Neat Iota Alpha
An entertaining sound from compact floorstanders
We’re big fans of the original Iota standmounters. They remain a superb utility choice: small enough to squeeze into all sorts of places but always perform well. The idea behind Iota Alpha is to take this can-do attitude and add extra sonic authority and scale.
The business end of the Alpha is straight from the original. A 50mm Emit magnetic/ planar tweeter sits alongside a 10cm polypropylene mid/bass unit. However, here they’re in a sealed compartment to help integration with the downward-facing 13.5cm pulp paper bass unit. Bass is augmented by a rear-firing port.
The three drivers are linked through a relatively simple crossover that uses firstand second-order slopes for filtering. All the components are hard-wired to maintain sonic integrity, and include Mundorf capacitors and air core inductors.
Connection is limited to a single pair of high quality terminals, and the fuss-free attitude of these Neats is reinforced by the singular connection. The included spikes aren’t particularly sharp, though, so may have issues piercing through thick carpet. It’s worth persisting, as a secure footing will bring sonic benefits – and the spikes also set the gap between bass driver and floor, and so help govern the quality of the low frequencies.
These Neats aren’t particularly fussy about placement. They need a bit of reinforcement from a rear wall – we place them around 30cm out into the room, with just a hint of angle towards the listening position. The position of the tweeters gives extra scope for tweaking. Leave them on the outer edges and you’ll get a wider spread of sound. Leaving them on the inside adds just a touch more focus. The optimum placement depends on your room and system.
While these speakers aren’t particularly picky, they respond well to higher quality kit. We think something like Rega’s Elex Mk4 integrated amplifier with a suitably capable source would be a good starting point. If you move on to more ambitious electronics the Alphas have enough sonic stretch to take it in their stride.
Expansive and spacious
If you were thinking short speakers mean a soundstage aimed at your knees, you’d be wrong. That angled baffle helps throw the sound upward, resulting in a surprisingly expansive and spacious presentation that wouldn’t be out of place from rivals twice the height. There’s a good amount of precision, and the presentation stays stable even when the music becomes demanding.
We start with Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and the Neats sound way bigger than expected, delivering a sense of authority and solidity totally out of keeping with their size. With eyes closed we would never guess the speakers are so small.
The Alpha’s presentation is wonderfully cohesive, the three drivers integrating seamlessly, and the sound is appealingly robust. Dynamics are strong too, with larger-scale dynamic shifts handled with confidence even at higher volumes. Tonally these speakers aren’t wholly even, but it’s their ability to capture the essence of the music that grabs our attention, rather than any tonal shortcoming.
Stevie Wonder’s Superstition shows off the Iota Alphas’ excellent handling of rhythms. It’s surefooted, and communicates the drive of the music superbly. There’s plenty of attack here, yet enough in the way of insight and refinement to keep us happy. Stevie’s distinctive vocals come through with clarity and passion, while the hardcharging instrumentation is organised well.
While there is a good amount of low frequency, it’s fair to say larger, similarly priced traditional floorstanders from the likes of B&W, Tannoy or Q Acoustics will dig deeper and hit harder. But in a small-to-medium space they’re fine for anything below nightclub levels.
“The Neats sound way bigger than expected, with a sense of authority and solidity out of keeping with their size. With eyes closed we would never guess the speakers are so small”