best imaging 3-way ADS speaker

[Lux Man]

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?).

Garrison is from Anoka, he didn't like it here so he moved to Lake Wobegon. I hear the schools are better there, the sky bluer, and people don't grow old they just grow smarter.

My L910's are actively bi-amped. I use a NAD 216 to drive the low end. I have a Mitsubishi DA-A10, Pioneer SX1010, and a Son of Ampzilla that I have used for the mid/tweeters. Right now I'm liking the Ampzilla over the other two. The NAD216 seems to give me a real nice bottom end, better than the other 3. I wouldn't consider anything less than 100wpc as remotely adequate.

For pics just do a search for threads I've started and look for "Newly Acquired ADS L910's" first post shows them.

 

[mywifespissed]

Just bought l1290/2 speaks and after owning (and regretfully selling) ATC 3 way, the ADS are thin and shrill. I used to own l630 and LOVED them but couldn't handle the peeling vinyl cabinets. It's not ALL about the sound to me. I hope as the memory of the ATC's fade, I can like the 1290's. I know it's stupid to compare $1200 to $4000, but the brain knows. Now if the brain can forget.

 

[wank]

Just bought l1290/2 speaks and after owning (and regretfully selling) ATC 3 way, the ADS are thin and shrill. I used to own l630 and LOVED them but couldn't handle the peeling vinyl cabinets. It's not ALL about the sound to me. I hope as the memory of the ATC's fade, I can like the 1290's. I know it's stupid to compare $1200 to $4000, but the brain knows. Now if the brain can forget.

My advice is to drink heavily.
As for making your brain forget the ATCs, I have no advice. I just generally suggest drinking heavily.

I've not heard an ADS bookshelf that sounds better than my 880/2s. I've run them off of moderate tube power and adequate clean solid state. The upper end is better - smoother and more sparkle at the same time - with tubes, and imaging is marginally better, but the bass tightens up with solid state.

 

[jrwiseman]

My L910's are actively bi-amped. I use a NAD 216 to drive the low end. I have a Mitsubishi DA-A10, Pioneer SX1010, and a Son of Ampzilla that I have used for the mid/tweeters. Right now I'm liking the Ampzilla over the other two. The NAD216 seems to give me a real nice bottom end, better than the other 3. I wouldn't consider anything less than 100wpc as remotely adequate.

These are awesome speakers that image extremely well. How did you end up bi-amping yours ? I have a set of these as well and have been somewhat interested in bi-amping them for a future project [ enjoying the svs subwoofer I added to my maggies 1.6s for Christmas right now ! talk about WOW ]

thanks
john

 

[SpeakerLabFan]

Just bought l1290/2 speaks and after owning (and regretfully selling) ATC 3 way, the ADS are thin and shrill. I used to own l630 and LOVED them but couldn't handle the peeling vinyl cabinets. It's not ALL about the sound to me. I hope as the memory of the ATC's fade, I can like the 1290's. I know it's stupid to compare $1200 to $4000, but the brain knows. Now if the brain can forget.

I saw a a pair of L1290/2's on local CL here last week, along with some Carver and Phase Linear gear. I assume you got these? nice pickup! Hope you can get to like them.

I wouldn't mind listening to these, I assume that I'd like them better than my ADS 710's.

 

[mywifespissed]

I saw a a pair of L1290/2's on local CL here last week, along with some Carver and Phase Linear gear. I assume you got these? nice pickup! Hope you can get to like them.

I wouldn't mind listening to these, I assume that I'd like them better than my ADS 710's.

Why yes I did. I'm just up the hill in Shoreline if ya wanna pop over.

 

[SpeakerLabFan]

Hey, thanks for the offer. :thmbsp: I'll check with you when it looks like the roads are driveable again for non 4WD cars in my neighborhood. It's been nuts without 4WD around here. I should actually be able to get around in a day or two. Today was nasty with the wet snow/slush - my little FWD car got stuck 3x in about 1 foot of slush in my neighborhood, and that's a flat road, so I said 'f' it, put it back in the driveway (and went and shoveled ice out of my roof gutters :thumbsdn: )

 

[Harvey/ Ga]

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.

Hmmmm...Was this due to the superior ADS dome mid and tweeter ?? I auditioned a pair of the LA's and 5002's for a week before I gave in to the siren call of my past and bought the W-60's. I preferred the sound of the 5002's a bit more then the LA's.

However, while watching for reasonably priced ADS on E-bay, I came across a pristine pair of 5012/W's that came at a very reasonable price. Refoamed and re-capped, and only 1 other bidder!!

 

[zenith2134]

Any opinion on the L-780? While it's no competition to its bigger brothers, these 3 ways do a dang good job with imaging, but boy do they eat up some power to really achieve that! I like the fact that they can make a poor recording sound okay, but of course they really shine with a nice piece of vinyl or a quality SACD. Only gripe is the slight lack of bass "punch" with an 8.25" woofer...

 

[musichal]

Best imaging ones I heard were the diminutive 200m's - I believe that was the model number. Guess it was the diminutiveness that did the trick, but they are small 2-ways. That said, the L880's, to my ears, are one of the best speakers money can buy - I liked them that much. However, I no longer own any a/d/s, and don't have room for any more speakers. But if I ever run into some at a bargain, I'll be on'em like a bum on a bologna sandwich.

 

[soundmotor]

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 sad that?

I think I said the L1090 was the best balanced in the L series and the L1590 had great bass.

 

[mywifespissed]

The only visual gripe with my 1290/2 's is that one midrange is rippled with some unattractive smearing of the damping goo. It seems to work fine, but I listen with the grilles off and cosmetically it bugs me.
I did a bit of research, and my mid p/n is 206-0215. There are other 2" domes with different numbers, some have the same exact look, some have a different looking front panel. Are the differences impedance, sensitivity? My mid looks to be the same as used in the 1090/2 and 880/2.

 

[MTY]

After revisiting these speakers a while ago I was surprised to find that I think the 1590 is actually better balanced than the 1090. The 1090 is brighter and more forward. The 1590 with good amplification is more refined and more accurate to my ear.

Mike

 

[Terryrays]

I've read that many think the classic 3-way L710's and L810's tend to not image well due to midrange & tweeter configuration. Any dissenters? Anyone have any experience with the other ADS speakers imaging well? L730's, L880's?

I’ve had a pair of L-780’s since the mid-80’s. Love them! They are located in a 24 x 20 paneled family room with carpet.
Powered by a great Marantz 2245.

 

[gizzyman47]

I've always felt that my L810's "metal grill" image nicely. I do pull them out into the room, so there is that.