Adam A7 or NS10s?

[TimonF]

Someone in my family is giving me a pair of NS10's but for a while now I've been planning to get Adam A7s. I'm recording and mixing hip hop mostly. If I was to go with the NS10's I would need an amp. What amp would you recommend? I want to spend around 5 - $600... BUT I dont know if I should because I hear the Adam's are very nice..... and it wouldn't be hard to save like $ 600 more for something that might be wayy better....

whats your thoughts on my dilemma here?

[snellular5]

NS10's are some of the most widely used monitors from home studios to professional studios and if your getting them for free hell I'd use em. A lot of people have mixed opinions on them, in the studio I worked in that had em I really liked them to be honest.

[KineticSound]

I'm also mixed on the NS-10's, however I think they can do fine if you learn how to use them. I say "fine" for a reason. The Adam A7 is in a higher class.

The dilemma is an interesting one... IMHO, if I had an offer for a decent set of monitors (which the NS-10's are decent), I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. A good power amp, such as an Alesis RA300 can be had for under $300, and could be a nice match for the Yammies. Crown and Yorkville also have decent options.

[TimonF]

I think it seems clear then to go with the NS-10s ... For under $300 i really can't go wrong.. and its alot better then spending close to $1200 right now. Anything is probably better then the M-audio BX5a's I have now.

[Dogbreath]

imho....

You'll have to learn either one as to how they'll translate in YOUR room.

The NS10's aren't a great monitor but they are decent. The A7's (also imho ) have more clarity helping you to hear more of what's goin on in the mix.

I learned way after I got rolling in the recording thing that...

#1 in importance is the room.
#2 in importance is the monitors.
#3 everything else.

peace...........Kel

[TimonF]

Well, basically if I go with the NS10s I'll have money left over to treat my room. If I get the Adams, i'll be waiting a while. Also I heard that NS10's need 200 watts per speaker to make sure they don't blow? If thats true should I go with the Alesis RA500 instead?

[Massive Master]

Originally Posted by snellular5

NS10's are some of the most widely used monitors from home studios to professional studios and if your getting them for free hell I'd use em. A lot of people have mixed opinions on them, in the studio I worked in that had em I really liked them to be honest.

NS10's are a popular "little, 'check it on the crappy speakers' speaker" in a lot of studios. They're widely used because they have pretty much the same level of crappiness from studio to studio.

IMO, they're hardly worthy to use as a platform to stack ADAM's on.

That said - (A) Room treatment is awfully important. (B) Room treatment is only going to go so far with NS10's. (C) It's hard to find replacement tweeters for NS10's anymore from what I'm told. I used to keep several spares handy, as they failed somewhat frequently.

THAT said - And this is truly a rough one, as I'm a serious advocate of properly treating a space - But I'd still go with the ADAM's and add trapping ASAFP.

Used NS10's are worth a bundle at this point (for some reason I'll never understand). Take 'em, sell 'em, get some GIK panels or something and then use your shiny new ADAM's in a reasonably treated space.

[TimonF]

Thanks for all the replies. What I think I'm going to do is get the Adams and just get the treatment as soon as I can.

[iownrocknroll]

The Adams are a very nice speaker. They have a lot of detail, so subtle can easly be heard.
When I use NS10s I always make extreme adjustments, especially when monitoring closely.

I like the Adams for close monitoring.
However standing back from NS10s is a different perspective, they always give a "decent home stereo" vipe.

Ever notice how far back hip hop guys sit with there NS10s....like 6 feet back from the 6 feet SSL that they MUST mix on....teheheehehehe

[guido #2]

While I like NS10s for rock music, you said you're recording Hip Hop...
If that's the case, pass or sell the NS10s. You'll have no clue what is going on in the bottom end withe the NS10s.
If I were you, I'd look into something with a subwoofer.......

[BentRabbit]

I have NS10's and Adam A7's in my studio... And use them both depending on particular situations/mixes...

That said, I also have a 10" sub that gets used a LOT more with the NS10's than with the Adams... The Yamahas give no low end to work with which, if you're doing Hip Hop, I would think you will be needing to be able to hear.

Since they're being given to you, by all means snatch them up... Then perhaps, sell them and use the capital for investing in your Adams, a sub, or room treatment. Or, if you ever plan on branching out to mixing other genres, keep them for A/B-ing.

[TimonF]

Yeah, I will probably keep them because I also do other types of music other then Hip Hop. Also, I have a sub I use right now for my M-audios but its a 150 watt home theater sub. Am I just being stupid by using it?

[Massive Master]

Genre doesn't matter. Sub or not, a monitoring chain is either reasonably accurate and consistent or it's not. There aren't speakers that are "better" for one genre or another. It's either reasonably faithful to the source or it isn't.

[CIRO]

Originally Posted by Massive Master

Genre doesn't matter. Sub or not, a monitoring chain is either reasonably accurate and consistent or it's not. There aren't speakers that are "better" for one genre or another. It's either reasonably faithful to the source or it isn't.

[Farview]

Take the NS10's for free and sell them on ebay to help get money for the adams. I sold my yammies a few years ago for $400. (I think that's what they cost new almost 10 year before) That and your amp money will get you a lot closer to the adams.

[thane1200]

Originally Posted by KineticSound

A good power amp, such as an Alesis RA300 can be had for under $300, and could be a nice match for the Yammies. Crown and Yorkville also have decent options.

FYI: If you end up getting the RA300, know that a huge batch of those amps had bad relays in them causing the channels to flicker in and out. A cheap but frustrating repair. I have one and like it a lot but had to replace that defective relay.

[Roguetitan]

Originally Posted by snellular5

NS10's are some of the most widely used monitors from home studios to professional studios and if your getting them for free hell I'd use em. A lot of people have mixed opinions on them, in the studio I worked in that had em I really liked them to be honest.

+1 Damn good Monitors