Guitarist Dan Richards, who also serves as musical director for rising stars such as Anna Clendening, Loren Gray, and Emma Zander, recently added A7X monitors from ADAM Audio to his studio capabilities.
“I decided to buy ADAM monitors because I’ve been transitioning into studio-based songwriting and production,” says Richards. “I love touring, but there comes a time when you don’t want to be on the road constantly, not to mention the coronavirus’ impact on live shows. I was familiar with ADAM monitors because the guy I used to share a studio with had a pair of T7Vs, and I’ve also used the A77X in various studios where I have worked. I always thought they sounded great, and now that I have my own pair, I’m even more impressed.”
The A7X woofer is made of a proprietary material that makes for a low moving mass and quicker transient response. Part of Richards’ job as a musical director for stadium-filling acts was to ensure that the large-scale P.A. systems weren’t reproducing unwanted low frequencies that would detract from the audience’s experience. “You want to make sure that beyond the thumping bass people expect to hear, there’s nothing intrusive down there,” he says. “I’m honestly shocked at how clearly the A7Xs reveal that range, even when I’m not using a subwoofer. With the bass ports they go down to almost 40 Hz.
“Often I’m working on a band’s program material from home,” he continues. “If I’m unaware of some bogus frequency in the sub-bass through low-mid range, I might get to rehearsal and have to make a bunch of adjustments while the band is there waiting. That’s a music director’s nightmare. But I trust the A7X and know they’re going to be a huge time saver for future tour work.”
The A7Xs have also helped Richards to optimize his home studio. “I had been using the Sonarworks calibration software to wring out my room,” he recalls. “Yet I always got a lot of crap around 150 Hz reflecting off my workstation desk, no matter what I did. But the ADAMs really let me hear what was going on, and in conjunction with the software, I was finally able to get things right. The A7Xs sound just perfect. There’s just this very solid clarity about them across the board, which makes mixing easier.”
