I have used them in two different rooms, both almost exactly the same dimensions/shape (square), about 13' x 13'. They have been on Premiere24" high stands in each iteration, and there has been at least one sub in the mix until now. The amps used were a PS Audio HCA-2, which I feel is a fairly neutral-sounding amp, a Myryad M-500, which to me is a very neutral amp, and a Proceed HPA-3. Preamps were a Cary SL-100 with the HCA-2, a Rotel RSP-1570 with the Myryad, and an Anthem D2V with the HPA-3. I also tried them with my Pioneer SA-9100, which is not a bright-sounding amp to me. The Sierras were owned for several years (5?) by the formerowner, so break-in was not a factor. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to have another trusted ear listen to them to get a second opinion.
Ever Been Too High?
I recently bought a used pair of Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 speakers after reading so many positive comments about them on the web. All of my amps are SS, but range in age from the 1970s to the 2000s, so I figured at least one of them would be a good match for the Sierras. After hooking them up in three different 2-channel systems, I began to think that these were not speakers I could ever tolerate - the top end was just too hot for my tastes. Finally, I tried them in my third-tier HT setup, and even there, the highs were too prominent. To my ears, the sound was somewhat 'etched' and listener fatigue set in fairly quickly.This morning, I reached the option of last resort and decided to hook them up to the Sansui 5000X in my bedroom system.Holy cow! New life was breathed into this 50-year old receiver and even FM sounds fantastic. The Sierras sound much more balanced, and the bass is to die for. The 5000X was designed and built before LSI chips were developed, meaning there are a ton of transistors, diodes, and other electrolytics occupying its innards. I think that's what accounts for a large part of that 'vintage sound' you get with older gear, and it can be a good thing sometimes. It's certainly working in this case.So, my question is, has anyone else tried the Sierra 1s and had this same issue with them, or am I odd man out? Or maybe there were other speakers you felt that way about, but refused to give up and finally found what seemed to be a godsend of a solution to your listening dilemma?