Anybody have Experience with Alta Audio Alyssa Speaker

BUYER BEWARE!!!

DETAILED CHRONOLOGY OF PURCHASE w/ ALTA AUDIO

1. On 1/29/25 at 6:06AM Bob Rapoport of Essence For Hi Res Audio ("the seller") was paid $4,914 (via Paypal Transaction ID 58806874M3167910L) for a pair of Alta Audio stereo speakers in RAL 9010 pure white gloss finish. No cancellation or refund policy was communicated by the seller.

2. At that time, Brian Connolly ("the customer") was told by the seller that delivery would be in 10 days from the purchase date.

3. After the order was processed, the owner of the manufacturer, Alta Audio. Mike Levy called the customer Connolly and informed him that he was going to use a different cheaper paint than that specified in the order. He subsequently emailed a link. On 1/29/25 12:10 PM, Michael Levy wrote: https://ilvacoatings.com/Products/absolute-white/(https://ilvacoatings.com/Products/absolute-white/) .

4. Within the first week from the order, customer was informed by the manufacturer Mr. Levy that there would be a delay. On 2/6/25 7:37 PM, Michael Levy wrote: "Yes. we have prepared the speakers but we are waiting for the paint to come in which is holding us up."  Expected delivery was then revised to 2/19/25.

5. On 2/26/25, the speakers were finally shipped only to be subsequently recalled by the manufacturer from the manufacturer's local shipper Estes in Bridgeport Connecticut due to post-production sub-standard "workmanship issues".  

6. On Tue, 4 Mar 2025 17:24:14 -0500, Connolly wrote the manufacturer, Levy: “As this is now long overdue, can we set a drop-dead date, please?  As it comes down to a quality control issue, of course, I'm concerned.  I purchased pristine.  NEVER expected the delay or what's transpired.”

7. On 3/5, shipment was again withheld due to workmanship issues that were subsequently fully acknowledged verbally and in writing by the Seller, Rapoport.

8. On 3/5/25 7:20 AM, Connolly wrote to Seller, Bob Rapoport: “Again, if this isn't ALL rectified by close of business today, I demand a full and immediate refund.

9. On 3/6/25 3:56 PM, over a month after the original purchase date, the dealer Bob Rapoport wrote: "Eric and I rejected the work done today after seeing the new pics, we had a conference call with Alex to let him know our expectations and chart a way forward.  I want it to be smooth as a baby's ass and polished to a nice gloss like the cabinet. Alex says he can do that, it will take a few days.  He'll re-sand the interior of the ports to make them smooth, apply a primer coat, then the polyester top coat which requires 2 days to cure, then polish.  Should be ready by Tuesday and meet your expectations." Note: Alex is Alta Audio's production manager.

10. On Thursday, March 6, 2025, 4:50 PM the customer wrote: "Dear Bob, Given the bumpy and now exacerbated production trajectory to date... we need to set an absolute drop-dead delivery date. I propose delivery NO LATER than Friday, March 14."

11. On 3/6/25 5:46 PM, Bob Rapoport wrote: "I think that's fair Brian, Eric and Alex agree.  We've got a good plan now."

12. On 3/11, given a 3-day shipment constraint, seller informs customer that he/they cannot meet the "drop-dead delivery date".  On 3/11/25 5:44 PM, Bob Rapoport wrote: "I spoke to Eric at 4:30pm, Alex was still finishing up, polishing remains to be done in the morning.  I have to see a pic of the finished work before they ship. If I approve them for shipment, they'll arrive Monday."  Note: Seller now estimates delivery 3/17, post the drop-dead date.

13. Customer rejects the new estimated delivery date, as it is post the agreed drop-dead date.

14. On 3/11/25 6:01 PM, the seller Bob Rapoport wrote: "Ok, I'll send you the refund tomorrow, sorry it didn't work out as we hoped it would."                 

15. On 3/12, seller informs the customer that he needs 3-5 days to fund his Paypal account to make the refund (Note: No mention of any charge backs).

16. On 3/16, Seller provides only a partial refund via Paypal, i.e. $3,306.08.  Seller claims that is the full refund minus a wholly unanticipated and never communicated, restocking fee, free shipping charge, and Paypal fee totaling $1,607.92. Seller Bob Rapoport fraudulently claims via Paypal that these back charges were due to an "unauthorized cancellation".  See paragraph above.  The agreement was that delivery was to be NO LATER than 3/14.  That was not met.

