Aerial Acoustics Model 9....

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Originally Posted by Krelldog1977

Thanks! It's funny you should mention Nola.....I was looking at a pair on Audiogon ( Viper II's ) for around 2k, but has some scratches on the wood. I'd rather spend a little extra for 10/10 condition...

I will keep Nola strongly in mind if something else pops up...
thx

If you can wait and you can afford it the Nola Viper IIAs pop up on Audiogon for between about $2,300 to $3,500. They have been updated since the IIs came out. They are smaller and not as good as the Nola Viper Reference IIs which list for around $15,000 and pop up on Audiogon for about $7,500 to $8,000.

The Nolas are an open baffle design for the soft dome tweeter and the soft dome midrange. They are an open airy sounding speaker with excellent bass, imaging and soundstaging. They have a long history coming out of the Dahlquist DQ-20 series (after the Dahlquist DQ-10 speakers) and the Alon line. The Dahlquist DQ-20 and most subsequent Dahlquist speakers, the Alon, and the Nola line of speakers were designed by Carl Marchisotto. The Nola Viper IIA speakers have the alnico version of the magnets for the midrange which make them more natural and possibly a little sweeter sounding than the standard magnets.

I have listened to the Nola Viper Reference IIs, the Baby Grands, and the Grand Reference IV.I speakers, but not the more current Viper IIAs. As I recall, I did listen to the older Alon (Nola is Alon backwards) Lotus Elites which were the predecessors of the Nola Viper series.

Check this set of Viper IIAs on Audiogon:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....nt-customer-tr

By the way for speakers on Audiogon, don't expect them to be graded a 10 unless they are basically unused. Expect to find and purchase speakers in an 8 or 9 rating. Ratings on Audiogon are generally conservative.

Rich