AVI ADM9.1 - Initial impressions

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Anonymous

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FrankHarveyHiFi:I just want to make one thing clear here.

Anything I have said about the AVI speakers has been based on my 20 year knowledge of hi-fi,

Just to make it clear... you said previously that you hadn't heard the speakers..?

FrankHarveyHiFi:What I am against here is the claim that £1,000 speakers can compete with systems at £10k or more

Can assumptions can be made purely on price when you haven't heard the product?

I just worry that many members put their trust in you, and that your comments should be more qualified. For example, hearing the speakers.
 

Frank Harvey

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Taylor74:FrankHarveyHiFi:I just want to make one thing clear here.

Anything I have said about the AVI speakers has been based on my 20 year knowledge of hi-fi,

Just to make it clear... you said previously that you hadn't heard the speakers..?

That is correct, although I'm not certain what that has to do with statement.....

Taylor74:Can assumptions can be made purely on price when you haven't heard the product?

Yes they can. You get to know what to expect at a price point, and having heard hundreds and hunderds of loudspeakers over a period of 20 years you tend to get used to what's possible. There are a few products that have redefined what's to be expected at a price point, like ATC's SCM11's, which I think can genuinely compete with some speakers at twice their price. Now you'll probably say "well maybe the AVI's can do the same". Maybe, but the £2k price point is home to some pretty amazing speakers, and a £1k would have to be damn special to worry them. The only thing that has made me rethink what's possible has been MK. If there were any great advancements in hi-fi, they wouldn't only be taken up by one manufacturer - everyone would be doing it. Meridian have been doing what AVI are doing for decades, and manufacturers like PMC, ATC, MK, Dynaudio and many more all produce active speakers. Of course none are at the £1k mark, which probably tells you something about how much it costs to do active properly.

Taylor74:I just worry that many members put their trust in you, and that your comments should be more qualified. For example, hearing the speakers.

Firstly, I have no need to hear them - Mr. James is obviously not trying to win over any dealers and form any alliances. He may feel active is better fullstop, but I'm afraid it's a little more in depth that that due to numerous variables.

Secondly, I would never say anything to mislead anyone, especially when I know there are forum members who take note of what I say. The last thing I want is for someone to make a costly mistake because of something I've said. Many forum members have been in touch and tell me they enjoy reading my posts, for whatever reason (you all know who you are), which I appreciate, and makes me want to do it all the more.
 

Bodfish

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I have nothing pertinent to add but just want to offer my thanks to all the contributors who made my train journey home fly by
emotion-1.gif
 
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Anonymous

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Frank,

Thanks for the reply, but I'm still left with the same message: you haven't heard the speakers, and make your mind up based on retail price.
 

Bialykot

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Hey FrankHarveyHiFi. I've never said that the adm9.1s can replace £10k worth of kit and would never say that without listening to both and making a careful judgement and comparison. But what I can confidently say is that I've replaced around £7k (retail) worth of reasonably robust and 'good' hi fi gear with a £3k investment for a Sonos, NAS, ADM system on decent stands and it's comparable in sound quality when using lossless or uncompressed files. Different perhaps, but comparable and I do have high standards.

You have 20 years experience (as a retailer I take it) and that's great and I'm sure you'll have lots of good tales to tell and loads of useful and relevant experience. I have around 40 working in or being 'enthusastic' about the hi fi industry from the early days of the Harrogate Hi Fi shows and also think I can offer something here.

I take your point about price levels versus quality and to some extent it's true - you do get what you pay for. Solid engineering and design principles are critical and the laws of physics prevail.

But ultimately it's about accessibility and reigniting my passion and interest in listening to music again (which was waning in the last few years as per previous posts). The sheer fact of having a shed load of music (my own CDs) plus millions of tracks on something like Napster all at the touch of a button (and a decluttered room) starts to outweigh many of my reservations moving towards such a set up. The ADMs are merely part of that chain and a good given their price point.
 

Escapism

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Taylor74:
Frank,

Thanks for the reply, but I'm still left with the same message: you haven't heard the speakers, and make your mind up based on retail price.

That's because the higher the retail price, the bigger his cut - it's economics. I imagine.
 

Escapism

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matengawhat:bit unfair as he is just stating an opinion and were not all going to go to his store and buy from him

No, it's understandable - I'm sure he has a family to feed. But surely it's fact that a 3k amp will see a better return than a £300 amp. If I were a salesman and wanted to make the best return (which all sales people do) I would give the 'more expensive is always better' pitch also.

Edited for lame schpelling :)
 

JoelSim

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Veri:
For some time I have been considering buying the ADM9.1 speakers, primarily because they happen to be the integrated system I am looking for. I therefore very much appreciate hearing your user review of this system.

BTW I was actually looking for this type of system before I came across the ADMs.

I wonder how many people, like me, are drawn towards this product because of its integrated approach and not necessarily because they are in search of the ultimate upgrade in sound?

Frustratingly, this product is difficult to audition, however I am happy with the sound of my current system, but not the clutter, therefore if the ADMs sound better then this would just be a bonus.

If anyone can point me in the direction of similar systems (at this price point) I would appreciate the info, I am also tempted by JBL's offering but would find it difficult to replace my chromed Aura amp and CD player for these rather industrial looking JBLs.

Be very careful with the reviews you read on forums as there are many Ashley James' out there.
 

matengawhat

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i'm not disputing the higher value items will have a better return but you've heard of the emperor's new clothes and the point of diminishing returns and the fact most ppl don't have bottomless pockets thats a very thin line you have to tread not to alienate ppl and result in them buying nothing
 

Escapism

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JoelSim:Veri:
For some time I have been considering buying the ADM9.1 speakers, primarily because they happen to be the integrated system I am looking for. I therefore very much appreciate hearing your user review of this system.