17. On 3/17/25 10:12 AM, the manufacturer Levy admits responsibility. He wrote: "We ran into a problem with the ports because the material the ports are made of will not accept this type of paint." (Note paragraph 3 above. Levy had switched the RAL 9010 white gloss paint specified in the invoice to a cheaper white paint.)  

KEY POINTS

* Purchaser never received the product
* Production was long delayed past the terms of the original purchase
* A “NO LATER than delivery date” was agreed on and ultimately exceeded by the Seller
* There was never a cancellation/refund policy
* Seller did not have a restocking fee as he never had possession of the product
* Seller and manufacturer did not incur any shipping fees
* Manufacturer admits that issues stemmed from production problem(s)

@stuartk 

I need to check with Joseph too to see if there is a dealer in the St Louis area

@tjraubacher 

So, what's next in your search???

Are you lucky enough to live near to a Joseph dealer who has Pulsars in stock?

I'm not ;o\

I contacted Joseph and was told they have no dealers in N. CA ! 

Me too

@csmgolf 

It sounded like the midrange driver did not correctly meet the tweeter making vocals seem recessed / distant / veiled. There was a suckout that just didn't work for me. The Stereophile measurements of the Alyssa not only show the suckout, but a peak at about 1.5k that make it even more obvious. It was clearly audible. 

Thanks for this. I for one am crossing them of my list. 

I listened to Alyssa speakers at Axpona.  I was really impressed.  Obviously it was in a hotel room but I sat front and center and the sound was solid.   Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson singing By the Rivers Dark: sublime.   When I upgrade my speakers I will give them a serious critical listen, but the glimpse I saw at Axpona was memorable. 

@soix @csmgolf @stuartk 

Hey I am in concurrence with the Pulsars. They seem like the right fit.

I heard all three Alta Audio speakers shown at Axpona. All of them had the same issue. It sounded like the midrange driver did not correctly meet the tweeter making vocals seem recessed / distant / veiled. There was a suckout that just didn't work for me. The Stereophile measurements of the Alyssa not only show the suckout, but a peak at about 1.5k that make it even more obvious. It was clearly audible. I am with @soix , go with the Pulsars.

@airwatcher I’d recommend listening to the Joseph Audio Pulsars if you can.  Given what you described they may well be that best of both worlds speaker you’re looking for.  Just my $0.02 FWIW.

I made a point of hearing the Alyssa's at AXPONA this year. I visited the room twice and unfortunately the demo music was always focused on their amazing bass reproduction, to a fault I thought. I would have liked to hear something a bit more balanced to see how they perform across the spectrum. Not knocking them by any means, but it does seem like a speaker that you want to hear before you buy it. 

Noting the previous post, I also visit a room with the Triangles, it was really good, and yes lively.

I recently auditioned a pair of Alyssas and was greatly impressed. For reference I've been listening to Triangle Signature Thetas with two SVS SB2000 Pro subs. If I could find speakers combining the best of both they would be perfect! The Triangles are more "lively" and I missed that with the Alyssas. However, when it comes to bass reproduction there was no contest: the Alyssas were simply astounding in that regard. Yes, they play to 32Hz and seemingly lower in my room. And the bass is controlled, detailed, and palpable. I also heard bass passages in the mids and upper mids that I swear I'd not heard before even though I was very familiar with the tracks (and this from a musician/bass player). I also turned the subs off once I knew what the Alyssas were capable of, and never missed them. The soundstage was large: wide and deep. Highs were never bright, and overall the presentation was what I'd consider neutral; "Honest" would apply. As I said, I missed the liveliness of the Triangles with the Alyssas, but I think with Alyssas more is gained than is lost. Pretty sure I'm gettin' 'em! Good luck.

@tjraubacher

Just found the Stereophile follow-up review, responding to H. Reichart’s original :

https://www.stereophile.com/content/alta-audio-alyssa-loudspeaker-jim-austin-december-2020

What seems odd, given what YouTube reviewers have reported, is the second Stereophile reviewer’s assertion that "they are at their best with female voices and higher instruments". Huh? What are we supposed to deduce from such a disparity?

What have you decided to do ?

Has anyone heard the Alta Audio Celesta FRM-2? Cheers

@soix 

OK. Thanks for weighing in.

