Choosing Ascend Acoustic Center Speaker and Tweeter

[TITLEplayer]

Hi guys, so my current set up is a pair of Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX bookshelf speakers (which I believe use Titan Dome tweeters) that are hooked to a Topping PA7 that's hooked to a Denon x4800h in a small bedroom. Also got a pair of Kef Q8 for up-firing into the ceiling.

So, I am planning to buy a center speaker from Ascend Acoustics and am debating on what tweeter I should be going with: RAAL or Titan Dome?

I have my eye on the Horizon ELX. The reason I'm not going for Sierra Horizon V2 because I don't want to decide to upgrade years later after the purchase. And I am asking this question is because of my bookshelf speakers. Should I be going for the Titan Dome tweeter for the center speaker because of my bookshelf speakers? I keep reading that RAAL ribbon is superior. Or is it okay to mix? And when I have friends and family over, this small bedroom can have up to 9 people in it listening and watching.

Thank you, and let me know what you guys recommend.

 

[Keith Flanker]

Match the mains - go Titan Dome for the center. Your Sierra LX uses a Titan dome, so a dome center keeps the front timbre consistent; a RAAL ribbon measures prettier on paper but can sound mismatched with the LX and has narrower horizontal dispersion for off-axis seats. Wide coverage matters more in a center.

 

[napfkuchen]

Your Sierra LX uses a Titan dome, so a dome center keeps the front timbre consistent ...

That is just a myth. The diaphragm material doesn't tell you anything about the sound. My stereo L/R speakers are also completely different from the center speaker. EQ/Calibration does the job.

a RAAL ribbon measures prettier on paper but can sound mismatched with the LX and has narrower horizontal dispersion for off-axis seats. Wide coverage matters more in a center.

Narrow? Dispersion is very wide actually.

The question is whether broad dispersion is actually desired or needed.

 

[PristineSound]

That is just a myth. The diaphragm material doesn't tell you anything about the sound. My stereo L/R speakers are also completely different from the center speaker. EQ/Calibration does the job.

I don't know the science. But timbre consists of 3 parts, attack, sustain and decay. Those 3 time-domain components define timbre. The RAAL is lighter, in theory the attack and decay is more responsive.

Would that be audible in timbre? Some would say no. I am not saying yes, but I would like to see measurements and controlled listening tests.

 

[napfkuchen]

This topic was already discussed here. Seems to boil down to s.th. like this: Two speakers with similar directivity (and F3) will also have similar timbre.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

Should I be going for the Titan Dome tweeter for the center speaker because of my bookshelf speakers? I keep reading that RAAL ribbon is superior. Or is it okay to mix?

Matching will work, mixing can work but requires a lot of thought to make the right choice. To put the choices simply.

I can't see when I would want wider dispersion for the center than the mains. I am currently running a center with narrower dispersion.

 

[Mark609]

That is just a myth. The diaphragm material doesn't tell you anything about the sound. My stereo L/R speakers are also completely different from the center speaker. EQ/Calibration does the job.


Narrow? Dispersion is very wide actually.
View attachment 557089
The question is whether broad dispersion is actually desired or needed.

Good points. This "match the timbre" stuff is a bunch of crap derived from vendors who are in it for sales and internet geek parrots. It doesn't hurt to mix a Titan dome with a RAAL.....or a paper cone with kevlar cones in some other HT speaker line. Dave has graphs posted on his site regarding dispersion of each tweeter. Dave also pushes RAAL saying it is the greatest tweeter made.

Having said that I went with the ELX-RAAL towers and Horizon V2 center with RAAL. It's excellent with great dialogue/voice clarity and excellent horizontal dispersion.

My surrounds and heights are a mix of brands and DIY and the blend with the fronts works really well for the most demanding ATMOS 4 K movies.

 

[Spkrdctr]

You can mix decent speakers. Having matching speakers all around is a marketing trick to sell more speakers. People can't hear half of what they think they can. So much opn ASR is going into crazy audiophool territory. Just use whatever you want, none of your choices are junk so they will sound good. Don't get me started on REW and other stuff around here.....oh and the advice that you need 4 subs to really have good sound. All pure audiphool stuff.

 

[Mort]

Don't get me started on REW and other stuff around here.....oh and the advice that you need 4 subs to really have good sound. All pure audiphool stuff.

Sorry bud, using REW does not make one an audiophool. I do agree on the subs.

 

[Spkrdctr]

I'm not saying REW is audiophool. I am saying you don't have to have it for good, decent enjoyable sound. Of course, anyone who wants to use it is fine. I probably didn't write my statement well enough. Sorry for the confusion!