AVI ADM9s: breakthrough or too much hype?

What unpleasant views has he expressed?

I'm not going to start a slanging match. The speakers do a job , my father is happy. I'm happy because he is still enjoying his music. I was wrong to bring my personal choice into this thread.

Having said that......you can see the wadding inside them through the port.....I don't like that either.

I've only heard the 9s, didn't really look too closely at the build, although to be fair the ADM40s are very high quality. 

If only everybody could make a cabinet like MA. 

Well, I listened, and I'm still undecided. The ADM9s (no, not the latest version; Bartletts was offloading older ones at a reduced price) had quite exceptional clarity but I failed to be moved by them. God knows what was going on. It could have been the day, my mood, the space, who knows. I just didn't feel swayed by the music. It felt more like an operation. Perhaps some would just call all of this distortion.

SB 

Did you try them with a Sub?

I think the overall sound is much better with a sub involved but then I have always preferred a standmount/sub combination.

I've got a pretty sorry record with shop demos myself. 

Some people find them different and thus are alittle unsettled or confused by them. 

What you were hearing was a lack of distortion. 

Even by AVIs admission, pre RS models played much better with a sub. 

The addition of a sub is all well and good, but if a sub is required for the ADMs, that pushes the price to £2K. For that money, I'd be looking at a different set of actives altogether.

Yes but only if you buy a £750 sub.

Very decent subs can be had for much less. I use an old Yamaha one that has served me well for many years.

True indeed, but it's still extra cost and one extra box for those that want less bits of equipment. That said, the ADMs still include preamp and DAC and are still excellent VFM.

I have some sympathy, and have spent plenty of time there.

That is all.

I've been trying to keep away from this thread, purely because I don't have an opinion on active SQ, not heard and don't have any real ambition to go out and hear any TBH. Like any hi-fi, some love them while others don't. That's totally understandable. Swings and roundabout, I suppose.

The one thing that puzzles me, and I could be totally and utterly wrong, is I've heard (or read is more accurate) over the past year or two statements to the tune of "AVIs are better than any system below 10k". To me that is a very over-lofty claim for a £1200 active. Surely if that was the case then more people would be buying active? As I said, could be totally wrong, and these active are that good, and if so then I applaud the technicians and engineers who created the active.

A little clarity would be good.

So you don't really care about those claims, as you have no wish to hear any actives. But then you ask for clarity, when what you are asking lacks, well...

It doesn't really matter.

I think the AVIs are fantastic speakers and have outperformed a more expensive Cyrus / MA system I had before but I would not say they beat any system below 10k. As you say, if that were the case then why doesn't everyone have them?

I guess AVI actives are like any other brand / type of hifi that has its own house sound. For some they will find it ideal and maybe better than their 10k system but for others they will not.

I heard quite a few impressive systems at The Bristol Show a couple of years ago. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses and I do not think the AVIs are any different. For me I want outstanding clarity and I am prepared to sacrifice other qualities to get this and this is what the AVIs offer.

That's fair enough - I can understand that. My main concern would be these "other" outlandish claims could mis-lead those with less experience to go down the wrong path.

As I said, something Alec doesn't seem to grasp, is I'm not knocking the virtues of actives but trying to gain a realistic take on the pros and cons of actives.

As it stands, my current set-up, though not technically the best, sounds "right". The tonal qualities are as good as I could ever hope for, so for me it's about not rockin' the boat.

The old saying applies to hi-fi: If something is too good to be true, then it usually is...

Thanks, Messiah.