The Ascend Acoustics Sierra 2 special order pair in white arrive safely yesterday. Attached are some pictures of the unboxing and initial setup, with the audio engine P4 I was running for size comparison. Let me say, my experience with Ascend Acoustics has been positive from the beginning. They have been on target and pleasant to interact and deal with from beginning to now.
The box arrived in good shape, and was double boxed. Each speaker came in a nice cover. The matte/satin white finish is almost glossy, which I prefer. No noticeable imperfections. They are sturdy and heavy at about 20 pounds each. The special RAAL ribbon tweeters were protected in transport by a magnetic strip that I gently slid off. Rapping the side of the bamboo cabinet with my knuckles gives a nice, solid, dead clink. Just what I was hoping for. Each monitor comes with an individual frequency response printout, from testing. These are each remarkably flat, and nicely paired when overlayed and compared to each other. The binding posts are excellent quality. They fit nicely on the IsoAcoustics Aperta stands I have paired them with, for the initial setup in my small listening room. Very attractive for a box cabinet, and perfect for my space. I currently have them paired with an REL T-zero sub for a 2.1 set-up.
Service, delivery, design, build quality, as well as fit and finish are all first rate, especially for the cost.
Initial listening impressions are very, very favorable!
I am trying out various genres, and so far am impressed. Once I have more time with them, I will report more on my listening experience...
Best,
Shrinky