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Anybody else heard the Avalon Acoustics Isis?

I spent a delightful afternoon on friday listening to the Avalon Acoustics Isis speakers. These retail for $62000.00, so I was expecting a high level of performance, but was still surprised at how wonderful these speakers were at creating the sound of real music.

Even though this was in a store environment with electronics that are not my favorite cup of sonic tea, current Mark Levinson gear, the Isis's offered the following:

1) I'm quite enamored of the type of soundstage and natural layering that planer dipolar speakers provide, my home reference are MG-20's, the Isis was one of the few box enclosure speakers that offered this type of illusion regarding space. They just did not disappear, but offered this very natural 3D imaging without making individual players sound like "cutouts" against a background, but layering in a very natural way that sounds more like live music.

2) Great macrodynamics and resolution without sounding etched or in your face, and this was with electronics that I personnally don't find to be very musical! I would want to hear these speakers with a great tube pre and SS amps like Pass Labs XA's.

3) The whole sonic presentation was seemless, again reminding me of what great planer speakers have to offer, with a quick and rock solid bottom end.

I have listened to Wilson's, Kharma's, B&W's, Magico's, Dali's reference speakers on other occasions, and I was not as impressed as I was yesterday. Am I trading my MG-20's for the Isis's, no but if you have a chance to hear them I think you find it a very enjoyable experience.
teajay
tabl10s's avatar
tabl10s
1,008 posts
 
How much better is the Isis compared to the Osiris?
branimir
236 posts
 
Isis is truly SOTA loudspeaker. I like it a lot. Interesting enough I found solid-state amps to be better match with Isis then most tube amps(for example ARC REF210 did not sound right on Isis). CAT that Strapper211 use are probably best push-pull tube amps on the market with excellent bass(and Isis IMHO likes some control down there). Amps for Isis? Think Hovland Stratos/HP200 combo or something from Gryphon or Vitus... Pass X.5 or XA.5 could work as well...

BTW, I auditioned two loudspeakers that are better then Isis(to my ears) but, they also cost more...
dev
832 posts
 
I use to own a pair which were set-up in my designated room but sold them off aprox. a year ago, they actually replaced the Diamonds which I can say was a real improvement. I agree they are a great speaker but I had a few issues that I could not live with any more so I sold them along with the electronics and the room sits empty currently. I tried all kinds of solid state and tube combos and found they really sounded great with VTL 750's with the 7.5 pre, I also had Audio Research Ref 300 MK2 amps. which did not control the speakers properly. My main issues were that they would not fill my room to my liking along with not disappearing like I wanted them to which bothered me also so I sold them off after owning them for aprox. a year and a half. So what do I put in this room to now compete with my other set-up? huum!

Other current set-up being MBL 101E's which I have to say I prefer and the speakers were less costly, I have some CAT JL3 MK2 mono blocks ordered and on their way supposedly to arrive by year end and also the Berning Quadrature-Z mono blocks which are suppose to be special scheduled to arrive in Jan. so this should be interesting. I kinda wish I still had them so I could have heard them with these new pieces coming but I have to say that my new MBL's are doing things that no other speaker I have owned has been capable of doing which is absolutely amazing.

Branimar which 2 speakers are you referring to? As we all know that there are many combos available but nothing is perfect only different, it really all comes down to our own listening preferences along with associated component set-ups along with our rooms which can dramatically change the end result.
branimir
236 posts
 
Dev,

Wilson Alexandria X2 and Rockport Altair. X2(now in Series 2 version) is most impressive in dynamics and room-filling sound. Although I am not big fan of Wilson house sound X2 is IMHO one of the five worlds best speakers. Rockport Altair is another amazing speaker. More extended at bottom the Isis(and more accurate down there as well IMHO), with more dynamic ease and shadings. Its midrange is most natural to my ears of any speakers. Soundstage size is as well huge with more depth. Both of these speakers are more expensive then Isis. So, they should offer more IMO...
And I agree with you regarding room-filling issues of Isis. Still, I found it the best speakers that Avalon ever produced. Auditioning any of these speakers by yourself is an imperative! Dealer support is another very important thing as well. And all these speakers require room of decent size...
IMO personal(music taste and sound taste as well as exterior design look) preferance will be here a key factor in final choice. For example I admire your MBLs but, their sound is not my cup of tea...
Simply said all speakers mentioned above are more or less SOTA and potential costumer will be(I am pretty sure of that!) more then happy with any of them...
sirspeedy
738 posts
 
I think the TAD Ref-1 is a nice alternative.Same price range too.It has the distinct advantage of a dual concentric midrange/tweeter,and constructed with berrylium.Stunning clarity and exceptionally coherent.Also,it employs two "ten inch" bass drivers(not beryllium here),which though smaller than the Isis' bass drivers,are constructed in a brilliant way.The rubber surrounds have multiple folds,and allow for very large excursions,with amazing linearity and detail.A MUST to audition,at this price range,and a brilliant design.
Good luck.
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