BTW I was actually looking for this type of system before I came across the ADMs.

I wonder how many people, like me, are drawn towards this product because of its integrated approach and not necessarily because they are in search of the ultimate upgrade in sound?

Frustratingly, this product is difficult to audition, however I am happy with the sound of my current system, but not the clutter, therefore if the ADMs sound better then this would just be a bonus.

If anyone can point me in the direction of similar systems (at this price point) I would appreciate the info, I am also tempted by JBL's offering but would find it difficult to replace my chromed Aura amp and CD player for these rather industrial looking JBLs.

Be very careful with the reviews you read on forums as there are many Ashley James' out there.

It's true. I just checked the phone book and there's dozens in this area alone. You've been warned! ;o)
 
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Anonymous

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llike I've said on another forum that also had a thread from a 'new poster' praising the AVI ... on that forum, swearing is allowed, and there were some very 'heated' posts

Ashley has openly stated on other forums that his AVI 9.1 speakers are zillions of times better than anything that costs 3-5 times more

Ashley is a businessman ... he is in the business to make profit .... if these are as good as he says they are, why the heck does he not supply magazines with these so that they can be properly reviewed?

He will get worldwide free advertising/promotion .... will sell truckloads ... he and his shareholders (and their children and their grandchildren) will become trillionaires and they will cream the market

Hmmmm ... makes me wonder ... I also wonder why Ashley has been banned from some forums?
 

Frank Harvey

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Bialykot: Hey FrankHarveyHiFi. I've never said that the adm9.1s can replace £10k worth of kit and would never say that without listening to both and making a careful judgement and comparison. But what I can confidently say is that I've replaced around £7k (retail) worth of reasonably robust and 'good' hi fi gear with a £3k investment for a Sonos, NAS, ADM system on decent stands and it's comparable in sound quality when using lossless or uncompressed files. Different perhaps, but comparable and I do have high standards.

I'd never replace mine with such a small pair of speakers unss I were in an extremely small room.

You have 20 years experience (as a retailer I take it) and that's great and I'm sure you'll have lots of good tales to tell and loads of useful and relevant experience. I have around 40 working in or being 'enthusastic' about the hi fi industry from the early days of the Harrogate Hi Fi shows and also think I can offer something here.

If we're talking about it being an interest, then mine goes back almost 35 years.

The sheer fact of having a shed load of music (my own CDs) plus millions of tracks on something like Napster all at the touch of a button (and a decluttered room) starts to outweigh many of my reservations moving towards such a set up. The ADMs are merely part of that chain and a good given their price point.

Why worry about mroe expensive equipment because you're using Sonos/Napster? I use Napster a lot in my system. I was listening to an album just on Napster and it was nothing short of stunning.
 

Andrew Everard

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dim_span:why the heck does he not
supply magazines with these so that they can be properly reviewed?

That's something only he could answer, given that the last AVI products we reviewed got the full five stars.

dim_span:I also wonder why Ashley has been banned from some forums?

Well he was banned from here for repeatedly advertising, and attacking anyone who disagreed with him.
 

chebby

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dim_span:Ashley has openly stated on other forums that his AVI 9.1 speakers are zillions of times better than anything that costs 3-5 times more

That is a bit of an exaggeration. He has stated that the mid-range performance of the ADM9.1 is one million times better than that from ATC speakers.
 

Frank Harvey

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Escapism:That's because the higher the retail price, the bigger his cut - it's economics. I imagine.

This has nothing to do with money. If I thought for one moment they could compete with the average hi-fi system we sell here then I'd be all ears, and I'd be a little worried. But as it stands, I think most manufacturers can sleep soundly tonight.
 
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Anonymous

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Why does everyone invest so much effort in AVI conspiracy theories? It's quite simple. Try the product and if you like it buy it. For the money they're very good indeed.
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:Well FWIW he was banned from here for repeated advertising and attacking anyone who disagreed with him.

MODERATED - sorry, but what goes on on other forums has no relevance here.
 

Frank Harvey

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Escapism: No, it's understandable - I'm sure he has a family to feed. But surely it's fact that a 3k amp will see a better return than a £300 amp. If I were a salesman and wanted to make the best return (which all sales people do) I would give the 'more expensive is always better' pitch also.

A little irrelevent when the customer ony has £300 don't you think?

But then again, I KNOW a £3k amp is better than a £300 one. This can easily be demonstrated.
 
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Anonymous

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FrankHarveyHiFi:
Escapism:That's because the higher the retail price, the bigger his cut - it's economics. I imagine.

This has nothing to do with money. If I thought for one moment they could compete with the average hi-fi system we sell here then I'd be all ears, and I'd be a little worried. But as it stands, I think most manufacturers can sleep soundly tonight.

Hi,

What is the "average system" you refer to?
 

Alec

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chebby:

dim_span:Ashley has openly stated on other forums that his AVI 9.1 speakers are zillions of times better than anything that costs 3-5 times more

That is a bit of an exaggeration. He has stated that the mid-range performance of the ADM9.1 is one million times better than that from ATC speakers.

Has he indeed? Lordy, my speakers rock!
 
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Anonymous

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al7478:chebby:

dim_span:Ashley has openly stated on other forums that his AVI 9.1 speakers are zillions of times better than anything that costs 3-5 times more

That is a bit of an exaggeration. He has stated that the mid-range performance of the ADM9.1 is one million times better than that from ATC speakers.

Has he indeed? Lordy, my speakers rock!

EDITED - again, what goes on on other forums has no relevance here
 

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