Looks like you are the first to review these in English, thank you! I've only come across Japanese reviews previously. Despite the lack of professional opinion, I purchased them last weekend and liking what I hear thus far.
Great review, right on! Adam created some great competition for other brands to include built-in USB audio to their monitors as a standard now which is quite overdue haha
It's worth mentioning that if one wanted to use a sub with the D3Vs, something like the Adam Audio T10S would be ideal. Run your mains to the sub input and then the outputs from the sub to the D3Vs. Choose your sub's crossover and phase that sounds best, adjust level to taste. Sweetwater actually sells the D3V + T10S as a bundle.
@@Jasper_Tech Do you mean you can't use the USB if you go the sub route? What would be the purpose of needing the USB input if you are using the sub to port audio instead? New to this and considering picking these up, but I would need a sub since I like bass and these would be for content consumption.
The main benefit is USB is a digital signal, so there is no opportunity for interference. Apart from that, if you’re able to have your signal enter your sub via an analog source and then your sub can filter and output a signal to the D3V, then that’s fine. Many people use analogue inputs with no issues.
Thanks for reviewing these. Just subbed. I see you've improved your lighting and setup since the iLoud Pro video from just a month ago. Video looks professional! Nice work.
I thought the D3V's were a little thin in the mid range so I turned my crossover up to 145hz and that cleaned these up really nicely. Couldn't be happier.
@@gibson2623 and from where, my audio source is a wiim ultra (working as a DAC/audio interface for my PC, with extra features rather than as a streamer), it has sub-out and crossover, on a slider. The wiim amp (for passive speakers) also has sub-out (for an active sub). SMSL has devices with crossover, too, but Wiim has more features. Some desktops have sub-out so you can do it over software, but I haven't. I'm sure there are reddit threads and YT videos to explain it.
Seen the adam d3v introduction video at the trade show before they hit the market, knew there were going to be. Great a bang for the buck product, even thought about doing a review on em .. You did a fantastic job you covered mostly everything on this monitor but didnt cover this one thing the multi function volume push switch for muting & for input source selection, it's a nice lil feature.. Great work jasper, i didnt know about kanto or vanatoo audio at all. truly liked how you described the diffrence in the ribbon performace over a dome tweeter performance in this video great work...
Great review! Thank you for being honest and transparent. I'm looking to get rid of my old Dynaudio BM-6A's (size has become an issue moving around in Europe). I met Klaus Heinz briefly at an LA AES show when he premiered his speakers...this was like 1998 or something. He basically just had a table and barely any marketing materials. Out of all the booths I visited, they were the best speakers I had heard that day, but out of my price range and went for my trusty Dynaudios. Now I can get a pair ADAMs within budget and the right size. No bass out is a bummer, but I can find other ways to reference that.
Great review! I'd love to see the speakers in action on a desk while you talk about them in future reviews. It would give an idea of the footprint and look :)
These Adams look perfect for my needs. For studio engineer but now do video editing and need good sounding speakers for mixing the video audio. I remember a pair of Adams sounding legit.
Thank you! That ORA video was pretty brutal with the lighting. Was trying to get it filmed before work at 6am and didn’t have the right equipment. I’m slowly figuring it out 💪
great video man! I love the way you deliver, very digestible and easy to understand. I just checked out the d3v at a music expo recently so I was curious to get other people's opinions!
These Adam D3Vs must definitely be compared to the Kali LP-UNF studio monitors at exactly the same $300 price! The Kalis are probably the only worthy contender, and it has bluetooth! :D
Interesting that your video showed up on my feed as I was looking at these monitors for my new studio setup. Nice review of these small footprint monitors. I actually use the iLoud monitors at the moment and looking to upgrade. Is your channel music production or audio tech? Anyway, I just subscribed and good luck!
Thanks. You beat everyone else to the punch in reviewing these. Getting mine on Friday in white. Is it possible to run an input into a sub that has outs to the speakers. I might be wrong, but I think Genelec has an F One sub where the signal can go first to the sub and then out to the speakers?
Thank you! I’m trying to find the right balance when I talk about technical topics so it’s accessible to as many people as possible (while hopefully not putting off the experts). 🙏
Hey Jasper, I did the exact same thing a few years back and just bought a tonne of nearfiled monitors to trial myself - it was a load of work; so thank you for these videos! I wanted to ask your thoughts on the ora, dv3, and i loud’s for at home production. I already have a pair of Adam’s that I love for their ribbon tweeter. So I am really interested in this new desktop version for a working room at home (music/film production). I thought the D3V’s would be what I’d get, but I really like the idea of having a reference pair of monitors that I can use for work that I just want to come back to for everything; the ora’s! The ora’s sound less like work (with listening fatigue) and more like fun, which might help with the creative space. That being said, I rent where I live and can’t really adapt the room to be fully treated, so the ilouds might be the way to go. Could you advise on what you think, as it sounds like you have a similar setup - (an audio heavy work room from your apartment). Thanks again, and you have a new subscriber!
Nice job on the review. I have an old pair of Kano YU3's for desktop reference and am looking to replace them. I heard the Adam's at the recent AES show in NY and they really are incredible. Now I'm torn between the iLoud and the Adam's. Biggest problem for both is no way to add a sub (which I already have for the Kanto's). I guess you could use a cable splitter. Anyhow, good luck with the channel.
fantastic review! subscribed to your channel...very interesting reviews already! ... in terms of sound (not price) do you prefer the iloud mtm or these ADAM Audio D3V? I know the ilouds are considerably more expensive but I would be willing to invest on those if the clarity and neutrality is better. would be using them when Not in my studio, for mixing jazz and classical music. Thanks in advance if you can share your input!
