What is it with ADS speakers that some folks are so high on?

When I bought my little ADS L400s I had a budget. This was before the Internet, craigslist, FB market, .... so I went to several hi end stores with a couple of LPs and auditioned speakers.

I listened to many speakers that day in the $400-600 price range and picked the ADS. I've since moved on to Maggies for the big rig but still have the 400s in the living room.

My ADS collection now includes the 400s (connected to a Fisher x101b), L300 (connected to a kenwood kr-9400) and 620s that my son is using. Need to get those back :).

While I haven't listened to many ADS speakers I do enjoy what I own.
 
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The only ADS speakers I've heard, are my L710. I've got them in a setup that allows me to easily switch between them along with Klipsch KG4, Polk SDA2, and EPI 100. The other's all do one thing better than my ADS. But I find myself listening to the ADS the most, they just seem the most balanced, and do vocals the best. The EPI has more detailed highs, but can get shrill at times, and the mids are lacking. The Polk has better bass, but not unless it's turned up the volume quite a bit, which makes the tweeter shrill at times. The Klipsch has better bass, and significantly more efficiency, which I like more for low volume listening, but it's mids and highs leave a lot to be desired.
 
I think that's the key word here too - "balanced", no accentuated frequencies. Since it has a flat reponse, all instruments in a recording have equal presentation and therefore can be heard in detail and nothing gets buried in the mix. And I think this is the reason why it is very pleasing/ non fatiguing to listen to.
 
I think that's the key word here too - "balanced", no accentuated frequencies. Since it has a flat reponse, all instruments in a recording have equal presentation and therefore can be heard in detail and nothing gets buried in the mix. And I think this is the reason why it is very pleasing/ non fatiguing to listen to.

I find myself wishing my L710 had a bass bump at times though.Which is why I'm on the lookout for one of the larger models.
 
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So many issues? The panels are virtually bulletproof. I've found Acoustats quite practical since 1977. Yes, they do require a bit more power than others. The 2+2s I ran for twenty some years did quite well with a Threshold Stasis and later with 500 watt VTL amps. Here's a view circa '03:

system200306.jpg


And today, use 1+1s supplemented with subs below 50 hz in the HT system on a daily basis driven by a pedestrian 300 watt/channel Emotiva XPA-5 :

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Woah very tall speakers what are they ?
 
Acoustats. Full range electrostats.
I’m still not sure how they work?so they move the air somehow? So tall must have massive soundstage. I saw some once in bestbuy but didn’t get to listen to them too long. They were Martin Logan or something.
Wish ida kept my energy bookshelves when I tried em out I wasn’t using my onkyo 818.
Are energy better then klipsch?o_O
 
I’m still not sure how they work?so they move the air somehow? So tall must have massive soundstage. I saw some once in bestbuy but didn’t get to listen to them too long. They were Martin Logan or something.
Wish ida kept my energy bookshelves when I tried em out I wasn’t using my onkyo 818.
Are energy better then klipsch?o_O

Energy are owned by klipsch nowadays, and are used as the budget line. But in the past they were their own company, and had some really nice designs. Some of their signature design cues include very close tweeter/woofer spacing, metal dome tweeters, and partial plastic/resin cabinets/baffles.
 
I’m still not sure how they work?so they move the air somehow?
I don't want to derail the thread, but a sheet of essentially tightly stretched sandwich wrap becomes the "cone" and a uniform electrostatic field becomes the "magnet". Click here for more.

Very nice what’s ADS stand for?
Analog and Digital Systems. Dr. Godehard began by importing Braun speakers and drivers and later bought the rights to manufacture them. I began with tri-amped Braun LV-1020s in '74.
 
Analog and Digital Systems. Dr. Godehard began by importing Braun speakers and drivers and later bought the rights to manufacture them. I began with tri-amped Braun LV-1020s in '74.

Awesome! They must have sounded wonderful.
 
... I find myself listening to the ADS the most, they just seem the most balanced, and do vocals the best...

Absolutely great vocals. Female vocalists don't sound thin; you can hear the richness.

I think that's the key word here too - "balanced", no accentuated frequencies. Since it has a flat reponse, all instruments in a recording have equal presentation and therefore can be heard in detail and nothing gets buried in the mix. And I think this is the reason why it is very pleasing/ non fatiguing to listen to.

