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A HiFi newbs Elac Adante review

First post here! (I’ll keep this relevant soley to the adantes) :)

Background: I have a fairly lengthy audiophile habit in car audio but not home HiFi. As a first time home buyer Ive been chomping at the bit to piece my first system together without concern of bothering neighbos! so needless to say, I’m new to home HiFi - recently purchased the adante stand mounts and picked up a roksan k3 integrated to power the beasts (these suckers are huge). Bear in mind this is my first HiFi setup so I put almost all of my budget into the speakers and an integrated amplifier as a foundation.

I’ve gotten some time under my belt now listening and am quite happy with the combo. The setup simply stated just sounds "fun" by that I mean open, precise and has a massive stage with solid bass. The best way to describe this is just a large wall of sound coming to my seat with pinpoint stereo accuracy of vocals coming right down the middle. I certainly find the bass adequate but feel a sub thrown in the mix would make a significant impact. I listen mostly to accoustic folk, modern r&b, alternative and newer hip hop streamed thru a Chromecast hdmi to my TV and the TV’s digital out to an ifi micro dac. I’m aware my source is not ideal but until I cash a few more checks and finnish my 24’ x14 dedicated listening room (former spare bedroom) it will have to do. I completely blew my budget but can’t say that eating hot dogs and ramen in front of a bad ass stereo for a few weeks is all that bad haha. The only thing that comes to mind that could use improvement is that I could see how others might think these are overly direct or in your face in regards to the top end but feel I can take this down once I move everything to the man cave.

Currently using home Depot 14g wire off the spool and a less than ideal source so I’m confident there is PLENTY of room to grow! Can’t wait to see where this journey goes in the mean time 😁

Any forum thoughts on using a mini DSP? Used these in my car setup for 2 way active xover and t/a with a ton of success and want to get the he mini DSP with Dirac for room correction and integrating a stereo sub set up. Oh Wich reminds me, any thoughts on rel vs svs sealed for something like this?

Pic of current setup
https://i.imgur.com/RmZ4mr8.jpg

Cheers!
Chris
128x128clucas65
contuzzi
413 posts
 
GAIA.  Not Ghia.  Good lord. 
contuzzi
413 posts
 
Sticking onto the ELAC adante topic -- Dave and Troy -- do you think there is any benefit of the internal driver and external passive setup of the Adantes?  Do you really think the bass is superior to the same cabinet with just an active 8" woofer and none of the trickery? 

What do you think about the fact that this was tried before way in the past, and no one thought to do it again after all these years?
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,780 posts
 
Cotuzzi, the design is called a band pass and Kef did it many years ago. 

Andrew Jones worked for Kef so so that is no surprise. The idea of the bandpass or quasi band bass it to simply the crossover by allowing a more natural progression acoustically from the midrange to the woofer.

If you look at some of Andrew Jones recent interviews you can hear  his ideas on why  he chose this kind of arrangement. 

Mr. Jones is known for making a lot of good speakers and has an extensive engineering background his work with TAD, KEF  and Elac is well documented. 

In terms of not employing this kind of design, it is simple, most companiies chose to build the easist and fastest to manufacture product, this cabinet is way more complex to build at greater cost, if it wasn't for an efficient and large enough company a design like this would not be on the market.

The bass of the Adantes is tight and punchy and they go low and loud so Mr. Jones must be doing something right.

No loudspeaker is perfect it is all about what you are trying to accheive.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ


tutetibiimperes
202 posts
 
Congrats on the purchase.  I've been wanting to hear the Adantes.  I'm going to my first AXPONA next month, so hopefully they'll be available for demo.  

Regarding your MiniDSP question, I've been using the MiniDSP DDRC-22D in my setup, and it's a nice improvement, especially when it comes to clarity and definition in the bass.  I have towers with built-in subwoofers that receive their signal from the speaker-level in, so the 2-channel setup works for me.  If you're going to want to add two subs to your two Adantes you'd probably want to look at the DDRC-24.
clucas65's avatar
clucas65 OP
3 posts
 
@audiotroy thanks for all the input! My choice on the roksan came down to reviews on the web. Originally I chose the nad c388 since I had a chance to demo but felt I would get more for the money buying second hand. The roksan definitely sounds better to me. As compared to the nad it has a fuller sound. I still might pick up a c368 and a set of monitor audio silver 200s for my living room once I move the adantes to their permenant home! I loved how that combo sounded. 

I hate to say this because I wouldnt want to shy anybody away from these speakers thinking the design may be inadequate (they aren't) but the allure of this speakers bass cabinet bandpass design was what made pull the trigger. I think it's a really cool/unique design! Come on!? Concentric tweeter and bandpass to passive radiator....how cool is that!!?? 

Along with sounding great they make a stellar conversation piece and I'm truly intriguiged by the design. Now this I can really appreciate. 

I feel as though some people have a negative opinion on these speakers for being direct and having such a high level of detail as a near flaw. I saw this as an opportunity to purchase the rest of my system based on the other components individual sonic characteristics. I love to tinker and always need an excuse to change things as I go so this works perfect. I feel strongly that these will play true to source. 
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