ALCHRIS AUDIO TX-1 LOUDSPEAKERS REVIEW

Alchris Audio are a small but popular and well-loved manufacturer of loudspeakers based in Yorkshire in the UK. In this review, Oscar Stewart takes a listen to their TX-1 Loudspeakers.

Alchris Audio is headed up by Alan Clark and for over half a century he’s been building and designing loudspeakers. In 2020 he decided to start up his own speaker company, Alchris Audio.

Mid last year, I had been looking to replace my main speakers and had my eye on the Alchris Audio TX range since they were announced. I opted for the TX-1 in Black Ash as they would be best suited for my room size. I contacted Alan about listening to a pair, and I ended up purchasing them shortly after receiving them. Read on to find out why.

BUILD QUALITY AND FEATURES OF THE ALCHRIS AUDIO TX-1

First off, Alan makes each speaker by hand in his workshop in Yorkshire, and there is a lot of care taken to ensure each pair is finished to a high standard. This includes real wood veneers, CNC machined baffles, high-quality binding posts and a choice of full or half grilles (which don’t cover the front port). The cabinets themselves are made from 18mm MDF and are braced internally, Alan uses Dodo Mat sound deadening alongside acoustic foam to control resonance internally. These are a really solid pair of speakers, and the real wood veneer makes them feel like a more premium product over a standard painted cabinet.

In the box you get a cleaning cloth, a pair of white gloves, a deoxit wipe for the terminals/cables you are using, a pen, a bottle/can opener, two drink coasters, a small tape measure, a user manual, and the grilles – the packaging set is comprehensive and excellent.

The TX-1 are a compact bookshelf/stand mount speaker that uses a ¼ wave transmission line design. They have a 5.25” mid-bass driver and a 50mm ribbon tweeter. Careful consideration is made to the crossover, and Alan uses high-quality parts all in his designs. The TX-1 features a floating front baffle to reduce any vibration and colouration, the crossover is also mechanically isolated from the cabinet, silicone wiring is used internally to reduce any microphonics, and even the speaker terminals get copper washers instead of the stock plastic ones – all these small details add up.

I currently live in a flat and needed some speakers that were not “overly” fussy in their placement. The front firing port of the TX-1 really helps with this, and they are designed to be more forgiving of placement in a room than some other speakers. Ribbon tweeters also work well for me, as their vertical dispersion is more limited; I get less ceiling and floor bounce. Like any speaker, though, it is worth trying to get them set up as best you can; it took me some time to dial in the toe, for example. I have them around 30cm from the rear wall, sitting on a pair of Solid Steel SS-6 stands, and toed in slightly (not fully on axis).

System pairing-wise, I have been using them with both my main reference kit (iFi NEO Stream / NEO iDSD 2 / Keces S4 / Keces S300+), as well as a Cambridge Audio Evo 150 all-in-one streaming amp. I have been using both streamed music via Qobuz, alongside vinyl (Rega Planar 3 anniversary edition with AT VM 745xML cart) and CD (Pioneer PD-S505 Precision) – they also get used for TV use.

SOUND QUALITY

I’d like to say that these are an incredibly well-behaved speaker, the tonal balance and transparency is impressive, and they allow you to hear changes downstream with ease. The second thing is the sheer scale from a speaker of this size; these go deeper than my previous floorstanding speakers in my room, and sound more controlled when doing so (due to their design and positioning in my space). I know I don’t review based on spec, I will say, though, that I get usable output down to around 35Hz in my room with these speakers, which, from a speaker with a 5.25” mid-bass, is mad. I’ve been watching Stranger Things recently, and the sound from that program is superb, and a few times I have been caught off guard and had to double-check that my small Wharfedale subwoofer was turned off (and it has been). These speakers have surprised me at how clear, detailed, and effortless they sound – even months into ownership, I still find myself impressed at what they deliver.

I recently picked up a Marantz – Explorations In Sound Vol1 + 2 compilation off a colleague, and it makes for fantastic test vinyl, especially alongside my new AT VM 745xML cartridge. Using this with a Classic Audio Spartan 5 phono stage into the Cambridge Evo 150 powering the TX-1 delivers impeccable sound. This is a system that can pick out nuances in recording quality, and, to be honest, this transparency also shows up a lot of issues with many modern vinyl releases. Let’s get back to the speakers, though. Take track C2 on Vol 2, Miya Folick – Thingamajig. These speakers give you a rock-solid centre image with perfectly rendered female vocals, there is real depth to the sound stage, and the instruments are all placed in their own space within it. They give you a much larger sound than you would expect from a small speaker, and they work incredibly well in my space.

