We’re going to talk about the Adam Audio A4V 4-inch powered studio speakers today.
Here at Higher Hz, we’re pretty big fans of Adam Audio, and the company has yet to disappoint us with the quality of its goods or the price-to-value ratio of them. Let’s see if the A4V makes us think differently.
Our verdict on the Adam Audio A4V
Even though the A4V might not be the best monitor ever, it’s pretty close to a 4-inch screen.
When you think about what you get for the price, we can’t say enough good things about them. Even more so if your studio is a little bit smaller.
Power and frequency response
The Adam A4V’s frequency response is from 58 Hz to 41 kHz (-3 dB), and its highest SPL at one meter is 100 dB.
The monitor’s usual settings make its overall sound pretty bright, but this can be toned down with the wide filters or by placing it higher.
Overall, the frequency response is pretty flat, but there are a few small differences. Most notably, it peaks at 650 Hz and 4 kHz, and there is a narrow valley at 1 kHz.
You might be able to fix these problems with a dynamic EQ, especially around 1 kHz, which makes the sound less bright in general.
The monitor is great in terms of its dynamic range and power. We didn’t hear much distortion when we turned up the sound all the way, and when we did, it was pretty mild.
Also, because the ports were in the front, we saw a little bit of rejection. Not the most important thing, but we wish they were in the back.
As usual, Adam Audio has made a speaker that works very well. Even more amazing is that they were able to do this with a 4-inch monitor, which is not easy, at least when it comes to power handling.
I/O and control
All factors, inputs, and outputs have been set up well. Everything is on the back panel, and it’s easy to find what you need.
Starting at the top, you’ll see the controls for Room Adaptation, which are joined by a simple graph with LED lights that show where the filters are set.
The rotary knobs on the left let you turn down the bass, midrange, presence, and treble.
Underneath, there is an RJ45 input for the remote control, a rotary control for Voicing Select (Pure, UNR, Ext), and a master volume control (-12 dB to 12 dB).
There are both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA ports on the monitor, and a switch lets you choose between them.
Lastly, the power plug and the On/Off switch are at the bottom of the back panel.
Build quality
The speakers are made well and are fairly heavy for how small they are. The style is pretty good, and the yellow tweeters are a nice touch.
The ports are not on the back of the monitor, which is the only bad thing about the design as a whole. When you put something in the front, it cancels out a little bit and makes more mud.
Compared to other studio monitors
Here are a few alternatives to the Adam Audio A4V speakers to consider. You can also look at our list of the best studio speakers on the market right now.
Neumann KH 80 DSP vs. Adam A4V
Not only are the KH 80 and the A4V about the same price, but they also work about the same. Both are mostly flat, and both are better for flats or other small apartments.
The sweet spot on the Neumanns is a little bit bigger than on the Adams. They also have DSP processing built in, which makes them a little bit more flexible in a wide range of setups and places.
But neither set of panels is a waste of money. You can’t make a mistake with either one.
Focal Alpha 50 Evo vs. Adam A4V
The Focal Alphas are a little bit bigger and a little bit cheaper. It’s not an exact match, but it’s pretty close.
You can’t really go wrong with either of these speakers, to be honest. Both are priced about the same and have a pretty flat frequency response. The A4V has a wider frequency range than the 50 Evo, which only goes from 45 Hz to 22 kHz.
Genelec 8020D vs. Adam A4V
Most people agree that anything Genelec makes is the best of the best when it comes to monitoring sound. With the Genelecs, on the other hand, you might want to buy a subwoofer.
The same is true for the Adam A4V, but they have a little bit more low-end information, so you might not need a sub right away.
Who are the Adam Audio A4V best suited for?
The Adam A4V is best for professional engineers who want high-quality monitors but have offices that are a little bit smaller.
The Adams aren’t perfect, but for a 4-inch speaker, they are one of the better choices you have.
