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... Anyone familiar with the Neat Iota Alpha floorstander...

Hello to all...

Bitten by the Switching Bug - looking for a small(er) floors standing speaker, with a disappearing act when playing for my main system: soundstage important, rhymetically real, with a toe-tapping more-forward presentation; hoping to find a speaker which exhibits my member name (in search of PRaT - hopefully not to have the English definition of 'prat' applied LOL!). Want speaker with a "look" - not a box...

(2nd floor of house) Apt Space: approx 18’w x 14’ front to back; each sidewall flat to 5’ up, then slopes in about 2’, leaving about an 8’ center. Overall center height 8’...

Music I listen to: WIDE BANDWIDTH - from CANTATA DOMINO to Linda Ronstadt Ella Joni Mitchell Jennifer Warnes Norah Jones; Dylan Tom Petty Van Morrison Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson Dixie Chicks, The Dead; Kansas Styx, Brubeck,The Lion King, Crystal Silence; with a fair amount of opera and well-known classical pieces as well...

Vintage or New: budget under $2500.

I could juggle my systems around, but do want new/new to me speakers into the main system.
Present Main system: Marantz SA-8001 SACD into JOB INT ( with and without DAC in the JOB), Gershman Avant RX-20 (circa 2000).
2nd system: Pioneer Elite DV-37 (DVD/CD player) into a Monoprice p/n 16153 (used as preamp) and a Parasound HCA-750A power amp; speaker options a) JBL L25 Prima (BIG BOXES!) and/or b) KEF Q1s
Other ancillary equipment available (resting in my closet): Yamaha HTR 5550 Receiver, Morrison ELAD SS Pre, Wolze Line Level Tube Pre

Considering the NEAT ION ALPHA after reading about it: anyone have experience with this? would appreciate the feedback...

SUGGESTIONS ANYONE? THOUGHTS?
insearchofprat
5 responses Add your response
insearchofprat OP
189 posts
 
Great info - thanks to all...

Good suggestion: Looking at the Larsen speakers - gave me a jolt back to 1977 in Eugene Oregon, when I had SONAB SPEAKERS ... I will investigate the Larsen 4s...

Another attempt: Anyone knowledgeable about the Motive series from Neat?
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,911 posts
 
They are cool and musical. Gig Harbor Audio in WA carries them
frazeur1
345 posts
 
I would second bar’s comments above. Great little speaker. Sounds/plays much bigger than its tiny proportions. I also owned the Larsen 4 that was also mentioned above for over five years. Another great speaker worth a listen, might sound odd at first until you acclimate to them a bit.

By the way, some Ohm Walsh might also work well in your space as well. 
br3098
994 posts
 
I heard the Iota Alpha speakers a few years ago and was very impressed. So much so that I purchased a pair for my daughter, a professional opera singer who lives in NYC and uses a small bedroom as her listening room.

First off you should know that these are tiny speakers (19" tall) but they throw a huge sound stage. They can be positioned close to the wall and can be spaced fairly close together and still provide good imaging and sound stage. They are more efficient then the specs imply and will play loudly with moderate amplification. 40Wpc PP amps will work.  My daughter uses a Croft Hybris and it aounds fabulous. Bass is generous and surprisingly robust for the diminutive size of the speaker.  I tried raising them but they sound best on the floor, as designed.

These speakers sound great with all genres of music but I think they are especially good with all types of acoustic music and classical. Unlike many speakers these do not "clog up" or sound congested with large orchestral pieces. Male and female vocals sound vibrant, organic and rich.

The Iota Alphas are full range speakers. I don't know of any other speaker that works as well for complex music in very small spaces, except maybe the Larsen 4 which is also great but not as "rich" sounding, to my ears.
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