Mordaunt-Short speakers have developed a distinct, instantly recognisable style in recent years, and this package follows suit. The smart silver baffles, and the white mid/bass driver – made all the more smooth by its ‘CPC' (Continuous Profile Cone) design doing away with the dustcap at the centre of the driver – loudly proclaim the MS style we've come to know well in recent times.
The package consists of four Alumni 2 satellites, boasting an attractively curved design. This shape discourages standing waves as well as looking good. An Alumni 5 centre speaker offers a bigger cabinet and two mid/bass drivers to deliver more body and presence to all-important dialogue.
The Alumni 9 subwoofer rounds the package off, with its 8in bass driver and 120w of power.
A barnstormer
Get it into action, and the Alumni slides smoothly through the sonic gears. Detail levels are good, as is the package's dynamics – as evidenced by its barnstorming rendering of 28 Weeks Later.
The only downside with this package is that it doesn't exude the kind of warmth, body and solidity in the midrange that would make it a truly pleasurable listen. Treble can harden up at times, leading to a sound that's detailed and revealing, but is also a little too bare and unforgiving.
It's a good package, but it doesn't quite earn a fifth star.
