First off please don't let this descend into an active vs passive fight. I'm not hear to preach or convert but just reports the facts as I see them. I'm not a very technical person ( a lot of this stuff goes over my head), so please excuse my less than expert view / review. First off the reasons for demo. I've been back into hi-fi for about 3 years. I'm generally very happy with my HC and apart from bi-amping and maybe swapping the GS10s for 20s have no intention to make changes. However the hi-fi is a whole other start. I've never really achieved what I've wanted and swapping boxes, cables etc has only really brought short term satisfaction. I'm fed up as I'm worrying more about the equipment than the music. I do recognise that for some people part of the joy is making changes and improvements , just not for me. I want something that suits me as it is. Multi box hi-fi is like mixing a cocktail, the ingredients might be great but that doesn't mean anything. I can't mix cocktails. So, where next. The AVI ADM9s have interested me but since learning of the 40s thought I'd wait for them. And living near Swindon means the factory is very local. I loaded a memory stick with some very familiar tracks, and went to have a listen. I'm quite reticent so they'd have to impress. I got to Ashley (James) house. The 9s were set up. So plugged the stick into a Mac book to the speakers via an AE. Started off with "Where has all the love gone" - Kasabian. I'd never heard the track like this. I've seen people describe the 9s as being a bit brttle and lacking bass. I can tell you now that is rubbish. Let's not talk about bass but there was real substance to the sound and detail like I've never heard. Tbh I would have bought the there and then. I then listened to some Rammstein and Depeche Mode. I am a massive DM fan and hardly a day goes by I don't listen to them and I have never NEVER heard Dave Gahan sound so good. The ability with voices is extraordinary. I did comment how impressed I was with them even with the help of the Sub. It was then pointed out, the Sub wasn't on. ( Durrrr 🙂 ) If the 40s didn't exist the 9s would be in my living room, but I had to listen to the floorstanders. So play the same tracks and I was in meltdown. I'd decided before I went that I would be quiet and not to sound too enthusiastic. Well that didn't last long. This was exactly what I was looking for. I listened to SAINT THERESA by JOAN OSBOURNE. I know this track well, it sounded like she was there with you. You could follow all the individual instruments (I've not had that before). The result is I have ordered the 40s. I think they're a bit of a bargain even at 3k. The new 9s are worth of serious consideration too. Please, please don't badmouth them. Just go and listen if you can. Nothing I have owned now or in the past even approaches these speakers. I'm hoping now upgrading has ended and they could quite conceivably end up saving me money.
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My Demo of AVI ADM 9s and 40s
- Thread starter richardw42
- Start date
Thanks for sharing, i'd love to hear the 40s myself, though there's no chance i could afford them at the moment, and i'm very happy with what i've got, still, i feel a weekend trip to Blighty might be on the cards this summer, and a demo 🙂
The 9s are something else too. I'd be ecstatic if I had them. It's just that the 40s are there calling me.
Thanks for posting your thoughts! It's good to hear that you found the bass of the 9's acceptable even without a sub. Bass would be my only major concern with the 9's.
Very interesting, thanks for the review Richard. These speakers and their manufaturer seem to cause a fair bit of controversy for one reason and another, but personally I love the philosophy and anyone who has actually heard them seems smitten. I reckon I might just throw caution to the wind and order a pair of '40s on the strength of this and other reviews and get out of all this hifi malarky.
ooh.. said:
A definite benefit. I was on the brink of placing the order a few seconds ago, but we're away at the moment, and my wife has insisted that I wait until we get home so I can walk her through, and she can visualise, exactly what's going to change in the lounge before I take the plunge....I'm sure she'll be happy when I do!
Dan Turner said:
Sounds like a BAAAAAD idea!!!! Suppose you end up prefering the sound of your existing kit??? There's no way the wife will let you keep it after seeing how little clutter the ADM40 provides... :rofl:
plastic penguin
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- Apr 28, 2008
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plastic penguin said:
I would imagine the original equipment would still be there waiting for a back to back home demo when the ADM40s arrive. Better to test in your home environment I suppose and I'm sure that if the product is not to the liking when seen in the cold light of day, it could be returned.
richardw42 said:
Thanks for the review!
What do you mean by "Let's not talk about bass", if you don't mind me asking 🙂 The Bass is the main worry I have about the ADMs. Presumably this was the very latest model, maybe it's a bit bassier than the predecessor?
No. I didn't take my kit with me. But over the weekend I listened to the tracks a lot at home. So all very fresh.
It was such a clear difference. It wasn't even close. My current hi-fi sounds really poor (TO ME) now.
It was such a clear difference. It wasn't even close. My current hi-fi sounds really poor (TO ME) now.
When I say don't talk about bass. I mean the whole bass subject seems daft. When you listen to live music we don't comment about bass quality or amount. And that's how I felt. It was so precise I was amazed. If I'm not sounding daft bass strength and integrity are what it's all about.
richardw42 said:
I think the issue is not for you to write an entire review about the bass. I agree that it should be about the performance of the music as a whole, however the concern for many of us has been whether there is noticeable absence of bass detracting from the music as a whole. We've seen a few opinions that found the older 9s to be noticeably lacking in bass.
From your review it seems as if the bass fits in and doesn't take away from the sound.
Yes. I've not heard older versions.
But you're right. What I'm clumsily trying to say is that you don't need to analyse, analyse, analyse. It doesn't feel right to talk about bass as a separate thing.
Hopefully gone are the days when I'm sat in my chair listening intently to what differences I can hear in different equipment.
But you're right. What I'm clumsily trying to say is that you don't need to analyse, analyse, analyse. It doesn't feel right to talk about bass as a separate thing.
Hopefully gone are the days when I'm sat in my chair listening intently to what differences I can hear in different equipment.
plastic penguin
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That's all well and good. I don't sit and analyse my system, but if you spend around 3k for a component would be nice to think you get VFM.
plastic penguin
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richardw42 said:
Fair play - the point I'm trying to make is your old system (Kandys + RS6s), based on the original retail prices, were no more than £2k. If I spent anywhere near that amount I'd want a side-by-side dem at the dealers and at home.
If it had been even close I probably would have. But the tracks I used were about my favourites I know them so well so I'm confident on the comparisons I made (I hope) Anyway, like I said I'm not here to preach or sell just record my own experience.
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