Aam A7s vs Dyn Bm5a

[bannerj]

I'm about to put some money down on some A7s and then a really happy Bm5a user posted his thought on TO. I figured more people on GS have used these. There are a few thoughts about these on here, but I'm curious if anybody has anything more to say.

I know it will depend on my room (which is in the process of being re-treated). And I unfortunately do not have a convenient way to try both of these out in my room. We already have an old pair of Genelec 1031 that we will keep for comparisons.

[Old Cane]

I tried both, both are excellent. I also tried the Gen 8030(?) I think. The DAs sounded very very good. I was about to buy them but we moved the A7s from the control room to the listening room and they did the trick. I did side by side comparisons for an hour or so. I am used to 4311s and the A7s were the sound for me. I don't think either is a bad choice. I didn't get to dickering on the DAs but Adam is one of the price fixing companies that will not let a dealer discount them (according to the salesman). That may make you mad enough to go with another brand but the dealer added in about $150 (retail) worth of other goods I needed anyway. I don't think between these two there is a bad choice, just whatever you like best.

[Switchcraft]

I own both at the studio I run and I like the A7s much better. I trust the low end much more on teh A7 than I do the BM5a. There is just way too much low end on those for me. I mostly do hip hop too, so you think I would like that, but no.

[lakeshorephatty]

I have Bm5a's but tried the A7's a fair amount when deciding. For me the following set my mind:

-Both had great detail, but the bm5's are more "pleasant" to me and have less of a "sound".

The low end on the Bm's extends farther. I heard more low end details and I wasn't and still am not planning on getting a sub so this was better for me.

When i listened to stuff i loved, i loved the way it sounded more on the BM's..

When i listened to stuff i didn't like as much, i liked it LESS on the bm's

Nothing terribly dramatic, but both myself and clients would be sitting in front of these for long periods of time and I asked myself, which set is more pleasing, yet accurate to me.

Russell

[bannerj]

From what I've read both can have trouble with the low end depending on the room and depending on your expectations. Worst case scenario is that I end up adding a sub later on.

I know that I should listen to these, but since I am a novice mixer I'm trusting what the consensus is here on GS and expecting to "learn" them. I've trusted that consensus before and haven't been disappointed. I'm glad for comments like...you can't go wrong with either. That is kinda what I was expecting.

[lakeshorephatty]

I just noticed the comments on the low end, and i would say it probably depends on the style of music, and treatment of your room. Music with balanced low end probably sounds great on both, but music with heavier lows might not work as well on the BM's... I do rock jazz funk and such but all with balanced lows and like the lows on the BM's more... i don't consider this music with heavy lows, but i also consider a lot of modern rock "light" on lows, so keep that in mind.

[bannerj]

Originally Posted by lakeshorephatty

When i listened to stuff i loved, i loved the way it sounded more on the BM's..

When i listened to stuff i didn't like as much, i liked it LESS on the bm's
Russell

forgive me if I'm misunderstanding you, but isn't this a sign that the Dyns might be a bit more hyped? The monitors shouldn't make you like fully mastered, "finished" records more. Shouldn't they be neutral and not persuasive?

[Old Cane]

I think what he means is that the DAs reinforce his opinions on the music. I can see that as the opposite of "wow, I never liked that before but through these speakers it sounds great." To him they sound accurate as he knows accurate. I was just the opposite. The A7s made me close my eyes and reach out to touch Linda Ronstadt's mic stand. The DAs sounded like great "hi-fi" speakers, the A7s sounded like great "monitors". This is highly subjective as we all know.

I have been tickled with my A7s but had I not heard them I would probably feel the same about the BMs. They were my 2nd choice out of 5 pair of speakers. The Genelecs got eliminated last so they were my 3rd choice. I thought the Event sp8s were pretty good too. They were 4th but cost more. The Mackie's were a little behind to me so ranked 5th. I think if you get used to a monitor you'll do fine with almost anything.

I haven't heard the Focals but when I upgrade they will be the first I listen to at $2200. I think the Adam S2As would be the next step at $3500. I just don't think, unless I win the lottery, I would ever attempt to listen to the Barefoots. At $6500 they are way more than I would ever need. Nice to have I'm sure and if i did this for a living they would be my first listen.

[bannerj]

Originally Posted by Old Cane

I think what he means is that the DAs reinforce his opinions on the music. I can see that as the opposite of "wow, I never liked that before but through these speakers it sounds great." To him they sound accurate as he knows accurate.

That is a very helpful way of explaining the distinction. Thanks.

[Autocrat]

I had both for a while. The Dyns were a little more pleasant to listen to, especially commercial CDs, it made me want to listen to the song instead of try to nitpick the sound. The Adams are more clinical and the ribbon tweeter is faster and takes some getting used to. I can hear deeper into a mix w/ the Adams but they can seem annoying at times (which tells me my mix is off).

I sold my A7s and upgraded to P22s

[lakeshorephatty]

Yeah,

Old cane and autocrat nailed what i was thinking about and hearing.

Our ears are wonderful instruments and can adapt to almost anything.

Just look at the fantastic work from 30+ years ago. Relatively speaking the resolution was poor in monitoring.

I have a feeling the whole package of the adams is better felt in their more expensive monitors. For a first hight end set you can't go wrong with either. I just feel I get more bang for buck on the "low end of the high end scale" from the bm's.

