Another track we tried was Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”, in which the Focals showed their lack of low frequencies so that the bass guitar and the resonance of the toms stayed in the background.
On the other hand, the different guitar tracks were easily identifiable. The hi-hat sound was very different with both speakers: the ADAMs had a much brighter sound. Altogether, both models did a very good job with this song.
On Gorillaz’s “Feel Good,” the drum kick was drier with the Focals, while the megaphone effect of Damon Albarn’s voice seemed a bit exaggerated with the ADAMs. The bass sounded more “boomy” with the ADAMs and it was less intelligible than with the Focals.
And what about the double bass on “Walk on the wild Side”? The resonance of the instrument was not audible with the CMS 40, you could only hear the strings! Lou’s vocals seemed closer and more present with the Focals. On the other hand, the snare drum cut better through with the ADAMs.
On Miles Davis’ “Seven Steps to Heaven,” the double bass seemed shier with the Focals but the trumpet sounded smoother and warmer than with the A3X. The ride cymbal had a sharper attack with the CMS; in general, dynamic response and transients were more faithful.
With the ADAMs, the attack of the double-bass notes was a bit inhibited by the resonance of the body, which was not the case with the CMS 40. But the sound of the instrument’s body was almost inaudible with the Focals.
On our final track, “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” the brass sound was tinier with the ADAMs and we noticed the same basic differences as on the other songs. Kettledrums had more depth with the ADAMs, while the Focals reproduced almost only the sound of the skin.
Conclusion
Owning a pair of ADAMs for less than $600 is now possible and, trust us, the small A3X were surprising.
The low-frequency response was very powerful, considering their size, and the X-ART tweeter produced a very detailed sound. The German manufacturer seems to not have compromised the manufacturing quality when lowering the price.
Plus, the speakers have some very practical details like the front power switch and the stereo link function. We can express our reservations about the accuracy of the low-frequency range, which was a bit imprecise, and the weak mid range (compared to the high-frequencies).
Moreover, the lack of real acoustic correction options doesn’t allow the user to compensate these disadvantages. With a very attractive value for money, we strongly recommend these speakers to all small studio owners who want high-quality equipment but have a limited budget.
Just take the few flaws of the A3X into account to avoid unpleasant surprises when mixing. Nevertheless, the ADAM A3X is without a doubt the best compact speaker in this price range.
Pros:
• Value for money
• X-ART tweeter
• Detailed high-frequency response
• Powerful low-frequency response
• Construction quality
• Stereo link
Cons:
• Almost no acoustic correction possible
• A bit of masking in the low end, and the mids are a bit weak
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