@stuartk Unfortunately I’ve never had the opportunity to hear any Fritz speakers but have read nothing but very positive things. Given that they’re sold direct I’d guess the Carbon 7s would sell for about the same price as the original Pulsars, and the specs between the two seem very comparable. That said, to me the real magic of JA speakers is in the crossover that can’t be duplicated because it’s patented. I believe this is a big part of why JA speakers just sound special to me, but I’m sure the Carbon 7s are also excellent in their own way with those intriguing series crossovers. From what I’ve read the Alyssas may have been voiced with a little more laid back treble region, and as the Pulsars strike an optimal balance of detail and air to me without sounding bright or edgy if the Alyssas stray from this it’d be a definite no go for me. But not having heard either of them this is just pure conjecture on my part so not really worth much, and at this level I really think it comes down to personal taste more than anything.

@stuartk 

Yeah I was wondering the same thing. The Fritz Carbon 7 MkII, Alyssa and Pulsars all have great reviews and are speakers that I have been looking at. It would be great if someone has experience with them that they can share.

@soix

I’m wondering if you’ve heard Fritz Carbons with Hegel amplification and if so, how you think they’d compare to the Pulsars and Alyssas.

@tjraubacher A pair of Pulsar 2 Graphene just popped up on USAM. I have no affiliation, it just reminded me of this thread. Price is a bit higher than your budget but worth looking into. Looking at past listing, I’ve seen dealers sell this for less, so there may be some room for negotiation. 

I’ve only heard the Pulsars at shows, but just going by what I’ve read in reviews it seems one of the more defining differences may be in the treble where the Alyssa sounds like it could be a little more laid back relative to the Pulsars.  Not saying one is better than the other and just depends on what kinda flavor you’re partial to up there, but that may be an important area to explore further FWIW.

Yeah that makes it tough. Would be nice to hear them side-by-side. Has anyone heard both the Pulsars and Alyssa’s and can compare them?

tjraubacher,

Tarun (British Audiophile) is one of the few reviewers that I feel shoots straight, and he has been trying to upgrade his speakers for years; but never found everything he was looking for until the Alyssa.....for what it's worth

@vthokie83 

That review was extremely positive on the Alyssa. Makes me pause and think some. I guess I will try to get more info on the Alyssa.

@vthokie83 

Thank You; what a good review on the Alyssas

tjraubacher,

For what it's worth, the British Audiophile just retired his much beloved ProAc speakers with the Alyssas.....his review is below

@tjraubacher

No reason to apologize. It never occurred to me that you were trying to hide anything. ;o)

I simply meant it makes sense to hold off on buying any speakers until you find out whether or not a designated listening room is where you are headed!

@stuartk 

I am sorry; I did not mean to hide anything; I have been just doing research to identify potential speakers. Hence looking at the Fritz then the Alta Alyssa and finally the Joseph Audio Pulsars.  To me it looks like the Pulsars are the real deal. Right now they are my #1. I am still researching because I plan on this being my last speaker buy.  The house situation should be resolved soon. 
I really appreciate the excellent information and advice that I have received from the audiogon community. A wealth of knowledge that is shared with us wannabe audiophiles. Please accept my apologies and thank you so much for your help. Tom

@tjraubacher 

Your disclosure that you may have enough funds for a separate listening room changes the picture you first presented quite a bit!  In that case, it wouldn't make sense to demo/buy speakers until the new room is set up. 

@soix 

Thank You😀

Besides if we get the construction loan I will have a separate listening room above the garage. A place where I can truly appreciate the Pulsars.

Awesome!  Sounds like a good plan and keeping my fingers crossed for you. 

@soix 

yes I am going with patience. Not in a hurry and not making any expenditures until after we see if we can get a construction loan in next month. The $5K would not impact that but I don’t want the W to use it as a reason for not getting the loan. Besides if we get the construction loan I will have a separate listening room above the garage. A place where I can truly appreciate the Pulsars.

Several pairs of original Pulsars sold for under $4000 over the past year so a little patience may be all that’s needed as they do come up fairly frequently. 

@tjraubacher

I’d guess the prospect of getting Pulsars for that price isn’t a "deal" so much as an impossibility.

Perhaps if you can’t bring yourself to spend 5K it would make more sense to set a budget you’re more comfortable with and proceed from there?

I was all set to order these before I realized they weren’t the Pulsars. What a deal that would have been. Kind of got my eyes locked in on the Pulsars.

