Upgrade video of Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers, V1 to ELX (easy and effective)

 That was interesting. How much did the upgrade cost in the end?

So, the RAAL ribbon stays the same, correct?

I've been looking at the towers for years. Thanks for sharing.

RAAL tweeter is untouched. $2100 was cost.

Thanks @hilde45 . That's a substantial amount, but I don't know the original retail of the speaker, so it might be well worth the cost.

@roxy54 The original cost was about 3k so this brings it to 5.1k or so. It's really outperforming many other speakers I've heard, and is playing very friendly with tube amps.

In an age where many makers come out with new versions of their speakers every year or two, David Fabrikant worked 11 years on the upgrade. There's a nice post about them at the following link, and I hope to write a review, too. https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/ascend-acoustics-elx-towers.1166600/

You can pick up a pair of used towers for $1800-$2000.

So, $2100 for the upgrade and you've got a pair for $3900!

Hats off to Ascend for offering such a nice upgrade option rather than coming out with another speaker version - only. A helpful and creative solution for their customers.

Love me some RAAL.  

Enjoy.

@hilde45 ,

How are the upgraded Ascends treating you, still enjoying them?

@thecarpathian The upgraded Ascends are quite excellent. I really love them and think they are a speaker delivering better value than many others I've auditioned.

I'm still curious about speakers, but not I'm curious about different kinds of speakers -- wide baffle, planar magnetic, high efficiency (much higher than mine).

I don't want to trade in the Ascends -- they're pretty astonishing-- I just want a second pair!

Glad to hear it.

I believe they very well may be my next pair.

Are you still driving them with the Pass and the Quicksilver pre?

Two different setups:

6SN7 pre and Pass 

or 

6SN7 and QS Mono 60

@hilde45 

Have you ever heard the ELX towers? I have never even heard the speakers that you have, but I went to their website and I see that the ELX is their top model, so I was curious.

@roxy54 I upgraded to the ELX level.

In other words, these are effectively what I now own:

https://ascendacoustics.com/products/elx-tower-pair?variant=40602626850870

It's rare to see a speaker maker post so many detailed graphs and measurements. Dave Fabrikant is a talented and confident designer and the speakers show why.

@hilde45 

That's great. They must be amazing. I would love to hear them! They're not very large either which is nice.

@hilde45 

How would you compare them to the Fritz speakers that you had?

@roxy54 I had two different pairs of Fritz speakers. In general, the RAAL tweeter on the Ascend is clearer and crisper than the Carbon 7s with more air; compared to the Carreras, the Ascends have as much crispness and clarity but without some of the forward, harsh highs that the beryllium tweeter delivered (in my space). The sound stage is a bit bigger, vertically. There is a warmth and human intimacy to the Fritz Carbons which I've not heard anywhere else, but the Ascends do intimate very well. The bass is more powerful on the Ascends than on either Fritz speaker, but the Fritz speakers do bass remarkably well. 

@hilde45 

Thanks for that info! 

Have been looking for help in the area (MI) to upgrade my Sierra towers to ELX, just don't trust myself to not make a costly mistake.

@spydrwebb44 I included a video and the instructions from Ascend are clear. Your overestimating the risk, unless you are a profound butterfingers.