looking for a more efficient speaker.....

speaker have compliance and the compliance in nonlinear there is resistance to motion is the surround and at low levels it restricts the cone.  A issue with older horn spreader that I know  has changed to these efficient speaker now is the quality of the crossovers.  Heck JBL Olympus speaker would blow the horn driver if you dropped the needle.  I don’t disk like horn and high efficiency speakers there are great threaders, concerts halls. Having said that I admit have not listened to modern designed ones. Just because I have own my share of them does mean you shouldn’t own them. Remember the older one crossover suck, Nelson Pass has a new crossover for his JBL

@kennesawjet 

sbank if you no longer use alon what do you have now....

sbank's Austin City Within Limits

Cheers,

Spencer

I agree with the suggestion to ask Carl at Nola what amps are good matches for the Alons. Then try to borrow one or something similar. Tell him the trouble and you're trying to narrow things down after the refoaming he arranged for you. He and his wife(Marilyn?) are both kind and helpful IMHE. Cheers,

Spencer

Wow, a blast from the past, I had Alon IV's many, many years ago, purchased them from Arnie, founder of Audiogon. I modded those things to nth degree, went to the Alnico magnets, modded baffles and bass box. Later on went to the Lotus SE when I went to tube amps.

No way do you need 500wpc with the IV's, I ran them with NAD amps, then NEW (Nirvana Electronic Works) DCA 66, 60WPC Class A battery powered, then Conrad  Johnson MV55, at which point I changed to Lotus.

I have no idea of 'strain' you're hearing, certainly not lack of power! And going to more efficient speakers will likely exasperate issue. You've got to match speakers to amp, I've found Alons like tubes for mids and tweeter, however, need a modicum of amp damping factor to get bass right.

You're problem may be elsewhere in system as well, strain and lack of resolution can be result of many things.

As for future speakers, could never get used to box speakers after open baffle Alons. Now have modded Klipschorns, give me everything Alons did and so much more!

sbank, went thru that with Karl a while back and he like so many dont like to suggest gear....

had a long talk and science lesson from the guy at atma sphere, can remember his name.  we talked extensively about the need for a more efficient speaker and how beneficial it is....