Infinity Systems Alpha 20 Bookshelf Speakers

Infinity Systems Alpha 20 Bookshelf Speakers 

DESCRIPTION

The Alpha 20 bookshelf speakers are aces when it comes to combining great sound, good looks, and compact size. Looks like Infinity did it again! They've been designing fantastic speakers for years, and it's their innovation, research and understanding of customers' needs that brought the Alpha 20 to life.

Let's start with unique Infinity technology. The Alpha 20 boasts a 1" C.M.M.D. tweeter and a 6-1/2" C.M.M.D. woofer. C.M.M.D., or Ceramic Metal Matrix Diaphragm, is a material designed by Infinity to produce exceptionally stiff, light drivers ideal when it comes to accurate, responsive reproduction of sound. This technology exists already in expensive, high-end Infinity lines, so it was ready to be reapplied in the more affordable Alpha line.

Key Features:

  • video-shielded
  • bass-reflex
  • frequency response 55-22,000 Hz (ñ3dB)
  • 8-ohm impedance
  • sensitivity 89 dB
  • handles up to 100 watts
  • black ash or cherry vinyl finish
  • 5-way binding posts
  • 8-7/8"W x 15-1/8"H x 11-3/8"D
  • warranty: 5 years

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-8 of 8  
[Aug 14, 2020]
moreira


Strength:

Contrary to the opinions, I must say that I was not satisfied with the sound performance of Infinity alpha 10. I say this because although the highs turned out to be pleasant, although a little metallic in some songs especially in the vocal songs. On the other hand I liked the bass because it was well controlled but weak. In audition tests, I cannot say the same with the musical passages and timbres of the instruments. The instrument stage had a distance that looked like the musicians were behind the stage, but the passages of the notes of the piano and the violin revealed me dead without life between the low and high octaves. The vocal range has a very satisfying timbre, but it could be better. The voices proved to be pleasant, but not divine enough to enter my soul. Summary: Good treble, but with a slightly metallic tonal presentation, in voices. The lows were weak but balanced, but not deep. The notes and melodic passages of the piano and violin reveal themselves to be linear without noticing vivid oscillations in the passages between low and high notes and vividly not captivating in my ears. I give two stars for the finish and designer of Infinity alpha 10 and 20. Musically, the columns do not have tonal balance. The treble works higher than with the intermediate range and to make the bass worse it is weak and does not contribute at all to the entire musical scale. This model did not encourage to keep in the list of collection of speakers of sound option.

Weakness:

Melodic passages of the piano and violin low and not very enveloping.

Price Paid:
100
Purchased:
Used  
OVERALL
RATING
3
[Feb 11, 2020]
UNCNorseman


Strength:

Clarity of sound, especially with the other Alpha speakers (I have them all, the 50's, 40's and the 37C). As they are against a wall, the front porting is great, also! For $100, they blow away my old Pioneer BS-22's, as good as those were.

Weakness:

Just wish I could have found a set with the Ash finish! LOL!

Price Paid:
100
Purchased:
Used  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Nov 11, 2019]
John30144


Strength:

Great sound- spacious, full, present, and crisp. Was searching online for info and found this old thread. Doubt anyone still reads it... I found these speakers abandoned at work a number of years ago and took them home. I hooked them up to my crappy receiver and cheap subwoofer and they sounded better than what I was using. I recently upgraded to a Pioneer VSX-LX104 receiver and a Polk PSW108 subwoofer. The Alphas sound GREAT with this new equipment! Like a different set of speakers! I think about upgrading them but I'm not sure how much better I could get without going over $500/pair. They really do sound great.

Weakness:

Weak bass, but a subwoofer took care of that.

Price Paid:
0
Purchased:
Used  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Apr 15, 2010]
Angevoi
Audio Enthusiast

They sound perfect for their price.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 19, 2004]
kode3
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Clarity, size, build quality, bi-wire able.

Weakness:

Bass response.

I use the Infinity Alpha 20's as rear channel in a fifteen thousand dollar home theater, and I must say they hold there own. They’re a very robust little speaker. Great clarity for there size, and price range. Bass is less than most people would like, but what can you expect from a front-ported bookshelf. Matching a good subwoofer will solve that problem nicely. All in all a great speaker for the one hundred and fifty dollar price range.

Similar Products Used:

Infinity Ref 2000.3

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Jan 13, 2004]
starman18
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Unbeleivable sound for the price.

I used these to replace my smaller Infinity RS-1 that I then moved to my rears. I must say that the difference is astounding. I would compare these speakers to many others that I have heard at three times the price. I was so impressed that I bought another set and am now using a third Alpha 20 as my center. It is performing very well and is obviously magnetically sheilded because it is causing no problems with my television. I find that these speakers have more than enough bass, considering they are bookshelf speakers, but then I would never use a bookshelf speaker unless combining it with a sub.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm, Infinity

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 29, 2003]
Colodeti
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Good mids and highs. The speaker is so decorative too.

Weakness:

The bass, therefore it's not important in my case because I've a PDR-10 subwoofer.

I have just buy my pair of Alpha 20. I've used for a long time Pioneer's speakers of my HTB. Today I'm still using the VSX-510 receiver but the sound look very better, more clear, with details I've never see. I think that Alpha 20 is a very good entry level bookshelf speaker. In the future I'll buy the Alpha Center speaker and the Primus 140 (for surround). I'm very happy with my choice.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm, Pioneer

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
3
[Jul 16, 2003]
Buck Rogers
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

They look great, well designed/constructed mass-produced speaker, excel in the mid/highs, ported in front for easier placement, for the price it would be difficult to find a better speaker. Very good HT speaker.

Weakness:

Bass doesn't overwhelm you. Not necessarily a bad thing though.

The Alpha 20's are a rock-solid entry level speaker, especially if space is an issue. I currently use them for my fronts, with an interlude series (IL25c) center, wired up to my Pioneer Elite Receiver. I originally would've preferred a little larger speaker, but space was an issue in my little apartment. I ain't complaining. I was debating between Polk's RTi38s, and the Infinity Alpha 20s. The Polk's a very nice unit as well, and it offers a base that sounds noticeably more robust, whereas the Infinity concentrates it's selling point on augmenting crisp middle and highs- which it does rather well. If you have a decent sub, of course, the marginal base of a little shelf speaker doesn't really matter anyway. It's just a preference thing. I went with the Alpha 20's because the cone construction matched my center channel and blended better (the IL25c is also a fine product by the way). I also like that these speakers are ported in the front rather than the back; you don't have to worry about placement of the speaker as much. Construction of the speaker is pretty damned good. They aren't Monitor Audio, but for a mass-produced speaker, I couldn't be happier with these suckers. They will sound better as they break in more. They sell for $399 in most places, but you can find them way cheaper if you wait for a good deal to come around. If you get'em at $200 like I did, it's pretty much a steal for what you get.

Similar Products Used:

Infinity, Pioneer Elite, Wharfedale, Fosgate, JBL

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 1-8 of 8  

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