The Iota Alpha speakers from Neat are a dark horse among the more ‘high-end’ stereos on the market. With their strange looks, almost like a cross between a tumble-drier and a half-finished robot from a 50’s TV show, it’s easy to think that their sonic output will be similarly whacky. However, these little knee-high speakers have got a few surprises inside that shatter these mocking first impressions.

Construction-wise the Iota Alpha’s look and feel pleasantly solid, with a nice finish available in either Natural Oak, American Walnut, Black Oak or Satin White applied to the exterior, and featuring four sharp (but not too sharp) feet that can dig the speaker into carpets with relative ease. At the compact dimensions of 45 (+spikes) x 20 x 16cm, they are small enough to comfortably manoeuvre and position exactly as your room’s acoustics dictate. The guts of the Alpha are derived from its 2011 predecessor: the top part of the speaker is a sealed box housing a 50mm Emit magnetic/planar tweeter and a 10cm polypropylene mid/bass unit, with a 13.5cm paper-cone bass unit also located at the bottom of the cabinet, providing a 2.5-way driven design. There is also a bass port at the lower-rear of the unit to really get the ‘bounce’ going on floor, so make sure you bed those sharp feet in correctly, otherwise you’ll miss out on some of the low-end frequencies.

Top marks for the build-quality, but now the all-important questions: how do they sound? Despite them being small enough to trip over if you’re not paying attention, these speakers certainly pack a punch that belies their size. With the speakers placed at an upwards angle, the sound experienced in the room is both spacious and immersive. The treble and mid-tones are stately and confident, with plenty of drama and no loss in precision as the volume got cranked up. It would be an overstatement to say everything is perfectly balanced, but, for a casual listening experience, the Alpha’s exceed all expectations: the bass-end really delivers the necessary drive and the rhythms are pretty irresistible. Obviously these little speakers won’t be powerful enough to fill a cathedral, but for a living-room, den, or bedroom, they are liable to totally blow you away.

The Iota Alpha speakers from Neat are like a shot of over-proof rum: a big effect from a little container. After you’ve heard your favourite music come exploding to life, you’ll instantly fall in love with everything, from the EQ to the Alpha’s unconventional looks. The amount of enjoyment you derive will ultimately come down to what kit you run through it – the better the amplifier, the more the Alpha’s will reveal to you, although even mid-range equipment will probably hold you suitably captivated. The only downside is the fierce & strong competition among speakers at this price range: there are certainly similarly priced units with stronger bass and a greater expanse of mid/high tones. However, in terms of the ‘size/output’ ratio, the Alpha’s are well worth the investment. RRP £1,470

4.8 out of 5

Current Cheapest Price

Pros

Compact, well-made design

Easy to manoeuvre & position

Immersive sound quality

Bass, treble and mid-tones very satisfying

Little precision lost in overall tone at louder volumes

Cons

Strong competition among speakers at this price-range