Aspects of Avalon

CES 2009

By John Atkinson • Posted: Jan 13, 2009

The speakers from Colorado-based Avalon Acoustics have either featured conventional, rectangular boxes (in the less-expensive NP series, like the Evolution 2.0 I reviewed last July) or the unique, multifaceted enclosures that I first saw in 1990's Eclipse, which are used in the cost-no-object designs like the Indra.

The 2009 CES witness a third type, in the form of the Aspect ($8495/pair). A conventional enclosure is slung between two slanted sidecheeks that also act as the stand. The top panerl is an artificial granite slab that helps mass damp the box. The Aspect marries Avalon's proprietary composite-dome tweeter with two 7" Nomex/Kevlar-coned woofers and frequency range is specified as 28Hz–k25kHz.

The system used to dem the Aspects included Audio Research CD player and amplifiication, Cardas cable, and Harmonic Resolution SXR racks and stands. The room was not ideal—Avalon's Gary Mulder had attempted to tame the acoustics with many absorbers—but the sound was promising.

Comments

Submitted by Thomas Balmas on January 15, 2009 - 9:14pm.

John,Would you like to comment on any expected diffraction effects of the two slanted sidecheeks which appear to protrude in varying degrees from the plane of the front baffle? Does this loudspeaker get away with this due to it being designed with the side panel/sidecheeks protruding at varying distances instead of a fixed distance from the front baffle?

Submitted by Frank on January 17, 2009 - 1:11am.

I just noticed that - and that's a good question! The design of the enclosure is really unique, though - and attractive. Imagine if the baffle was offered in a range of colors that would compliment/offset the wood sides and granite top - now that would be stunning. I have never heard a pair of Avalons, tho I have heard from various sources that they are quite good. P.S. to the best of my knowledge, they are all still made in the US. And $8500/pr is not obscene - it is reasonable for something of this size and apparent quality.

Submitted by Joseph on March 13, 2009 - 3:15pm.

Unique? Looks a LOT like the original Talon Audio Firehawk to me.http://www.stereophile.com/news/080706talon/

Submitted by Robert on March 15, 2009 - 2:51pm.

I wonder how the Aspect will compare with the Ascendant? They are approx. the same price and appear to use the same drivers.

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