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ADAM Audio D3V Black, first opinion vs IK Multimedia Micromonitor
I expected much more from these speakers. I own the iLoud Micro Monitor, and when my son wanted something similar or slightly better, the reviews for the D3V sounded convincing. Once the speakers arrived, however, the experience was not what we hoped for.
In most music, the D3V feels tiring to listen to, and the bass lacks the deep, controlled low end that the Micro Monitor delivers. The Micro Monitor is not perfect either; its bass can lose strength or distort at higher volumes. But at normal listening levels it sounds balanced and enjoyable, especially considering its size. With the D3V, only a few tracks actually sound better, and even then the improvement is small.
The D3V clearly has more power, but that extra power doesn’t always help the sound. In many songs it makes the presentation harsher and less pleasant. The room is untreated, I’m using the USB‑C digital input, and although I’m not a trained musician, I’ve been in the hi‑fi world for many years. I hope these speakers improve after break‑in, because if this is their final character, they don’t justify the higher price compared to the Micro Monitor.
Gaming performance was also disappointing. In ARK, creatures like the T‑Rex and Giga sound thin and small, almost like a little Raptor, which is a big downgrade from how they sound on the Micro Monitor.
We will continue testing after the break‑in period and will also try the analog inputs with a better audio interface. I’ll update my impressions once we have more results.
In most music, the D3V feels tiring to listen to, and the bass lacks the deep, controlled low end that the Micro Monitor delivers. The Micro Monitor is not perfect either; its bass can lose strength or distort at higher volumes. But at normal listening levels it sounds balanced and enjoyable, especially considering its size. With the D3V, only a few tracks actually sound better, and even then the improvement is small.
The D3V clearly has more power, but that extra power doesn’t always help the sound. In many songs it makes the presentation harsher and less pleasant. The room is untreated, I’m using the USB‑C digital input, and although I’m not a trained musician, I’ve been in the hi‑fi world for many years. I hope these speakers improve after break‑in, because if this is their final character, they don’t justify the higher price compared to the Micro Monitor.
Gaming performance was also disappointing. In ARK, creatures like the T‑Rex and Giga sound thin and small, almost like a little Raptor, which is a big downgrade from how they sound on the Micro Monitor.
We will continue testing after the break‑in period and will also try the analog inputs with a better audio interface. I’ll update my impressions once we have more results.
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A
Fine elements, as expected from ADAM. Build is all plastic but solid enough.
Using the EQ notches in the back feels a bit weird, compared to non-coloring monitors, but I've managed to get a sound I like well wnough.
However, I wanted to bring up one very dumb design detail:
The speakers shut off automatically when there's no signal, and you have to turn them back on... by pressing the extremely sensitive volume knob, thus ensuring that you can never ever keep exactly the same volume level for more than a few hours.
This is frankly bafflingly dumb, but saved them a button in the construction costs, I guess.
Using the EQ notches in the back feels a bit weird, compared to non-coloring monitors, but I've managed to get a sound I like well wnough.
However, I wanted to bring up one very dumb design detail:
The speakers shut off automatically when there's no signal, and you have to turn them back on... by pressing the extremely sensitive volume knob, thus ensuring that you can never ever keep exactly the same volume level for more than a few hours.
This is frankly bafflingly dumb, but saved them a button in the construction costs, I guess.
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p
Wow Absolute Clarity!
+ Super compact for this quality and powerful output
+ Excellent for accurate monitoring and mixing and outputs as closely as possible the source instrument or audio
+ Includes coupling pads to be mointed flat on a desk, or using elevated stands (also equipped with coupling pads
+ Various settings catering to an untreated room
+ Doubles as a speaker for the computer
+ Can be connected via USB-C or TSR cables (USB-C preferred for playback, but TSR for recording/mixing)
- Con: A very hefty price Tag
+ Excellent for accurate monitoring and mixing and outputs as closely as possible the source instrument or audio
+ Includes coupling pads to be mointed flat on a desk, or using elevated stands (also equipped with coupling pads
+ Various settings catering to an untreated room
+ Doubles as a speaker for the computer
+ Can be connected via USB-C or TSR cables (USB-C preferred for playback, but TSR for recording/mixing)
- Con: A very hefty price Tag
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T
Very well made toy!
The overall sound quality for the size is amazing, but they really lack lows, which makes them not very useful for music production if you count only on them.
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V
Great, but…
Great set of speakers for the price. I use them as computer speakers for everyday listening and music production, alongside high-end studio monitors. The detail is solid, and the bass is impressive for their size. However, the biggest issue is a random loud boom or explosion sound that occurs when the computer goes into standby, which is both annoying and disruptive. Aside from that, they perform well overall. Hopefully, this issue will be addressed in future updates.
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K
Solid compact speakers
Obviously sound is a bit lacking due to the size, but if you are tight on space can't go wrong. Punch above their size.
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