Adam A7 monitors
- Thread starter Ronnie_Rocker
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Soundlurker
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- Nov 19, 2005
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From the top of my head: joeymusicguy, greyskull, kev, me and probably quite a few others.
In summary:
Very transparant mids | perhaps even too brutal for some people
Really tight lowend | but quite limited (I'd say it's enough down to around 70hz)
Awesome highs, very detailed and open, not-fatiguing at all | the lack of fatigue may result in getting slightly carried away with the amount of high-end.
Very good stereo imaging and representation of dynamics and transients.
In summary:
Very transparant mids | perhaps even too brutal for some people
Really tight lowend | but quite limited (I'd say it's enough down to around 70hz)
Awesome highs, very detailed and open, not-fatiguing at all | the lack of fatigue may result in getting slightly carried away with the amount of high-end.
Very good stereo imaging and representation of dynamics and transients.
monolithsound
Member
Wow, really? That's about where my Tannoys drop off, I would think the Adams with their slightly larger drivers would at least make it to 55 Hz!
Sinister Mephisto
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- Sep 20, 2005
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Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
I've never been a fan TBH. The ADAM mid exertion has always seemed unnatural and fake to me. I've tracked on a few S3As in my time, and A/B'd the A7s to several other monitors and rarely ever preferred them.
In that sort of low price range, you get a fair bit more bang for buck and efficacy from the Yamaha HS80Ms IMO.
In that sort of low price range, you get a fair bit more bang for buck and efficacy from the Yamaha HS80Ms IMO.
PostMortem1666
Ocean Planet is on burn
Dude, seriously? I have been under the impression that these were better than the yammies. I am interested to know why you think the HS80s are better because I am currently looking for a step up from my BX8As.
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
To me the HS80s sound more balanced, and from memory had a bit more low extension too. Something about the frequency balance of the ADAMs doesn't sit right with me. Though I'm one of the few on here that cared enough about monitoring to significantly invest in it, so it might be a different perspective to everyone else. I heard the HS80Ms the other day again and really do maintain that they are good monitors, regardless of the price. They sound more expensive than they are. If I didn't have the Opals I'd happily mix on em.
i used to own the hs80m, and after demoing a lot of stuff i settled on the adam p11a.
the a7's were my favorite before going to the store and A/Bing them. well, they're good speakers, as others already said the mids are very forward and revealing, the stereo image and transient detail are great too. however, to me they seriously lack bottom end. sounds as if there's next to nothing going on under like 80hz. people tend to argue that they have an accurate amount of bass, but still, i think that in metal it's very important to get the low end right, and you can't do that if you're not hearing it clearly IMHO. that's why i'd always recommend a sub, adam sub7 or sub8 depending on your room size, when going for the A7.
however, adam a7 + sub is pretty much the same as the adam p11a, but you don't have to put up with calibrating and positioning the sub.
the p11a are VERY recommended imho. they share the forward mids, have a superb stereo image, depth, and transient detail, are very revealing yet not too fategueing, and go down to around 55hz i'd say. the adam s2x they had there were probably the best speakers i've ever heared (totally smoked the k+h o110), but that's a different league alltogether.
as for ermz arguement about the adams having unnatural mids, and the yamahas having a balanced sound...well....he's right, but at the same time he's wrong i'd say lol.
the adam's DO have a special sound to them. the mids around 2k are slightly emphasized, which makes the sound VERY analytical. at the same time, they translate wonderfully imho. pretty much the total opposite of genelecs...to me, the genelec 8040 had a dip around 2k, and coupled with the fat low end they instantly sounded nicer than the material actually was. i felt that i could do informed mixing decisions easier on any adam monitor than on any genelec monitor [the genelecs had the BEST stereo image short of the adam s2x btw, it was really amazing....just a sidenote]
finally, as for the hs80m: first things first, they are GREAT for the money. you'll be hard pressed to find anything better in the sub 1k range (i know, i was
). their frequency response is quite flat, however i felt the highs were slightly hyped, making them a more fategueing speaker than the adams. there was also a weird hole around 400hz, i just couldn't properly judge what i was doing down there EQ wise. they go down very deep btw, around 50hz i'd say, and stay punchy all the way. great speakers to impress clients
what i DIDN'T like about the hs80m is the lack of detail, be it transients, stereo image, depth, whatever. i found the stereo image to be quite smeared, with the hyped highend covering up a lot of the ambience information. it was also pretty hard to really hear what the compression is doing to the sound. it's possible to adjust and find workarounds for most of these points, but it's a pita imho.
