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Ascend Sierra 1 Reference vs. Era D5

Anybody familiar with these monitors who can compare their sound? Both are extremely well reviewed and similarly priced. I have a smallish listening room, about 15 x 13 with an 8 foot ceiling. I have good amplification: a Manley Shrimp tube pre, feeding a Bel Canto S300 (150 w/channel into 8 ohms).

I value detail, neutrality, soundstage and imaging. I don't listen to music incredibly loud. Steely Dan, James Taylor, Joe Jackson, Paul Simon, some orchestral stuff and jazz, a little rock. I have a pair of Ohm Walsh 100's that I'm quite happy with, but I've got the itch to hear what a pair of good monitors would sound like in my room.

Thanks for any insights.
rebbi
newbie13
242 posts
 
The Sierra 1s are a much better speaker than the 340 or 340SE.
They do both have a very neutral sonic signature. If you like the British sound they aren't for you.

I haven't heard the D5 to give you a comparison.
newbie13
242 posts
 
ProAc monitors(Tablette?) sonic signature is what the Sierra 1s remind me the most of.
paulsax
275 posts
 
hey loomis no squall at all. I merely was surprised at the tinny and such comments as that is maybe the first time I've heard that particular comment associated. Now as I am not tied to my speakers and am a big boy I take criticism of them as it is given and considering the factors involved one mans treasure is another's garbage. I was just puzzled, thats all. Other that that I could not agree more with the listen to everything ethos, especially while removing all the variables that it is possible to remove.
loomisjohnson
1,941 posts
 
i've made a mental note to audition the eras again to ascertain whether i'm delusional, which is certainly possible. when i heard them previously, they were paired in a dealer showroom with a really good integrated (i believe a classe) and music server, so i don't think the associated gear or room setup was the issue, but obviously system synergy can be quirky. paulsax et. al., feel free to rip me any time--after most of my marriages, public pillorying would seem like club med.
bondmanp
1,808 posts
 
Rebbi - If all you want to do is satisfy your curiousity, try to find someone local who owns decent monitors and have them bring them over to your place.

That said, I highly doubt you're gonna have any kind of an epiphany when you go from the Ohms to a small, inexpensive monitor, unless that epiphany is what an incredible value the Ohms are, and that there is no replacement for displacement, even in modest sized rooms. I also doubt you'll find any speaker, of any size, under $5K, with better detail retreival that is not fatiguing and overly-bright. Just MHO, YMMV, of course.
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