@tjraubacher 

TMR has a pair of Prisms for a lot less $: 

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisb93j3-joseph-audio-prism-bookshelf-speakers-black-pair-58044-monitors?refsource=hifishark

@tjraubacher 

That's a tough one. It's hard to make someone care about something they don't naturally discern/value. 

One of the youtube reviewers drove the Alyssa's with an H190 and H 390, which caught my attention. He didn't mention anything about lack of clarity in the lower mids, though. 

@soix 

I could be mistaken. At  any rate, I recalled you were very positive about the Hegel + Pulsar pairing.  

My stereo is not in the main living area. It is in the refinished basement where I have my office. So I would say the visual is probably not the most important factor. The wife it’s more about the money. She thinks it is a waste of money. You can hear the music fine on speakers that cost way way less.  Maybe someday she will get it.

@stuartk Not sure I used “mesmerizing” but I guess it’s possible.  I just remember hearing the original Pulsars at a show with Hegel electronics and they sounded excellent — very natural sounding.  I heard them previously at another show driven by Bel Canto electronics and they performed at the same high level with that gear as well to the point where I questioned my inherent bias against Class D because it didn’t sound “digital” in the least, and I could’ve easily and happily lived with that system (and the Hegel too).  My takeaway is the Pulsars can play nice with a variety of amps — yet another virtue to add onto the pile.

@tjraubacher

You’re welcome. If I had the funds, now, I would probably buy those used Pulsars. BTW, one need not be a "bass freak" to appreciate standmounts that deliver bass that exceeds expectations in terms of the size of the drivers. But each to his/her own.  

Perhaps, if your wife is a music lover, you can play her favorites on the Pulsars to get her on board. Or is it purely a case of (visual) esthetics? 

@soix

Am I mistaken, or was it you who described the sound of Pulsars driven by Hegel as "mesmerizing" ?

@stuartk 

Thanks for that thread. Very informative. Helps because it seemed like the graphene makes its biggest difference in the bass. I am not a bass freak.

Based on the reviews of the regular Pulsars they sound great and I don’t think I would need the graphene upgrade.

I 100% agree.  The graphene thing seems much more important for the Perspectives, and there’s no way in hell you’re gonna be disappointed with the original Pulsars.  Go for it!  You can always upgrade them down the road if audiophile insanity kicks in, but personally I wouldn’t bother as the originals are so damn good already.

@tjraubacher

This:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/joseph-audio-pulsar-original-vs-graphene-opinions

Don’t know why it just now occured to me that shipping could add a lot to the upgrade cost!

By the way does anybody heard the graphene Pulsars and can speak to what that upgrade adds to the regular Pulsars?

@stuartk 

i can afford the 5K for used Pulsars. Based on the reviews of the regular Pulsars they sound great and I don’t think I would need the graphene upgrade. My bigger issue is trying to figure how to slide the Pulsars into my setup without the wife going nuclear on me. She does not share this passion.

@tjraubacher

If you simply can’t afford it, I get it but compared to the new price for Graphene (12K), the used ones at 5K Plus the $2900 to have Joseph upgrade them to Graphene seems a good deal.

Consider that you might be totally satisfied with them, without the upgrade.

@stuartk 

yeah I read that review too. A little concerning when that is combined with what @audiojan was saying.

I have been tracking all of the used Pulsars.  The really good deals are already sold. Based on what I have read the Pulsars sound like a pretty spectacular bookshelf. Can’t really justify the new price for them and trying to determine if there are other speakers that compare.

@tjraubacher

I also have H390 and am beginning to look towards an eventual stand-mount upgrade.

I encountered many very positive reviews of the Allyssa, before reading the Stereophile review.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/alta-audio-alyssa-loudspeaker

"Unfortunately, when the Alyssas were not thrilling me, they were disappointing me with a lower midrange that lacked focus—but was it the speakers I was hearing or their interactions with the room and my amplifiers? In a larger space, with lower levels of reflected bass energies, the Alyssas would, perhaps, present themselves with a more balanced tone and sharper lower-midrange focus. Perhaps another Stereophile reviewer can audition these speakers in a larger room".

I have no idea whether this is the same thing @audiojan experienced. No other review I’ve encountered so far has mentioned this, so perhaps it is a room issue, after all.

There is a pair of Pulsars on usaudiomart:

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650056503-joseph-audio-pulsar-speakers/

So how would you compare the Alta Audio Alyssa speaker to the Fritz Carrera BE or Carbon 7 SE Mk2 speakers