overall, the yamahas are pretty impressive sounding when you first hear them, the sound is massive. however, i found it to be difficult to mix on them. the adams sound more boring in comparison, but they're not trying to hide the faults of the mix, like i felt the yammies did.
just my .02$ though
the a7's were my favorite before going to the store and A/Bing them. well, they're good speakers, as others already said the mids are very forward and revealing, the stereo image and transient detail are great too. however, to me they seriously lack bottom end. sounds as if there's next to nothing going on under like 80hz. people tend to argue that they have an accurate amount of bass, but still, i think that in metal it's very important to get the low end right, and you can't do that if you're not hearing it clearly IMHO. that's why i'd always recommend a sub, adam sub7 or sub8 depending on your room size, when going for the A7.
however, adam a7 + sub is pretty much the same as the adam p11a, but you don't have to put up with calibrating and positioning the sub.
the p11a are VERY recommended imho. they share the forward mids, have a superb stereo image, depth, and transient detail, are very revealing yet not too fategueing, and go down to around 55hz i'd say. the adam s2x they had there were probably the best speakers i've ever heared (totally smoked the k+h o110), but that's a different league alltogether.
as for ermz arguement about the adams having unnatural mids, and the yamahas having a balanced sound...well....he's right, but at the same time he's wrong i'd say lol.
the adam's DO have a special sound to them. the mids around 2k are slightly emphasized, which makes the sound VERY analytical. at the same time, they translate wonderfully imho. pretty much the total opposite of genelecs...to me, the genelec 8040 had a dip around 2k, and coupled with the fat low end they instantly sounded nicer than the material actually was. i felt that i could do informed mixing decisions easier on any adam monitor than on any genelec monitor [the genelecs had the BEST stereo image short of the adam s2x btw, it was really amazing....just a sidenote]
finally, as for the hs80m: first things first, they are GREAT for the money. you'll be hard pressed to find anything better in the sub 1k range (i know, i was
). their frequency response is quite flat, however i felt the highs were slightly hyped, making them a more fategueing speaker than the adams. there was also a weird hole around 400hz, i just couldn't properly judge what i was doing down there EQ wise. they go down very deep btw, around 50hz i'd say, and stay punchy all the way. great speakers to impress clients what i DIDN'T like about the hs80m is the lack of detail, be it transients, stereo image, depth, whatever. i found the stereo image to be quite smeared, with the hyped highend covering up a lot of the ambience information. it was also pretty hard to really hear what the compression is doing to the sound. it's possible to adjust and find workarounds for most of these points, but it's a pita imho.
overall, the yamahas are pretty impressive sounding when you first hear them, the sound is massive. however, i found it to be difficult to mix on them. the adams sound more boring in comparison, but they're not trying to hide the faults of the mix, like i felt the yammies did.
just my .02$ though
Soundlurker
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- Nov 19, 2005
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They're supposed to go down to around 50hz
http://www.ixbt.com/proaudio/adam-a7.shtml
I'm just telling you it didn't felt like they do. I know my room is at fault to some degree but I also have an idea of how it affects the speakers in it.
greyskull
Member
- Mar 22, 2006
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kaomao
Member
there was also a weird hole around 400hz, i just couldn't properly judge what i was doing down there EQ wise. they go down very deep btw, around 50hz i'd say, and stay punchy all the way. great speakers to impress clients
Yes this is really important guys!!
I got a pair of yammy's and I confirm that.
hs80m has that fucking stupid hole from 150-200hz to 400hz, you don't know what's happening there.
I hope with a sub I can get that detail.
crillemannen
Member
I dont think that "hole" in the 150-400hz area is that big of a deal, its all about getting to know your speakers. But i do recall i had a problem in the beginning with the Yamahas just around that area especially mixing the bass guitar, but not anymore, now that i know how they sound.
I do like the extended bass response, do we really need a subwoofer??? And the highs are really nice, but i do have the high switch turned down -2db
its probably the best budget buy period
especially mixing the bass guitar, but not anymore, now that i know how they sound.I do like the extended bass response, do we really need a subwoofer??? And the highs are really nice, but i do have the high switch turned down -2db
its probably the best budget buy period
Jarkko Mattheiszen
The FU guy.
I wouldn't say there's such a big hole in there, and the sub won't help that much in those frequencies:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/atta...quivalent-ns10-vs-hs50m-vs-hs80m-vs-hs10w.png
Are you sure it's not the room?
kev
Im guybrush threepwood
Jarkko Mattheiszen
The FU guy.
