They all sound different (monitor dilemma) - Final verdict

Ha anyone already tried the Output Frontier Studio Monitors?
There are made in collaboration with Barefoot and they seem very interesting.
 
First impression is in line with the video I posted at the beginning of this thread:

Yamaha are brighter and Adam are darker.

This is obviously an exaggeration, I don't mean that the Adam are dark or that the Yamaha are bright, but the two in comparison sound so.

Here is a take with my iPhone, I don't want to do a scientific comparison, it is not a pro recording but it gives you an idea of the different frequencies I hear. I'm using Leon Live preset, so yes @2112 it sounds unusable bright on the HS7, but great on the Adam!

 
Gl4th said:
Have you listened to the video I posted?
There is this one as well with similar results:

Click to expand...

I'm not hearing a reduced treble from the Adam's, but the upper midrange is different from the HS8's. The HS8's are famous for having a slightly pushed upper midrange thing. The Adam's have higher treble extension and flatter treble response out to 20khz and beyond as a result.

If you look at the in-room response graphs in your first video, you can see this. From 2khz - 7khz the HS8's have a slight push.

You also have to remember, whatever source your monitoring on changes how the speakers in the video will behave... best to trust the frequency response graphs, vs. how they sound in the video.
 
I gave my hears a rest and I’m starting over with tests.

I was used to HS tone. I’ve always used this kind of monitors since 2010 and it’s not easy to understand the potential of a completely different pair.

But, the reason I’ve been looking for an upgrade is because I found the high on the Yamaha becoming fatiguing the older I get. And this happens only with my studio monitors, not with my Bose sound system or my car one.

So, at the moment the Adams seem to solve this issue, even if in some kind of music I think the Yamaha have more details. Anyway I have to try to adjust the room controls on the back of the Adams to see what happens.
 
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I have a pair of Neumann KH120s, which are very flat. I did try out a pair of HS7 to compare and found the high end to be really fatiguing and had much less detail. I also really didn't like the rear bass ports on the HS7, especially if they are too close to a wall.
 
Hendrix95 said:
I have a pair of Neumann KH120s, which are very flat. I did try out a pair of HS7 to compare and found the high end to be really fatiguing and had much less detail. I also really didn't like the rear bass ports on the HS7, especially if they are too close to a wall.
Click to expand...
I’m having the same exact experience.
 
I‘m going to try out a Nubert Nupro X 3000 RC next week.
From what I have read they sound to good to be true.
It’s a manufacturer from Germany and they only sell directly from factory.
The X 3000 has analog and digital inputs, remote control and room measurement.
I‘m going to carry my Axe and my guitar to them and try them out.
 
FINAL VERDICT

Comparing a pair of new monitors when you've been using the same ones for years isn't easy. I've been using Yamaha HS's for at least 10 years now and was used to their sound.

Why did I want to change?
I felt the guitar tone was always a little too unbalanced in the high frequencies, definitely more than I hear with the real amps I have, so somehow unnatural.

Why the Adam?
Based on YouTube comparisons, I felt that the Adam's sounded less shrill than the Yamaha, so it was worth a try (read my first post in this thread)

What I noticed
The Yamahas are definitely more unbalanced in the mid-high and low frequencies. If you're used to this sound everything else will sound less detailed, less precise, but it's an overdrive on these frequencies, not something positive. With prolonged listening the Yamaha's strain my hearing.

The Adams are definitely more balanced in comparison. High and mid-high tones are more pleasant and don't tire the ears, plus the midrange is more present, which is almost lost on the Yamahas.

Presets and amp models
I confirm my initial thought, I know room and acoustic treatment are part of the equation, but in a well treated room like mine, all things being equal, the difference in EQ of the two speakers is clear, so a preset or model created on the Adam will tend to be too bright on the Yamaha and one created on the Yamaha will tend to be too dark on the Adam. I'll add a wish.

Side thoughts
I sold the Kemper and switched to Fractal because I felt that many of the profiles sounded too bright, different from the actual amps. I'm afraid the reason was really because of the speakers, but well...it was the way to approach the Axe-Fx and I'm totally happy now.

Final decision
I'll keep the Adam's. I prefer the sound of these monitors and they tire me out less. I find it closer to what I hear with headphones and the end result I would expect from a modeler, closer to real amp tone.
Not that Yamaha's are bad, thousands of people choose them (and they are not stupid, I'm not smarter), just look online, on social networks, they are everywhere in the photos of home studios, they are a great product for the price, but they are addictive to a type of listening that is not perfectly accurate.
 
Good
Gl4th said:
FINAL VERDICT

Comparing a pair of new monitors when you've been using the same ones for years isn't easy. I've been using Yamaha HS's for at least 10 years now and was used to their sound.

Why did I want to change?
I felt the guitar tone was always a little too unbalanced in the high frequencies, definitely more than I hear with the real amps I have, so somehow unnatural.

Why the Adam?
Based on YouTube comparisons, I felt that the Adam's sounded less shrill than the Yamaha, so it was worth a try (read my first post in this thread)

What I noticed
The Yamahas are definitely more unbalanced in the mid-high and low frequencies. If you're used to this sound everything else will sound less detailed, less precise, but it's an overdrive on these frequencies, not something positive. With prolonged listening the Yamaha's strain my hearing.

The Adams are definitely more balanced in comparison. High and mid-high tones are more pleasant and don't tire the ears, plus the midrange is more present, which is almost lost on the Yamahas.

Presets and amp models
I confirm my initial thought, I know room and acoustic treatment are part of the equation, but in a well treated room like mine, all things being equal, the difference in EQ of the two speakers is clear, so a preset or model created on the Adam will tend to be too bright on the Yamaha and one created on the Yamaha will tend to be too dark on the Adam. I'll add a wish.

Side thoughts
I sold the Kemper and switched to Fractal because I felt that many of the profiles sounded too bright, different from the actual amps. I'm afraid the reason was really because of the speakers, but well...it was the way to approach the Axe-Fx and I'm totally happy now.

Final decision
I'll keep the Adam's. I prefer the sound of these monitors and they tire me out less. I find it closer to what I hear with headphones and the end result I would expect from a modeler, closer to real amp tone.
Not that Yamaha's are bad, thousands of people choose them (and they are not stupid, I'm not smarter), just look online, on social networks, they are everywhere in the photos of home studios, they are a great product for the price, but they are addictive to a type of listening that is not perfectly accurate.
Click to expand...
Good summary, enjoy the Adam’s!
 
In that video the yamaha speakers sound a bit more boxy so I would have chosen the Adams for a more rounded out sound.

Having said that, I actually own the hs7's and can vouch for those being pretty good all round. The Adam's were more expensive so I didn't go for those. I expect you can just dial your presets in to suit whatever you buy
 
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