AVI ADM9 challenge

[davedotco]

Seems you could get Quad 9AS and a subwoofer for the price of ADM9.1s. Bass will not be an issue in view of the sub and they have an active crossover and therefore must, by definition, be 1,000 times better than any passive alternative, right? Or is it actually more complicated than that and the manufacturer has been talking EDITED all this time?

I have sorted your Christmas present JD.

A selection of nice wooden spoons are on the way..... :shame:

 

[EvPa]

Some years ago we used to vist friends on Reunion, not a million miles away. Shame about the weather, is it the rainy season, I forget.

Anyway this is a very interesting setup, let us know how you get on.......

I am actually originally from Reunion Island (I can trace back my ancestry there up to the very first colonisation ship), I've been living in Mauritius (and working all over the world) for the past 8 years.

I will definitely write something about my upcoming setup (2*ADAM ARTist 6, 1*ADAM Sub7 and latest Matrix Mini-i) once everything arrives and is in running order.

 

[plastic penguin]

I'd be really interested if someone could briefly and sensibly explain the animosity and vitriol that comes along as soon as they are mentioned on here? I understand its a different approach to traditional Hi Fi... but so what? Is there something I've missed?

Someone could post on here asking for a recommendation for tea bags and would be instantly told to buy some AVI speakers.

Funny you should mention that.

 

[steve_1979]

You'd be hard pushed to find anything as good as the ADM9's for the same price because AVI sell direct so you don't need to pay a shop 50% commision which saves an awful lot of money when you're talking about £2000 worth of speakers. If you wanted a similar quality system you'd need a very good quality pair of active speakers partnered with a competent DAC and pre-amp such as the Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus (£300) or the Matrix Mini (£260).

Top of the range 6.5" active speakers with a matching 10" subwoofer which have comparable quality to the ADM9's include:

Genelec 8040A speakers with Genelec 7060 subwoofer (£2800).

Adam S2X speakers with Adam Sub10 subwoofer (£3000).

Quested S7R with Quested SB10 subwoofer (£3000).

Another good option would be the Event Opals (£2100) which don't need a sub.

 

[steve_1979]

In the back of my mind something was saying 'Don't do it! Don't post this question! You know what responses you'll get!'.

Should have listened.

Oh well.

Life can get a bit dull if you don't listen to that voice occasionally. :twisted:

 

[chebby]

A good pair of headphones and a DAC/headphone amplifier?

 

[the record spot]

I have it on good authority that AVI are developing a new model, to be designated 'English Breakfast Loudspeakers'.

A notable critic of this concept is Altruistic.Earl Grey.

JC

Lemon tea surely chaps?!?

 

[altruistic.lemon]

You'd be hard pushed to find anything as good as the ADM9's for the same price because AVI sell direct so you don't need to pay a shop 50% commision which saves an awful lot of money when you're talking about £2000 worth of speakers. If you wanted a similar quality system you'd need a very good quality pair of active speakers partnered with a competent DAC and pre-amp such as the Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus (£300) or the Matrix Mini (£260).

Apart from ignoring the topic and providing yet another advertorial, you've also swallowed the avi propaganda a touch too much.

AVI does have dealers who want to make a profit, they're not in it for charity, and they even have two dealers outside the UK, which mean s shipping costs. All this needs to be factored into their prices. Their speakers are worth what they sell for, no less, and they include sufficient markup for all - the MD.s no mug. The direct marketing is there purely to give the two company owners extra icing on the cake. Not denying the model is tight, if they had to pay for advertising the prices would go up, plus being a tiny company they wouldn't be in a position to get the discounts from big bulk buying.

You're not getting remotely near £2000 of speakers. Work it out (obviously guessing here, but in the name of realism): speakers around £ 30 each, cabinets plus finish about £200 total, electronics about £400 total, and the rest of the £1300 they sell for covers expenses, labour and profit. In terms of speakers only, cabinet plus drivers plus normal crossovers would come in at around the £400 mark, which you'd probably sell at the £900 mark.

So, as with everything in life, you're getting what you pay for, there's no magic, it's business, that's all.

And on that note, a very merry christmas all. we're off to do the annual rounds of spreading light and controversy.

 

[chebby]

It is standard for companies to sell direct for the same price you'd pay in a shop.

 

[chebby]

You're not getting remotely near £2000 of speakers. Work it out (obviously guessing here, but in the name of realism): speakers around £ 30 each...

Way off the mark (even allowing for 'trade' prices direct from Scan-Speak).

Just have a look at the prices for the Scan-Speak Revelator tweeters and mid/bass drivers used in the '9RS.

I checked on Wilmslow audio and they are selling single Scanspeak Revelator 15W 8530K00s for £140 each.

Scanspeak Classic D2905/9300.00 tweeters (9RS) are £80 each.

Obviously AVI will not be buying 'one-offs' from Wilmslow Audio, but they still aren't ever going to be "around £30 each" !

 

[Craig M.]

It is standard for companies to sell direct for the same price you'd pay in a shop.

Not always. Check out Canyon bikes as one example.

 

[EvPa]

I checked on Wilmslow audio and they are selling single Scanspeak Revelator 15W 8530K00s for £140 each.

Scanspeak Classic D2905/9300.00 tweeters (9RS) are £80 each.

Obviously AVI will not be buying 'one-offs' from Wilmslow Audio, but they still aren't ever going to be "around £30 each" !

