Hi friend and Welcome aboard!!
Before we get into the Adam A7 vs. A7X, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
Today I will outline the Adam A7 and then compare it with the A7X towards the end. 🙂
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Video Review
- What these monitors are good for?
- What you will need?
- Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!
Adam A7
Ratings/Price
Specifications
Mid Woofer
- Number per device: 1
- Basket: 7″ (177mm)
- Voice Coil: 1.5″ (37mm)
- Cone Material: Glass-fiber/paper
Tweeters
- Number per device: 1
- Type: ART (Accelerating Ribbon Technology)
Amplifier
- Amplifiers: Mid-Woofer Amp x 1
Tweeter Amp x 1 - Type: Mid-Woofer Amp: A/B
Tweeter Amp: A/B - Amp Power RMS / Music: Mid-Woofer Amp: 60W / 85W
Tweeter Amp: 40W / 55W
Control Methods
- Input Sensitivity: -∞ to +6 dB
- High Shelf EQ (> 5kHz): ±6 dB
- Low Shelf EQ (< 300 Hz): ±6 dB
General
- Analog Inputs: XLR / RCA. What is XLR?
- Frequency Response: 44 Hz – 50 kHz
- Peak Level: ≥109 dB (max)
- Magnetically Shielded: No
- Dimensions (HxWxD): 12.5 x 9.0 x 10.5″ (321 x 225 x 266mm)
- Weight: 19.8 lb (9 kg)
Summary
Adam’s ribbon tweeters are what make these stand out from the rest. They provide an intense amount of detail in the mid-range and treble.
Their defining characteristics seem to be a non-fatiguing sound combined with phenomenal transparency and a crystal clear mid-range. With other monitors, you may be constantly testing your mix on different speakers. With the A7’s it’s one and done, resulting in more time saved.
Pros
- Clean mid-range and treble. This is where the monitors truly shine. What are studio monitors?
- Translates well without having to cross-reference on a lot of different sources. Meaning: you won’t have to check your mix a thousand times to make sure it’s right.
- Remarkable clarity. Small details that you haven’t heard become clear.
- Low end is tight and punchy, but still retains accuracy.
- Non-fatiguing and fun for easy listening.
- Accurate representation of sound. Brutally honest.
- Good stereo imaging.
Cons
- The low end is a bit lacking. If you’re needing to mix frequencies below 80Hz, you will need the separate subwoofer.
Video Review
Make sure to subscribe to Jordan’s channel!
What these monitors are good for?
- Television Scoring
- Mixing down
What you will need?
- First of all, Acoustic Sound Treatment goes a long way!
- Secondly, a good audio interface.
- Some cables. The A7X utilizes balanced XLR on the back, so I would go with some TRS to XLR cables. The TRS ends would connect to your interface. Something like a Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Generation would be a great start! Don’t get too crazy about trying to come up with the perfect “pairing.”
Basically nowadays the D/A converters even in entry-level interfaces are good enough so that there won’t be any serious drawbacks quality-wise in, well, almost, anything*. So no – the interface won’t be a bottleneck. Choose one that has the i/o that suits your needs and one with good reviews (although this can be hard to judge – many people seem to be five-star happy just because they have an interface or simply don’t have serious experience about different interfaces) and drivers, and fits your budget. Focusrite’s Scarlett series is an easy middle of the road choice that’s extremely popular (I’m using one myself at the moment). But unless you’re going super high end, there’s no need to think about “pairing” monitors and interfaces.Krushing (Moderator), FutureProducers.com
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
Nothing today. 🙂
Consensus/Conclusion
Honest monitors with a lean bass response and non-fatiguing character.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Both have a similar look and feel.
- Both are very durable with solid construction.
- Both excel in many of the same genres and situations.
- Both have many of the same tonal qualities.
Differences
- The A7X’s bass, mid-range and treble are all much better than the A7.
- The biggest difference is the inclusion of the X-art ribbon tweeter in the A7X’s. It is said to vastly improve the clarity and extension in the treble range. The A7’s tweeter was also much harsher, and more sibilant. What does Sibilant mean?
- The stereo imaging with the A7X is also better.
- The addition of dual bass ports also improves the bass response for the A7X. Just make sure your room is treated (as mentioned above), or else the added bass may muddy up your mix.
- The frequency response of the A7X extends to 50Hz rather than only 35Hz in the A7.
- The bigger vocal coil and more powerful amps improve the overall sound quality of the A7X.
- The A7X is more revealing.
- The A7X can handle higher output levels.
Final Word
I think it’s obvious which of these to go with. Interested in learning more about the A7X?
CLICK HERE FOR MY ADAM A7X REVIEW!!
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this comparison of the Adam A7 vs. A7X, and came away with some valuable information.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Are you likely to purchase the A7X? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