Back to streaming now, Paramore – Forgiveness. The TX-1 happily track the beat of this song whilst maintaining composure throughout. These are speakers that always keep their cool, no matter what you play through them; they manage to deliver it with a sense of ease and balance. Nothing ever stands out or imposes itself on you! Yes, you can hear the difference between poor and good recordings, however, they never seem to sound overly harsh when playing back less-than-perfect tracks. In this track, Hayley’s vocals are natural and the layering has good space, the bass beat is always present yet never overly forward, whilst the synths swirl around with great accuracy.

Pearl Jam – Setting Sun. This track highlights the wide sound they can throw out. The sound is spread much wider than the speakers, and they give you a sense of height, too. The detail in the midrange is rather impressive. I do like a more accurate sound rather than something that has a boost somewhere in the range, and these deliver on that. The transition from upper midrange to lower treble is smooth, and there is no sibilance or harshness. The ribbon tweeter does a great job at delivering treble that is crisp, clean, and not lacking in energy, whilst also not coming across as brash or harsh. There is a finesse to the treble that allows it to sound clear without being bright.

Biffy Clyro – Many Of Horror (unplugged). I absolutely adore this version of this song, and the TX-1 give a goosebump-inducing presentation of it. The whole song just comes together with heaps of emotion and insight, there are subtle strings that sound hauntingly real whilst the kick drum has enough impact to add body.  These speakers manage to deliver a raw and accurate live recording, bringing you closer to the music.

I know Alan likes his rock music, but putting these through their paces, I had to play something a little more brutal. Oceano – The Great Tribulation, which would be considered a wall of noise to most people (which is a fair assessment), I just wanted to know how these speakers handle this. Once again, that midrange clarity is fantastic, the guitars are clean, and the guttural vocals have all the subtlety of a brick to the face. The fast double pedal kick drums are impeccably separated, and you can track the tom hits across the soundstage. No matter what you throw at these, they can handle it.

Lastly, some electronic music in the form of Massive Attack – Karmacoma. The pulsating underlying beat is clean and full, whilst the vocals cut through with great linearity. These are small speakers and they are never going to quite give you room-shattering bass, yet used in the right spaces, you get ample volume and presence without it sounding over the top. I’ve cranked these speakers a few times, and even at unlistenable levels, they never lose their composure. They can really push some air when called for, I think these are easily capable of surprising quite a few people who might judge them on their size.

QUIBBLES

Not a quibble per se, but those looking for something to pressurise a larger room or raise the roof may want to look elsewhere. These are all about delivering a more linear, yet punchy sound in a smaller space.

CONCLUSION

The TX-1 offer up astonishingly good sound for the money, if you are like me and have a slightly less than ideal space and want a speaker that can deliver a lively, snappy, and surprisingly big sound these are brilliant. The level of control, detail, depth, and insight I get from such a small speaker still surprises me months into ownership, and the bass really does impress when called for. If you use these speakers for their intended purpose in the right setting, they are unlikely to disappoint.

Alan has built a speaker that offers up a natural, unforced sound that is simply a joy to listen to.

AT A GLANCE

Build Quality And Features:

Solid build with features that positively affect the sound

Sound Quality:

Effortless, spacious, controlled, snappy and energetic

The bass comes in when called for, with surprising depth for their size

Value For Money:

The direct-to-customer model Alan works on means these give you a lot of sound for the money

We Loved:

The overall package balancing excellent build with sound you wouldn’t expect from their size

We Didn’t Love So Much:

Some might want a bit more oomph for larger rooms

Elevator Pitch Review: The TX-1 from Alchris Audio are a small speaker with a big heart; they offer up a more balanced and controlled sound with bass that impresses when needed. Use them in the right setting, and I really cannot see why they would disappoint. The transmission line design really does give you nimble yet deep bass from a small footprint, and it is well integrated with the ribbon tweeter that gives you impeccable transient response and detail without harshness.

Price: £1250

Oscar Stewart

SUPPLIED BY ALCHRIS AUDIO

SUPPLIED SPECIFICATION

• Frequency response 35hz – 40khz
• Recommended power 20 to 120 watts
• Sensitivity 86db 1w 1m
• Impedance 8 ohms
• Drivers 135mm composite paper cone
• True Ribbon tweeter 50mm
• Size H x W x D, 370 x 175 x 290
• Weight 7.5kg each