(June 6, 2025) Alcons Audio is expanding its system ecosystem in a meaningful way, introducing a new controller and monitor that continue the company’s mission to bring studio-level fidelity to real-world installs.
Let’s start with the brains: the new Director6 amplified loudspeaker controller. Designed to optimize performance in fixed and semi-permanent environments, it’s Alcons’ most capable processor and amplifier platform to date. The unit packs an 8-channel architecture with bridgeable Class-D amplifier stages, delivering up to 6kW of total output. That can be split across 8 channels at 750W into 4 ohms, or condensed to 4 channels at 1500W each, depending on your needs.
Inputs include both analog and AES3 digital—up to 192kHz—and everything is processed at a native 96kHz resolution. There’s also full-channel DSP onboard, including 8-band EQ, phase and delay tools, and Alcons’ own VHIR™ phase processing. System presets make configuration easy, and the unit’s 3.12" OLED interface provides clear feedback alongside a large rotary control with LED accents per channel.
A few details stand out. Swappable power and amp modules allow for field servicing and upgrades, while four active power factor correction supplies ensure high efficiency and compatibility with international voltages. You also get full integration with Alcons’ ALControl™ platform for centralized control over larger installations—complete with redundant networking and future-proof expansion options.
Philip de Haan, Alcons’ Head of R&D, summed up the design philosophy behind the Director like this: “HiFi at concert sound pressure levels reaches again new heights with the Director ALC as drive engine for the Alcons pro-ribbon sound systems.”
On the speaker side of the announcement, Alcons is finally taking the wraps off the MR5, a compact two-way studio reference monitor that’s been years in the making. It’s the first release in the upcoming “M-series,” which will eventually include larger three-way designs—the MR10 and MR12.
The MR5 leverages Alcons’ smallest proprietary pro-ribbon driver, the RBN202, to handle mid- and high-frequency reproduction from 1 kHz to 20 kHz and beyond. The driver’s lightweight diaphragm and compression-less architecture allow for a fast transient response with low distortion, which Alcons says yields a stable, analytical reference—ideal for long sessions without fatigue. The driver is also capable of handling up to 500 watts of peak input over 200 ms, yielding a 1:15 RMS-to-peak dynamic range.
Low and mid frequencies are handled by a 5-inch woofer custom-built by Alcons, equipped with its Active Coil technology for minimal distortion. The driver is housed in an enclosure that includes the company’s ScoopVent design, intended to enhance bass response and airflow while maintaining tight, clean output.
A unique design element on the MR5 is the new HempHorn, a patented waveguide that maintains 120-degree horizontal directivity across the entire frequency range. It's said to extend spatial imaging across a wide listening area. According to Alcons, this improves accuracy in immersive applications where localization is critical.
Like other speakers in the Alcons lineup, the MR5 is designed to be used with the company’s ALC series amplified loudspeaker controllers. In this case, a single amp channel drives the monitor, while all processing is handled offboard. The system is entirely passive at the speaker end, reducing heat buildup and simplifying installation in walls, ceilings, or behind screens.
The MR5 is available now. Alcons says the MR10 and MR12 models are in development.
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