Adam T8V Studio Monitor Active 50+20 Watt RMS Speakers

Product Information

I think I have some bass modes that are not normally activated by studio monitors since they don't go low enough. The T8V does and I thought that caused a bit of boominess which needs correction. As for inputs, you get the usual balanced TRS, balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA connections. A slide switch activates the RCA input, so if you won’t be using it, leave this off and save yourself a smidge of summing noise. A gain knob and switchable +4/-10dB input sensitivity round out the T8V’s control options. You won’t find any onboard EQ presets to compensate for speaker positioning as is common on many monitors today.

At this point, I thought that if there was a tool that combined both the Spinorama with the room acoustics data, it'd be extremely useful. Sharing the same build quality and many of the features of its smaller siblings, the T8V monitor measures 400 x 250 x 335mm but weighs in at just 9.8kg. This is in no small part due to the lightweight yet powerful onboard Class D amplification, which is more compact and more efficient than standard Class A/B transistor amplifiers. Because ADAM’s PWM (pulse width modulation) amplifiers are switching types that use power transistors too, they’re able to run much cooler than traditional solid-state amps, meaning there’s no need for heat sinks in the cabinet enclosures. Mr T ADAM's U-ART is a 19-inch pleated polyamide film. Accelerated Ribbon Tweeters can move air 4x faster than most tweeters, making it a super-efficient machine that results in detailed audio delivery. This is why Spinorama was apparently groundbreaking news for audio industry. Hence in the mid-late 2010's, most brands and magazines began publishing Spinorama measurements, despite the challenges of making such measurements. Here, the low end completely dominates proceedings, yet the T8V never loses its grip, so the bassline is fluid and punchy, not slow and soggy, as it might be with many plastic-driver-equipped monitors from the past.

The second number represents the high end. This is where the treble frequencies sit. Much like low-end frequencies, the average human hears up to about 20kHz. Any extra range beyond this helps give the treble room to breathe and offers better clarity. Loudness Sonically these speakers give a very good account of themselves, especially given their position in the market, coming over as punchy, detailed and revealing, with no unforgivable vices. They also present a credible stereo image with a usefully wide sweet spot. In a slightly unfair comparison, my Event Opals produced a slightly tighter, more solid bass end and smoother highs — but they are also far more expensive. Importantly though, such technical imperfections as they do exhibit won't get in the way of their ability to help you produce a reliable mix. As with any monitor, you just need to take some time to get used to them. As is often the case with the mid-sized monitors, the Adam T7V is the one that makes you wonder if the added weight and size is worth it when the only moderately bigger and heavier. Adam T8V offers way more power and bass response. The T8V studio monitor has a frequency response of between 33 Hz to 25 kHz, a 118 dB SPL per pair, a crossover frequency of 2.6 kHz and a 150W maximum power consumption. They are crammed with super high-quality components and are ideal for users who produce bass-heavy music. This is a problem because it means that Spinorama alone, unfortunately, won't give us all we need. Placement and reflections play an equally important role there too.

We combined Spinorama data with room acoustics and came up with Soundton. A very simple, 2D online tool that allows you to: The entire T-Series range of budget friendly studio monitors retains that ADAM Audio signature sound that many ADAM Audio users instantly recognise and trust in ADAM's higher-end products. The T8V is a welcome addition to the T-Series range and cater for those fortunate enough to work in larger studios which generally work well with monitors that could be considered almost midfeild over nearfield. From its 1999 launch in Berlin, ADAM Audio has built a solid reputation among the pro audio cognoscente. The engineers at Sweetwater know that a superior speaker system has superior components, and this is one area where the company has a distinct edge. With years of R&D behind each proprietary driver, ADAM Audio’s custom driver technology expresses itself in breakthroughs such as their X-ART (eXtended Accelerating Ribbon Technology) tweeter, which is based on a groundbreaking 1960s invention, the Heil Air Motion Transformer — and in fact, was the main impetus for the formation of ADAM Audio. The X-ART tweeter became the key to ADAM’s signature transparent, high-definition sound and the core development of ADAM’s proprietary designs going forward. All three T-Series monitors incorporate ADAM’s U-ART 1.9′-inch Accelerated Ribbon Tweeter, made from a pleated polyamide film. It’s an extremely efficient design that draws air into and out of its folds as it expands and contracts, making it capable of moving air four times faster than dome tweeters. Its performance is further enhanced by the HPS waveguide, which behaves like the units built into the company’s flagship S Series monitors, ensuring controlled and even high-frequency dispersal while providing a wide sweet spot.When working on your productions, precise mixing and monitoring is essential if you want to achieve a polished final piece. The T8V will accurately recreate your sound thanks to best-in-class features. A U-ART tweeter (extending up to 25 kHz) takes centre stage, paired with cutting-edge class D amplifiers boasting an excellent dynamic range. Fortunately, now we have the Spinorama data for a bunch of quite popular speakers. Pierre Aubert put all this untidy data together and put it into https://www.spinorama.org/. This is a stunning source. Pretty valuable stuff from him right there. On the rear of the T8V is a range of basic controls and connectors you find in most monitors in this price range and also throughout the T-Series. Apart of the on/off switch and IEC connection for power, there are two choices of inputs on offer - Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA along with switches for LF and HF shelving filters which can be used to boost or cut 2 dB for tuning the response of the monitor. While having these switches for tweaking the monitor’s tone is welcome I found the effects very subtle. Now joining these affordable but detailed speakers is the bigger, bolder, beefier T8V variant, which sports eight-inch woofers. The T8V has been designed for those who have always wanted to work with monitors equipped with eight-inch drivers but find most models prohibitively expensive – many manufacturers’ entry-level ranges stop short of larger models such as this one.

The ADAM Audio name carries a certain prestige in monitor land. We’ve all seen the futuristic AX Series monitors or formidable S Series main monitors in upmarket studios. ADAM Audio’s T Series monitors released in 2018 are a more financially viable product family within the brand. It consists of the T5V and T7V, the T10S subwoofer released in 2019, and now the eight-inch T8V. Being relatively unexposed to the world of ADAM Audio monitoring, I was excited to hear the T8V when it arrived for review. The new flagship of ADAM's T‑series offers serious bass extension even for those with limited budgets. When testing the T7V a few years ago I compared my 8" P22A monitors alongside them. My notes from this test stated that I felt the T7Vs sounded almost as big and as detailed as my larger 8" monitors, which in my opinion is high praise for a budget monitor. I feel the value in these new T8V is in its ability to sound better than expensive ADAM Audio monitors of old. The T8V are so impressive I am considering putting my money where my mouth is to replace my old P22As with the T8Vs as to my ears. These really do sound and feel like an upgrade which is insane given the price. Verdict - Why Buy Anything Else? The highs and the mids are detailed, balanced, and ample. What they are not, though, is neutral. This is not the flattest response you can get in studio monitors. They do color the sound a little with the signature ADAM timbre. Even for more modern EDM, Hip-Hop, or classical music with deeper bass, it delivers all you need without needing a subwoofer for near-field monitoring.

One of the critical specs you’ll find listed is the Frequency Response or Frequency Range. This gives you an indication of the frequencies the speaker can accurately represent. The source code under Pierre Aubert's work is licensed under GPL (General public license). He didn't perform any of the measurements himself, and instead he compiled all of them into one place, so that makes sense.