The A5X can be custom-tuned to work in harmony with even the most acoustically difficult listening environments, the ability to adjust tweeter gain and the inclusion of low and high shelf filters means easy output optimisation for varying room sizes, materials or simply individual preferences. Last year, Adam set about updating their A‑range studio monitors to create the AX range. They've redesigned the drivers, used new electronics and, in the case of some of their larger monitors, they've added a mid‑range driver. Adam's A7 two‑way active monitor has proven to be a firm favourite with project studio owners, so I was particularly keen to see how the new A7X could improve on the original. The Science Of ART Stereo Link" allows one unit to control the volume of the other. All testing was performed with the switches in the default position as you see. The front input control though was set lower so that 0 dBu input produced 86 dBSPL @ 1 meter. The ADAM Audio A Series delivers highly accurate, transparent sound across a full line of monitors that can be controlled remotely and in real time. Comprising five models, the A4V, A7V, A44H, A77H and A8H are the right fit for an array of professional and home studios — as well as broadcast, fixed-installation, 3D, immersive, and home audio environments. Innovations such as rotatable HPS waveguide technology, and DSP-based room correction and voicings enable users to tune speakers for their room and ears.

Even after sitting with them for a couple of weeks, I’m still impressed these little speakers go that low at all, not to mention that well. This new technology connects two A5X speakers in such a manner as to allow the user the option to control the overall stereo volume of the system from either speakers gain control. This makes the A5X a natural for "mixer-less" desktop applications where overall system volume needs to be adjusted easily. A very handy and exclusive feature found in the two smaller AX monitors is the Stereolink. This is accomplished by a pair of additional RCA connections that allow for a bypass of the second stereo channel to the other speaker. Praised by many in the industry, Adam monitors pair exceptional quality with practicality and affordability, the A5X is no exception, at home in a small orAccording to the published spec, the A7Xs have a frequency response of 42Hz to 50kHz, a long‑term output capability of over 106dB and a maximum peak‑level capability of 114dB. I certainly found that there was no shortage of volume for nearfield monitoring! The figure for THD (Total Harmonic Distortion), when operating at a level of 90dB at 1m for frequencies below 100Hz, is less than 0.5 percent. Out Of The Box Although critics of the brand have claimed that ADAM’s original designs offered less bass, less sparkle, and a less flattering midrange than even some lower-priced studio monitors, I say remarks like these miss the point entirely. It’s precisely these qualities that made the best ADAM monitors such indispensable studio tools. Going to eliminate the SC207’s. Saw in one review that they hiss pretty loudly. Also, nobody ever seems to talk about them? Strange, considering that their founder was at (or owned?) ADAM Audio. Cranked up, the 5Xs scream like only an opera singer can scream. Compared to the ASP8s, their low end is tighter and more solid, the high end cleaner and less pointy, the midrange more complex and detailed, and the stereo imaging more concrete and precise. With two 50-watt amplifiers and the ability to cruise at about 102 dB, they also have plenty of power and headroom. (And if you ever mix that loud for long, please trust me when I say you’re doing it wrong.) This added headroom and stellar performance at high levels is a genuine improvement of the original ADAM A-series.

Justin Colletti is a Brooklyn recording engineer and studio journalist. He is a regular contributor to SonicScoop and edits the music blog Trust Me, I’m A Scientist. In my own studio, which measures 16 by 11 feet, the A7s are probably a better choice than the A5s and obviously have a touch more bass extension, but I'd certainly be able to work on the A5s without any problem. Where the A5s score higher, of course — other than being lower in price — is that they can sit on a desktop and won't provoke too many low-frequency problems in smaller rooms. Mighty Minis? gain control is located on the front panel, right next to the power switch. If you've ever had to play Twister just to turn on or turn up your monitors in a studio setting, you'll immediately appreciate this design. You'll also find both RCA and XLR inputs on the rear panel. Notably, they don't have any perceived deficiencies, certainly not for their price, nor size. Yet we have to put these things into perspective.There are plenty of great options on this list, but choosing monitors is a very personal decision. The only way to do it right is by listening. Handmade in Berlin, the X-ART tweeters offer longer operation times with far fewer signs of operational fatigue compared to other speakers. Strength comes from the tweeters folded diaphragm, designed to keep distortion at bay, the unique X-ART membrane compresses and expands with the audio signal, whilst its larger size (2.5 times bigger than a classic tweeter) gives it an advanced dynamic range that delivers superb audio. Coupled with its own low-distortion A/B amplifier the X-ART tweeter delivers superb results. Both sets of speakers ultimately leave me feeling I am listening through a veil; enhanced when I compare the resolution achievable either with the K3003s or the T1s.