If price is not a factor, I’d go with the MTM’s. The main reason is if you’re really looking for a neutral response, the active room correction (ARC) in the iLoud products is really impressive. ILoud makes quality products and I’m impressed by their software in addition to their hardware. amzn.to/4eyKmEV
The whole point of these is that they are portable though I suppose and can easily be set up on the go. They've also engineered in as much tech as possible to negate the need for subwoofer going down to 45hz. I use a subwoofer with every pair of monitors I own but these, I wouldn't use one because they aren't designed for that. If you want a subwoofer and a less portable setup, get some T5V and a T10S subwoofer, thats a solid 'budget-friendly' setup! Equally, using the balanced inputs on the back, you could pair up a studio subwoofer quite easily, the same way you would with any other monitors using 1/4" TRS leads to XLR in the Adam's and then XLR from your subwoofer to your interface.
This is a fair point. My thought is these are desktop monitors and USB-C will be most frequently used source. Under that configuration it will be a pain to use them with a sub. But you’re right, if you’re using the analogue inputs then using a sub with the appropriate filter/output config would get the job done.
I was skeptical about the whole "passive radiator" tech until I bought a JBL Charge 5. It has one on each end and the bass is outstanding on that speaker.
Great review! I haven't heard of these before. I have the iLoud Micros and love them, but am always looking for the next best thing, it's a sickness lol. Any idea of the approximate length of the speaker-to-speaker cable? The iLoud's are 6 ft. I think, and it get's frustrating in certain setups like my dual monitor setup. Had to put one in-between the two monitors because of the cable length.
Hi, I emailed Adam audio about cable lengths, here’s their reply:- The power cable is 2,5 meters long and can be extended just like any other power cable. The loudspeaker link cable has the length of 2 meters. It cannot be extended. The USB-C cable is 1,5 meters long. USB-C max length is specified as 2 m and the D3V can support that. HTH 🔊
@ Hey, thanks for doing that, and the information! I didn’t see the cable lengths in any of the spec sheets. Great idea to email them directly 👍. It’s too bad about the proprietary speaker interconnect cable, but good information to have. Although it makes sense, as these are ultra near field speakers and not ment to be spread out so wide. Thanks again..
What I have heard has only been from a handful of people, so take it with many grains of salt. I believe the HS3 roll off the bass ~85hz, which is pretty high. Early next year I hope to do a really comprehensive video testing a bunch of studio monitors and actually looking at real world frequency response charts (in addition to some of the more qualitative feedback).
I just got these and I like most things about them but there's one big CON that you didn't mention. These speakers go to sleep after 20 minutes of no sound and they do not wake up automatically. You need to press the volume knob to wake them. If you use them as computer speakers you'll miss any audio notifications unless you have something constantly playing in the background. I checked the manually and this is the expected behavior. I hope Adam is able to fix this via firmware otherwise I'll need to return them.
Hi @ronalcasid3844, We’ve heard your feedback about the sleep mode on the D3V, and we’re happy to share that the next firmware update will address this. The standby activation time will be extended from 20 to 60 minutes, and you’ll also have the option to completely deactivate the automatic standby. We’re always working to improve our products, so thank you for helping us enhance your experience with the D3V. All the best from Berlin! Daniel
@@ronalcasid3844 Thanks for your feedback, and great to hear that you appreciate the solution. An auto wake function is not possible without a hardware redesign, but we'll keep your suggestion in mind. All the best, and thanks for choosing ADAMs!
Hi Jasper, I came back to this video just because I got the Edifier M60 as a present to my father for christmas. You need to try them... I couldn't do a comparisson to my ORAS but I could say they are not far, having in mind the price. Pros:The built-in DAC is better than the ORAs and it got LDAC codec as well (something missing in the ORAs). Extremely similar size and very very recomendable as computer speaker. Cons: No sub out, the stands are stupidly silver and you can't swap sides (Issue in common with the iLouds and the ORAs) I'm not going to say that the sound is better than the ORAs, but by far more similar to them than to the iLouds micro. It is kind of natural sound. I think the bass is better (more defined) in the other two even more in the iLouds, but as I said I couldn't compare. If you put all this together knowing that the price is 160 Euros/pounds I think it is a no brainer. Merry Christmas and happy new year!!
If price is not a factor and you’re using them as a monitor, I’d go for the iLoud Micro Monitors. Rationale: their active room correction will allow you to get a truly neutral sound even if you don’t have a property sound treated room.
Thanks for going over the ported vs radiator bass. I currently have Adam A3x and these D3V are not really an upgrade (4.5" vs 3.5" drivers), but they are certainly interesting! I wonder why D3V ribbon tweeters extend to 23kHz, while A3x extend to 50kHz though.
I plan to pair the Adam D3V’s with the IKmulti arc studio monitor calibration system which is the same tech used inside the iloud pros. This should give incredible results offering the best of both worlds! You should review the Arc Studio calibration system!
I have the ARC studio system sitting on my desk! I’m toying with the idea of doing a bunch of videos with it where I’d put all my studio monitors through it and show the before/after frequency response charts. What do you think?
Thanks for the great review Jasper. I already ordered the D3V since Ora4 are not available in Japan, where I live. Since you said they sound very neutral, I am bit worried they would not be ideal for me as I would use them to listen to music at audiophile level ( hi res audio from Qobuz/Apple Music) using usb-c. Do you think I can still use something like an external streamer, like WiiM mini/pro to adjust the eq of the speakers?
