

Good to know, perhaps its something to do with your ears not hearing the lower frequencies the same as when ports are plugged, which makes you believe the sound is brighter. A couple of days later and the speakers don't seem as bright.

Exactly correct, as you reduce various frequency ranges, the frequencies that haven't been altered sound more prominent. For example, reduce high frequencies and the speakers sound warmer, yet you have not altered the low frequency response.

 

[PristineSound]

@AscendDF any idea when your investigation into Erin's review will be ready for public consumption?

I know you teased about it several months ago.

 

[Narek]

Exactly correct, as you reduce various frequency ranges, the frequencies that haven't been altered sound more prominent. For example, reduce high frequencies and the speakers sound warmer, yet you have not altered the low frequency response.

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[AscendDF]

@AscendDF any idea when your investigation into Erin's review will be ready for public consumption?

I know you teased about it several months ago.

I apologize for that. I promise it is coming. Several major distractions that required urgent resolution and a very high priority project have taken literally all of my available time when I am not performing my day to day at the office.

Additionally, and most importantly - I promised my family I would reduce my typical 70-80 hour work weeks to spend a bit more time with them as being an empty nester is, sadly, just around the corner. Because of this, I have had to shift priorities around to what matters most.

As you can see below, I am making slow and steady progress through a massive backlog of To-do's.

https://forum.ascendacoustics.com/home/forum/ascend-acoustics-discussions/loudspeakers-subwoofers-accessories-electronics/124657-a-legend-reborn#post124657

 

[tw 2022]

I apologize for that. I promise it is coming. Several major distractions that required urgent resolution and a very high priority project have taken literally all of my available time when I am not performing my day to day at the office.

Additionally, and most importantly - I promised my family I would reduce my typical 70-80 hour work weeks to spend a bit more time with them as being an empty nester is, sadly, just around the corner. Because of this, I have had to shift priorities around to what matters most.

As you can see below, I am making slow and steady progress through a massive backlog of To-do's.

https://forum.ascendacoustics.com/home/forum/ascend-acoustics-discussions/loudspeakers-subwoofers-accessories-electronics/124657-a-legend-reborn#post124657

congrats on the cbm170 upgrade.... it's going to be very interesting....

 

[PristineSound]

congrats on the cbm170 upgrade.... it's going to be very interesting....

100,000,000%

I will be building a home theater system and I need more affordable options to buy 11 speakers!

 

[tw 2022]

100,000,000%

I will be building a home theater system and I need more affordable options to buy 11 speakers!

yep , I assume these speakers are going to be all about the sound and not so much "furniture grade" ...it's a nice option to have , and frankly (because I have 3 cats , and i'm on my way to apartment living) I'm not so much wanting to impress anything but my ears...

 

[MarkS]

As you can see below, I am making slow and steady progress through a massive backlog of To-do's.

https://forum.ascendacoustics.com/home/forum/ascend-acoustics-discussions/loudspeakers-subwoofers-accessories-electronics/124657-a-legend-reborn#post124657

I have a technical question (for anyone who can answer it). One of the stated goals for this upgrade of a center-channel speaker is "punchier midbass". My question is: what measurement correlates with the subjective impression of "punchier midbass"?

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

Just a quick note, plugging the ports on our LX will have no effect on high frequencies, it will only effect frequencies from about 150Hz and lower, with the majority being at 90Hz and lower.

While I can see how people interpreted what I wrote about being about frequencies, that was not my intent. I heard no frequency changes in the highs, and measured none.

What I was talking about was the damping. Notes end quicker, die a bit faster.

 

[Mark609]

While I can see how people interpreted what I wrote about being about frequencies, that was not my intent. I heard no frequency changes in the highs, and measured none.

What I was talking about was the damping. Notes end quicker, die a bit faster.

Plugging ports for better damping - did the same thing to Dave's ELX-RAAL towers using 3" closed cell EPM foam pool noodles whittled down a bit to get them in really tight. Crossed over at 70 Hz to 3 15" sealed subs. The 2 LX drivers in the ELX still measured strong in the bass region reflected by ARC's Quick Measurement tool AND after an ARC Genesis run per the Review chart.

Dave designed the mid-bass Seas with a larger motor, higher excursion for ported alignments, deeper low end.

I like the result.

 

[Rischa]

I wanted to share my purely subjective experience in case anyone finds it helpful.

Subjectively, I found the LXs to be a mixed bag when I first added them to my system a couple years ago. The main issue was some perceived midrange distortion, especially audible in vocals. The deep bass was really satisfying so I wanted to get on with them, but I ended up putting them away after a few months. I was using a Denon PMA 1700NE integrated amplifier at the time.

However… I recently added a Buckeye 1ET6525SA to my system and tried it with the LXs. With the Buckeye, I no longer hear the IM distortion in the vocals. Overall the Buckeye and Sierra LX combo sounds excellent to me. I’m glad I decided to give the LXs one more chance.

Again I want to stress this is my purely subjective experience. No double blind tests or even anything less formal — just casual listening and enjoying.

 

[Chrispy]

I wanted to share my purely subjective experience in case anyone finds it helpful.

Subjectively, I found the LXs to be a mixed bag when I first added them to my system a couple years ago. The main issue was some perceived midrange distortion, especially audible in vocals. The deep bass was really satisfying so I wanted to get on with them, but I ended up putting them away after a few months. I was using a Denon PMA 1700NE integrated amplifier at the time.

However… I recently added a Buckeye 1ET6525SA to my system and tried it with the LXs. With the Buckeye, I no longer hear the IM distortion in the vocals. Overall the Buckeye and Sierra LX combo sounds excellent to me. I’m glad I decided to give the LXs one more chance.

Again I want to stress this is my purely subjective experience. No double blind tests or even anything less formal — just casual listening and enjoying.

Pretty specific analysis of what it's "fixing" without measurement. All with same speaker positions/room to start? Level matched? Blind?

 

[PristineSound]

The main issue was some perceived midrange distortion, especially audible in vocals.

This whole distortion thing is really peculiar. @AscendDF have you gotten a chance to write up your investigation on this distortion claim yet?

 

[AscendDF]

I wanted to share my purely subjective experience in case anyone finds it helpful.

Subjectively, I found the LXs to be a mixed bag when I first added them to my system a couple years ago. The main issue was some perceived midrange distortion, especially audible in vocals. The deep bass was really satisfying so I wanted to get on with them, but I ended up putting them away after a few months. I was using a Denon PMA 1700NE integrated amplifier at the time.

However… I recently added a Buckeye 1ET6525SA to my system and tried it with the LXs. With the Buckeye, I no longer hear the IM distortion in the vocals. Overall the Buckeye and Sierra LX combo sounds excellent to me. I’m glad I decided to give the LXs one more chance.

Again I want to stress this is my purely subjective experience. No double blind tests or even anything less formal — just casual listening and enjoying.

Glad to know you are now enjoying the LX. IM distortion (in a speaker) is not going to change with changing an amplifier. Your Denon PMA 1700NE is a bit low powered for the LX, so what you were hearing wasn't IM distortion, it was clipping. Now that you have given the LX the power they want and deserve, you are no longer pushing your amplifier into clipping, thus no more distortion. Generally, the first place you hear amplifier clipping is in the vocal range.

We have sold a lot of LX since "that" review, we have had ZERO complaints of any IM or Multitone distortion. Not even one, with a customer satisfaction rate exceeding 98%.