Mordaunt-Short Alumni System Speaker Package

Introducing Alumni - voted No.1 in the Best of the Best Awards 2009 - a little home cinema speaker package that thinks big. Belying indredibly compact dimensions, Alumni is the latest in a long line of elegant Mordaunt-Short surround speaker systems. These stunning high-gloss designs utilise the company's forty year research and development expertise and truly make your movies and music come alive.

Mordaunt-Short's passion for innovative design and advanced voicing techniques means nothing takes the shine off Alumni's performance.

Alumni's small but perfectly formed cabinets blend seamlessly into any listening environment and come in two striking finishes - piano black and white high-gloss.

Alumni is designed so that each speaker integrates with the next to provide an expansive and truly engaging soundstage. Indeed, Alumni thrives on Mordaunt-Short's stereo speaker pedigree and is equally at home as a 2.1 set-up. Alumni is an accessible way into high quality hi-fi and home cinema at an incredibly affordable price.

The Alumni 2 satellites benefit from an improved signal path via an upgraded crossover with low saturation inductors and polypropylene capacitors which reduce distortion and improve detail, integration and clarity. Alumni 2 profits from much of the technology present in some of Mordaunt-Shorts other loudspeakers such as Avant i and the flagship Performance range. The 25mm aluminium dome tweeter delivers elevated dynamic accuracy and razor sharp resolution while the CPC (Continuous Profile Cone) mid/bass drivers clean lines are fundamental to Alumni 2s superior audio reproduction. Indeed, the uninterrupted cone surface ensures excellent rigidity and therefore minimal distortion.

One of the most interesting aspects of the design is the cabinet: Alumnis curved shape discourages the build up of standing waves for a cleaner and more realistic sound. Improved internal wadding gives support where needed, inherently strengthens the speaker and most importantly helps critical damping.

Alumni 2 is Omnimount Ready and prepared to industry standards with pre-fitted mountings. Thanks to this inclusion, you can choose from numerous stand designs to suit your environment. Different styles are available from many manufacturers including Mordaunt-Short with its 300P floor stands or the fiendishly clever 300M wall brackets!

For the perfect finishing touch to your system Alumni 2 satellites have the option of dedicated Alumni speaker stands with integrated cable management which cleverly channel wires away.

Mordaunt-Short has been making compact speaker packages for nearly two decades and is an advocate of the necessity for a dedicated centre speaker design. This is ably demonstrated by both the award winning Genie and Premiere systems. The Alumni 5 centre speaker is critically voiced for the demands of dialogue in films which require crisp clean treble and high levels of detail for precise reproduction. But the centre is also adept at recreating a broad and open natural soundstage when playing music in surround.

The symmetrical D Appolito (woofer-tweeter-woofer) configuration with two 3.5 inch mid/bass drivers has consistently been proven to provide the best power response and performance for speakers of this size. Like the satellites, the curved design reduces standing waves, as well as improving audio dispersion which makes positioning easier and less demanding. It is designed to be placed against a wall or under a TV for improved integration and impact. The centre also comes with an infinitely adjustable plinth.

Providing a tight and controlled bass to any movie soundtrack is the Alumni 9 digital subwoofer, a fact underlined by an extremely low frequency response. It uses a brand new 8 inch ultra long throw woofer, the latest in Mordaunt-Shorts illustrious line of subwoofer technologies. Alumni 9 delivers an impressive 120W of power and all from a remarkably compact cabinet. Indeed the subwoofers box is so small it blends seamlessly into any room.

The cabinets vent is carefully terminated for extremely low mechanical noise and distortion. Meanwhile, the downward firing port and forward firing woofer combine to produce a very clean response and reproduction of the lowest frequencies. Low level and high level inputs, phase control and volume/frequency filter complete this impressive sub. The Alumni 9 also comes with custom made feet to facilitate perfect operation in any environment.

For the perfect finishing touch to your system Alumni 2 satellites have the option of dedicated speaker stands with integrated cable management which cleverly channel wires away.

The stands are extremely discrete but also ensure your speakers have a firm base. Thanks to a hollow design speaker wire can be directed tidily from terminals to source equipment.

Alumni stands are the perfect way to get the most from your 5.1 set-up without impinging on your current listening environment.

Alumni 2 Specifications:

Sensitivity 86dB (1 Watt input)
Frequency response 100Hz - 20kHz
Nominal impedance 4 - 8 Ohms
Power 15 - 80W recommended
Drive units (1) 3.5 inch CPC mid/bass
(1) 1 inch tweeter
Crossover Second order
Dimensions (h x w x d) 176 x 108 x 145mm
Weight 2kg

Alumni 5 Centre Speaker Specifications:

Sensitivity 86dB
Frequency response 100Hz - 20kHz
Nominal impedance 4 - 8 Ohms
Power 15 - 80W recommended
Drive units (2) 3.5 inch CPC mid/bass
(1) 1 inch tweeter
Crossover Second order
Dimensions (h x w x d) 108 x 274 x 145mm
Weight 3kg

Alumni 9 Subwoofer Specifications:

Sensitivity Line in: 270mV (for max output)
High level in: 2.15V (L&R driven for max output)
Frequency response 35Hz - 200Hz
Power 120W amplifier built in
Mains voltage 220 - 240 volts 50Hz or
110 - 120 volts 50 - 60Hz
Power consumption 240 Watts
Drive units 8 inch long throw CPC woofer
Crossover Active/variable from 50 - 160Hz
Dimensions (h x w x d) 376 x 260 x 354mm
Weight 15kg

Alumni Reviews

AV Max - July 2009
The Mordaunt-Short' Alumni is definitely a notch above the rest of the shouty, forward and distinctly distorted small speaker packages; it is evolved, clean and serene. Characters like good depth, diminutive but sharp and fine vocals, accurate texture and grain in the sound makes it a good music and movie package.

Home Cinema Choice - December 2008
... the stability of the timbre from speaker to speaker is admirable - such smooth transititon around the room makes these aural effects come to life.

DVD & BluRay Review - June 2008
... exceptional surround sound performance that is both rich and seamlessly integrated across all five main channels. And it doesn't cost the Earth either.

Home Theater (USA) - March 2008
These people know exactly what music lovers want, and they deliver in these beautiful, well-made, and terrific sounding-speakers. 96%

DVD Home Theater (Greece)
The Alumni system produces a great sound and is without doubt a best buy that many would have priced higher. Don't think twice!

What Home Cinema - November 2007
A compelling surround sound speaker package with one of the tightest sounds we've heard from a sub/sat system.