What fixed these speakers for me was using the crossover function on my Wiim Ultra to send everything under 145hz to the subwoofer. The mids are much fuller and more detailed, they match the top end.
Hey, do you have any plans of reviewing the Edifier MR4? I would be really interested if the 4 times higher price of the Kanto Ora are worth it over these. Thansk for all this videos
@Jasper_Tech thank you for making this review so early. I've heard the D3V has a standby mode that causes the speaker to turn off after 20 minutes. Do you have to physically wake the speaker if it enters standby? Or will it automatically wake up when you start playing audio again? To me the standby mode sounded like it might be a nuisance if you're not constantly playing audio... Thanks again
They do not awaken automatically at least with usb connection. Neither do they enter standby when shutting down the computer. One press of volume knob for awake, long press for manual standby mode.
@@migmarfin thank you for clarifying. So will they go into standby mode if the computer is on and not playing for 20 minutes? I just imagine a situation where a notification sound doesn't play because no music is on and the speakers went to sleep.
@@32915 Yes I believe that will happen. Haven't checked about firmware updates yet, but giving an option to disable auto-standby would be welcome for sure.
Hi all! We’ve heard your feedback about the sleep mode on the D3V, and we’re happy to share that the next firmware update will address this. The standby activation time will be extended from 20 to 60 minutes, and you’ll also have the option to completely deactivate the automatic standby. Thanks for helping us to improve your experience with the D3V-all the best from Berlin! Daniel
How about directionality? I found the MTMs are only good if your sitting within a sweet spot compared the micros which seem to have a wider sound dispersion, and therefore more suitable as a general purpose speaker system for guitar modellers and synths .
Is there a way to turn off the sleep function on these? They auto turn off after a certain amount of time (20 mins?) if there's no signal (usb c) input on them. They don't manually turn back on once you start playing music - you have to press the power button on them to turn them back on. This is sort of a deal breaker if there isn't a work around.
Sadly, not that I know of. I’ve gotten used to it, but I can understand why that would bother many people (I should have mentioned it in the video😞). The Kanto ORA has a really solid standby mode (I just set it and forget it). Not sure if that would be of interest. I’m going to reach out to ADAM Audio about the standby mode to see if they may be able to change this via a firmware update. amzn.to/40I0917
The USB connection supports only up to 16bit 48 kHz for both my PC and Mac, instead of the 24bit 48 kHz as advertised, also can't find any firmware updates.
So, 24bit does add more 'resolution' compared to 16bit but this added resolution doesn't mean higher quality, it just means we can encode a larger dynamic range. This is the misunderstanding made by many. There are no extra magical properties, nothing which the science does not understand or cannot measure. The only difference between 16bit and 24bit is 48dB of dynamic range (8bits x 6dB = 48dB) and nothing else. This is not a question for interpretation or opinion, it is the provable, undisputed logical mathematics which underpins the very existence of digital audio.
Great review. I will consider these for my next purchase. The aesthetics of the Adam could use a little improvement though. Also it would be cool to have a compact 3 way speaker. Don't you think? Like the Kef LSX with an additional woofer, a mini Kef R3 Meta if you will.
That would be cool! Barefoot Sound make some really cool speakers that have a tweeter, woofer, and sub all in one cabinet. Check out the Barefoot Sound Footprint03
@@nutellaontoast4281 good questions! Less distortion and faster transients; the passive radiators on the D3V are great, but they have their limits. The MTM can’t be played super loud, but since they’re for near field use I don’t think this should be an issue for most.
I'm so curious how all your speakers compare to the Genelec 8010A - I've heard so much about those and I'm very close to buying them. Will you test them anytime soon?
I would hope KEF sound better for being more than 4x the price. BUT if you have a subwoofer and can do crossover to pass everything under 145hz to the subwoofer, then the D3V's will give you an experience good enough you won't be able to tell the difference. You could get D3V's new, a Wiim Ultra streamer as a DAC/amp with crossover and an app, and an subwoofer (I have an audio engine S8 for 350), and get MUCH better sound than you would buying just KEF LSX speakers.
A bit late response, but I want to make a little remark. I will replace my old studio monitors with this new D3V's. For me they are the "best of both worlds", because I already have the ARC Studio (that little metal box), so I now can combine the room correction from the iLoud monitor range, with the quality of the Adam 3DV. I think it will be a great combination. In short - the ARC room correction system that is build in in the iLoud series can be combined with any monitor by using the ARC Studio box. You don't need a plug in, and can switch between active and non-active with one push of a button. I can't wait until my new (white) 3DV's arrive to give it a good test run.
If you had a sub on either these or the Kanto Ora, which would be better for just listening to music? Currently have the ADAM Audio D3V but not sure if I should have gotten the Kanto Ora instead.
@@phillip3330 I hear you. It’s definitely possible, but if you want to use the USB-C input (like I think many will) then it’s just going to be a bit more annoying to set up the filters etc.
@@taytaymadethebeat I would get something like the Presonus Sub8BT, which has passthrough and a HPF. So instead of sending audio directly to the Adams, you'll send it to the subwoofer either via bluetooth or analog through your USB audiointerface (if you have one). And then via TRS cables to the Adams. Then enable the HPF on the sub, so the Adams only have to deal with +80Hz.
