Acoustic Zen Adagio, How Good Are They?

Aktchi, you're presenting a rock-solid list of speakers, IMHO. I've not heard the Zu (something about a single-driver speaker scares me despite the benefit of not having a crossover) or the Daedelus (of which I'd never heard before your post.) Jim and Ty both make excellent speakers. I would compare Ty's main line of speakers to the Adagio to some degree for their "cleanness" throughout the audible range, but the Adagio's speed and decay is a whole different league.

I haven't heard Jim's speakers yet, but hope to hear the HT3's while on vacation in Houston later this month. I'll let you know what I hear, if you like.

Howard

Aggielaw: I forgot in my prev post, see

http://www.daedalusaudio.com/design%20notes1.html

for info on Daedalus speakers.

Aggielaw: ...the Daedelus (of which I'd never heard before your post.)

I erred in spelling---the correct spelling is DAEDALUS---which will matter if you search A'gon. I suggest reading these threads to begin with

Daedalus DA-1
Daedalus DA-1: How Good Are They?

Good reading, thanks!

I just came from an extended audition with them in a well-insulated medium sized room and they are definitely the real deal.

On the first CD soundtrack, things started off mixed (although generally excellent) with most of the "O" Cirque du Soleil soundtrack auditioned sounding quite nice, but cymbals sounding harsh to my ears. Detail was definitely a strength though.

Things improved immediately on the next CD with female vocals featured (on a jazz soundtrack). Erin Bode sounded absolutely fabulous on the Adagios! The speakers also handled the low bass strums of the double bass instrument in the CD wonderfully. Detail was exceptional, and the speakers exhibited a nice cohesiveness that is rarely seen anywhere near their price point. The harshness noted with cymbals on CD 1 was not present at all (so it could be the recording).

Male vocals also impressed on the Mark Knopfler CD played next. Definitely among the best I have heard in their class, if not the best.

Finally, we closed out with a track off of the latest Allison Kraus CD "Lonely Runs Both Ways," and her voice sounded just as I would have hoped it to. We played the same track first on a different brand's speakers that were much more expensive (brand and speaker names withheld) and the Adagios clearly improved on their more expensive competitors... I would describe it as having a vail removed over Allison's mouth when we switched to the Adagios.

So how do these compare to Tylers? It depends on which ones... When compared to my Linbrook System Is, the Linbrooks have a bit more midrange detail, are a bit warmer, slighty faster and get lower (even though this is also a strength of the Adagios)... They are also more expensive.

The closest Tyler competitor price-wise would probably be the Linbrook System II, and I really could go either way as to which I would choose (this is a tremendous compliment to the Adagios, as I love the System II and would consider it my reference at its price point). I guess it would depend on what mood I was in at the time, or the associated electronics. I like the looks of both equally as well.

While the Adagios are not going to replace the Tylers in my main rig, I told the dealer (and meant it) that they have gone to the top of my short list for my bedroom system that I will be building in the next year. Excellent speakers!

---Dave