Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 Bookshelf Speaker Review

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by Tom Andry — last modified August 07, 2007

Contributors: Gene DellaSala

Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1

Summary

Product Name: Sierra-1
Manufacturer: Ascend Acoustics
Performance Rating:
Value Rating:
Review Date: August 07, 2007 20:00

Specifications: Typical In-Room Frequency Response: 39Hz - 22kHz ± 3dB

In-Room Sensitivity: 87dB @ 1 watt / 1 meter

Frequency Response (Anechoic): 44Hz - 22kHz ± 3dB

Sensitivity (Anechoic): 86.5dB @ 1 watt / 1 meter

Average Impedance: 8 ohms

Minimum Recommended Power: 45 watts

Maximum Continuous Power*: 200 watts

Maximum Short Term Peak Power*: 400 watts

Cabinet: Exclusive V-LAM™ construction featuring vertically laminated bamboo. Bass reflex via flared rear port tube

Dimensions H x W x D**: 14.25" x 7.5" x 10.5"

Weight (each): 20 lbs each

Shipping Weight (pair): 43 lbs per pair

Tweeter: (1) 26mm high-definition soft dome tweeter w/integrated elastomer wave guide, wide surround, low-viscosity magnetic fluid cooling, pole-piece damping chamber. Fully manufactured by SEAS of Norway

Woofer: (1) proprietary 5.25” long throw mineral-filled polypropylene cone, non-resonant cast aluminum frame, copper shorting rings, low-inductance motor assembly, vented pole-piece and vented spider.

Connectors: (2) gold plated all metal 5 way binding posts.

Inserts: (1) ¼” x 20 inserts for mounting to stands

Warranty: 7 year parts and labor

*Unclipped peaks

**Grille Off

Pros

Imaging
Bass response
Treble extension
Two beautiful finish options
7 year warrantee

Cons

A tad bass heavy? (is this really a con?!?)

Introduction

If I had to describe it in a word, that word would be "pandemonium." That was what seemed to be happening in the audiophile community as Ascend Acoustics announced their new "reference" bookshelf speakers, the Sierra-1's. Long time lovers of the brand were putting their beloved speakers up for sale with the Sierra-1's on pre-order. Sight unseen, ear unheard, the Sierra's were being compared and debated against speakers many times their price. As bookshelf speakers go, they aren't the cheapest but this is definitely a case of "you get what you pay for." And you're getting a lot. The bass and treble extension seems out of place in the same box. Usually you hope for one or the other. In this case, you get both and in a bookshelf package.

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Phernamar posts on September 21, 2007 10:31

My Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1s arrived last night. I'd been waiting all day, constantly tracking the box through UPS, driving my wife nuts. But anyway - they are elegant little gems. Like the reviews say, they have a beautiful, clear high end which makes vocals and solo strings sound great. You can hear both breath and bow. There is plenty of midrange, though it is understated so that your ears don't get tired. The amount of bass is truly surprising for the size of speaker - clean and focused. I am using garden-variety speaker cables at this point. When my new ones arrive, I imagine these speakers will sound even better.

This is my first decent gear ever and I'm pretty darn happy.

Phernamar posts on September 17, 2007 15:39

I snagged a pair of the naturals on the day they came out and have never looked back. Great speaker and huge sound in a small hefty package. I'm in the process of building matching stands right now. I'm using the Sierras in a dedicated 2-channel no-sub setup in our office. Fantastic laid-back sound and very detailed and articulate. Plenty of bass for a small to midsized room with no need for a sub (for music at least). Only caveat is that they aren't terribly efficient. I'll consider adding a 2-channel amp at some point in the future. Right now I'm using a Pio Elite 55txi to power them. I've been very happy with their performance and people never cease to be amazed at the quality and quantity of sound these speakers can put out.

J.

So what do you mean by a small/midsize room? This past Friday I ordered that last available pair of Sierras (at least until November) and they're on the way. My room is 17'x22'. It has brick floors and 10ft. wood beamed ceilings. I hope the speakers fit the bill. Receiver is a Denon DRA-6971 and player is Denon DVD-3910. This will be, by far, the nicest gear I've ever owned so I'll probably be happy no matter what. But your comment about the room size has me a bit concerned.

tt_toe posts on August 13, 2007 13:01

How soon will the shootout be out?

I'm interested in the Sierra-1's, but also considering:

Paradigm Studio 20 V.4
NHT Classic 3
B&W 685

Thanks.

Tex-amp posts on August 13, 2007 13:00

Always. .

Is there a breakdown of price range that defines a speaker class somewhere?

Clint DeBoer posts on August 13, 2007 08:36

billnchristy;294906
And you are right, it is very easy to please yourself but not so easy to please the masses, I have learned that with the looks of my PC speaker design.

And this is a great point for all. Anyone is welcome to build a speaker on their own, in fact we encourage it - what a great experience. But there aren't many people who can afford the level of trial and error to get experience to compete with a manufacturer who has tried tens (or in the case of long-standing companies, hundreds) of designs and modifications before settling on a final loudspeaker model.