I bought the ELAC ConneX a couple of days ago. I got them for 170€ new in box. I am not sure wether I should've gotten the Kanto ORA's or the ADAM Audio D3V's tho. I didn't get to listen to them beforehand. The ORA's are 400€ in my region and the D3V's are 330€, so I wouäd spend more on those. Are they worth the upgrade? How would you say they compare sound wise? Also HUGE fan of the content. Your channel has been super helpful when it comes to understanding speakers better for me :)
Pretty cool review! I totally agree, these compact speakers are INCREDIBLE!!! As a music producer on a tight budget, these are the most AFFORDABLE and impeccable sounding monitoring speakers thus far! Definitely agree about the legedary @adamaudio ribbon tweeters, they add that special sparkle and sweet high end, something you don't get with normal circular tweeters. As someone whom had been using the famous @jlbpro LR 305 MKII speakers, these are just as good and even better than those, especially in the size and BIG SOUND! Let me tell ya'll, those passive radiator are the game changing tech for speakers of this form factor. Most producers, audio engineers like to stay away from speakers that contain drivers smaller than 5"! Why? Because the smaller the driver, the less bass and impact you'll recieve. Well don't worry about that HERE..these bad boys have such a HUGE impact, despite these the chart showing a dip past 47-45hz? Is it SUBWOOFER CRAZY?!?, well NO..but dayum, the bass here is nothing to scoff at here. I am constantly blown away and suprised when watching YT music production videos and listening to the Hard Techno-Trance genre of Music! The bass is definitely TIGHT and PUNCHY! Oh how they are very impressive. I knew that as soon as I saw the announcement for these, and watched their introductory video, I had to have a pair! I've been without my JBL's for some time and was needing more compact monitors. I'm so so glad I was able to get them, as for me, they are LIFE changing speakers.
▶ ADAM Audio D3V
amzn.to/4fDLisK
▶ Kanto ORA
amzn.to/3YAA2GI
▶ Kanto ORA4
amzn.to/4fHuvoM
▶ iLoud Micro Monitor
amzn.to/3YFxN4Z
▶ iLoud Micro Monitor Pro
amzn.to/3O18vcv
▶ iLoud MTM MKII
amzn.to/4hT1sAy
▶ Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
amzn.to/3UJhEdD
RARELY do you find audio-related reviews that are 100% informative + entertaining and 0% bs. Subscribed !!
Thank you 🙏🙏
A pair of D3V's just arrived today. Really impressed so far. Nice review.
Looks like you are the first to review these in English, thank you! I've only come across Japanese reviews previously. Despite the lack of professional opinion, I purchased them last weekend and liking what I hear thus far.
Same here…blind buy…was looking for the iLoud mk2, but these might be better for a hobbits
I've been waiting for these to become available. Thanks to your link, I just ordered them for 2-day delivery. Yahoo!
Great review, right on! Adam created some great competition for other brands to include built-in USB audio to their monitors as a standard now which is quite overdue haha
Just got my D3V and it sounds amazing man specially the switches at the back is a very useful feature to get a decent sound in an untreated room.
Love to hear it!!
@@Jasper_Tech Thoughts on Yahama HS3 and HS4?
Found your channel about two days before these were announced on instagram and been waiting for your review since. Thanks!
Hvala!
This is so kind - thank you 🙏
great review well done am a Kanto Ora fan and look forward to you reviewing the new Kanto REN speaker cheers from Canada
Good luck with the channel 👏👏👏
Been waiting for a review of these! Exactly what I want from a pair of monitors
Agreed - they did an AMAZING JOB with these.
Dope. Was hoping you'd review these!
Great review, Jasper! Subscribed!
It's worth mentioning that if one wanted to use a sub with the D3Vs, something like the Adam Audio T10S would be ideal. Run your mains to the sub input and then the outputs from the sub to the D3Vs. Choose your sub's crossover and phase that sounds best, adjust level to taste. Sweetwater actually sells the D3V + T10S as a bundle.
Good call out! My issue with this is approach is now you can’t use the digital input, which I suspect many will be using.
@@Jasper_Tech True enough. I'm more interested in using balanced mains out from my audio interface.
Fair! In that case, what you’re proposing makes sense
@@Jasper_Tech Do you mean you can't use the USB if you go the sub route? What would be the purpose of needing the USB input if you are using the sub to port audio instead? New to this and considering picking these up, but I would need a sub since I like bass and these would be for content consumption.
The main benefit is USB is a digital signal, so there is no opportunity for interference. Apart from that, if you’re able to have your signal enter your sub via an analog source and then your sub can filter and output a signal to the D3V, then that’s fine. Many people use analogue inputs with no issues.
Thanks for reviewing these. Just subbed. I see you've improved your lighting and setup since the iLoud Pro video from just a month ago. Video looks professional! Nice work.
Nice job I like the style of your Channel keep up the good work I just subscribed
I thought the D3V's were a little thin in the mid range so I turned my crossover up to 145hz and that cleaned these up really nicely. Couldn't be happier.
Which crossover? From where? You mean you EQed the sound before going into the speakers?
@@gibson2623 Yeah, the D3V's don't play any frequency under 162 now and my subwoofer takes over from there. 10/10 experience.
@@jjoohhhnn Oh, nice one mate. Thanks for the explanation :)
@@gibson2623 and from where, my audio source is a wiim ultra (working as a DAC/audio interface for my PC, with extra features rather than as a streamer), it has sub-out and crossover, on a slider. The wiim amp (for passive speakers) also has sub-out (for an active sub). SMSL has devices with crossover, too, but Wiim has more features. Some desktops have sub-out so you can do it over software, but I haven't. I'm sure there are reddit threads and YT videos to explain it.
