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 September 1, 2007 Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 Loudspeakers
Fabrikant has not rested since that initial success. He’s updated the CBM-170, now called the CBM-170 SE, but after all these years the price has risen only $10 per speaker, to $348/pair (Ascend sells all of its products factory-direct). Fabrikant has also added to his line the similar-looking but larger CMT-340 SE ($568/pair), and has now introduced the subject of this review: his "statement" two-way bookshelf design, the Sierra-1 ($798/pair). Compared to what some companies consider statement-type speakers -- designs, even two-ways, that cost thousands of dollars -- what Ascend is asking for the Sierra-1 seems hardly anything at all, and to some it will make any claims of its approaching the state of the art of small-speaker performance seem suspect. But if Ascend can produce something as neutral as the CBM-170 SE for only $348/pair, then the Sierra-1 at $798/pair seems to fit the way the company operates. But can the Sierra-1s really deliver all that for less than a thousand bucks? The idea that a company can produce something that challenges the best at so little cost is intriguing. Description One way David Fabrikant cut corners in the CBM-170 was by offering it in a conventionally constructed cabinet of MDF with a textured finish of matte paint. The speaker originally came in only one color, black, and only one word described it: plain. The Sierra-1 is larger -- 14.25"H x 7.5"W x 10.5"D vs. the CBM-170’s 12"H x 9"W x 10"D -- and is made of something I’d never seen before: layered bamboo. I don’t mean bamboo veneer -- the Sierra-1’s cabinet is built up of 1/4-inch-thick layers of bamboo vertically aligned and glued together. Fabrikant got the idea from seeing furniture built in this way. However, he didn’t choose layered bamboo for its looks, or even its uniqueness. He found that it was more stiff and rigid than MDF, and says that it even outperforms exotic, expensive cabinet materials that other companies are using in their top-of-the-line speakers. But the Sierra-1’s bamboo cabinetry looks quite good, too -- I really like the natural finish, which is part of what your $798 gets you. If you don’t like the look of real wood, or it doesn’t suit your décor, the speaker is also available in high-gloss piano black for $60 extra per pair. My hunch, though, is that most buyers will opt for the natural bamboo finish -- it’s unique and nice looking. Detachable grilles are supplied. The Sierra-1’s 1" tweeter crosses over to a 5.25" woofer at about 1800Hz. Both drivers use second-order electrical filters that, combined with their inherent second-order rolloff, results in a fourth-order electroacoustical slope for each. Furthermore, at a frequency higher than the 1800Hz crossover point (Ascend doesn’t say exactly where), an additional second-order electrical filter turns the top part of the woofer’s response into a sixth-order slope. That means that the woofer rolls off very fast, to achieve a better blend between the drivers and to optimize their dispersion to achieve ideal responses both on and off axis, horizontally and vertically.
The Sierra-1’s voltage sensitivity is 86.5dB, its nominal impedance 8 ohms. These specifications tell you nothing about its sound quality, but do let you know what kind of load the speaker presents to an amplifier, and how powerful the amp needs to be. Ascend recommends a minimum of 45Wpc; after I’d listened to the Sierra-1s for a while that recommendation seemed entirely reasonable to me -- the speaker didn’t seem very tough to drive. In fact, if you don’t have a large room and/or don’t listen at very high volume levels, you might even get away with a moderately powerful tube amp. Overall, the Sierra-1’s fit’n’finish is very good, with parts quality to match -- right down to the high-quality binding posts on the rear. Ascend Acoustics backs the Sierra-1 with a seven-year warranty -- two years more than the industry standard. The only thing that the Sierra-1 doesn’t have going for it is a flashy, ultramodern appearance. Despite all that layered bamboo, it looks conventional, even old-fashioned, particularly when compared with the many tall, narrow, flashy, "lifestyle" speakers available today that are usually designed to flank flat-panel displays. On the other hand, more often than not, those sharp-looking speakers look better than they sound -- which is why companies like Ascend make speakers that look like the Sierra-1s. Setup I used the Sierra-1s with a few system configurations, but for most of my critical listening I auditioned them using a complete Simaudio Moon Evolution system: SuperNova CD player ($5900), P-7 preamplifier ($6200), and W-7 stereo amplifier ($8000). Many will consider such pricey electronics overkill for inexpensive speakers such as these, but these exceedingly neutral and exceptionally refined electronics allow any partnering speakers to perform to their full potential. Interconnects were Nordost Quattro Fil; speaker cables were Nirvana S-L. The Sierra-1s sat atop 24"-high Foundation stands placed well away from the front and sidewalls -- as with all speakers I review, my goal was to hear more about what the Sierra-1s were doing than what the speaker and my room were doing. The Sierra-1s sounded better with their grilles off, so that’s how I listened to them for my critical listening. Sound I usually review speakers by first hooking them up to my system and using them for background listening for at least a week. That way, I begin to get accustomed to their sound, and any