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Is there a modern equivalent of Allison speakers?

I have just acquired a later version of the Allison Fours (2002) - made by the "re-vamped" Allison Acoustics, which is now out of business. I found the speakers (new) at one of the Allison dealers who had it left in stock. I need small speakers against a wall for my office and these are visually and logistically perfect. They sound like my original Allisons (Ones and Threes) in that the dispersion is excellent, the musicality is excellent, sound-staging a little vague, but transparency and resolution not up to modern standards - which is not surprising, since I believe the drivers are probably of 1970's vintage. So how do I find the best of the Allison design (against wall placement) with modern drivers? Any suggestions of such an animal? Does it exist? (In monitor, stand-mounted form)
I know about the Guru, but aesthetically, I would prefer a less contemporary, modern design. Don't want much, do I?
springbok10
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
After posting, I read the Guru reviews and see there's a dealer in New York - will have to go and listen to them, since they have created such a buzz. May have to forego visuals if they're that good. Any others?
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
the fj om mimics the design of the allison cd7, but the four was roy allison's favorite speaker. nothing but balance in the design, and in that regard, as good as most loudspeakers. the later re-issue models do use updated drivers approved by roy, and are incredibly collectable and enjoyable.....
tiger
313 posts
 
I have a collection of Roy Allison's 'RA Labs' speakers. I don't know how they compare to the Allison line, but the Labs were highly thought of when they were reviewed. My experience is they are one of the best sounding speakers made, especially the passive subs, which I drive with vintage Kenwood amps. I don't use the crossover in the subs but simply put an 8 ohm resistor on the out put. Gives great bass. Labs went bust.

I would like to check out the current Allison's, so where is the dealer in New York.
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
I was talking about the Guru dealer, but go to Allisonacoustics.com/our-dealers.html and you will find the dealers. I got my Fours from Burt's in Kingston and it was the last one. Good luck! Jaybo, I agree that they are really great speakers - but dont so far hear the update in the drivers:) - but then again, I've only had them for a few weeks. The Ones, Threes and Fours were classics, and with "modern" drivers and crossovers would probably be incredible.
panzrwagn's avatar
panzrwagn
519 posts
 
I agree that 'modernized' Allison's could have great potential. Back around 1980 a friend built a dimensionally identical clone of an Allison One, using the then-popular Philips midrange and mylar dome tweeter, Speakerlabs best 8" woofers, and engineered the crossovers using air-core coils and Sprague 'Orange Drop' caps. Overall SQ was very similar to the Allison's, and the Philips tweeter was more extended and airier than the OEM. We believed that the Allison design, floor loading the woofers, and a low midrange crossover frequency was acoustically correct, and less driver dependent than a traditional box. He rebuilt the speakers about 10 years ago using modern drivers and improved the mids and highs  more than a little bit. 
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