Seen the adam d3v introduction video at the trade show before they hit the market, knew there were going to be. Great a bang for the buck product, even thought about doing a review on em .. You did a fantastic job you covered mostly everything on this monitor but didnt cover this one thing the multi function volume push switch for muting & for input source selection, it's a nice lil feature.. Great work jasper, i didnt know about kanto or vanatoo audio at all. truly liked how you described the diffrence in the ribbon performace over a dome tweeter performance in this video great work...
Great review! Thank you for being honest and transparent. I'm looking to get rid of my old Dynaudio BM-6A's (size has become an issue moving around in Europe). I met Klaus Heinz briefly at an LA AES show when he premiered his speakers...this was like 1998 or something. He basically just had a table and barely any marketing materials. Out of all the booths I visited, they were the best speakers I had heard that day, but out of my price range and went for my trusty Dynaudios. Now I can get a pair ADAMs within budget and the right size. No bass out is a bummer, but I can find other ways to reference that.
I can't wait for them! Helpful vid thanks JT 👊
Haven't clicked on a video this fast in a while! - Thanks for the review
Great content and detail! Subbed!
Great review! I'd love to see the speakers in action on a desk while you talk about them in future reviews. It would give an idea of the footprint and look :)
I like your reviews (and the amount of speakers you have 😅)
These Adams look perfect for my needs. For studio engineer but now do video editing and need good sounding speakers for mixing the video audio. I remember a pair of Adams sounding legit.
Definitely one of the best reviews out there. 👍
Thank you!
Love the new setup in your latest videos. Lighting is better too - congrats!
Thank you! That ORA video was pretty brutal with the lighting. Was trying to get it filmed before work at 6am and didn’t have the right equipment. I’m slowly figuring it out 💪
great video man! I love the way you deliver, very digestible and easy to understand. I just checked out the d3v at a music expo recently so I was curious to get other people's opinions!
Thank you for the kind words 🙏🙏
Great video, well-explained
Great video as i was wondering about this product versus the IK Multimedia ones
These Adam D3Vs must definitely be compared to the Kali LP-UNF studio monitors at exactly the same $300 price! The Kalis are probably the only worthy contender, and it has bluetooth! :D
Kali Audio LP-UNF seems like good competition for these! Dayton audio also has a new line of powered monitors that i'd like to know more about...
Very good review style. You got yourself a sub.
Had not heard of these. Very compelling. Love my iloud micro and really want the Mtm as well. Add this to the list haha
Sweet review. Definitely appreciated you saying you’re not just a hype beast. May it last!
I’m a music listener and your point about who really needs studio monitors did make me think
Thank you for the video! really helpful
Interesting that your video showed up on my feed as I was looking at these monitors for my new studio setup. Nice review of these small footprint monitors. I actually use the iLoud monitors at the moment and looking to upgrade. Is your channel music production or audio tech? Anyway, I just subscribed and good luck!
Nice! Glad you liked the review. Right now it’s audio tech, but may expand into some other tech in the future. We shall see!
Google is listening 😂
THANKS< BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO!
Great video J...
Fantastic video, thanks for the knowledge!
Thanks. You beat everyone else to the punch in reviewing these. Getting mine on Friday in white. Is it possible to run an input into a sub that has outs to the speakers. I might be wrong, but I think Genelec has an F One sub where the signal can go first to the sub and then out to the speakers?
thank you for the quick review
Cool vid, keep it up!
Would love to see these compared to Edifier MR4s, different price bracket I know, but it's what I got so 😂
Nice review! Thanks for mentioning the bias towards "pro" equipment, even when that's actually not the best fit for everyone!
Great review. I know you must have a long list of speakers to acquire & review but I'd love to see a review of the Monoprice MM-5R.
Really like your way of talking about speakers! Coming from a person who dosen't basically understand anything about speakers lol :)
Thank you! I’m trying to find the right balance when I talk about technical topics so it’s accessible to as many people as possible (while hopefully not putting off the experts). 🙏
Hey Jasper, I did the exact same thing a few years back and just bought a tonne of nearfiled monitors to trial myself - it was a load of work; so thank you for these videos!
I wanted to ask your thoughts on the ora, dv3, and i loud’s for at home production. I already have a pair of Adam’s that I love for their ribbon tweeter. So I am really interested in this new desktop version for a working room at home (music/film production). I thought the D3V’s would be what I’d get, but I really like the idea of having a reference pair of monitors that I can use for work that I just want to come back to for everything; the ora’s! The ora’s sound less like work (with listening fatigue) and more like fun, which might help with the creative space. That being said, I rent where I live and can’t really adapt the room to be fully treated, so the ilouds might be the way to go.
Could you advise on what you think, as it sounds like you have a similar setup - (an audio heavy work room from your apartment).
Thanks again, and you have a new subscriber!
Nice job on the review. I have an old pair of Kano YU3's for desktop reference and am looking to replace them. I heard the Adam's at the recent AES show in NY and they really are incredible. Now I'm torn between the iLoud and the Adam's. Biggest problem for both is no way to add a sub (which I already have for the Kanto's). I guess you could use a cable splitter. Anyhow, good luck with the channel.
fantastic review! subscribed to your channel...very interesting reviews already! ... in terms of sound (not price) do you prefer the iloud mtm or these ADAM Audio D3V? I know the ilouds are considerably more expensive but I would be willing to invest on those if the clarity and neutrality is better. would be using them when Not in my studio, for mixing jazz and classical music. Thanks in advance if you can share your input!
