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Adam A3x or Audioengine 5? Studio Monitors

post #1 of 10
8/14/11 at 8:50pm
Thread Starter 

Hey, just joined. I realize this is a forum for headphones, but I hope some can help me out here. I figured this subforum would be the best place to post this.

 

I am looking for nice studio monitors. I am a musician and want them to be reproduce sound truly, with neither the lows, mids nor the highs being disproportionally emphasized. I owned M-Audio AV-40s in the US, but it was a bit too heavy to transport. I would like something slightly better.

 

Since I live in Chile now (I'm still American), it's difficult to purchase nice studio monitors for a good price. They're insanely overpriced, with some speakers going for over a grand that cost around $250 in the US.

 

I asked around on a Chile hifi forum and they recommended the following:

Adam A3x for 356,000CLP
Audioengine 5 for 199990CLP

Since the exchange rate to USD sucks, and I get paid in CLP, it's more fair to look at the prices as about $715 for the Adam and $400 for the Audioengine. Prices aren't too bad compared to how much they are in the US.

 

Which would you recommend? I'd rather pay less, but I hear the Adams are quite good and I know they're a very respected brand for studio monitors.


Edited by Jerethustra - 8/14/11 at 8:52pm
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post #2 of 10
8/14/11 at 9:13pm

A5 isn't meant for studio monitoring.

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post #3 of 10
8/14/11 at 9:14pm
Thread Starter 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric_C View Post

A5 isn't meant for studio monitoring.


 

Insteresting... Didn't realize that. Looked on their website... gotta love the following:

 

Quote:

Based on Studio Monitor Designs
Studio monitor speakers are used by producers and engineers in recording and production studios. They are designed with a theoretical flat frequency response which allows the engineer to create a final mix in such a way that the recorded music will sound good on most other speakers. Although Audioengine speakers are not designed to be up-close "nearfield" studio monitors, we do carry over much of the same higher-end technology, components, and design philosophy for Audioengine speakers.

 

Still, anyone care to compare the two? Will the Adam A3x be a large improvement?


Edited by Jerethustra - 8/14/11 at 9:16pm
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post #4 of 10
8/15/11 at 3:28pm

Well i went with the Edifier 1900TII for my niece recently ...well more like gambled after watching a Youtube video review by an English dude and i happened to stumble across several Edifier based vids done up by South Americans so i am guessing these are readily available in that part of the world? Also based my gamble on the warm reception and happy buyers of the junior model 1600T in the UK hehe

 

 

Anyway i snooped around and found Edifier Chile's site here

http://www.edifier.cl/productos/multimedia20/r1900t3/r1900t3.html

 

How i wish they had the updated 1900TIII where i'm at! I was pleasantly surprised actually at how great the 1900TII sounded and this updated version has a wee bit more beef tongue_smile.gif

 


Edited by trog - 8/15/11 at 3:35pm
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post #5 of 10
8/15/11 at 7:46pm
Thread Starter 

Hey, thanks for the recommendation. Emailed them for the price. Looks good.

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post #6 of 10
8/15/11 at 8:24pm

I'm sorry to be a wet blanket again, but Edifier is not known for producing studio monitors. At best, the company has a reputation for decent sounding PC speakers on a budget; when it comes to studio mons, what pro/am recording publication or forum recommends Edifier? 

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post #7 of 10
8/16/11 at 12:28am


Yep u are welcomed - if Microlab Solo series are available i would see them as a viable alternative as well from these newer/upcoming names tongue_smile.gif

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerethustra View Post

Hey, thanks for the recommendation. Emailed them for the price. Looks good.



 

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post #8 of 10
8/25/11 at 12:58pm

Hi. New owner of Adam A3x and let me say i am a lot impressed with them. They are magical with acoustic music and do vocals very well.  If you listen at low volumes and prefer acoustic music, i dont think you can go wrong with the A3x. 

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post #9 of 10
8/25/11 at 1:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric_C View Post

I'm sorry to be a wet blanket again, but Edifier is not known for producing studio monitors. At best, the company has a reputation for decent sounding PC speakers on a budget; when it comes to studio mons, what pro/am recording publication or forum recommends Edifier? 



There are many noted recording and mastering engineers that believe that mixing on studio monitors, particularly nearfields, is a bad idea, and that the typical studio monitor speakers that are recommended by recording publications aren't a good choice. 

 

Below are a couple of links.  One is a thread on Gearslutz about mixing on Zu Druids and other "non studio" speakers, and how the mixes actually went easier and translated better.  The other is a commentary by mastering engineer Bob Katz on the diadvantages of nearfields.

 

The short version is, don't be afraid to try mixing on speakers that aren't sold in the studio market, especially speakers from the high end of hi-fi, which are usually very flat anyway.  Also, don't believe everything recording publications tell you, because they tend to be constrained to products that are marketed to that audience, and they also rarely, if ever, give anything a bad review.

 

http://www.digido.com/audio-faq/n/nearfield-monitors-for-mastering.html

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/131188-zu-audio-druid-speakers-long-review.html

 

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post #10 of 10
8/25/11 at 4:42pm


Hey barleyguy, thanks for the different perspective (though I don't know if OP is still looking for advice). 

 

However Edifier in this case is not a maker of high end goods, just budget speakers. And again, I would caution someone who wants accuracy in their speakers when considering Edifier.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by barleyguy View Post





There are many noted recording and mastering engineers that believe that mixing on studio monitors, particularly nearfields, is a bad idea, and that the typical studio monitor speakers that are recommended by recording publications aren't a good choice. 

 

Below are a couple of links.  One is a thread on Gearslutz about mixing on Zu Druids and other "non studio" speakers, and how the mixes actually went easier and translated better.  The other is a commentary by mastering engineer Bob Katz on the diadvantages of nearfields.

 

The short version is, don't be afraid to try mixing on speakers that aren't sold in the studio market, especially speakers from the high end of hi-fi, which are usually very flat anyway.  Also, don't believe everything recording publications tell you, because they tend to be constrained to products that are marketed to that audience, and they also rarely, if ever, give anything a bad review.

 

http://www.digido.com/audio-faq/n/nearfield-monitors-for-mastering.html

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/131188-zu-audio-druid-speakers-long-review.html

 



 

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