Adam S2A users. Help.

[Redi Knight]

I'm considering getting a pair of S2A's and I have a qustion about their lowend. I'll be mixing in a 14x14x11 size room and would like to know if I can get away with not using a sub-don't care for them. I heard these at aes , but the room was pretty bad for listening and could'nt get the best idea on their lowend capabilities. The spec's show they are flat down to 40hz, but I read a review that stated,when tested, the lows sharply drop off below 55hz. I would buy s3a's but just can't swing em for a bit.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[matucha]

in a room of these proportions (almost a cube), you'll have problems with low end no matter what monitors you're going to buy. Maybe NS10 could be less problematic, but the most problems lies not in the sub 100Hz, but around the 110-130Hz area... in a small rooms. It is the worst resonance.

If you are happy with ADAMs sound and you can afford S3A, go for them, they seem to go ~flat to 35Hz (my expirience) and than sharply roll off. Spect 32 Hz are only so so there, but it is for sure in the roll off area.

Matous

[Redi Knight]

Hey Matucha, Thanks for the post. I incorrectly posted the dimensions of my previous room, they are 14x14x11-my bad. My post was'nt about an acoustic problem with my room , but rather the lowend extension/depth of the s2a's and if they could be used without a sub. Yes, the s3a's go down to 34hz and I could definitely use them without a sub, but my check book will not go down to 34 hz. Adam's specs claim that the s2a's are flat down to 40hz, but in a mix magazine review Dr. Wes Bulla claims that, when tested, the s2a's drop sharply off below 55hz and was I curious if anyone else's ears or test equipment could confirm this?

thanks,

peace

[Fletcher]

They're going to be pretty much the same in any room, big or small [or at least that's what I've found]. I think doing S2-A's with a sub kinda defeats the purpose [I pretty much hate subwoofers... you can never really get them in time with the regular speakers].

The S3-A's have a set of subs in the box which allows them to get that last octave down where the S2-A's are a tad "wanting". Overall, you can get the hardest part of any mix [the midrange balances and textures] spot on with S2-A's [or at least that has been my experience... YMMV].

If it's the money thing [and when isn't it the money thing!]... then the P-33A's are kinda in the middle of S2.5A-s and S3-A's. They're a smidge more open in the lower mids [not as open as the S2.5-A's but more open than the S3-A's], but have a very similar upper mid response, and lowend response as the S3-A's.

Personally, I'd probably do better on the S2-A's than the P-33A's, but that may very well just tend to be me... I tend to have a problem getting my lower mids to sit right... the S2 and S3-A's tend to work better with my 'lower mid' requirements, but not everybody has the same struggles I do in that section of the audio spectrum [hence all the happy DynAudio and Genelec users in the world].

I hope this is of some assistance.

[Redi Knight]

Thank you fletcher, I checked out the p33's and felt the mids were'nt as up front or as accurate as the s2a's or s3a's . The s2.5 had similliar mids to the p33, but p33's would be my ideal home speaker.

Thanks again.....

[Rader Ranch]

my experience is that you can be confident of everything you balance on the S2A's except the lowest octave. for that you simply need another speaker. for me, since i also hate subs, that means checking on my NS1000's....

[Redi Knight]

Thanks rader, How are the ns1000's?

[Rader Ranch]

Originally posted by Redi Knight
Thanks rader, How are the ns1000's?

well, mine are old, fugly, and sound loud and great. you can't get 'em in the states any more, though apparently they're still in production in Japan. you can get a ton of info Googling the NS1000's....