Neat Iota Alphas and the problem of centre speaker positioning

Leeps

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I had this idea.

For most people centre speaker positioning is a pain and often a compromise. If you have a projector screen, the centre speaker limits the size of the screen (unless you place it behind the screen, which presumably ups the cost of the acoustically transparent screen). If you have a TV, then unless it's wall-mounted the centre speaker is usually inside a cabinet (read boxy sound with tweeters too low pointing at your knees) or it's in the way of the screen.

There's also the problem of getting a centre speaker that actually matches the left and right speakers. They're often quite different designs; M-T-M designs, often sealed rather than ported, sometimes having different driver sizes etc etc,

Now I also like Neat Iota Alphas. I heard them at the Bristol Show and was very impressed. So I'm really curious about what a multi-channel set-up would sound like with these. (I'm not seriously considering it, but I am intrigued at their possibilities). Maybe their smaller cousins the Iota standmounts for rear duties, but three Iota Alphas for left - centre - right, could potentially solve a lot of problems with centre speakers.

All three would match perfectly. They're all so short they wouldn't get in the way of the screen. But as they're designed to project their sound upwards (and in 2-channel mode, do so successfully), they have the potential to produce a seamless and open soundstage at the proper height (not pointing at your knees like many centre speakers). They would also have the potential of producing a high quality sound system that's virtually invisible in the room, so could be a winner with your significant-other.
 

Benedict_Arnold

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Most of the "big" speaker manufacturers now produce centre speakers to match, acoustically and aesthetically, their "proper stereo" front speakers. Yes placing the centre can be a challenge, and for our living room setup I'm opting for a Klipsch 3-channel passive soundbar, as I'm not allowed "proper stereo" speakers in the living room anyway. Therefore, unless your heart is set on the Neat iota Alphas for "proper stereo" listening I'm surprised you're having trouble finding a mate for your FL and FR. FWIW I've never been completely sold on the centre having to be exactly the same as the FL and FR anyway, just colose enough is good enough for HT use IMHO.

As an alternative to the Neats, you could look at the KEF T-series. The centre unit is just the FL /FR unit with the logo rotated, but they're relatively small, easy to hang and quite shallow, so they won't provide a shelf for your 'er indoors to put her collection of china figurines on ;-)

For the media room, right now I'm using a Yamaha NS-IW960 in-wall speaker, that I made a 2-1/2 inch deep surround for myself using wood from Home Depot (B&Q) and some steel angle brackets in the corners. No dovetails I assure you! The surround is screwed to the wall below the TV. Not the prettiest, but I am, at least, using the same speaker model as my properly in-wall mounted FL and FR units. Painting the thing the same colour as the wall helped with the aesthetics but for sure they're not perfect.

If, hopefully when, I get a PJ and screen, I'm goign to mount all three speakers behind the screen, using an AT material. Today, drawing things up lyke the injunear wot eye ham, I realised I mounted the FL and FR 12 inches too high for a 150 inch 16:9 screen (just right for a 138 inch inch 2.35:1 though), so I'm going to have to dig them and the boxes I put around them, out of the walls and move them down. Good job the screen will cover the shoddy DIY plasterboard repair that's sure to follow ;-)
 

Leeps

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I don't have too much of an issue with my own centre speaker, but I know it is a problem in many living rooms and with many cabinets. My own centre is ontop the AV cabinet placed ontop of angled Mopads; so although the centre speaker is waist height (sat down) rather than ear height, the tweeter is at least angled upwards, as is the baffle of the Ruark Dialogue II anyway, so speech never feels like it's coming from too low down. And it goes sufficiently low to give a pleasantly meaty fullsome midrange and speech in movie mixes.

But I like the idea of the Neats, partly due to their uniquely stealthy nature, along with their musicality in stereo. Although my floorstanding Ruark Talisman III's are by no means the largest floorstanders around, they do visually make their presence felt. Actually tonally and musicality-wise, the Neats sound very similar to my Ruarks, which is perhaps why I was drawn to them in the first place, but the Neats achieve their end result with far less impact on the room, while losing very little if ńothing due to their stature.
 

Benedict_Arnold

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I have much the same problem brewing vis-a-vis the heights of contemporary "proper stereo" speakers. As it currently looks, if I fit a 150 inch screen with a 6 inch gap between the top of the screen and the 9 foot high ceiling, I only have about 28 or 29 inches available below the bottom edge of the screen to accomodate "proper stereo" speakers. In my case the home cinema speakers are in-walls which will be hidden behind the screen. They're perfectly fine for movies and TV, but in no way "audiophile" enough for "proper stereo" listening.

The Neat Iota Alphas are 45 cm + spikes, or about 18 inches + spikes high, and Klipsch Heresy are about 24 inches high. So unless anyone else has other "short and squat" floorstander suggestions, that's my list.
 

Leeps

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Sometimes size actually isn't everything. I'd certainly recommend listening to the Iota Alphas. It struck me that, to my taste at least, they just sounded RIGHT. Something that full sized speakers I heard the same day from B&W, Spendor and Dynaudio didn't quite pull off.

There's always the Neat Motive SX2's at 76cm high, or the Iota Xplorer at 74cm high. I haven't heard the Motives, but have heard the Xplorers. The Xplorers sounded fantastic but are well out of my price range.
 

Leeps

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simonali said:
Can you buy single units, though? It's £2500 plus for two pairs and you'd be stuck with a spare speaker...

I'd be very surprised if you couldn't purchase single units, particularly as they do special finishes to order. I saw some used Iota Alphas on Ebay a while back in grey with the special raised feet they do. Very smart indeed. I'm surprised more manufacturers don't consider a grey finish. Less bling than white, less 'meh' than black oak.
 

Benedict_Arnold

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In the US speakers are usually sold "by the each". Mostly to try and fool people in their adverts, I think, but try going into BestBuy and asking for just one high end B&W....
 

simonali

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Leeps said:
simonali said:
Can you buy single units, though? It's £2500 plus for two pairs and you'd be stuck with a spare speaker...

I'd be very surprised if you couldn't purchase single units, particularly as they do special finishes to order. I saw some used Iota Alphas on Ebay a while back in grey with the special raised feet they do. Very smart indeed. I'm surprised more manufacturers don't consider a grey finish. Less bling than white, less 'meh' than black oak.

Indeed. Graphite grey is becoming a popular colour option and I'm all for it.
 

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