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?
discnik
I am sure you did this, but the treble is very directional, so you can moderate the treble by toe in and tilt. I have had some speakers drop off significantly on treble with small adjustments. Second, reflective floors or walls?… reinforcing treble.

Assuming you have done the above. The a tube system would likely warm it up.

On the other hand… so what did you pay for the speakers? $300… if you are trying to get high end sound quality then I would consolidate equipment and upgrade each segment to a single better component. Of coarse if your enjoyment is playing with equipment, that is perfectly reasonable. Sounds like you tried everything. Totem speakers are very natural sounding and punchy… might do some trading.
Lame dad jokes aside, you heard the difference in the room more than anything.
ghdprentice/contuzzi: Each room where the Sierras were located was well-damped (carpet, upholstered furniture, etc.) and no other speaker I've owned exhibited the characteristic to the extent these did. One of my points of comparison was my Totem Mites, which to me are a much more accurate speaker (or maybe balanced is a better term). The Sierras just seemed to overwhelm any room's acoustics no matter where they were. Don't get me wrong - there is a very beguiling quality to the Sierras, but I believe I could pick them out from any other speaker in a blind A/B test. I am not an overly-critical listener, probably just the opposite, and I will keep the Sierras in rotation because over time I will become accustomed to their voicing, and I like what I hear much more than I dislike what I perceive to be
their over-emphasis on the upper registers. Thanks to everyone for all the responses (both gear-oriented and reefer-oriented); your opinions and suggestions are appreciated.
I agree with Russ 69. You always have to consider the speaker and room as one component. I am not saying you are wrong but even if you think the room is well dampened it might not be in the right places. To know what is going on you have to measure it. Frequency response aberrations can easily be seen on any computer with a calibrated microphone like this one https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-OmniMic-V2-Acoustic-Measurement-System-390-792 In an ideal world audio shops would rent these to their customers.