Keithr Glad you commented on this combo. Maybe we can talk about this more off line. I heard the adagios at rocky mountain audio fest last year with halcro. It was the top of the line Halcro gear. There was somthing special about the sound coming from those speakers. But i have asked a couple of people what would you consider as amps running with modwright preamp, because anything in the region in cost of the halcro gear im not ready for. So they have mentioned Red Dragon or a modified Bel Canto 1000 amps sound was superb. So it would be interesting to get your take of what you actually heard that day even though under show conditions. |
I heard them with Red Dragon digital amps and modwright preamp and couldn't understand what all the fuss was about---but it was at a show, so show conditions not withstanding. good, but certainly not great. |
If I am ever aloud to do it again I will get the extreme Adagios from Response audio 07-26-08: Brm1 No offense, but the word is spelled "allowed" rather than "aloud." If you are ever allowed? In other words, if your wife ever allows you to buy the Adagios again, you will? You have to be kidding, right? |
It's testes, or both testis, not testies, unless you are are living too close to a nuclear power plant or referring to a multiple product testers in the wrong tense. I hope you wouldn't get those caught between your legs, although I can think of some product testers that you might appreciate ;)
Never heard the Adagios but it seems like they are well liked in this community. Probably worth seeking out for a long audition. And no, I'm not nuts about nuts. |
Nice assesment of the speaker,thats one of the attributes of the adagio i love its never bright and impossing in the high end.It is just conveys the music,yes the looks are a little on the not the prettiest speaker around,but they will be in my system for awhile.the matched maple is sweet in red though. |
I had mine for about 6 months and really liked them, but the wife did not care for the looks...so they left. They are fast, smooth and dynamic. I used them with a Cary sli-80 f1 and was very happy. The speakers are very balanced and coherent in their presentation. I really liked the ribbon tweeter, fast yet smooth never bright. If you like the looks they are great speakers for the $$. If I am ever aloud to do it again I will get the extreme Adagios from Response audio, they are more cash, but resonable. Hope that helps. Mike |
I have used them for about 2 years and am more than pleased. They replaced Living Voice Avatars and have better base, more trasparent, less coloured. I am interested in the opinion about the Cerabase. I have had similar benefit with Symposium svelt shelves and Rollerblock juniors, a clear upgrade to my ears. I use an 845 SET, only 22 watts, but more than enough. The flat impedence at 6ohms, seems to make them SET friendly, despite only 89db sensitivity. Are they the best speakers around? of course not, but they are very good value and appear well made |
thanks for the input. I'll update once I've heard them. |
Dont get your testies caught between your legs, it was a joke. |
Digsmithd,Thanks for your interest.I noticed after the first month of having the Adagio,The notes and the bass are not as clean as I've hoped them to be.Put your hand on top of the Adagio,you will noticed there are plenty of cabinet vibrations.having tried various configurations of suppots,I decided to get the Finite Elemente CERAPUC .To say my jaw dropped was an understatement.Havind seen the rwsults I've decided to move up to CERABASe and I got further improvements.
The soundstage becomes superwide.Separations of instruments are clearly heard,the bass becomes so gorgeous.But to me the ultime improvement is in female Vocals.Try Listening to Eva Cassidy with and without The CERABASE;you wouldn't think that it is the same speaker that you are listening too.
I believe It might be true too with other type of resonance controlled feet like Alto-extremo,or the likes but I hanven't auditioned them.I urge every ADAGIO owners to try the feet ,though.IT changed my life{And save me lots of money on unnecessary upgrades actully...]that I feel that I should spread the word aroud.
I bought the CERAPUC here on A'gon but the CERABASE were bought from my local dealer in Malaysia.
Digsmithd,sorry to write such a long answer to a very short querry... |
I have had a pair of Adagios for a year and a couple of months. As has been commented before, they need a fair number of hours before they really come on song. I would suspect that more than a couple of pairs have been sold before being properly run in. In my case, I was very impressed with the initial demo but somewhat disappointed when I brought them home and hooked them up. Somewhat dull and disjointed would be how I would describe it, not musical and effortless which was what my initial impression was. They definitely open up with time and they required a bit of playing around with in terms of positioning in order to be at their best.
All that being said, I am quite pleased with the sound that I am now getting and have no desire to change or upgrade. As mentioned above, I would describe them as being quite musical and effortlessly so. Fairly quick as well and just a touch on the warm side. I would also describe them as being non-fatiguing, there have been many marathon listening sessions that I have had and they don't grate on the ears at all.
Other comments that I would make would be that they tend to favor the sweet spot meaning that they will sound best when you are in the prime center listening position. They still sound decent in the next room or in another spot in the room but you won't get the full effect unless you're in that prime location. Also, if you have them in a large room they will not have quite as much bass impact as a smaller room. My listening room is not huge by any means but it opens up to the bulk of the rest of my house and the bass is solid and definitely present but does not have quite the impact as the smaller more closed in listening room that I first listened to them in.
Lastly, I would comment that the Adagios will greatly reward you if your amplifier and source are top notch. I completely built my system ass backwards having bought the speakers first, then upgrading my amplifier and then my digital and then my analog source and I definitely feel that this is the wrong way to go. I have only been thrilled with my system after upgrading the rest of the system so bear in mind that this speaker will reward good upstream components. People on the British forums are very adamant about "Source First" and I absolutely believe that 100% now.
The only other comment that I would make is that at the prices that these speakers are currently going for used, they are a great buy. |
Fafafion...were did you get the cersebase your describing,why those over the other spikes offered,(CANT REMEMBER NAME)THANKS. |
I think the OP has every right to ask the question as is.
I've heard hundreds of speakers but only feel comfortable offering a critique on those auditioned in my surroundings with my equipment.
Even then the comments are largely subjective and have little worth to anybody else. |
Ditto S7horton. Dave, your post is very appropriate. I have learned from my system and changes in the setup that speakers will reveal different nuances and qualities that at first you did not realize were there. Living with the speakers is the best way to learn this. I'd be willing to bet that many speakers on sale here are the result of guys who never heard them at their best for one reason or another. I have changed electronics and sources frequently and my speakers have revealed themselves to me in different ways throughout the process. Just being a listener to a pair of speakers rather than owning them will only tell part of the story. |
Chad, A lot of times people make comments on speakers that they heard one time real quick in a less than ideal set up. I don't think the original poster is out of line to ask for help from people that own them. Maybe a better way to ask would have been to hear from people that own them or have spent significant time with them. |
I have been living with my Acoustic Zen Adagio for the past 1 year and couldn't be happier.My advise to you though ,is to change the stock spikes to Finite Elemente Cerebase.The results are just astounding!!!I think it is a must for all ADAGIO owners.I use A COPLAND CDA289 for my digital front,and replaced my simaudioi-7 with NEODIO 150.I think the Unico will do just fine,and Your CDP is actually quite impressive.In Short,you won't go wrong and I urge you to at least audition the Cerabase,you will know what I mean |
I own them,i think the unico would sound great with them from what i hear about that amp,ive had my curiosity about the uni se.Regardless the adagios are staying what ever amp im ending up with.Also not familiar with your cd player.For what you can pick up on gone...yeah,imho. |
Because people that have HEARD them are pointless right? |