ADS L980. These seem like the real deal to me!

algustaf

New Member
So I have been working my way up the ladder with my system on a budget. I found a nice set of ADS L980 speakers a few months back. I have been listening to these for a while, and am impressed daily. They are currently hooked to an Onkyo TX 8500 (mk I), which sounds better with the L980s than the Pioneer SX 1050 that is in my workshop.

Anyway, what I am wondering is.... Could I find anything better out there for the price, or just stop looking and enjoy.

There is not much information out there about the L980. Any other folks have thoughts on these. Are they the real deal? Or are my ears just used to hearing crap, so these sound good by comparison. These replaced a set of Polk RTA/Monitor 11. They are in a different league to me.
 
I have the L780's, the 980's little brother and am quite happy.

$600 seems a little steep but that really depends on condition and market as you don't see them for sale very often......maybe that alone says everything.
 
I have L710s and L780s... If I wasn't addicted to the hunt, I'd be very, very happy with these... I paid less than a hundo for each pair, but if I found a pair of 980s mint, I'd probably pop on it for about the 6 you dropped on yours.
 
stop looking... you have some great speakers.
keep looking... you need some tube gear, and really efficient speakers and this piece and that piece and Ohh wouldn't that be cool... its a disease, with the only cure being more...
 
I've run across about a half dozen pair in the last year and that seems to be the low end of the going rate. Trying not to make this a value thing but it seems it's gone there already so...

It's a fairly uncommon pair of speakers since at that time, for the same price, you could get in to the lower end towers. I have heard a pair sitting next to my L880 and they definitely trump them in the bass department. Everything else being a fairly close match... Sit back and enjoy them. You found a damn good speaker so now is the time to start tweaking the rest of your system to get the most out of them.
 
I think you will find (most) any ADS's are highly regarded here. I suspect there is a model or two for which that may not be the case, but I've not seen that post yet. I am a big fan of ADS, having L400s, L500s, L710s, L810s, the Braun L1030s, and, finally, L1530s. While there most certainly are better speakers, getting to that point will cost quite a bit more $, IMHO.
 
stop looking... you have some great speakers.
keep looking... you need some tube gear, and really efficient speakers and this piece and that piece and Ohh wouldn't that be cool... its a disease, with the only cure being more...

:D

Let him enjoy those a while. Once he starts down that "path in search of the perfect mids", it's a slippery slope, kind of like those "black diamond" trails at most of the bigger ski resorts.

Besides, ADS does good mids. And the L980 is one of the 3-way ADS models. I really liked their old 320 car speakers (They probably sold those for a long, long time, but I'm talking '90's). They had great tweeters and an equally-good midbass unit. Accurate with a bit of warmth. Very-natural and rich. The 320 component set was like $500 a pair at that point, if I remember the model # correctly.
 
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Finally, another 980 owner appears. I have a set, just got them this year, and paid 400.00, they were not perfect, but the drivers and insides were in excellent condition. I also have the L880, L620, M12, L400, and aDs 400's. The 980's have won the top spot for my listening time, on my main setup.
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I have resigned myself to the idea, that these are as good as I need them to be, which is a similar to ads's own statement on the L980 product brochure(http://sportsbil.com/ads/l-980-brochure.pdf), they are better than they need to be. Even with today's digital technology, it is as if the company was preparing for the pristine recordings of today, while being quite in touch with the best analogue recordings of the 70's and 80's.
Even the name of the brand "ADS" would indicate that.
I own and have owned many fine speakers, JBL, Vandersteen, etc. and have found the ads sound the "right" sound for my ears and my style of musics.
Keep 'em, chances are you will not tire of them any time soon, I still love the sound of all the models I own.
 
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:D

Let him enjoy those a while. Once he starts down that "path in search of the perfect mids", it's a slippery slope, kind of like those "black diamond" trails at most of the bigger ski resorts.

Besides, ADS does good mids. And the L980 is one of the 3-way ADS models. I really liked their old 320 car speakers (They probably sold those for a long, long time, but I'm talking '90's). They had great tweeters and an equally-good midbass unit. Accurate with a bit of warmth. Very-natural and rich. The 320 component set was like $500 a pair at that point, if I remember the model # correctly.

Very true... every time I see ADS on CL, I buy. As long as they are half of ebay sold price...
 
I've never owned a pair of L980's, but if they sound as good as my other vintage ADS speakers, I would certainly keep them. I currently own L500's,L570/2's,L810's and M12/90's (which are my favorites). The bigger tower and Studio Monitor models are best ones in the ADS line, but the "bookshelf" 3-way models sure give them a run for their money. For the dollar amount the OP mentioned, there are tons of good choices old and new, but I would list several vintage ADS models among those. Enjoy yours.
 
Very true... every time I see ADS on CL, I buy. As long as they are half of ebay sold price...

I have to stop looking, currently there are 7 pair of various ADS models for sale locally here in MN. 780's for 250, 990's for 395, 620's for 210, 1230's for 600, 710 for 395, 470's for 80, ads m12 for 500,
 
After several months with these, they are staying. Beautiful cabinets, great size/shape, excellent musical reproduction, and wife approved vs. a tower configuration. Worth every dollar spent and then some. Sounds great pushed by Pioneer SX-1250, and Thorens TT.
Finally a pair of speakers that aren't for sale, and I'm currently content. I am no longer on the endless search.
 
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