Are the ADAM s3A's suitable for my room or overkill?

[enigmacrypt]

I've been looking into high end nearfield monitors and the ADAM s3A seem to be my ultimate mintors. Of course the s3A's are nearfield/midfield. I'm just wondering if they are inappropriate for my room. My room is 13ft long but only 8ft wide. I have my monitors on spiked floor stands filled with sand and position them along the 8ft wide wall about 10 inchs away from the wall. I could move them slightly further away from the wall if neccessary. The left and right monitors are currently positioned with 70cm space between. I may be able to poistion them up to a metre apart. Where I sit each monitor is about a metre or so away from each ear. If I got the s3A's i'd position them vertically.

So are the s3A's suitable or am I just being a power*****? I like powerful speakers and i currently play most of my music through my monitors too. Obviously though I don't want to spend that much on monitors if I could mix a lot better with smaller ones. I also don't really want to go deaf lol.

Advice from people here would be greatly appreciated so thanks in advance for any responses.

[blackwatch]

i just bought ADAM S3A from Vintage King and in a similar room situation as yourself. they still have not arrived so i'm eager to find out if i've done the right thing

[RoundBadge]

I have 'em in a small room and mix at fairly low volumes..no problems..don't worry.
FYI....Mine will be for sale shortly

[Solunaris]

Oh yeah, what are you getting into, Barefoots?

[enigmacrypt]

I have 'em in a small room and mix at fairly low volumes..no problems..don't worry.
FYI....Mine will be for sale shortly

Excellent, i'll be getting some soon I reckon. I would totally buy yours but I live in the UK and could you imagine the postage for 32kg! LOL

[blackcatdigi]

My first experience with S3As was in a room almost precisely like yours. (Well, after hearing them at MW's place, that is!)

They were the closest thing I ever got to accurately translate out of that closet of a control room. I almost got to the point of actually acquiring some confidence mixing in there (with the additional help of some Grado RS1s, NS10s and at least a spindle per mix for refs)! And this was AFTER spending many thousands of dollars on acoustical treatments, bass trapping, diffusion, etc. You simply cannot overcome the laws of physics, unfortunately. Happy to be out of there!

Also, contrary to popular opinion, you may find that orienting your setup to mix along the long wall might be preferrable. I arrived at a percentage of equation for working out this stuff:

1/3 Science
1/3 Art
1/3 Voodoo

That last one gets you everytime...

Good Luck

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by arrogantbastard

Oh yeah, what are you getting into, Barefoots?

Si Senor

[enigmacrypt]

My first experience with S3As was in a room almost precisely like yours. (Well, after hearing them at MW's place, that is!)

They were the closest thing I ever got to accurately translate out of that closet of a control room. I almost got to the point of actually acquiring some confidence mixing in there (with the additional help of some Grado RS1s, NS10s and at least a spindle per mix for refs)! And this was AFTER spending many thousands of dollars on acoustical treatments, bass trapping, diffusion, etc. You simply cannot overcome the laws of physics, unfortunately. Happy to be out of there!

Also, contrary to popular opinion, you may find that orienting your setup to mix along the long wall might be preferrable. I arrived at a percentage of equation for working out this stuff:

Thanks for the advice. Well I don't plan on being in this room forever. In a year or so I hope to buy a house with a bigger room for a studio.

I would rearrange my set up to have the speakers along the longer wall but it's not really practical in this room for a few reasons.

The room will do for now and i'm happy that the s3A's will be suitable. I'm going to be looking into some acoustic treatment, bass traps etc as these monitors deserve it but wont have thousands to spend after buying them. I have to say that these acoustic treatments made out of foam seem crazily overpriced. I mean it's just foam surely lol?? I mean how special can this foam be?