Please take the time to read the following completely unsolicitored letter from Marcos Atkinson giving his experience of using our ADM9.1 speaker system as monitors in a professional recording studio........

"I work in the film and video industry but we specialise in live and recorded musical performances. Most of the work is with classical music of various types and always on location. We generally use only paired mics in venue and try and capture as closely as possible, what the audience there would hear. Sometimes a client may insist that we mic and mix the individual performers and instruments, and in those cases, they will usually supply an engineer to do the job and we take the live stereo mix down from him. In this case we record four channels so still try to use a crossed pair on ch3 and ch4 and blend the two stereo tracks together in post-production to retain the sense of the recorded space. 

We work with two or three cameras, video quality is 1080p, although we are looking at 2k and 4k for when the new generation of Red cameras are released this year. On the audio side, we usually record at 16 bit / 48 kHz, although we have also recorded 24 bit / 96 kHz where the client prefers.

On the software side, we use Macs running Logic and Final Cut.

For headphone monitoring, we use Sennheiser HD 25-1 MkII headphones on location and in the studio, we use the Sennheiser HD 650.

It has been the studio loudspeaker monitors that have given the greatest problems. We have found that nearly all monitor loudspeakers sound different; not very useful I think you will agree. They all seem to come with their own distinct character. This means that when editing/mixing, you tend to produce the inverse of the sound anomalies you hear on the monitor.

For example, if you are using the LS3/5a, the classic audible upper bass hump in the frequency response often means you can inadvertently create a final mix with an upper bass dip to compensate.  If using a monitor with a pronounced treble region or even a monitor with a flat measured treble response but increased distortion, the final mix will often sound a little dull and rolled-off as a result of compensating for the undue brightness or harshness of the monitor. Because of how good a measuring instrument our ears are, we found ourselves invariably and subconsciously compensating for deficiencies in the sound we heard when mixing. We found this especially true with recordings of simple ensembles such as string quartets, small choral works and so forth.

I have auditioned or tried literally dozens of active monitors in our quest for a neutral, clear, honest sounding monitor loudspeaker that measures well and does not impose it's own character on the mix. There are very few good ones and some of the better ones include DSP, which we have been keen to avoid so far. We chose the AVI ADM9 speakers as by far the standout best choice, and at the price, it is a bargain. We found that other, equally good monitors were approaching 10X the price, such as the best Focals, top of the range Adams, Klein and Hummels and so forth. Note: I have not heard the smaller AVI Neutron 5 speaker system so I cannot honestly comment on them.

The ADM9 creates a remarkably clean and honest window on to the recording, and having used them I would recommend them to anyone. They are extraordinarily good and reproduce the sound of recorded instruments with breathtaking clarity. If the very deepest bass extension is not a concern, they are simply excellent. They do produce accurate bass and because it is undistorted and not artificially exaggerated by the cabinet design, it may take a while to become accustomed to it. You may wish to start without a sub-woofer and chose to add one later if you desire. 

We do use a sub-woofer as we find it vital in helping pick up mechanically borne thumps and thuds so as to eliminate them in final mix. We also have found that when used properly, a good sub-woofer will add body and power to organ and double bass lower registers and help reveal the low frequency harmonic structures, but a lightness of touch is vital when setting it up in the studio. Don't overdo the sub-woofer when setting up. Let its effect be slight, more sensed, not heard. I cannot give you useful advice on the AVI sub-woofer, as although I have heard it and it sounds very good, we do not use it in the studio. We already have a REL Stentor III for mixing and a REL Quake for back up duties.

Also, we found that the ADM9s did sound better after some extended use than when fresh out of the box, and it was a month or so before they sounded at their best. Perhaps the moving parts do benefit from some breaking in. Also, I recommend that you order them with one optical digital input, one coaxial digital input (optional) and one analogue input to give you the optimum versatility and range of input options for the studio.

On a final note, we did not have the space behind the desks to mount them on stands so if you need to place them on desks, shelves or on the meter bridge, consider using 'Primeacoustic Recoil Stabilizers' as mandatory - www.primacoustic.com - we use the RX7 but the RX5 will do just as well. The ADM9 will not perform to their potential unless on stands or properly supported especially on a surface such as a desk.

I hope this provides some useful or helpful information for you, and good luck with the AVI ADM9 loudspeakers.

Marcos Atkinson"

Thank you Marcos for sharing your professional expertise with us, which we're sure will be of great interest to all ADM9.1 users.

There is a new article on the AVI Blog entitled Nobody Understands Bass which explains it all

The Neutron Five 2.1 System is now shipping!

The amazing new Neutron Five 2.1 System has arrived! The Sub contains three amplifiers that drive it and the two speakers
with faultless ease. With four Optical Digital inputs, USB and Analogue contacts, this ideal for all your digital output.
The Apollo speaker stands on the right are also available on special offer at our Worldwide Store

---