In response to the OP's original question, I think this nails it for me. What strikes me about these speakers (mine are L1230) is that nothing really strikes me. They sound very "realistic." When I listen carefully I hear the clarity and timbre of each instrument and they present a cohesive whole without any part of the spectrum jumping out at me.
 
Awesome! They must have sounded wonderful.
They did but alas that was the year I was introduced to Magneplanars (Tympani IIIs using Audio Research electronics no less) which was a pivotal moment for that teenager.

I replaced them two years later with MG-IIs. For a while, I used the woofer section as subwoofers. I had already moved the upper drivers to their own baffle outside the main cabinet a la Dahlquist.
 
I've been watching CL looking at Maggies here lately. Found some not too far from me that look in pretty good shape and not a bad price either. My "Problem" is that I have a tendency to lose focus on my goals and I end up not finishing projects. So I've been forcing myself to not do anything until I finish my HT system designed after my ADS L1230's. I can see the goal line now, so maybe soon I'll pick up a set of Maggies for the living room. They come up often in the Dallas area.
 
I've been watching CL looking at Maggies here lately. Found some not too far from me that look in pretty good shape and not a bad price either. My "Problem" is that I have a tendency to lose focus on my goals and I end up not finishing projects. So I've been forcing myself to not do anything until I finish my HT system designed after my ADS L1230's. I can see the goal line now, so maybe soon I'll pick up a set of Maggies for the living room. They come up often in the Dallas area.
If and when you get a set of maggies, in my opinion, they will blow your mind as they do mine every time I listen to them. I do not want to stop listening to them. Keep in mind your listening position is limited though. For a TV surround sound set up, they should be great because you're sitting on the sofa, so positioning them for optimum sound should be easy. With mine, I originally had them toed in aiming directly at me. Not good because moving even several inches sideways looses the sweet spot. I now position them almost parallel with very little toe in, which makes a big difference. Distance from the wall made no difference in sound to my ears. The toe out made the biggest difference. You want this because if there's several people on your sofa watching the TV, all of you will be pretty much within the sweet spot..
If these don't work out for the surround setup, then put them in your more dedicated listening space, sit back and emerce yourself.
Glenn
 
If and when you get a set of maggies, in my opinion, they will blow your mind as they do mine every time I listen to them. I do not want to stop listening to them. Keep in mind your listening position is limited though. For a TV surround sound set up, they should be great because you're sitting on the sofa, so positioning them for optimum sound should be easy. With mine, I originally had them toed in aiming directly at me. Not good because moving even several inches sideways looses the sweet spot. I now position them almost parallel with very little toe in, which makes a big difference. Distance from the wall made no difference in sound to my ears. The toe out made the biggest difference. You want this because if there's several people on your sofa watching the TV, all of you will be pretty much within the sweet spot..
If these don't work out for the surround setup, then put them in your more dedicated listening space, sit back and emerce yourself.
Glenn

Absolutely great advice and I thank you for that. I have always trusted your thoughts and opinions (and tastes) The Maggies will definitely go into the living room, and won't be a part of an HT system. That system is set up for a different room. The Maggies w/sub will be for the living room where I can enjoy a more critical 2 channel detailed listening in a larger space. Although as you said, it's not as important as toeing. Ultimately, I'll eventually get my wife's office space when she retires and I can convert that to my man cave. It's a wonderful room with Recessed balcony lighting and perfect size for almost any speaker/music system. And, as chance has it, also has a bar :naughty:. To be honest all this is the easy part to figure out. The hard part is the day when I tell my wife what my plans are. :rflmao::music:

Garry~
 
Babysitting a pair of L8es a friend had.
He has a shop and I sometimes test and clean up stuff for him.
The vinyl covering and metal grills are kind of garbage on these but damn they sound good.
I wanted to borrow them to see if the ADS sound was closer to the L520s i have and love or the L710s i have and am not thrilled with.
They are closer in overall balance to the L520s and maybe better. <<< nope *edit*
Going to test them for a few days and then i have a feeling we'll be talking about a transfer of ownership.
 
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I've been slowly accumulating listening time on my set and tonight there is this album with the track "Boogie Palace" by Flim & the BB's and there is this reverberating bell tones and the sound was just so clear you think you're in heaven with St. Peter. I've been listening to classic rock, jazz, classical, etc. and it's safe to say that the speakers can reproduce different textures very well. It can sound like real vocals, violins, electric guitar, sax, trumpet, bongos, etc and it can replicate the dynamics of the musician playing.
 
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