Acoustic Zen Adagio, How Good Are They?

For those of you asking me questions about the power requirements of the Adagios, let me first apologize for not posting a reply sooner. I spend very little time on the forums and in fact only realized there where questions pending because Bill at Response Audio let me know.

I have run the Adagios using the Grommes PH-26 integrated amp. It uses EL-84's and runs at 1.8 watts triode/6 watts tetrode. The Adagio's work at 1.8 and 6 watts, if you have a really small room and don't want to go very loud you'll be fine, especially at 6 watts. Just don't go into high levels with material that has wide swings in ranges such as symphonies or if your going too, keep the normal listening volume at a lower range. If you don't the amp will clip.
In my 16' L x 14' W x 8' H room the 6 watt setting plays at reasonable levels as well but with deep bass or again, major swings you may notice some issues with clipping if you push the volume limit.
My guess is that if you can control your levels and live with a volume that a spouse can still talk to you when your listening in a smaller room, and 8 watt SET amp would be fine. If you want to have more headroom to work with I think 15-20 watts would be a better starting point. The transformers on a tube amp will also play a role in what your SET can deliver in your environment.
I currently demo them in two configurations, 1)with a pair of Grommes 360's using KT-66's which output around 35-40 outstanding watts and 2) with the Red Dragon Audio Leviathans at 500 watts. I pair them with either the H-Cat preamp or the Heron VTSP-2.
FWIW and if you want to follow up with me on this off-line as I won't talk about the following on-line in a forum, I am one of the few dealers that have dealt with the Daedalus and SP Tech speakers. I've also had the chance to hear the Sason's so if you have questions feel free to follow up with a email or you can call me on our business number (www.jamnaudio.com for info).
I'll try to make it a point to check out the forum a little more often in case any of you have more questions for me.

Joe

I felt compelled to write this post, potentially my last. Why, because these speakers are so good IMHO, that I am finally and offically off of the hi merry go round. These are most musically satifing speakers I have ever heard, are they perfect no, are they a TREMENDOUS value for the money YES!! These speakers are fast, musical, have good bass and the most wonderful highs I have ever heard. All these years I thought I had to live with a certain amount of grain in the music, but no more. I have always blamed it on my ic's or some other component up stream... not so. I could make a very long list of other speakers I have owned and heard, but as we all know its personal preference when choosing speakers, so I don't see the need. My advice is you should listen to these speakers before buying anything, if you don't you are doing yourself a huge diservice. My system if a Cary Sli-80 F1 and a Cary 303/300 cdp with Oritex ic's.
Regards,
Mike

I've had the A.Z. Adagio's for 3 months now and JUST LOVE THEM!!! I drive them with a Canary Audio CA301mk.2 tube amp. 22 watts per side, 300B, Class A, Triode, Push Pull. Preamps are a severely modified E.A.R 864 tube unit and a stock GaMut C-2R S/S unit. My room is 35'3"L x 17'3"W x 8'H. My system/speakers is close to one of the short walls. I can play Rock or Classical at VERY LOUD LEVELS WITH NO PROBLEM!!!!! They sound great! They replaced Von Sch. VR4Gen3HSE and I'm not looking back!!!

I guess it is time to go and check these speakers out for myself.

Chip Stern just posted his review of the Adagios on 6moons and they received a Blue Moon award. I know these awards are subjective as heck but every "award winner" on that site that I have experienced is spot on. I like the Zu line of speakers and will always have a pair on hand because they represent the absolute best value for extreme high efficiency but the Adagios are just SOOOO much more refined. I understand that Acoustic Zen is set to introduce a matching stand mount monitor voiced similarly to the Adagios for use in home theater. I do not have a home theater setup, just 2 channel setups.

My primary system for the record, I run Adagios (replaced B&W 802d) with a McIntosh MA2275 (replaced BAT VK 300XSE) and a Cary 306SACD (replaced Cary 306-200), AZ Silver Reference II IC's (replaced Redge Street Poeima !!) and AZ Hologram II speaker cables (replaced Synergistic Res Ref), Furutech Evolution power cables (replaced Synergistic Ref A/C master couplers) and a Running Springs Audio Duke power conditioner (replaced Richard Gray).

This setup is so coherent, dynamic, uncolored, natural and clean. Detail without overanalysis....I am back to listening to music instead of equipment....and you all know what I mean. The Acoustic Zen Adagio loudspeakers are tube friendly without excluding quality solid state. You do not need a ton of power as the meters on my McIntosh MA2275 (75 wpc KT88 tube integrated) never hit 7.5 watts except on dynamic peaks (I run off the 8 ohm taps) listening at a moderately high level (too loud to converse with someone in the room, not so loud that the walls shake).

Audition these speakers and decide for yourself. I was skeptical until I tried them in my home as there is very little info on them, and zilch on the Acoustic Zen website. I have heard that the next version of the Adagio will not have as extravagant a finish as the maple burl finish on mine. My wife flipped out positively when I moved out the B&W 802ds and replaced them with the Adagios. She is not an audiophile but she preferred the Adagios to the 802ds once they were set up and she has no clue about the price difference (she stated she could hear things on the Adagios that "sounded more right" to her than from the 802d and the Adagio bass is real sounding to her and not so "fake"...her words, not mine B&W disciples...she also likes my Zus although they are not comparable to the B&Ws in her opinion, just different). I have heard that Acoustic Zen did not want to generate more demand for the speakers than they could supply, thus the website exclusion. Seems plausible and when you hear them, you will likely agree if not purchase on the spot.

Peace.