Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 Speakers by jonbee

Model:	Sierra 1
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$848
Description:	2 way standmount
Manufacturer URL:	Ascend Acoustics
Model Picture:	View

Review by jonbee on December 20, 2011 at 10:18:48
IP Address: 67.139.104.162 Add Your Review
for the Sierra 1

The Ascend Sierra 1 is a compact speaker that has garnered a ton of good press. It uses good quality drivers, an innovative vertically laminated bamboo cabinet, and in the case of the gloss espresso finish on my pair, finish and looks that embarass a lot of $2k speakers. They currently sell for $848 plus shipping in all finishes. Used pairs go for about $600 currently.
I've had many dozens of pairs of quality standmounts over the years, and in my 43 years in the hobby have heard many stories of giant killer affordable speakers, and have owned many of them. Mostly what I have learned is that ultimately price does matter- the best high priced speakers are significantly better than the best budget models. Over the years some have broken from the pack- Spica TC-50s and 60s come to mind from the 80s, Epos ES-14 from the 90s, for instance. These are good sounding small designs that made great music, but even these classics weren't truly competitive with the best of their day in audiophile terms. Many other so called giant killers are simply overhyped, IMO.
Which brings us to the Sierras. To get to the point, to me, these are the Spica TC-50s of today. They are better than the Spicas in every way - they simply sound right in so many ways than their price would suggest, with no nasty surprises. Given that the plain jane Spicas were over $400 25 years ago makes the twice as expensive Sierras a far better value. IMO they have no competition that I've heard at their $850 (new) price, or close.
Most importantly, the first thing that struck me is the simply wonderful middle range- from the upper bass to the mid treble they have perfect balance and integration - better than most expensive speakers, in fact. Voice, piano, brass instruments- all the instruments at the heart of the music are harmonically accurate, and displayed in a believable soundstage of quite good precision and spacing. Importantly, there are no intrusive colorations to distract from the signatures of any instruments in that range. I can't stress enough how rare this is at any price. Integration in this range is wonderful. They are dynamically quite punchy, in a natural unforced way, and will play louder than one might expect from such a small speaker. Headbangers might not have enough output, though.
Outside the 100-4khz range is where the compromises show up, but those compromises are almost completely subtractive. The top end is nicely detailed and generally smooth and natural, but a bit lacking in top end air and extension. They are polite on top, but not un-musical. Ascend has an NRT tweeter/xover upgrade to address this issue for an additional $300/pr or $380/pr as an upgrade. If I was to buy them new I'd probably spend the $300 and get a top end to match the wonder of the mids, but this adds more than a third to the price. Still a great value, but not as amazing a value as the basic model.
The bottom is more interesting. They have considerable energy to the 40 hz. range, and they are very punchy sounding. Midbass definition is quite good, without most of the usual obfuscation in the range. In my 12x17 bedroom I am not wanting for bass depth or power, driven by a 30 wpc tripath amp. I do hear a modest one note quality to the bass, but it is not intrusive to the fabric of the instruments in the lower midrange.
Comparisons are very hard to come by at this price level. The only competitively price speaker I would mention in the same breath are the Swans D2.1SE, a larger speaker with quality drivers and great cabinets. However, the Swans are fatter in the bass, less detailed in the highs, and most importanly not nearly as open in the mids.
Perhaps the most similar sound overall of what I've owned is the $2200 Meadowlark Kestrel 2 floorstanders, which have a similarly smooth, integrated soundstage and laid back highs. However, I think the Sierra is more open and defined in the mids, and the bass better integrated.
I'll mention some other well known competitors I've owned- Monitor Audio GR-10s, Joseph Audio RM7si MkII, Thiel PCS. These retailed for $1500-3000/pr. These speakers each have great strengths, notably they all have a bit higher level of detail than the Sierras, but in each case I prefer the Sierras- that middle range soundstage magic simply sounds more natural and less forced, with fewer distracting quirks in the sound.
Moving up the food chain, I currently own Merlin TSM-MMEs, Volent VL-2s, and Selah Tempestas- all larger and 3 to 6 times the price of the Sierras. These are my all time favorite standmounts, and in all 3 cases they are superior- more internal detail and differentiation in the soundstage, somewhat less coloration and more extension in the bass range, and more extension and air on the top- in the case of the Volents and Selahs, using LCY and RAAL ribbon tweeters the difference in the top end is quite notable. However - while these speakers are clearly "better" in audiophile terms- the qualities of musicality and pure enjoyability of the Sierras is not diminished in their presence, which for music lovers who don't want to part with big $ is very good news.
So- my long held belief mentioned at the top remains true- the best expensive speakers are better than the best "affordable" models. David doesn't slay Goliath in the end. However- to me the Sierra 1 is another classic in the making- a true successor to the Spicas and Epos of the past. They deliver true high end musicality and "rightness", at a better relative price than those classic value speakers and much better looks, too. It's a speaker music lovers with refined ears should celebrate.

Product Weakness:	Top end somewhat polite. Slight one-note quality to bass. Not for the boom and tizz crowd- too self effacing.
Product Strengths:	Balanced, gorgeous middle range- very few distracting colorations. Solid, realistic bass in small to medium rooms. Beautiful finishes, unbeatable value.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: RWA 30 clone, PS Audio GCC-500 (Cueeln modded)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): sony 999 transport/EE minidac plus dac
Speakers: see review
Cables/Interconnects: ZU all around
Music Used (Genre/Selections): lots
Room Size (LxWxH): 12 x 17 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: bedroom system
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio Premier Poer Plant
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	RWA 30 clone, PS Audio GCC-500 (Cueeln modded)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	sony 999 transport/EE minidac plus dac
Speakers:	see review
Cables/Interconnects:	ZU all around
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	lots
Room Size (LxWxH):	12 x 17 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	bedroom system
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio Premier Poer Plant
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner