Brief Summary
The ADAM A8H is the biggest model from the new A range. Julian finds it an excellent performer with all the advantages offered by network control from the free A Control software and the ability to export Sonarworks profiles to the built in DSP.
Going Deeper
The latest of the ADAM line of monitors to come to my attention are the largest of the new A series, the A8H. I’ve had a lot of experience of this compact 3 way format so after having tested my first choice of which of the new A series to try, the smallest of the bunch the A4V, it was the A8H I wanted to try next. I’m a fan of this format and however impressed I was with the A4V, it was always with the caveat of ‘considering their size’. No such excuses here. So how does the A8H fare?
The 3 way compact format is where I’ve settled for my regular studio monitors, striking as they do an ideal balance between the convenience of a large nearfield and the benefits of a 3 way design. Good 2 way designs are excellent but I still enjoy the presentation of a good 3 way system. That said I have heard a few 2 ways recently which have made me reconsider so the A8H will be an interesting listen. I’ve tried larger monitors in my studio before, ADAM’s S3 models and Dynaudio’s Core 59 being the most recent examples and in a modestly sized studio they just feel like overkill. If I were buying for myself, of the A series range the A8H would be at the top of my list to check out.
ADAM A8H Specs | |
---|---|
Type | 3 Way Active Monitor |
Cabinet | Front Ported |
Weight | 13.6 Kg (30lb) |
Height | 274mm(10.75”) |
Width | 382mm (15”) |
Amplifiers | 250W+70W+20W |
Frequency Response | 34Hz-41KHz +/- 3dB |
Crossover Points | 400Hz, 3KHz |
Max SPL @1m | 105dB |
Bass Driver | 8” |
Midrange | 3.5” DCH |
HF Driver | X-ART Folded Ribbon |
Internal Sample Rate | 96KHz |
AD Converter | 24bit |
Mounting Points | 4xM8 |
I’m something of a woodwork snob, I always notice solidity and the quality feel which comes with a really well constructed cabinet. I really enjoyed the sturdy cabinets in ADAM’s more upmarket S series and when you go to the truly budget end of the monitor market the first place you notice it is in the woodwork.
The A4V was too small for the cabinets to be an issue, the larger the panels the more they can flex so making a bigger version of a monitor isn’t just a case of cutting larger panels and putting bigger drivers in it, the way that wood will respond will change, requiring design changes. The vinyl wrapped, sharp-corner construction of the A8H cabinets is solid but I can definitely feel the difference between it and the S series. It’s a feel thing. The baffle features the instantly identifiable angled corner reminiscent of the old AX series and ADAM’s signature folded ribbon tweeter is complemented by an 8 inch bass driver which has a Multi Layer Mineral construction. It looks like paper on first inspection but feels lighter and stiffer. The Midrange driver is a dome/cone hybrid. It looked familiar and having checked there is a similar unit installed on the S3 models. This type of design purports to offer some of the advantages of both cones and domes.
Of course it wouldn’t be ADAM without a folded ribbon tweeter and the X-ART tweeter is mounted in a rotatable waveguide meaning that these monitors can be installed either vertically or inverted. This type of tweeter is very efficient, no doubt a contributing factor towards their clean delivery. Being 3 way there are of course two crossover frequencies, the tweeter and midrange driver crosses over at 3KHz and the bass/mid crosses over at 400Hz.
Amplifiers
Amplification is courtesy of a pair of class AB amps for the HF and midrange drivers of 20 and 70 watts respectively and the bass driver has a 250W Class D amplifier. Beyond the IEC power inlet and switch the back panel features the button-driven filters, voicing and switching of the DSP modes, an analogue audio input on XLR and phono (no digital in which is a shame) and the all important RJ45 for network control. The fact that system control is via Ethernet is a very significant thing for me. I’ve tried a couple of similar products which use USB and it’s just not appropriate for install use. Using Ethernet means an immersive system can be controlled with standard network cable which can be left in place.