Russell

[analogjeff]

we tried both of these a little while ago and found the A7's kind of hard, tough, and synthetic sounding and the dynaudio's sort of shimmery/glossy/airy in a pop kind of way -- we so wanted to like one or the other due to their price range, but we ended up greatly preferring and buying the ProAc 100's, even though they're a bunch more $

[bexarametric]

Both are great monitors. I own the DA. The low end took some getting used to. My mixes translate well with my BM5A's. I'm not going to lie though, I using these until I can afford some S3A's.

[Switchcraft]

bexar,
I own two pairs of S3As as well and I must say that if you are in a room that is not acoustically designed, I trust the A7s over them.
it is weird, I know, but I do. I have one pair in a room is well designed and another pair in a horribly designed room. The S3As in the bad room sound terrible, but Ironically, I have the Bm5as in that same room and those translate much better than the 3As. I assume this is becuase they are near field, not Mid field like the s3as. Basically with the S3as, you are dealing with more triangular space / room tone.

point of the story, If your room sucks, I have found that the A7s will work best.

i have A7s in a square room with good bass absorption, High freq diffusion, apbsorption and trapping and the A7s still tranaslate very well in a square room, even better than the Bm5as ( to my ears... TME).

of course, these are both great monitors, so you are really good to go with with either. At these levels of near parity of quality, it is all personal preference.

I think the question is, do you work in a room without any bass traps or corner absorbers? if you do work in an untreated room going with the A7s might be a better choice TME. If you do work in a well treated room, you might have better luck with the BM5as.

Also, I am anti sub woofer, so I wouldnt use one with either pair and dont find the need for them. but then again, I use Ns10s, so what the hell do I know about bass.

YMMV

[bannerj]

Originally Posted by Switchcraft

Also, I am anti sub woofer, so I wouldnt use one with either pair and dont find the need for them.

why anti subs?

[EKG Productions]

When I mixed some tracks on the DA's they sounded too good. It could have been the room but I doubt it. No matter what I did (eq wise) to the high end of anything the DA's sounded great. Sadly that did not translate. Once mastered those tracks came out too britle and sterile. I did like the low end though. I havn't used the A7's as much but they didn't sound good. For me that is a good thing. They sounded flat. I could clearly see what I needed work on. None of those tracks have been mastered yet but I feel the mixes are definately tighter. But who knows I may just be getting better at mixing, anyway listen and decide for yourself. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[bexarametric]

Originally Posted by Switchcraft

bexar,
I own two pairs of S3As as well and I must say that if you are in a room that is not acoustically designed, I trust the A7s over them.
it is weird, I know, but I do. I have one pair in a room is well designed and another pair in a horribly designed room. The S3As in the bad room sound terrible, but Ironically, I have the Bm5as in that same room and those translate much better than the 3As. I assume this is becuase they are near field, not Mid field like the s3as. Basically with the S3as, you are dealing with more triangular space / room tone.

point of the story, If your room sucks, I have found that the A7s will work best.

i have A7s in a square room with good bass absorption, High freq diffusion, apbsorption and trapping and the A7s still tranaslate very well in a square room, even better than the Bm5as ( to my ears... TME).

of course, these are both great monitors, so you are really good to go with with either. At these levels of near parity of quality, it is all personal preference.

I think the question is, do you work in a room without any bass traps or corner absorbers? if you do work in an untreated room going with the A7s might be a better choice TME. If you do work in a well treated room, you might have better luck with the BM5as.

Also, I am anti sub woofer, so I wouldnt use one with either pair and dont find the need for them. but then again, I use Ns10s, so what the hell do I know about bass.

YMMV

I just dropped a fortune on acoustic treatment, so I should be alright. But that is good to know.

[Switchcraft]

for me, subs cause too many linear phase issues that are hard to control and get a clear representation of the information. I want my sound to come from two sources at an equal later triangle with my head. I do not want another sound source thrown in there throwing off the reproduction timingezpecially with bass.

To tell you the truth 80 percent of my mixing is done with one aurotone (fostex 6301B in my case... DOPE DOPE DOPE Single cone speakers!!!!) or one ns10 put in mono about 3 foot from my face. yup, I even get rid of speaker two during much of the mix.

Regarding the lows/subs, I know what is below 50 hz becuase I filtered everything I dont want down there outwith lin phase EQs. I can check the rest of the bottom on heavy beyerdynamic headphones if I want, but I know what is down there. filters are my friend. bass compression decay and sustain are often better represented on small crap speakers to my ears anyway.


dont get me wrong, subs are nice to throw on and crank up, but to me that is just for giggles.

back to the thread, I would still go with the A7s.

[KFMG]

+1 for the ADAM A7's. I did an A/B comparison and went with the ADAMs. I really wanted to liked the Dyn BM5A's, they sounded great. That is until I set up the ADAMs and realized that the Dyns were scooped in the high-mid frequencies. Once again I think the Dyns are great monitors, however the ADAM are "true" reference monitors. If you can, I strongly suggest that you A/B them in your studio long enough for them to break-in (it does make a difference). Take the time tpo learn which ever set you choose... and by all means... forget the Genelecs

[starfighter]

Hi! Just thought I'd recommend everyone to try the KRK VXT6s....

I've A/B'd those against the Dynaudio BM5a/BM6a, Genelec 8030/8040 and Adam A7....

They have a very similar sound to the Acoustic Energy AE1s that have been a reference for me for years.

And no; VXT are not same shit new wrapping vs the V series! Everything that was wrong with the old ones are right this time;

morten