If price is not a factor, I’d go with the MTM’s. The main reason is if you’re really looking for a neutral response, the active room correction (ARC) in the iLoud products is really impressive. ILoud makes quality products and I’m impressed by their software in addition to their hardware.
amzn.to/4eyKmEV
Another great video. No sub out? I was really considering these until seeing that.
The whole point of these is that they are portable though I suppose and can easily be set up on the go. They've also engineered in as much tech as possible to negate the need for subwoofer going down to 45hz. I use a subwoofer with every pair of monitors I own but these, I wouldn't use one because they aren't designed for that. If you want a subwoofer and a less portable setup, get some T5V and a T10S subwoofer, thats a solid 'budget-friendly' setup!
Equally, using the balanced inputs on the back, you could pair up a studio subwoofer quite easily, the same way you would with any other monitors using 1/4" TRS leads to XLR in the Adam's and then XLR from your subwoofer to your interface.
@@GizmoNETwork Thanks for the helpful response. I already had a Kanto 8Sub so I went with the new Kanto ORA4s. Really impressed with the setup so far.
Nice video good luck on your Channel
Desktop TUK - I dig it. Loved your explanations.
great video!
The Adam Audio T10s sub can easily be added. The source goes to the sub first, then out to the monitors.
This is a fair point. My thought is these are desktop monitors and USB-C will be most frequently used source. Under that configuration it will be a pain to use them with a sub.
But you’re right, if you’re using the analogue inputs then using a sub with the appropriate filter/output config would get the job done.
@ I agree! I have Adam T5V’s and have them connected this way. For these, I will use usb-c
@@Jasper_Tech Thanks to your mini-review, I just ordered a pair.
@brochg amazing! Let me know how you like them (seriously!). 👍👍
Just a correction subwoofer out is a consumer feature. With studio monitors the inputs are recieved from the subwoofer. You dont need a SW out
I was skeptical about the whole "passive radiator" tech until I bought a JBL Charge 5. It has one on each end and the bass is outstanding on that speaker.
Thank you, Jasper.
I am so ready to trade in my krks for these. Trying to make my setup super compact and these check all the boxes
G'day. 5 minutes in... Subscribed! Good luck.
it would be nice if you compared Genelec 8030C vs iLoud MTM
Hi, Are they better than Kali lLP-UFN ??? thnx
Would also love a comparison
Great review! I haven't heard of these before. I have the iLoud Micros and love them, but am always looking for the next best thing, it's a sickness lol. Any idea of the approximate length of the speaker-to-speaker cable? The iLoud's are 6 ft. I think, and it get's frustrating in certain setups like my dual monitor setup. Had to put one in-between the two monitors because of the cable length.
Hi, I emailed Adam audio about cable lengths, here’s their reply:-
The power cable is 2,5 meters long and can be extended just like any other power cable.
The loudspeaker link cable has the length of 2 meters. It cannot be extended.
The USB-C cable is 1,5 meters long. USB-C max length is specified as 2 m and the D3V can support that.
HTH 🔊
@ Hey, thanks for doing that, and the information! I didn’t see the cable lengths in any of the spec sheets. Great idea to email them directly 👍. It’s too bad about the proprietary speaker interconnect cable, but good information to have. Although it makes sense, as these are ultra near field speakers and not ment to be spread out so wide. Thanks again..
how does those compare with yamaha hs3?
hs3 gets bad reviews
I have not tried them, but I agree with the below comment, I have not heard good things.
@@Jasper_Tech that's odd, the reviews I've seen so far are very favorable
What I have heard has only been from a handful of people, so take it with many grains of salt. I believe the HS3 roll off the bass ~85hz, which is pretty high.
Early next year I hope to do a really comprehensive video testing a bunch of studio monitors and actually looking at real world frequency response charts (in addition to some of the more qualitative feedback).
@@Jasper_Tech okay, thanks for your advice man, great content!
I just got these and I like most things about them but there's one big CON that you didn't mention. These speakers go to sleep after 20 minutes of no sound and they do not wake up automatically. You need to press the volume knob to wake them. If you use them as computer speakers you'll miss any audio notifications unless you have something constantly playing in the background. I checked the manually and this is the expected behavior. I hope Adam is able to fix this via firmware otherwise I'll need to return them.
Wow, that's a massive oversight
Hi @ronalcasid3844,
We’ve heard your feedback about the sleep mode on the D3V, and we’re happy to share that the next firmware update will address this. The standby activation time will be extended from 20 to 60 minutes, and you’ll also have the option to completely deactivate the automatic standby.
We’re always working to improve our products, so thank you for helping us enhance your experience with the D3V. All the best from Berlin!
Daniel
@@ADAMAudioBerlin That is great to hear! Ideally when using the USB input the speakers should wake and sleep with the computer. Is that possible?
@@ronalcasid3844 Thanks for your feedback, and great to hear that you appreciate the solution. An auto wake function is not possible without a hardware redesign, but we'll keep your suggestion in mind. All the best, and thanks for choosing ADAMs!
@@ADAMAudioBerlin I strongly appreciate Adam Audio addressing customer concerns. Thank You!
Hi Jasper,
I came back to this video just because I got the Edifier M60 as a present to my father for christmas. You need to try them... I couldn't do a comparisson to my ORAS but I could say they are not far, having in mind the price.
