The speakers feature an Avalon-designed 1-inch (25mm) composite dome tweeter, and two 7-inch (178mm) Nomex-Kevlar woofers (the drivers are made in Germany exclusively for Avalon).

Avalon speakers look like no other, and when viewed from the side the Idea's front and rear panels are canted back at an 8-degree angle.

The Idea's impedance is rated at 4 ohms, and rather than use conventional speaker wire binding posts, the Idea's connector clamps the wires' ends (banana plugs won't work with the Idea's connector).

Standard real wood veneers include maple, walnut and cherry; burled wood veneers and automotive paint finishes are available at extra cost.

Avalon recommends leaving the grilles on for best sound quality, so I did just that for all of my auditioning time.

The company's speakers have always featured angled and faceted cabinets, and while the Idea speaker may be one of the company's more affordable models, the craftsmanship is superb. The speakers are made in Boulder, Colorado, and the company documents the measurements of every driver for every speaker the company has ever produced. So if a customer needs to replace a tweeter, midrange or woofer on a 20-year-old Avalon speaker, the service department can provide a matching driver.

So while these speakers are expensive, they can provide decades of enjoyment.

This Avalon system would be a smart choice for a well-heeled, city-dwelling audiophile.

Technical Specifications

• Two-way floorstanding loudspeaker
• Drivers: 1x 25mm ceramic dome tweeter 2x 177mm Nomex/Kevlar composite mid/bass units
• Sensitivity: 88dB
• Nominal Impedance: four ohms
• Recommended power rating: 50-300W
• Frequency response: 28Hz-22kHz
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 21.9x90.2x25.4cm
• Weight: 27.21kg per speaker
• Manufactured by: Avalon Acoustics
• URL: www.avalonacoustics.com