AVI ADM9...shall I make the jump?

[Bradley747]

Hello,

I am a frequent reader and forum follower, but seldom post as I dont feel qualified in many cases!

I just enjoy listening to music and have recently discovered and joined Spotify as a Preium customer.

I currently have an MCR 603 with B&W CM1 speakers. Which I will admit I am fairly pleased with, but I am able to upgrade and am very interested in any of the following:

1) Naim Unitiqute or lite (keep my speakers)

2) Above with new speakers that will compliment the sound signiture of the Naim?

3) Dynaudio Xeo 3

4) AVI ADM9...

I will admit I am rather lost but I know I will stick with Spotify premium as the music source (320k).

To those ADM and Unitiqute/ lite owners, is the Spotify Premium a good source for these systems? It is the AVI ADM that interests me the most.

Thanks for any advice!

Richard

 

[altruistic.lemon]

They'll be fine with a 320k source. Any more and they might be pushing...

 

[BigH]

Yes spotify works well with the ADM 9RS, although I tend to play Deezer as that 1 year free trial, its certainly far better than the CM1s, I tried lots of systems, starting with the CM1s and going better and more expensive but the AVI 9RSs were the best for me. They also have a new smaller speaker out the DM5 which are meant to very good, I think it depends how much bass and what size room you want/have and what music you play.

Whereabouts are you?

 

[bigboss]

They'll be fine with a 320k source. Any more and they might be pushing...

Oh dear, this is going to be a long thread!

 

[alienmango]

They'll be fine with a 320k source. Any more and they might be pushing...

I can hear the difference on speakers FAR inferior to the B&W cm1 between 320kbps and cd quality.

I would much rather listen to cm1 with 320 kbps than the aforementioned speakers in cd quality.

Take if for what you will.

 

[EvPa]

While I haven't been able to hear it yet, this might be relevant to your interests:

http://www.nubert.de/nupro-a-300/p1363/?category=202

This is Nubert's latest model (released last month); it's quite similar to the ADM9 (dimmensions, features)...

It also come with a remote control, like the ADM9.

 

[Bradley747]

Hi BigH,

great advice, thank you.

I now live in Berlin, Germany but visit relatives in Manchester very often. If I order AVIs, it will be from advice and reccomendations unless I can find a shop to demo them over Xmas (around the North West).

The CM1 and Marantz combo has been great actually. But we all get the bug!

I have a medium size room but with 4m high ceilings! So the room area is huge!

Can I also feed my TV through the ADMs via an optical cable whilst also feeding them with airplay via optical?

thanks

 

[matt49]

I currently have an MCR 603 with B&W CM1 speakers. Which I will admit I am fairly pleased with, but I am able to upgrade and am very interested in any of the following:

1) Naim Unitiqute or lite (keep my speakers)

2) Above with new speakers that will compliment the sound signiture of the Naim?

3) Dynaudio Xeo 3

4) AVI ADM9...

Have you heard the AVIs? (I have.) If not, don't take the plunge! Always listen first!

:santa:

Matt

EDIT Ah, I now see you haven't heard the AVIs. Since you're in Germany, you really owe it to yourself to hear a pair of small Elacs. They're wonderful speakers!

 

[Bradley747]

thanks matt49,

What model Elacs are you refering to?

I am wanting to upgrade the whole system, rather than just the speakers, which is why I am so intriged by the active speaker system.

What are your thoughts on the AVI ADMs?

 

[EvPa]

I now live in Berlin, Germany

Then you should try those Nubert nuPro A-300, they offer a 4-week home demo within Germany.

ADAM (from Berlin itself) also produce great speakers (I plan to acquire ARTist 6s soon) but you would need another box in order to connect your optical cables and something to control the volume.

 

[Bradley747]

thanks EvPa, really great advice, I will do just that!

Never heard of Nubert, but I will continue my research and the thought of a home demo is a no brainer!

I will also look into ADAM, again totaly new to me...

Thanks everyone for the quck feedback, and sound advice.

Richard

 

[matt49]

thanks matt49,

What model Elacs are you refering to?

I am wanting to upgrade the whole system, rather than just the speakers, which is why I am so intriged by the active speaker system.

What are your thoughts on the AVI ADMs?

If you're after relatively compact speakers, the Elac BS312s or BS314s are outstanding. I heard them at the Windsor show recently and was very impressed. I imagine they'd go well with Naim.

The AVIs (I heard the ADM 9RSSs) are excellent. They are very fast, and they image well. Some people find them too lean. I heard them up against some Dynaudios, both active (Focus 110A) and passive (Excite X12, driven by a Cyrus amp), and I preferred both the Dyns to the AVIs. On the basis of that demo, I'd have bought the X12s.

