Adam??

[tino]

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience of Adam speakers, in particular the S2A monitor?

Thanks!

 

[darrenwm]

I heard some at Bristol.

 

I forget the model.

 

Very good though. I liked, and they fed them from Linn DS players.

 

[tino]

Ah, yes I heard some of their larger domestic models at Bristol last year - very refined I thought. I like the look of (and the reviews of) their active monitors.

 

Don't mention Bristol. My brother (beemb) and I were planning to go on Sunday, as in this Sunday coming. But on Monday night I read a post on What Hi-Fi's forums speaking about the show (I think it was you who posted it actually). My heart sank.

 

But at least we didn't drive all the way to Bristol and then find out !!

 

[DSD_mastering]

We had a 5.1 set of Adams in our room and didn't like them. They were very brittle and we had ear fatigue in no time. We replaced them with the Focal Twin6/Solo6/Sub6 and never looked back.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

[proftournesol]

yes, I actually own 2 pairs of ADAM speakers, HM2s and Tensor Deltas. The Deltas are active 3 ways with ADAMs version of the Heil AMT midrange and treble drivers. They are amazingly good, by far and away the best speakers I've had, and I replaced a set of Avantgardes with these speakers. They are dynamic, accurate and have lots of detail. this means that they will reveal deficiencies in your system or signal source. Component matching is important, as it is with any gear. The most impressive part is how well the conventional bass driver integrates with the AMT drivers. In most boxes I've heard that use a mix of speaker technologies, the bass driver is often noticeably slower and this affects the sound. Acapellas come to mind here, with their fantastic plasma tweeters but very ordinary slow bass, it just doesn't gel.

 

I have HM2s in my second system and this is exclusively supplied from digital sources. They have the same ADAM family sound - detailed, dynamic, fast, but less so than the Deltas (at 1/5th of the price, I hope so). They really need the matching sub to fill out the bottom end although I don't have that yet. I would highly recommend ADAMs to anyone but of course they have to have synergy with your other components.

 

[Pyewacket]

I listened to ADAM speaker at the HighEnd in Munich and was disappointed.

Maybe it was a problem with the acoustic of the show room, but I heard better speakers on that show!

 

By the way: ADAM "active" speakers could not be compared with speaker from B&M or Audiodata: The do not use a negative feedback systems. They are speakers with integrated power amps.

 

[proftournesol]

I wasn't there but heard that on the first day they sounded very ordinary, but the sound was much better after that. Shows are difficult environments to get good sound. It's true of course that they don't use any negative feedback in their active systems, they are active, and as you say that means that the amplifiers directly drive the drivers. These speakers, like B&M or Audiodata, won't suit everybody, but in the right system are amazingly good.

 

[ciamara]

I have tried several Adam speakers (mostly the professional line, which are active 2-, 3-, 4- and 5- way active designs using class D digital amplifiers). For the money (these days you can get them cheaper than you could a few years back), they are quite decent. The ribbon tweeters are nice -- in fact we use ribbon tweeters in our Ciamara Elegance series, though our speakers are designed for a higher end of the market. If you want a decent bookshelf, the S2 is reasonable choice. It will not blow you away, but it is unlikely to severely disappoint you.

 

If you want a higher end sound, stay away from anything that uses Class D amplifiers. They are lightweight and run cool, which is why they are used in active monitors. You will never get the same quality, though as a really good Class A or Class A/B amplifier. Plus, when you buy amplifiers and speakers separately, you can try multiple options and have more flexibility to suit to taste.

 

[ciamara]

Also, it is true that you get a better sound with active crossovers. That is a reality. But it only happens if the crossover is very good and the amplification is also very good. Class D, as I mentioned, is a severe compromise to allow powered monitors to be light. They work, but there is no WOW factor. Most loudspeakers for the home these days are passively controlled, meaning the crossovers are inside the speakers AND the speakers can be powered by a single amplifier. Passive crossovers have definitely improved over time, and you can get a very good sound out of them. If you want the best, you have to go active. And to prove I am not biased, we make both passive and active, so you can feel confident that both -- properly executed -- can work well.

 

[proftournesol]

Hi Sanjay

it took something very special to get me to replace my Avantgardes. I don't know if you've heard the ADAM Tensor range, but they were special, in fact had more wow as well as more detail and finesse than my Avantgardes, all for much the same price. I never thought that I would hear that! I haven't heard the ADAM professional range so I can't comment from personal experience, but perhaps it's worthwhile seeking out some Tensors. The sand filled double layer cabinets are also a factor in their low colouration and 'wow'. I take on board your comments about Class D and would have agreed with you before I heard these speakers, but perhapds all Class D amps aren't compromised any more that all Class A-B amps are good, or all passive crossovers are worse than active crossovers as you say, it must be properly executed. You certainly do get to mix and match with separate amps and active speakers but there are also potential advantages to an integrated matched package as well.