Pros:The built-in DAC is better than the ORAs and it got LDAC codec as well (something missing in the ORAs). Extremely similar size and very very recomendable as computer speaker.
Cons: No sub out, the stands are stupidly silver and you can't swap sides (Issue in common with the iLouds and the ORAs)
I'm not going to say that the sound is better than the ORAs, but by far more similar to them than to the iLouds micro. It is kind of natural sound. I think the bass is better (more defined) in the other two even more in the iLouds, but as I said I couldn't compare.
If you put all this together knowing that the price is 160 Euros/pounds I think it is a no brainer.
Merry Christmas and happy new year!!
Amazing review! How would you compare them to iLoud Pro? How is the bass and midrange?
If price is not a factor and you’re using them as a monitor, I’d go for the iLoud Micro Monitors. Rationale: their active room correction will allow you to get a truly neutral sound even if you don’t have a property sound treated room.
What is your recommend speaker for a laptop.😀
Would you mind to include frequency response also of those monitors? The only thing needed to make those is measurement mic and just an app
Thanks for this note! I’m looking into it - any app suggestions?
@@Jasper_Tech REW, it is free
Thanks for going over the ported vs radiator bass. I currently have Adam A3x and these D3V are not really an upgrade (4.5" vs 3.5" drivers), but they are certainly interesting! I wonder why D3V ribbon tweeters extend to 23kHz, while A3x extend to 50kHz though.
I plan to pair the Adam D3V’s with the IKmulti arc studio monitor calibration system which is the same tech used inside the iloud pros. This should give incredible results offering the best of both worlds! You should review the Arc Studio calibration system!
I have the ARC studio system sitting on my desk!
I’m toying with the idea of doing a bunch of videos with it where I’d put all my studio monitors through it and show the before/after frequency response charts. What do you think?
HS4 vs D3V. Any thoughts?
Thanks for the great review Jasper. I already ordered the D3V since Ora4 are not available in Japan, where I live. Since you said they sound very neutral, I am bit worried they would not be ideal for me as I would use them to listen to music at audiophile level ( hi res audio from Qobuz/Apple Music) using usb-c. Do you think I can still use something like an external streamer, like WiiM mini/pro to adjust the eq of the speakers?
What fixed these speakers for me was using the crossover function on my Wiim Ultra to send everything under 145hz to the subwoofer. The mids are much fuller and more detailed, they match the top end.
Hey, do you have any plans of reviewing the Edifier MR4? I would be really interested if the 4 times higher price of the Kanto Ora are worth it over these. Thansk for all this videos
Yes! I’ll be doing a review that had both of those in it in the next month or two :)
@Jasper_Tech thank you for making this review so early. I've heard the D3V has a standby mode that causes the speaker to turn off after 20 minutes. Do you have to physically wake the speaker if it enters standby? Or will it automatically wake up when you start playing audio again? To me the standby mode sounded like it might be a nuisance if you're not constantly playing audio... Thanks again
They do not awaken automatically at least with usb connection. Neither do they enter standby when shutting down the computer. One press of volume knob for awake, long press for manual standby mode.
@@migmarfin thank you for clarifying. So will they go into standby mode if the computer is on and not playing for 20 minutes? I just imagine a situation where a notification sound doesn't play because no music is on and the speakers went to sleep.
@@32915 Yes I believe that will happen. Haven't checked about firmware updates yet, but giving an option to disable auto-standby would be welcome for sure.
Argh this is the one thing holding me back from getting these!
Hi all!
We’ve heard your feedback about the sleep mode on the D3V, and we’re happy to share that the next firmware update will address this. The standby activation time will be extended from 20 to 60 minutes, and you’ll also have the option to completely deactivate the automatic standby.
Thanks for helping us to improve your experience with the D3V-all the best from Berlin!
Daniel
How about directionality? I found the MTMs are only good if your sitting within a sweet spot compared the micros which seem to have a wider sound dispersion, and therefore more suitable as a general purpose speaker system for guitar modellers and synths .
How do they compare to kef lsx
Is there a way to turn off the sleep function on these? They auto turn off after a certain amount of time (20 mins?) if there's no signal (usb c) input on them. They don't manually turn back on once you start playing music - you have to press the power button on them to turn them back on. This is sort of a deal breaker if there isn't a work around.
Sadly, not that I know of. I’ve gotten used to it, but I can understand why that would bother many people (I should have mentioned it in the video😞).
The Kanto ORA has a really solid standby mode (I just set it and forget it). Not sure if that would be of interest. I’m going to reach out to ADAM Audio about the standby mode to see if they may be able to change this via a firmware update.
amzn.to/40I0917
The USB connection supports only up to 16bit 48 kHz for both my PC and Mac, instead of the 24bit 48 kHz as advertised, also can't find any firmware updates.
So, 24bit does add more 'resolution' compared to 16bit but this added resolution doesn't mean higher quality, it just means we can encode a larger dynamic range. This is the misunderstanding made by many. There are no extra magical properties, nothing which the science does not understand or cannot measure. The only difference between 16bit and 24bit is 48dB of dynamic range (8bits x 6dB = 48dB) and nothing else. This is not a question for interpretation or opinion, it is the provable, undisputed logical mathematics which underpins the very existence of digital audio.
Right on point!
do the new micro monitors pro have more power? how much more power?
youtube cut a passage of the video, too bad we can't listen to the sound of its speakers, very good review
Great review. I will consider these for my next purchase. The aesthetics of the Adam could use a little improvement though.
Also it would be cool to have a compact 3 way speaker. Don't you think? Like the Kef LSX with an additional woofer, a mini Kef R3 Meta if you will.
That would be cool! Barefoot Sound make some really cool speakers that have a tweeter, woofer, and sub all in one cabinet. Check out the Barefoot Sound Footprint03
how does this compare with the similar price range Audioengine A2 and slight more expensive A5? in term of sound quality. thanks.
How are the Adams up against the Genelec 8010's....?
Hi Jasper! What do you think about KRK GoAUX 4?
How does the low end compare between the D3V and iLoud MTM?
MTM has better low end given its dual drivers 👍
@ better as in it extenders deeper, or it has less distortion or faster transients? Or all of the above haha?
@@nutellaontoast4281 good questions! Less distortion and faster transients; the passive radiators on the D3V are great, but they have their limits. The MTM can’t be played super loud, but since they’re for near field use I don’t think this should be an issue for most.
Do the leds stay on at all times?
When the speaker is on, the LED is on. They do have an auto standby mode.
I'm so curious how all your speakers compare to the Genelec 8010A - I've heard so much about those and I'm very close to buying them. Will you test them anytime soon?
Nice review! How do these compare to the Kef LSX that you love? In terms of sound quality?
I would hope KEF sound better for being more than 4x the price. BUT if you have a subwoofer and can do crossover to pass everything under 145hz to the subwoofer, then the D3V's will give you an experience good enough you won't be able to tell the difference. You could get D3V's new, a Wiim Ultra streamer as a DAC/amp with crossover and an app, and an subwoofer (I have an audio engine S8 for 350), and get MUCH better sound than you would buying just KEF LSX speakers.
@@jjoohhhnn Do you have any other crossover recommendations? It's connected to my computer so don't need a streamer.
How's the low end compared to the iLoud's?
I own both the iloud micros and micro pros. Will let you know when I get the adams.
@@basslover352 привет) есть информация
@@lahlii Adams have slightly more bass extension to me. I'm very happy with them.
Well done!
A bit late response, but I want to make a little remark. I will replace my old studio monitors with this new D3V's. For me they are the "best of both worlds", because I already have the ARC Studio (that little metal box), so I now can combine the room correction from the iLoud monitor range, with the quality of the Adam 3DV. I think it will be a great combination.
In short - the ARC room correction system that is build in in the iLoud series can be combined with any monitor by using the ARC Studio box. You don't need a plug in, and can switch between active and non-active with one push of a button. I can't wait until my new (white) 3DV's arrive to give it a good test run.
If you had a sub on either these or the Kanto Ora, which would be better for just listening to music? Currently have the ADAM Audio D3V but not sure if I should have gotten the Kanto Ora instead.
Adding a sub to the D3V's can be done, somewhat easily.
Presonus makes their newest Sub 8BT, which has TRS output, a HPF and BT.
@@phillip3330 I hear you. It’s definitely possible, but if you want to use the USB-C input (like I think many will) then it’s just going to be a bit more annoying to set up the filters etc.
How do I add a sub to them ? I have them and have been trying to
@@taytaymadethebeat I would get something like the Presonus Sub8BT, which has passthrough and a HPF.
So instead of sending audio directly to the Adams, you'll send it to the subwoofer either via bluetooth or analog through your USB audiointerface (if you have one). And then via TRS cables to the Adams.
Then enable the HPF on the sub, so the Adams only have to deal with +80Hz.
Are those grey ones in the back the unreleased Kanto Ren? 👀 Waiting to hear from you about them
👀
can't help but think of Ren and Stimpy
can you record through the trs inputs on the adam d3v?
I bought the ELAC ConneX a couple of days ago. I got them for 170€ new in box. I am not sure wether I should've gotten the Kanto ORA's or the ADAM Audio D3V's tho. I didn't get to listen to them beforehand. The ORA's are 400€ in my region and the D3V's are 330€, so I wouäd spend more on those.
Are they worth the upgrade? How would you say they compare sound wise?
Also HUGE fan of the content. Your channel has been super helpful when it comes to understanding speakers better for me :)
Pretty cool review! I totally agree, these compact speakers are INCREDIBLE!!! As a music producer on a tight budget, these are the most AFFORDABLE and impeccable sounding monitoring speakers thus far! Definitely agree about the legedary @adamaudio ribbon tweeters, they add that special sparkle and sweet high end, something you don't get with normal circular tweeters. As someone whom had been using the famous @jlbpro LR 305 MKII speakers, these are just as good and even better than those, especially in the size and BIG SOUND! Let me tell ya'll, those passive radiator are the game changing tech for speakers of this form factor.
Most producers, audio engineers like to stay away from speakers that contain drivers smaller than 5"! Why? Because the smaller the driver, the less bass and impact you'll recieve. Well don't worry about that HERE..these bad boys have such a HUGE impact, despite these the chart showing a dip past 47-45hz? Is it SUBWOOFER CRAZY?!?, well NO..but dayum, the bass here is nothing to scoff at here. I am constantly blown away and suprised when watching YT music production videos and listening to the Hard Techno-Trance genre of Music! The bass is definitely TIGHT and PUNCHY! Oh how they are very impressive.
I knew that as soon as I saw the announcement for these, and watched their introductory video, I had to have a pair! I've been without my JBL's for some time and was needing more compact monitors. I'm so so glad I was able to get them, as for me, they are LIFE changing speakers.