best imaging 3-way ADS speaker
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Fast_Eddie
Upper-middle fi
Well, I have complained as much as anyone about the lack of imaging in my L810s. But I am quite happy with them now. They really need to be set up properly to image at all. When they are set up in the "audiophile" position - away from all walls, sitting in the middle of the danged rooom, they actually do a pretty good job. I recapped mine with Dayton 5% caps and it made a very big difference in their imaging ability. They're still picky about being set up right, but when they are I get a very nice, three dimentional soundstage. Not sure if that makes me a dissenter or not, but it's what I have discovered. I love my L810s and always have. But I love them more now.
Take care,
Ed
Take care,
Ed
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
I felt my L630s (later a modified model became the L730) images better, with a stacked mid and tweeter. Same for the L880.
Of course I'm very fond of the L1230s (perhaps my favorite aDs speakers) and the l1290s are big on my list.
Of course I'm very fond of the L1230s (perhaps my favorite aDs speakers) and the l1290s are big on my list.
Columbo
Well-Known Member
Do you know what the differences are between the L630, L730, L880? I've got the L880 and L880/2 that I'm going to get around to comparing...someday.
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
I would imagine any of the speakers with vertical alignment of the drivers will be better. My L1090's imaged noticeably better than my L710's or L810's. But the best imaging ADS speakers I own are my two-way S700's. They are the best sounding but ugliest ADS speakers of the six pairs I've owned. :yes: I'm also very fond of my lowly L420's with the bronze metal grills.
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Check the ADS reference website for specs on most of those. The 880 are a newer series compared to the 630/730.
Columbo
Well-Known Member
A quick check says the L730s go down to 30hz, up to 23khz, crossed at 650hz and 4,000 hz; the L880s only go down to 40hz, but up to 27khz, crossed at 550hz and 5,000hz . The L730 uses a 1 1/2" midrange; the L880 uses a 2" midrange. Since deli has both I believe, a comparison is in order!
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
the L880 is a tad better sonically than the L630 and L730, with the l630 for whatever reason a touch better than the l730 in my opinion. Maybe the l730s needed caps?
The l630 and l730 use the same size drivers across the board, with the l630 an 8 ohm speaker, the l730 a 6 0hm load. The l730 claims the advance of a stifflote cone but this is pretty much sales and marketing jargon according to a former aDs worker.
The l880 uses a 2" midrange and a different woofer (same size) that some claim is not as reliable as the earlier models.
For what it's worth, I'd grab any of the three as sound and reliability issues are going to be close- it'd be splittting hairs to really get much of a difference.
The l630 and l730 use the same size drivers across the board, with the l630 an 8 ohm speaker, the l730 a 6 0hm load. The l730 claims the advance of a stifflote cone but this is pretty much sales and marketing jargon according to a former aDs worker.
The l880 uses a 2" midrange and a different woofer (same size) that some claim is not as reliable as the earlier models.
For what it's worth, I'd grab any of the three as sound and reliability issues are going to be close- it'd be splittting hairs to really get much of a difference.
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
I'd say any of the tower 1X90 series and the beautiful and peculiar 1X30 should shine, along with the smaller 2-ways, and the later tower models.
Columbo
Well-Known Member
I would have expected a noticeable difference in how low the bass goes...but this thread is about imaging! Even though I have a nice pair of black L880s, I just couldn't pass up another pair (in black) of the L880/2s (for $100!) the woofer issue was supposed to be take care of in the /2 version.
As for which tower is basically an L810, I believe that would be the L1290. You would have to check the driver roll call to verify if all the drivers are the same or not, and the crossover is likely to be different too.
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
The L1230 is basically the same driver selection as the L810- two 8" woofers, 2" dome mid, and I think it's a 1" tweet.
The later L1290 is a tower version- doesn't seem to go as low as the L1230 but I could be mistaken.
This also uses twin 8" drivers, 2" mid and 1" tweet.
The L630 and L730 use a single 10" woofer, 1.5" mid and I think a 1" tweeter.
The L880 uses a single 10" woofer, a 2" mid, and I think a 1" tweeter.
I'm not as familiar with the later aDs/ a/d/s/ offerings regarding speakers, but there are more very good speakers from the company, including the cone mid models after the dome mid was dropped.
The later L1290 is a tower version- doesn't seem to go as low as the L1230 but I could be mistaken.
This also uses twin 8" drivers, 2" mid and 1" tweet.
The L630 and L730 use a single 10" woofer, 1.5" mid and I think a 1" tweeter.
The L880 uses a single 10" woofer, a 2" mid, and I think a 1" tweeter.
I'm not as familiar with the later aDs/ a/d/s/ offerings regarding speakers, but there are more very good speakers from the company, including the cone mid models after the dome mid was dropped.
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
Same size cabinets, same size bass driver. The difference one most likely would notice is the extra extension of the 2" dome mid over the 1.5" mid, but it's not really that big.
For what it's worth, the L630s and L880s when played when I was selling off a bunch of kit trounced the Large Advents when played side by side.
The large Advents are about the same cabinet size as these aDs. Of course, the aDs sport the dome mid that the large Advents do not have.
The L880s get the leg up overall over the L630s and L730s, but not by much. Very small sonic difference.
And I preferred the L630 over the L730 for whatever reason.
Columbo
Well-Known Member
Sure seems that way about the cabinet/woofer size, but I was just referring to the difference in specs I saw in the reference webpage. I'd be surprised if the L730 got down to 30hz given those same parameters. I really like my L880s. The bass extends lower than my L1290s, but not as well defined on start of individual bass notes.
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
Anything's possible. The later woofer may go a bit lower.
However I have a suspicion that the a/d/s/ numbers may be fudged slightly.
My L630s gave the impression they went lower than the L810s and about as low as the L1230s but after spending a while with both the larger L1230s go lower with a more natural presentation.
The L810s have a bit of hump to 'em due to stuffing two 8" drivers in a cabinet that typically held a single 10".
This can sound great in some rooms, a bit heavy handed in others. The L1230 cures this and delivers a bit more as icing.
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Yes 1290=810 and 1090=710. And as soundmotor once said the L1590 crushed all comers in it's class. Not to mention anything they might fall over on. 
I thought the bass was deeper in both my 710 and 810 vs. 1090 but overall the 1090 was better in every other aspect.
I thought the bass was deeper in both my 710 and 810 vs. 1090 but overall the 1090 was better in every other aspect.I have owned the 810's and now the 910's. The 810's for me had a nice response but lacked the imaging I become accustomed to, having owned Magnepans in the past. They were also thin in the bass for me. When I happened upon the 910's I was so pleased to have imaging back and all the clean bass I could want. I do bi-amp them as well, which most noticably for me made the bass even tighter.
progger7
Active Member
I've heard wonderful things about the 910's and came close to scoring a pair last year although I don't really have adequate space for them currently. I'm curious how much juice you need to adequately power them. What are you powering them with? Would love to see pics. (Anoka, home of Garrison Keillor if I'm not mistaken?).
2DualsNotEnough
Addicted Member
Im loving my 810's.Yes,the bass is a little shy in comparison to a few speakers I own,but I just love the high end much better than my C80s.I have them about 18" from the back wal,and about 2 feet from the side walls,facing straight out,and I think they image really well.Im using a 80wpc integrated,and I think it does a good job,but I wouldnt mind having 200wpc or more.
Jimmy
Jimmy