AdamZuf
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2002
- Posts
- 2,661
- Likes
- 11
It's been about 2-3 years since i've stopped the hi-fi hunt for ultimate headphones. I went to a sound engineering school, and began my interest in building speakers, so my money was better spent in another places, related to my future profession.
However, the last headphones I've sold in order to get money was the RS-1. That resolute, edgy midrange and detail could not escape my mind whenever I miss them.
In the past few weeks I've been out doing a studio monitor search. My plan was to build something really good for my graduation project. However, things changed a bit and I can't do it right now. However, I've learned a lot from listening to almost anything in the higher end market that studio monitors has to offer: Dynaudio, Tannoy, PMC, Genelec, KRK and more. I ran across Adam monitors, and now I have their lower end pair, the passive ANF-10 on loan. I'm running them from a Presonus Firepod->Behringer DEQ2496->Marantz model 1150 studio amplifier.
I have to say, that from all of the monitors I've heard, and of coarse some high fi speakers I've heard in the past (so that makes every speaker I've heard), these remind me the most of the RS-1. I won't say that the midrange is the same, but guys, it's no lesser. These things, listened from nearfield (~1m) are so resolute they hold their own against the Etymotic ER-4P, which I still own, they image like crazy, and are ultra revealing, upfront speakers. However, they are so detailed, you could hear very precise reverb works, so they are very deep sounding. They need 2 notch fixes with my DEQ2496 (notches hurt the sound the least and are hard to notice), but it's really minor and works wonders. The DEQ2496, despite being a Behringer, is highly regarded among audiophiles. While I don't think it makes a terrific job with boosting bass, it does make a terrific job notching very narrow bandwidths.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ANF10/
I've also tried the more expensive models:
A7 (very similar to ANF-10, but active, same tweeter)- quite similar but didn't listen in the same room. Was very very good, but I think a bit thicker lower midrange. Many like that. so might resemble the RS-1 more. The woofer is Kevlar I believe, and I think it's a bit more revealing then the ANF-10, so I'll ask to borow these to compare! They too have all of the qualities of the ANF-10, but I suspect that ANF-10 with very high end amp will beat them. However, A7 are active, so no trouble, you get a very good sound, just match a source. You can't go wrong. However, since it's the same tweeter, I would suggest a digital EQ that can notch.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/A7/
P11 - more expensive, muffled, not nearly as clear as the ANF-10/A7, can't focus and image.
S2A - even more expensive, impressive bass and low midrange, but that low midrange imposes itself on all material, but this one is much clearer on all parts of the spectrum then the P11 and definetly does imposes itself to a lesser degree. Still didn't have the virtue of the ANF-10 and the A7 of giving a good bass when it's in the recording, and give much less if it's not. the S2A has a slight edge on detail and image. Maybe more then slight if I took it home to audition, but I can't afford them anyway, and it's much lesser on price/performance ratio.
Bottom line - The Adam monitors are considered to be great translating monitors, and to the hi-fi listener it meens that it is a true reference monitor. Many audio engineers around the world switch to Adams.
And my love for the monitors has to do nothing with our common name!
Go audition them.
Adam
However, the last headphones I've sold in order to get money was the RS-1. That resolute, edgy midrange and detail could not escape my mind whenever I miss them.
In the past few weeks I've been out doing a studio monitor search. My plan was to build something really good for my graduation project. However, things changed a bit and I can't do it right now. However, I've learned a lot from listening to almost anything in the higher end market that studio monitors has to offer: Dynaudio, Tannoy, PMC, Genelec, KRK and more. I ran across Adam monitors, and now I have their lower end pair, the passive ANF-10 on loan. I'm running them from a Presonus Firepod->Behringer DEQ2496->Marantz model 1150 studio amplifier.
I have to say, that from all of the monitors I've heard, and of coarse some high fi speakers I've heard in the past (so that makes every speaker I've heard), these remind me the most of the RS-1. I won't say that the midrange is the same, but guys, it's no lesser. These things, listened from nearfield (~1m) are so resolute they hold their own against the Etymotic ER-4P, which I still own, they image like crazy, and are ultra revealing, upfront speakers. However, they are so detailed, you could hear very precise reverb works, so they are very deep sounding. They need 2 notch fixes with my DEQ2496 (notches hurt the sound the least and are hard to notice), but it's really minor and works wonders. The DEQ2496, despite being a Behringer, is highly regarded among audiophiles. While I don't think it makes a terrific job with boosting bass, it does make a terrific job notching very narrow bandwidths.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ANF10/
I've also tried the more expensive models:
A7 (very similar to ANF-10, but active, same tweeter)- quite similar but didn't listen in the same room. Was very very good, but I think a bit thicker lower midrange. Many like that. so might resemble the RS-1 more. The woofer is Kevlar I believe, and I think it's a bit more revealing then the ANF-10, so I'll ask to borow these to compare! They too have all of the qualities of the ANF-10, but I suspect that ANF-10 with very high end amp will beat them. However, A7 are active, so no trouble, you get a very good sound, just match a source. You can't go wrong. However, since it's the same tweeter, I would suggest a digital EQ that can notch.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/A7/
P11 - more expensive, muffled, not nearly as clear as the ANF-10/A7, can't focus and image.
S2A - even more expensive, impressive bass and low midrange, but that low midrange imposes itself on all material, but this one is much clearer on all parts of the spectrum then the P11 and definetly does imposes itself to a lesser degree. Still didn't have the virtue of the ANF-10 and the A7 of giving a good bass when it's in the recording, and give much less if it's not. the S2A has a slight edge on detail and image. Maybe more then slight if I took it home to audition, but I can't afford them anyway, and it's much lesser on price/performance ratio.
Bottom line - The Adam monitors are considered to be great translating monitors, and to the hi-fi listener it meens that it is a true reference monitor. Many audio engineers around the world switch to Adams.
And my love for the monitors has to do nothing with our common name!
Go audition them.
Adam