 

[ciamara]

I agree, the Tensor line seems very impressive. I have not heard it, but by looking at how it has been designed, I am sure it sounds quite good. A lot comes down to preference. I enjoy a rich analogue sound ... a "fat" sound, if you will. I like natural harmonics and depth in my sound, without sacrificing detail. Does the Tensor line deliver in this department?

 

The sand filled cabinets make sense. The key with loudspeaker cabinets is to eliminate resonance. Resonance distorts the sound. Sometimes this is desirable -- i.e. in horn-loaded cabinets, the resonance is generated by the shape of the cabinet, and the distortion is intentionally created to color the sound in a specific way. Most home speakers are not made this way today, but a few are (e.g. PMC's transmission line, Klipsch, and a few other).

 

Anyhow ... can you describe the sound of the Tensor line a little more? Which Avantgardes did you replace?

 

[Pyewacket]

@ proftournesol: Are the ADAMs available in the US??? Or do you want to import them?

 

@ sunjitwhy: I took a look at your website, your products look very intersting!

I'll be in NYC in a few weeks - is it possible to to get a short demo of your products??

 

Best regards,

Markus

 

[proftournesol]

Hi Sanjay

I have a smallish room - 5m x 5m x 3m, and really only listen to 2 channel. I've been collecting music since 1969 (my first LP was Abbey Road) and listen mainly to analogue (vinyl) however over the years I've also collected 800 or so CDs and use a MacMini as a music server. I was using some Avantgarde Solos, I chose them based on room size considerations and also being the only concentric drivers in the Avantgarde range, they imaged the best and the drivers integrated well, something that can be difficult to achieve with Unos and Duos. I liked their warmish engaging dynamic effortless sound, they imaged well, and the built-in analogue crossovers meant that I could tune them somewhat to my room. They were there to keep.

 

I listened to the ADAMs with a degree of academic interest, I didn't want to start on another upgrade cycle and I was very happy with the Solos and couldn't imagine the sound being significantly better, at least not to a degree that would warrant a change. I'd upgraded the rest of my system by then, updating my Pink Triangle turntable with the latest Funk Firm mods, and adding a Kuzma Stogi Reference and a ZYX Airy 3 cartridge and a TVC passive preamp. Each of these changes gave me better resolution, more dynamics and a more neutral sound. The ADAMs really surprised me: I had believed that Class D amps sounded dry and lifeless, and had memories of a friends old speakers with the original Heil drivers and how unintegrated the bass driver was with the impressive treble. One thing I've learnt from this hobby is to be prepared to discard my prejudices! They sound very neutral, more so than the Solo horns, and are incredibly detailed and engaging without the 'dryness' or lack of life I was expecting - these are speakers with PRaT! I've heard them image extremely well, although this is not optimal in my room with the constraints I have on placement and a room resonance that I need to tune out (this year's project). The effortless treble and midrange, more importantly is well integrated with a very fast bass driver, and surprisingly bass output in my room has been measured at -1dB at 30Hz - not bad for (large) 3 way standmounts - again something I didn't think was possible with standmounts. Certainly I haven't exhaustively auditioned hundreds of speakers, and I can't comment on how they sound compared to Ciamara, I don't think that they are even available in Australia, but they are pretty impressive never the less.

 

[ciamara]

Markus,

 

Nothing would make me happier than to do a demo for you. My contact information is on my website. Shoot me an email and we can get the ball rolling. I look forward to meeting you!

 

[ciamara]

Wow. Very interesting indeed. And it sounds like we have similar tastes in sound, so I must have a listen at some point. A gentleman who used to work for Adam has actually started to work for us now, and I will ask him how and where I can hear these. I have always been interested in hearing the Olympus system too. Anything that large has to be heard ... They remind me a little of the old Infinity IRS Series V.

 

I find the concept of using large numbers of identical drivers in a speaker intriguing. One thing that is challenging is to ensure the drivers are properly aligned so that you don't run into phasing issues, particularly when using multiple crossover points. We have done some very large 5-way active systems before, though using a completely different approach. When done right, big systems are truly mind blowing.

 

Thank you for your comments. Keep us posted with any new developments on your end! Can you post some photos somewhere for us to see?