DSP
Which leads me neatly on to the feature which makes the new A series distinctive. Its use of DSP. DSP has of course been used in active monitors for a long time, the reliability and consistency of crossovers realised in DSP as opposed to their analogue counterparts gives cost savings at the low end and at the high end the flexibility they offer represent benefits which counter any arguments about latency and A/D conversion for most users.
Lots of manufacturers use DSP for crossover and voicing but the current generation of DSP monitors are incorporating speaker calibration into their monitors. This in itself isn’t new, Dynaudio introduced onboard calibration with their AIR series over 20 years ago and more recently Genelec have their proprietary GLM system. However software-only products like Sonarworks Sound ID and IK Multimedia’s ARC are extremely popular and when it comes to ease of use there is nothing better. However using software in your monitoring chain is invasive and occasionally frustrating. What the A series offers is the ability to upload Sonarworks calibration to the internal DSP in the monitors, where it belongs. A series customers get access to an extended 60 day demo of Sonarworks so just factor in the cost of a measurement mic and you’re good to go.
You can use the A series without calibration. You can run them flat in one of two voicings, with manual adjustment of four filters, including a useful desk reflection filter, or in Advanced mode where you have manual control of 6 filters via the free A Control software. However to not use Sound ID to calibrate your monitors to your space and upload this profile to your monitors would be to miss the best feature of these monitors. The setup process is given in the detailed video from ADAM below. The multi-point measurement isn’t quick but its absolutely fool-proof and the results can be anywhere from useful to transformative depending on the specific issues your monitors face in your space
The Sound
These are the largest of the 3 way compacts I’ve tried, being taller than most but mercifully the cabinets are front ported. I’ve tried rear ported monitors in my space before and it’s not ideal. ADAM classify the A8H as midfield. I’ve always found the term a little vague - what is a ‘midfield’ monitor? A nearfield is used at a distance where the direct sound makes a greater contribution than the indirect sound, to some extent avoiding the contribution fo the room’s acoustics. A main monitor does not but I’m not sure what a ‘midfield’ is.
That being said, I tried the A8H in as a replacement for my usual monitors, on desktop stands. I do this so that the monitors move with me as I move from seated to standing at my Sit Stand desk. As an experiment I tried them on my tall Ultimate floor stands behind the desk and found the sound significantly improved. They were large for my desk stands anyway but used at this greater distance I found the sound came together significantly. They were still only 1.5m away but the improvement was marked in my room.
The presentation is typically ADAM. They are forensic in their transient response and very easy to mix on. Compared to the A4Vs the added bass extension, which goes all the way down past 40Hz (-3dB @35Hz) makes them adequately full range for low end decisions to be meaningful and the top end is clean and effortless. The midrange is where I was focusing in particular. There is a conventional wisdom that 3 way designs move the crossover points out of the way of the crucial midrange information but if you compare the crossover frequencies of most compact 3 way designs, they crossover in much the same place as their 2 way counterparts. The A8H does so at 3KHz. The significant thing is how the information below this point is handled and asking a single bass mid driver to cover everything from 3KHz to 40Hz is around six octaves. Crossing over between the A8H’s bass and mid drivers means covering a little over half that bandwidth each. Designing the best driver for each task offers advantages which counter the additional expense and complexity, however modern 2 way designs are extremely impressive and I’m regularly adjusting my views on the 2 vs 3 way debate!
In terms of their character, I’d say the ADAM A8H offer an uncompromising take on your work. The transient detail is useful, the HF response is as clean as you could ask for. The bass response is tight and extended. The midrange is articulate, occasionally revealing hardness in the sound which I didn’t notice on my regular monitors. I found I got comfortable these monitors quickly and was mixing after a surprisingly brief settling in period.
Conclusions
My conclusion with these monitors is that they put in a solid performance and would make an excellent basis for an immersive setup complemented by the previously mentioned A4V. Sonarworks and A Control is the real strength here and interestingly, considering the street prices of a little under £1200 each they are halfway between the less expensive but less sophisticated Dynaudio LYD 48 and ADAM’s own S2V which, although a 2 way, offers step up in terms of sophistication. I don’t know if my opinion will change over time but my brief time with the ADAM A8H has been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve been judging them against considerably more expensive monitors which are purely analogue and they stand up.