Have a picture of Infinity Alpha 50 Stereo Speakers?, please send it to us.
Picture courtesy of jonathan_keith_kidd.
| Sound Quality | 8/10   |
|---|---|
| Value for Money | 9.3/10 |
| Reviewer Rating | 9/10 |
| Overall Rating | 9.2/10 |
Features:
Full review by
peterhuppertz
on 15th Apr 2007
User Rating : 9
Respect :
0
Good Points: Soundstage, detail resolution, accuracy, sweet midrange.
Bad Points: If I have to mention a bad point: Very slight coloration in the midbass region (as do all bass-reflex speakers) when compared to much more expensive systems.
General comments: These speakers create a sound stage that is way better than anything else I've heard in this price range.
The slight color in the midbass region (audible in, for instance, David Sylvian's baritone voice) is present when compared to high-end transmission lines, and the problem (if you could call it a problem) magically disappears when the sub (a Rel Strata) is switched on and configured correctly. Don't ask me what causes this - I've configured the sub to only cover 30 Hz and lower (the Alphas are down something like 6 dB at 30 Hz), and I feed the sub straight from the speaker terminals, not from a low-level subwoofer output.
Even with the sub off, I fail to detect the lack of punch in the low frequencies that some reviewers are on about. It may be that the Alpha wants to live on an amplifier that has some serious headroom to play with. I've detected a lack of low when I hooked up the speakers to a run-of-the-mill Sony integrated amp, but on the NAD and the Rotel I've played with, these speakers pack quite a bit of punch from 31.5 Hz upward - and there is not a lot of information in most music that goes below that.
If you want to get lower than that (for instance if you want to hear what a 32 ft organ pipe can do to the plaster on your ceiling, or if you play The Two Towers or Gladiator a lot), you do need a sub. As you would with all speakers in the 3-figure price range, and with many in the 4-figure price range.
I have found that it is possible to find speakers that produce more decibels below 80 Hz than the Alpha 50 - but the way in which these decibels are produced invariably do not contribute to a pleasant listening experience in the long run. With or without the subwoofer, the Alpha 50's bass output is accurate, and never tiring or oppressive.
I cannot think of any other speaker in the 3-figure price range that reproduces music so utterly pleasingly. I know a couple in the 4-figure price range that do, but I have decided that I am not going to afford these.
My listening setup: NAD 1700 preamp, NAD 2600 main amp, NAD 5000 CD player, REL Strata II subwoofer, configured to cover 30 Hz and lower.
peterhuppertz's review and ratings | 420 words
Review by
sushy9902
on 7th Oct 2003
User Rating : 10
Respect :
-4
I purchased a brand new home theatre system with the following components. Harman Kardon 3550 AV Receiver, Alpha 50 Floor Standing Front Speakers, Alpha 20 Rear Book Shelf speakers, Alpha Center & Alpha sub. I then watched Gladiator and I'm proud to say that I 've got what I wanted. The audio effect is good too. I think this is an excellent combination and will give many years of listening pleasure.
sushy9902's full review | 71 words
Review by
Matt.
on 30th Jul 2003
User Rating : 7
Respect :
0
I recently purchased a pair of these, mostly based on recommendations from reviews I've read. I was quite excited to be hooking them up to my 75 watt x 2 Harmon Kardon HK 3375 receiver, but, only for a moment. Although the mids and highs were clear and natural, as anticipated, the lows were very weak and light. Upon switching back and forth between the Alpha 50's and my old speakers, which are half the price of the Alpha 50's, my wife and I both agreed that although the Alpha 50's had a noticeab ...
Matt.'s full review | 167 words | 3 comments added.
Review by
george.
on 10th Mar 2003
User Rating : 10
Respect :
+12
BEING AN AUDIOPHILE, I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME PERSUADING MY WIFE WHO IS A HOME CINEMA FANATIC, TO GIVE UP OUR BELOVED B&W 604'S. THE 604'S WERE EXCELLENT AS MAIN L-R FOR OUR 5.1 SYSTEM, BUT JUST DID NOT BRING OUT THE BEST OF AUDIO WHETHER IT WERE MP3, CD, SACD OR DVD-AUDIO.
I HAD HEARD THE INFINITY DELTA 60'S BEFORE, AND WAS IMPRESSED WITH THEIR ABILITY TO PLAY QUITE LOUD AND WITH QUALITY BUT THEY WERE MORE OR LESS IN THE SAME LEAGUE WITH THE 604'S, WITH THE B&W'S HAVING THE UPPER HAND. BUT WHEN ...
george.'s full review | 383 words | 6 comments added.
Would you like to see a review that's not being listed?