break-in issues are taken care of. Only then do I sit down to begin my critical listening. But because that initial listening is done so informally, I don’t notice much about most speakers during the warmup period -- unless something jumps out at me. With the Ascend Acoustics, something did: From the very beginning, I could tell that the Sierra-1 had outstanding clarity, and was conveying much more low-level detail than any other under-$1000 two-way I’d ever heard -- qualities that became even more apparent when I sat down to do some critical listening. In fact, the Sierra-1’s ability to let me hear into recordings was right up there with Paradigm’s Signature S2 and PSB’s Platinum M2, two of the best two-way monitors on the market, and each of which sells for about two grand per pair. (I own a pair of Signature S2s.) Some may think that all this detail I was hearing was simply a result of a tipped-up treble, something that’s done in some speaker designs to give the perception of heightened detail -- sort of like punching up the color and contrast on a video display to make the picture seem more alive. In fact, it was the opposite. The Sierra-1 sounded well balanced from top to bottom of the audioband, even if it didn’t seem quite as unfalteringly neutral as the CBM-170 had in my room -- surprising, as the Sierra-1 costs more than twice as much. But the Sierra-1 was relatively neutral -- it seemed to reach to below 50Hz quite comfortably and solidly in my room, and above that there were no obscene deviations in its response other than a bit of emphasis in the lower mids, perhaps to give this small speaker a dash of "presence" in the absence of extreme low bass. But as far as a tipped-up top end, there wasn’t one. What I was hearing was more recorded detail -- something that’s often obscured by all but the best speakers, which are also often some of the most expensive. Nor was this clarity and detail in just one area of the audioband -- I heard it across the board, from the lowest points that the Sierra-1s could reach right up through the highs. For example, early on, I cued up the Cowboy Junkies’ "Misguided Angel," from The Trinity Session [CD, RCA 74321183562]. With its ultradeep bass, rich vocals, and almost endless sense of space, this track can reveal a lot about the way a speaker sounds. With the Sierra-1, the ultra-low bass -- the stuff that’s probably well below 40Hz -- was simply missing. I didn’t get those room-shaking whumps produced by some large, full-range speakers with this track. I wasn’t shocked -- you can’t expect that sort of bass performance from a small speaker such as the Sierra-1; as I’ve said, it goes below 50Hz solidly, but not down to 20Hz, or even 30Hz. But that low bass was all that was missing. The midrange was gloriously fleshed out and marvelously detailed, making voices sound tangible and real. The bass, too, within its limits, was better controlled than with any other small speaker I’ve heard near this price. Bass-guitar lines, for instance, were taut and textured, which made them easy to follow. And what was happening around the performers thrilled me just as much. Small nuances and subtle spatial cues were easy to discern, resulting in pinpoint placement of the performers in the soundstage and a grand sense of space. The Sierra-1s’ soundstage re-creation was the best I’ve heard at or near this price. Intrigued by the high resolution the Sierra-1 was capable of, I pulled out an old recording that’s been given a decent remastering job by the original label: Bruce Cockburn’s 1980 masterpiece, Humans, was reissued on CD in 2003 as Humans: Deluxe Edition [True North TN0317]. It features one bonus track, a live version of "Grim Travellers," and overall sounds much better than the original CD release. Unlike The Trinity Session, which was recorded in a church, Humans doesn’t feature performers on a natural-sounding stage -- it’s a purely studio recording whose "soundstage" is a product of the mixing board. Still, placements of individual instruments were precise, and the spaces around instruments were easy to pick out. Through the Sierra-1s, the overall tonal balance of instruments and Cockburn’s voice were dead-on and, once again, the clarity and detail were the best I’ve heard from a pair of speakers near this price. Cockburn’s voice and guitar, as well as Hugh Marsh’s violin, stood out starkly in the mix, occupying distinct points in the stage. More impressive was hearing the space around them so accurately portrayed -- I could almost imagine what the studio where this album was recorded looked like. The Sierra-1s could show me that much. My only real knock against the Sierra-1 was that absence of very low bass. As a result, the opening percussion in "Grim Travellers" was stunted, sounding light compared to genuine full-range sound. Also, small speakers such as these can play only so loud -- don’t expect them to re-create a full drum kit in your living room at lifelike volume levels. Those are minor criticisms when you consider the Sierra-1’s size and price -- for $798, you can’t have it all. But the Sierra-1 did prove that I could have more resolution and refinement than I’d previously thought was possible at this price. Comparison I compared the Ascend Sierra-1 to Dynaudio’s Focus 110 loudspeaker, which was very favorably reviewed on SoundStage!, one of our sister sites, last December. The Focus 110 is also a two-way, its drivers the same size as those in the Sierra-1 and mounted in a cabinet a little shorter, narrower, and deeper. The 110’s sloped sidewalls narrow from the front baffle to the rear. The set I have is finished in a