help between headoom harbeth and avi ADM9

[shinichi]

I am thinking between the headroom harbeth and avi ADM9 now but i know for sure that i won't have a chance to audition them. Therefore, everyone here is my only hope

can anyone tell me which one is better?

thanks

[Dusty Chalk]

I have zero experience with either, but from what I've read, this is one of those "you can't go wrong" choices -- they both will probably sound very good. (I tend to like Hi-Fi Choice's reviews.)

But..you're talking systems, right? Because the Headroom Harbeth system comes with amps, and the AVI's are active, right?

[Hopstretch]

Plus the AVI's have a built-in DAC. Very low tweak factor, which could be a plus or minus depending on how you roll.

[grawk]

headroom sent me lots of shit for my meet so buy their harbeth setup

[postjack]

headroom sent me lots of shit for my meet so buy their harbeth setup

fuk yeah !!

[deepak]

fuk yeah !!

[grawk]

I will mention that the desktop monoblocks really don't like it when they're connected to the output of an m3.

The m3 doesn't like it either

[n_maher]

[Voltron]

x2 :palm:

@shinichi:

Other than mentioning the fact that when I was a kid many years ago we hosted a japanese exchange student by your name, I was posting because I am curious like others above what your actual choice is between. Option A: Full Audiophile Desktop with HeadRoom Amps and Harbeth speakers for $5,860.80 vs. Option B: digital out from a computer and direct into the AVI ADM9.1 for about $2,200? It might help to answer your question.

Without knowing exactly what you are thinking about, I can say that Tyll Hertsens of HeadRoom has stated that they tested out various high-end active monitors and found them inferior to passive monitors and their class-D amplifiers. Take that for what it is worth, but my more anecdotal experience would be the same and I dearly loved the HeadRoom setup with the Harbeths when I heard it in Florida at CanJam. Factoring in that the ADM9.1s are doing the digital to analog conversion in my assumed Option B and that is another reason why I think you could do better. On the other hand, Hi-Fi Choice and the article by Mario Greppi (whoever he is) suggest that the ADM9.1s are excellent and even better when doing D-to-A for themselves.

[shinichi]

sorry for not stating clearly my goal

I have just bought the audio aero DAC (your advises ).

And right now I only want to buy speakers not a whole set up.

I am thinking that i will connect either AVI ADM9 or the Harbeth to the Audio Aero DAC. However, I have no clue about their sound except knowing that they are both good. Which one is better?

[grawk]

without an amp, the harbeths will sound MUCH worse.

[The Monkey]

I love the Harbeths.

[n_maher]

I lust for the Harbeths. I really, really should have traded my wadia for a pair when I had the chance.

[Voltron]

You cannot "connect" the Harbeths to your DAC because they are passive speakers which require an amplifier. The ADM9 is supposed to be a very good active speaker, which means they are self-powered and have amplifiers built into the speaker cabinets. Seems like you need active speakers and if you are willing to spend the amount needed for the ADM9s then that seems like a good option--the reviews have been good but I have never heard them. You could also try to audition other good quality active/powered monitors that you can access in your area. You can check out active speakers by Quad, Dynaudio, Genelec, Blue Sky, NHT, and others.

Not sure if you can find the ADM9s still, but the ADM9.1 also have a built-in DAC that you do not need since you have the Prima on the way. I assume the ADM9 is cheaper now than the 9.1

[JBLoudG20]

I lust for the Harbeths. I really, really should have traded my wadia for a pair when I had the chance.

[shinichi]

i think you made a very good choice in the Prima SE. if you don't want to get an amp, the AVIs are really your only choice amongst the two, but kind of pointless, since you just bought a very good DAC.

you guy are talking about amp for speaker not for headphone , right?

why is it poinless if i bought the AVI? do you mean that the AVI ADM9 will degrade the sound of the audio aero DAC because of its built-in DAC??