I was under the impression that AVI used Sinar Baja drivers/tweeters in the ADM9RS?

(though they did use a Scan-Speak tweeter in the ADM9RSS and use a Scan-Speak Illuminator driver in the ADM40s, not sure about the tweeter in those)

Buying direct from Scan-Speak (http://www.scan-speak-store.dk) is actually more expensive than your Wilmslow Audio-quoted prices (£146 and £89).

The most expensive 6.5'' midwoofer/1'' tweeter combo from Scan-Speak adds up to £623!

 

[altruistic.lemon]

You're not getting remotely near £2000 of speakers. Work it out (obviously guessing here, but in the name of realism): speakers around £ 30 each...

Way off the mark (even allowing for 'trade' prices direct from Scan-Speak).

Just have a look at the prices for the Scan-Speak Revelator tweeters and mid/bass drivers used in the '9RS.

I checked on Wilmslow audio and they are selling single Scanspeak Revelator 15W 8530K00s for £140 each.

Scanspeak Classic D2905/9300.00 tweeters (9RS) are £80 each.

Obviously AVI will not be buying 'one-offs' from Wilmslow Audio, but they still aren't ever going to be "around £30 each" !

Merry xmas Chebby!

no, they don't use Scanspeak any more, but ones from their Indonesian suppliers, so that figure is probably spot on. My figure generously based,, by the way on the cost of drive units for some Totem speakers, which is £25 for tweeter and midbass in a speaker costing £2000.

 

[chebby]

no, they don't use Scanspeak any more...

Really?

I don't follow them as closely as you so I defer.

 

[basshound]

Apart from ignoring the topic and providing yet another advertorial, you've also swallowed the avi propaganda a touch too much.

AVI does have dealers who want to make a profit, they're not in it for charity, and they even have two dealers outside the UK, which mean s shipping costs. All this needs to be factored into their prices. Their speakers are worth what they sell for, no less, and they include sufficient markup for all - the MD.s no mug. The direct marketing is there purely to give the two company owners extra icing on the cake. Not denying the model is tight, if they had to pay for advertising the prices would go up, plus being a tiny company they wouldn't be in a position to get the discounts from big bulk buying.

You're not getting remotely near £2000 of speakers. Work it out (obviously guessing here, but in the name of realism): speakers around £ 30 each, cabinets plus finish about £200 total, electronics about £400 total, and the rest of the £1300 they sell for covers expenses, labour and profit. In terms of speakers only, cabinet plus drivers plus normal crossovers would come in at around the £400 mark, which you'd probably sell at the £900 mark.

So, as with everything in life, you're getting what you pay for, there's no magic, it's business, that's all.

And on that note, a very merry christmas all. we're off to do the annual rounds of spreading light and controversy.

So if you had the skills to build your own speakers including the cabinets,what sort of quality could you get for an outlay of £2000 (plus your time) ? What would be a comparable retail price ?

 

[steve_1979]

A good pair of headphones and a DAC/headphone amplifier?

Good call. A top quality headphone setup would beat the ADM's for clarity and detail retreval. Something like the Sennheiser HD800 headphones with the HDVD800 DACamp would do the job (usually £2500 but I've seen them in sales for less).

 

[Ajani]

For the price of the ADM9 plus sub, I'd much rather have the DM5 + sub and keep the change in my pocket....

IMO the DM5 makes the ADM9 obsolete... If I take Ashley at "his word" that the output of an airport express, TV etc is good enough that a HiFi DAC/PRE is not needed, then I don't see the point of the ADM9 anymore... Since the DM5 will sound as good and is much cheaper.... As for bass, neither will be causing the room to shake, so if that's a factor in your buying decision then you might as well buy a sub. If you opt to buy a sub, then once again, there is no point spending more for the ADM9.

 

[JamesMellor]

I've got no dog in this fight but it dosent work like that , if I manufacture a product at a £1000 and sell direct I need to add a 40% margin and 20% VAT ( in the UK ) to hopefully see a 2 to 5 % profit , so thats £2000 end user price

And the dealers need to make a living aswell , as do the transport company and you can't undercut your dealers , or you have no dealers anymore

James

 

[jcbrum]

no, they don't use Scanspeak any more...

Really?

I don't follow them as closely as you so I defer.

The new SB drivers, which replace the Scanspeak ones are manufactured to AVI's specification, specifically to be better than the Scanspeak ones, and are very posh. I doubt there is much of a price advantage either since AVI usually order in quite small batches, maybe only 400 - 500 at a time, so as to control inventory costs. A special manufacturing order means a three month lead time as well.

They've recently re-introduced veneered cabinets, which are UK made, but have almost been cleaned out of stock by a large order from China.

JC

 

[Phileas]

IMO the DM5 makes the ADM9 obsolete....

The ADM9RSs will go louder, and the built in remote controlled DAC/preamp will be preferable to many, notwithstanding the adequacy of an AEX as a source.

 

[steve_1979]

IMO the DM5 makes the ADM9 obsolete....

The ADM9RSs will go louder, and the built in remote controlled DAC/preamp will be preferable to many, notwithstanding the adequacy of an AEX as a source.

I haven't heard them to compare myself but Ash said the ADM's have a touch more clarity as well as going louder and a bit deeper. The DM5's image slightly better due to their smaller size.