Review: Alon Model II Speaker

Category: Speakers

I have the alon II (mark i) speakers that I picked up off audiogon for a very good price. I was very surprised when their sweet spot in my listening room was finally found. The placement took a little longer than expected. They can be set closer than what you might expect to the side wall due to the dipole design, however they do need to be pulled out from the back wall. Once the sweet spot is found you will know it by when you standup and sit down. What is very nice is the width of the sweet spot, it is very wide so that 2 people can listen no problem.

They are very neutral, dynamic, and musical.

The sound is very close to a magnaplanar but WITH BASS AND DYNAMICS !!!!!!!

The speaker can handle large dynaimic swings with the proper ancillary equipment. They also sound very good at low levels which is amazing ( I can not imagine a well set pair of II's having no bass output. my wife complains that it is shaking the house) the bass is very taut and well defined ( Better than the vandy 2ce imho).
I can not believe how well these speakers image and disappear. They are very coherent from top to bottom. The soundstage and height is limited by the recording. They are very musical and unfatiging, and tonally very uncolored.

I would consider them a "poor mans " reviewers speaker ( but with soul) and at used prices they are untouchable. I plan on holding on to these babies for a very long time and may eventually consider upgrading the drivers to a mkII status

other notes:

Must be biwired ( shotgun or true biwire)
Replace the wood base/spike with vandersteen 1b stand
Likes to be set up on the long wall ( i.e wide)

PRO'S

Ability to disappear- deep and wide soundstage
Great imaging( though the edges are rounded, good thing imo)
musical presentation and unfatiging
Planar sound without panel size
paints a wonderful presentation
Very wide sweet spot
Can be played very loud or low, the speaker can paint the sonic picture at any volume level ( must hear this, it doesnt get hard or strident at high levels and is also musically invloving at low levels)
Tonally accurate and intergrated
Can be placed close to a side wall if necessary
Planar sound and presentation but with bass and dynamics

The company is very good to deal and has a very good reputation.

Drivers can be upgraded ( if you feel it is necessary. my system sounds great right now, why spend $$$$ and screw it up ?)

CONS

Very critical proper placement, be prepared to spend some time
Very revealing of equipment and cables (if cheap electronics are used, that is what you will hear)
Speaker base/spike system is inadequate - replaced with lead shot loaded vandersteen 1B stand (fits perfectly)

Must be pulled out from the back wall

Construction is just okay, i have seen better at the price point

Transparency is very, very good at the price point but not as good as the very best ( i.e wilson, audio physic....not really a fair comparison)

Associated gear
pse studio v's mono blocks
audio rearch ls2
jvc 1010 (modified)
tara reference (shot gun)
tara master IC
alon II

Similar products
celestion 100,600,700
maganplanar
von sw.
vandersteen
audio physic