beautiful real-wood veneer of light maple. The Focus 110’s and Sierra-1’s frequency responses and sensitivities are nearly identical, and their build qualities are comparable. The biggest difference is in price: the Focus 110 retails for $1400/pair, or almost twice as much as the Sierra-1 -- a big difference for two such similar speakers. Part of that price difference probably has to do with the facts that Dynaudio speakers sell through conventional channels and are shipped from Denmark; along the way, the price is marked up by the US distributor and the dealer. The Sierra-1 comes straight from the factory. Buying factory-direct has obvious advantages. Despite the similarity of their specs, the Ascend and Dynaudio speakers differed in performance. Both extended as deeply in the bass, but the Sierra-1 definitely had better control and definition down there, making the Focus 110 sound a touch woolly in the low end. The 110’s rich-sounding midrange made the Sierra-1 seem a bit dry in comparison, but, as with the bass region, the 110 couldn’t convey the Sierra-1’s degree of detail and texture. For example, when I played Bruce Cockburn’s "How I Spent My Fall Vacation," from Humans: Deluxe Edition, I was impressed with how, through the Sierra-1s, I could hear every inflection in his voice as well as the acoustic space surrounding him; I had to strain to hear those details through the Focus 110s, even when I turned up the volume. I heard the same difference with guitar, violin, and drums. Consistently, the Sierra-1 sounded considerably clearer, and revealed quite a bit more detail in the midrange as well as the bass. The high-frequency performances of the speakers were comparable in terms of cleanness, but I favored the Focus 110’s balance -- it had a bit of sparkle at the very top that the Sierra-1 lacked, which made the 110 sound a touch more lively without being fatiguing. That’s a tough balance to achieve, but the Focus 110 does it well. But when it came to soundstaging and imaging, the Sierra-1s were clearly superior. They laid out a more holographic stage, with better image specificity and a more credible sense of depth. I suspect that this had to do with the Sierra-1’s superior resolution, which let me more easily detect all the subtle cues and nuances that are crucial for precise soundstage placement and a credible illusion of depth. If price is of no concern and a combination of sound and smart styling is desired, I could see choosing the Dynaudio Focus 110. I like the Ascend’s bamboo cabinet, but the 110’s smaller, shapelier case and flawless veneer look better to my eyes. And the 110 is a fine musical performer, too -- not as hi-rez as the Sierra-1, but with a pleasing richness to its sound, abundant bass for such a small cabinet, and lively highs.
But when I assessed only the performance of these two speakers, I definitely preferred the Sierra-1. It sounded tighter and cleaner than the Focus 110, particularly in the bass and midrange, and revealed much more detail -- both attributes I favor in a bookshelf design. When you factor in price, the Sierra-1 is the obviously better deal. Ascend is at an advantage selling factory-direct, but you can’t make any excuses for speakers that aren’t sold that way. This is just the nature of the marketplace today and exactly why some companies are choosing to sell that way -- it makes their products more competitive. Conclusion Plenty of speakers costing under $1000/pair match the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 in bass extension, overall tonal balance, and even build quality. What makes it stand out is the clarity, detail, and resolution of its sound -- aspects of performance that conventional specifications and measurements don’t readily reveal, and that you don’t know you’ve been missing until you’ve heard them. Once you do, it’s hard to settle for less. I’ve heard no other two-way speaker at or near the Sierra-1’s price that sounds this clear, detailed, and resolving, which is why I kept comparing it to more expensive speakers that I know well. This level of performance is usually the domain of far more expensive two-ways that cost a few thousand bucks. Ascend Acoustics succeeded admirably with the CBM-170 by offering unprecedented neutrality for an unthinkably low price. Their Sierra-1 ups the ante in detail and resolution, and let me hear further into recordings than any other moderately priced speaker I know of. That makes the Sierra-1 an exceptional speaker and an outstanding value -- "statement" performance at a very reasonable price. …Doug Schneider Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 Loudspeakers Ascend Acoustics Inc. Website: www.ascendacoustics.com
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The drivers seem to be of
very good quality. The soft-dome tweeter is an interesting design that comes from SEAS of
Norway, with an integrated oval waveguide said to control dispersion and reduce
diffraction. The 5.25" woofer cone of mineral-filled polypropylene has a rubber
surround and a cast aluminum basket, and is smaller than the 6.5" cone used in the
CBM-170. However, it seems to make up for the difference in size with greater excursion --
i.e., the driver can move farther in and out, to move more air. To augment the
bass, there’s also a rear-mounted port that’s flared to reduce port noise.
Ascend claims that the Sierra-1’s bass response in anechoic conditions is -3dB at
44Hz -- if true, that’s fairly deep for a small speaker, and will help ensure that it
doesn’t sound thin. (The CBM-170 SE’s claimed -3dB point is 58Hz; it can sound
thin if placed too far from the walls.)
