Short answer: the Ascend Sierra 1 v2. It ranks #3 of 87 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $1000; the Revel M105 ranks #13 and costs $1500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Ascend Sierra 1 v2 offers: Formaldehyde-free layered bamboo ply cabinet with a 1” dome tweeter over a 5.25” midwoofer, mated by a 4th-order acoustic crossover rather than a stock textbook design. In-room response is extremely linear - the reviewer called it “textbook” - a clear step up from the earlier V1, which had boxiness around 700Hz-1kHz and sibilance around 4-6kHz. Preference score of 8.4 with a subwoofer (6.8 without), which the reviewer calls topnotch. Wide, even horizontal radiation of about ±70° up to 6kHz. Better vertical directivity than its tweeter-to-woofer spacing would suggest, thanks to the steep 4th-order crossover slopes. No mechanical noise, port chuffing, or woofer bottoming even driven to 96dB/1m. In a three-way comparison against the Dynaudio Emit 20 and a Revel bookshelf model (all around $1,000/pair), measured as the most linear of the three and was the reviewer’s personal pick over both, despite the Dynaudio’s deeper bass and higher output capability. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate Erin’s findings: superb off-axis response with only slight on-axis variations, and an in-room response the reviewer called “incredibly smooth and accurate - amazing for a non-DSP speaker.” Distortion above 200Hz at 86dB/1m is very low for the class. Watch for: F3 of 55Hz and F10 of 39Hz mean in-room extension tops out in the mid-40s Hz; the reviewer still recommends a subwoofer for full-range material. Diffraction dips appear around 3kHz and 5-6kHz, and the 1” dome tweeter starts beaming above roughly 6.7kHz, narrowing the soundstage radiation in the top octave - a straightforward consequence of dome size rather than a design flaw. At 96dB/1m the 5.25” midwoofer shows increased distortion in the midrange, likely tied to motor topology; high-passing to a subwoofer around 80Hz largely clears it up. Moderate sensitivity (~81-82dB average) with a 7-ohm minimum impedance. ASR’s power-sweep testing found response holds steady up to 96dB SPL/1m, but pushing to 102dB causes midbass below 400Hz to sag with distortion “through the roof” - a harder output ceiling than the 96dB tests alone suggest. Vertical directivity also narrows above about 1kHz, so the reviewer recommends staying at tweeter-axis height for best results.
What the Revel M105 offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows an essentially flat on-axis response with only a small 5kHz peak, a smooth listening window, and clean waterfall decay. Wide horizontal dispersion gives flexibility with toe-in. The reviewer called it reference-quality performance with minor EQ correction applied. Watch for: Low nominal impedance demands a capable amplifier that can handle low-impedance loads. Bass distortion runs high in the 80-250Hz range from woofer displacement, and maximum output is limited compared to larger designs.
Buy the Ascend Sierra 1 v2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Revel M105 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ascend Sierra 1 v2 | Revel M105 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1000 | $1500 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #3 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #13 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 75Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 14.2"H x 7.5"W x 10.5"D (361.9 x 190.5 x 266.7 mm) | 14"H x 7.9"W x 9.8"D (355.6 x 200.7 x 248.9 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 7 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal, low minimum |
| Sensitivity | 81.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 5.25" proprietary mineral-filled polypropylene cone with cast aluminum frame woofer, 26mm aluminum/magnesium alloy dome tweeter with titanium former (SEAS Titan) | 5.25" aluminum cone woofer, 1" aluminum tweeter with acoustic lens waveguide |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs / 8.4 kg each | 15.4 lbs / 7 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 44kHz (+/-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Arendal Sound 1961 Bookshelf
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Titan
- Dynaudio X14 vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
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The Two Speakers In Full
Ascend Sierra 1 v2: $1000 Ascendacoustics eBay
Pros: Formaldehyde-free layered bamboo ply cabinet with a 1” dome tweeter over a 5.25” midwoofer, mated by a 4th-order acoustic crossover rather than a stock textbook design. In-room response is extremely linear - the reviewer called it “textbook” - a clear step up from the earlier V1, which had boxiness around 700Hz-1kHz and sibilance around 4-6kHz. Preference score of 8.4 with a subwoofer (6.8 without), which the reviewer calls topnotch. Wide, even horizontal radiation of about ±70° up to 6kHz. Better vertical directivity than its tweeter-to-woofer spacing would suggest, thanks to the steep 4th-order crossover slopes. No mechanical noise, port chuffing, or woofer bottoming even driven to 96dB/1m. In a three-way comparison against the Dynaudio Emit 20 and a Revel bookshelf model (all around $1,000/pair), measured as the most linear of the three and was the reviewer’s personal pick over both, despite the Dynaudio’s deeper bass and higher output capability. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate Erin’s findings: superb off-axis response with only slight on-axis variations, and an in-room response the reviewer called “incredibly smooth and accurate - amazing for a non-DSP speaker.” Distortion above 200Hz at 86dB/1m is very low for the class.
Cons: F3 of 55Hz and F10 of 39Hz mean in-room extension tops out in the mid-40s Hz; the reviewer still recommends a subwoofer for full-range material. Diffraction dips appear around 3kHz and 5-6kHz, and the 1” dome tweeter starts beaming above roughly 6.7kHz, narrowing the soundstage radiation in the top octave - a straightforward consequence of dome size rather than a design flaw. At 96dB/1m the 5.25” midwoofer shows increased distortion in the midrange, likely tied to motor topology; high-passing to a subwoofer around 80Hz largely clears it up. Moderate sensitivity (~81-82dB average) with a 7-ohm minimum impedance. ASR’s power-sweep testing found response holds steady up to 96dB SPL/1m, but pushing to 102dB causes midbass below 400Hz to sag with distortion “through the roof” - a harder output ceiling than the 96dB tests alone suggest. Vertical directivity also narrows above about 1kHz, so the reviewer recommends staying at tweeter-axis height for best results.
Full Ascend Sierra 1 v2 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.2"H x 7.5"W x 10.5"D (361.9 x 190.5 x 266.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25" proprietary mineral-filled polypropylene cone with cast aluminum frame woofer, 26mm aluminum/magnesium alloy dome tweeter with titanium former (SEAS Titan) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 7 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 81.5dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs / 8.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: NEW! Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 V2 Review More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- Audio Science Review Ascend Sierra 1 v2 More from Audio Science Review →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 AWESOME SPEAKERS Under $1000 You Won’t Regret
- Erin’s Audio Corner: I Tested 250 Speakers So You Don’t Have To!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top Picks of 2023: Must-Haves Under $3000
- Manufacturer Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Ascend Sierra 1 v2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs KEF LS50 Meta
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Audio First Fidelia
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Moondrop M4P MTM
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Emotiva B1+
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- See all 43 comparisons
Revel M105: $1500 Discontinued eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows an essentially flat on-axis response with only a small 5kHz peak, a smooth listening window, and clean waterfall decay. Wide horizontal dispersion gives flexibility with toe-in. The reviewer called it reference-quality performance with minor EQ correction applied.
Cons: Low nominal impedance demands a capable amplifier that can handle low-impedance loads. Bass distortion runs high in the 80-250Hz range from woofer displacement, and maximum output is limited compared to larger designs. Discontinued.
Full Revel M105 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 75Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 14"H x 7.9"W x 9.8"D (355.6 x 200.7 x 248.9 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 5.25" aluminum cone woofer, 1" aluminum tweeter with acoustic lens waveguide |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 44kHz (+/-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, low minimum |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 15.4 lbs / 7 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons