Opinions of people who have OWNED Adagio's


I'd like to hear from people who have actually owned Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers. They're on my short list for auditioning. I've got a Unico SE integrated (140w) and Cairn Fog v3 cd player.
Thanks.
dave_rosenblum
Chad, A lot of times people make comments on speakers that they heard one time real quick in a less than ideal set up. I don't think the original poster is out of line to ask for help from people that own them. Maybe a better way to ask would have been to hear from people that own them or have spent significant time with them.
Ditto S7horton. Dave, your post is very appropriate. I have learned from my system and changes in the setup that speakers will reveal different nuances and qualities that at first you did not realize were there. Living with the speakers is the best way to learn this. I'd be willing to bet that many speakers on sale here are the result of guys who never heard them at their best for one reason or another. I have changed electronics and sources frequently and my speakers have revealed themselves to me in different ways throughout the process. Just being a listener to a pair of speakers rather than owning them will only tell part of the story.
I think the OP has every right to ask the question as is.

I've heard hundreds of speakers but only feel comfortable offering a critique on those auditioned in my surroundings with my equipment.

Even then the comments are largely subjective and have little worth to anybody else.
Fafafion...were did you get the cersebase your describing,why those over the other spikes offered,(CANT REMEMBER NAME)THANKS.
I have had a pair of Adagios for a year and a couple of months. As has been commented before, they need a fair number of hours before they really come on song. I would suspect that more than a couple of pairs have been sold before being properly run in. In my case, I was very impressed with the initial demo but somewhat disappointed when I brought them home and hooked them up. Somewhat dull and disjointed would be how I would describe it, not musical and effortless which was what my initial impression was. They definitely open up with time and they required a bit of playing around with in terms of positioning in order to be at their best.

All that being said, I am quite pleased with the sound that I am now getting and have no desire to change or upgrade. As mentioned above, I would describe them as being quite musical and effortlessly so. Fairly quick as well and just a touch on the warm side. I would also describe them as being non-fatiguing, there have been many marathon listening sessions that I have had and they don't grate on the ears at all.

Other comments that I would make would be that they tend to favor the sweet spot meaning that they will sound best when you are in the prime center listening position. They still sound decent in the next room or in another spot in the room but you won't get the full effect unless you're in that prime location. Also, if you have them in a large room they will not have quite as much bass impact as a smaller room. My listening room is not huge by any means but it opens up to the bulk of the rest of my house and the bass is solid and definitely present but does not have quite the impact as the smaller more closed in listening room that I first listened to them in.

Lastly, I would comment that the Adagios will greatly reward you if your amplifier and source are top notch. I completely built my system ass backwards having bought the speakers first, then upgrading my amplifier and then my digital and then my analog source and I definitely feel that this is the wrong way to go. I have only been thrilled with my system after upgrading the rest of the system so bear in mind that this speaker will reward good upstream components. People on the British forums are very adamant about "Source First" and I absolutely believe that 100% now.

The only other comment that I would make is that at the prices that these speakers are currently going for used, they are a great buy.