Speakers vary hugely in presentation and are to a large extent a matter of taste. (BigH will give you a very different account of the AVIs.) Hence my advice to listen before buying.

:santa:

Matt

 

[Craig M.]

Spotify should be fine @320 kbps. The ADMs are really smooth so don't make too much of a fuss if the recording is less than optimal. My experience is they can hold their own with much costlier systems and can't think of a single reason why I'd ever want to change them.

 

[richardw42]

Theres a dealer in Birmingham.

http://www.avihifi.com/contact.html

 

[richardw42]

My ATV, PS4 & Sky box all go to the tv. Then optical out from the tv to the AVIs. Sonos goes to the speakers via another optical.

 

[BigH]

Hi BigH,

great advice, thank you.

I now live in Berlin, Germany but visit relatives in Manchester very often. If I order AVIs, it will be from advice and reccomendations unless I can find a shop to demo them over Xmas (around the North West).

The CM1 and Marantz combo has been great actually. But we all get the bug!

I have a medium size room but with 4m high ceilings! So the room area is huge!

Can I also feed my TV through the ADMs via an optical cable whilst also feeding them with airplay via optical?

thanks

Yes quite a few people do play the TV into the AVIs but its more usually a BluRay and yes you can also feed with airplay I believe although you can you use wireless devices like ATV, you might be better to ask this question on the AVI forum. I just play straight from computer into the AVI dac, no need to go via the TV.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

I now live in Berlin, Germany

Then you should try those Nubert nuPro A-300, they offer a 4-week home demo within Germany.

ADAM (from Berlin itself) also produce great speakers (I plan to acquire ARTist 6s soon) but you would need another box in order to connect your optical cables and something to control the volume.

Those Nuberts look amazing! DSP, USB, Optical, RCA, Remote plus volume control for not much money; There's a review on that site, but google translate isn't that great on it.

There also seems to be an old series, the nubert Pro A-10 and A-20 for 400 euros and 500 euros respectively - I'm think they quote by individual speaker, not by pair. Shame I'm not planning to go to Germany for a bit, or I'd give them a listen - perfect for the study/bedroom!

 

[chebby]

Yes quite a few people do play the TV into the AVIs but its more usually a BluRay...

My ATV, PS4 & Sky box all go to the tv. Then optical out from the tv .....

Makes more sense. I only have one optical input to my system, so both my BDP and PVR are connected (with HDMI) to the TV and then the TV (with one optical) to the system.

Less cables (and sound from terrestrial broadcasts or recordings can be played as well as BDPs / DVDs).

It also eliminates any possibility of 'lag' between audio and picture doing it this way.

 

[JMacMan]

Hello,

I am a frequent reader and forum follower, but seldom post as I dont feel qualified in many cases!

I just enjoy listening to music and have recently discovered and joined Spotify as a Preium customer.

I currently have an MCR 603 with B&W CM1 speakers. Which I will admit I am fairly pleased with, but I am able to upgrade and am very interested in any of the following:

1) Naim Unitiqute or lite (keep my speakers)

2) Above with new speakers that will compliment the sound signiture of the Naim?

3) Dynaudio Xeo 3

4) AVI ADM9...

I will admit I am rather lost but I know I will stick with Spotify premium as the music source (320k).

To those ADM and Unitiqute/ lite owners, is the Spotify Premium a good source for these systems? It is the AVI ADM that interests me the most.

Thanks for any advice!

Richard

Speaking from ownership experience, Naim make nice kit, but the upgrade ladder (and once you're on it, you WILL want to 'upgrade') :O is long and very expensive. Bear in mind that Naims ladder, ends at the top of the tree with....... active speakers, but using outboard multiple (read more expense) amplfiers.

Some of the info on the active speaker choices sounds excellent - AVI's, Dynaudio etc, and a brand I'm not familiar with, the Nubert (?)

I'd certainly argue philosophically in terms of system building to go for an self contained active speaker over a separates/passive speaker combination, unless you see the HiFi as being a hobby where you like to swap out kit, mix and match etc, and enjoy the sound of the HiFi as being an more important aspect of ownership to you, than the music you play upon it - in which case, separates will likely suit you better.

On the other hand, if you want a system that is largely plug and play, and allows you to listen to the music, with few if any subconcious thoughts about the hardware, such as "if I just change this cable, or the amp, maybe I can make it sound better"...intruding upon the musical enjoyment, active is defintely the way to go for the music connesieur IMHO & Experience.

Having said that, I second Matts thoughts in that speakers are all 'tuned' or 'voiced' slightly differently, and hence have different tonal and presentational balances accordingly.

As such, I believe that wherever possible, one should listen before buying, to see if the sound balance is to ones liking.

I run active B&O Beolab 9's, and despite the companies formidable reputation for peerless R&D into things like acoustics and the speaker/room interface, alongside state of the art engineering, I still listened before buying to be sure they were for me.

I hope this helps in some small way..

Kind regards

JMac

 

[fr0g]

For the record, I take anyone's claim they can tell 320 Kbps MP3 from CD with a large pinch of salt.

In fact I simply don't believe them, or rather that they could tell them apart in verifiable scientific conditions...

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

4) AVI ADM9...

I will admit I am rather lost but I know I will stick with Spotify premium as the music source (320k).

To those ADM and Unitiqute/ lite owners, is the Spotify Premium a good source for these systems? It is the AVI ADM that interests me the most.

for not much more money you could get yourself a self contained system that will offer even more simplistic and clutter-free arangement than AVIs, and on top of that will offer much more aesthetically pleasing solution without compromising on sound quality. check out Opalum Flow.1010. what you get is a set of active-digital-on-wall speakers, a control hub with 2 toslink, 1 s/pdif, one analog inputs and a subwoofer output (if a sub is connected the hub will automatically set up a 4th order xover at 80Hz between the sub and sats. therefore one should use an LFE input on the sub for best integration. AFAIK AVIs offer an optional sub but there is no high pass filter applied on the sats when the sub is connected, which is a big bummer) and a RF remote control. you can hide away the hub, as the hub communicates via RF with the remote control. the speakers are fed the digital signal and power from the hub via one thin speaker wire. the onboard amps are capable of 80W total. the amps are digital (the input PCM signal is converted into PWM and amplified) so the D to A coversion effectively happens at amps' output.

after the system is set up what's left to be seen are the speakers hanging on the wall (a major space saver and this is a rather plesant view IMO, compared to shoe boxes on stands), your sources and an optional sub, if you decide to extend the bottom octaves. If you have a smart TV you propably won't need any other source than that. just use optical out. voila.

here's a review FYI. check the FR graph, this should give you an idea that they are not mere nice looking toys but a serious hi-fi business as well:

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/opalum-flow1010-wall-speaker-system

 

[philipjohnwright]

I still use Spotify occasionally but have opted for Qobuz instead. Main reason is it streams in lossless Flac, so is CD quality (Fr0g - I can tell the difference, in fact to me it's quite obvious, but each to their own).

The downside is that qobuz is £20 a month (or £15 just for classical music) and in French; range of content is similar to Spotify - maybe not quite so good if I'm being honest but good enough.

Advert over!

 

[fr0g]

I still use Spotify occasionally but have opted for Qobuz instead. Main reason is it streams in lossless Flac, so is CD quality (Fr0g - I can tell the difference, in fact to me it's quite obvious, but each to their own).

The downside is that qobuz is £20 a month (or £15 just for classical music) and in French; range of content is similar to Spotify - maybe not quite so good if I'm being honest but good enough.

Advert over!

I could get WiMP which streams lossless also, but it is double the price.

As for telling the difference...I believe "you" believe you can tell the difference, but I don't believe you really can (between a properly ripped 320 Kbps MP3, and a lossless file).

But each to their own

 

[altruistic.lemon]

I still use Spotify occasionally but have opted for Qobuz instead. Main reason is it streams in lossless Flac, so is CD quality (Fr0g - I can tell the difference, in fact to me it's quite obvious, but each to their own).

The downside is that qobuz is £20 a month (or £15 just for classical music) and in French; range of content is similar to Spotify - maybe not quite so good if I'm being honest but good enough.

Advert over!

I believe you, philipjohnwright, and agree the difference is obvious, but it does depend on the clarity and resolution of your system as to how much difference there is.

Those Nuberts, according to what I could make of the review, excel at clarity, resolution and depth so should do the trick - getting sorely tempted for the bedroom/study system!

 

[chebby]

For the record, I take anyone's claim they can tell 320 Kbps MP3 from CD with a large pinch of salt.

In fact I simply don't believe them, or rather that they could tell them apart in verifiable scientific conditions...

Given that the OP stated very clearly (in his first post) that Spotify Premium 320K will be his preferred musical source, then your argument (and any counter argument to the quality of 320K content) is completely moot.

Surely the advice - and any related discussion - should be aimed at helping the OP to optimise what he is actually going to use rather than argue about higher res formats he has expressed no interest in.