ADAM F Series: the ART of affordability

ADAM audio’s high grade studio monitors have traditionally been out of reach for the budget-conscious, but since the 2010 release of the AX series their technology has been available to more professional engineers than ever before. The new F series is ADAM at entry level – consisting of two nearfield monitors (F5 and F7) and a dedicated subwoofer (subF). ADAM say their aim is to focus on the essence of ADAM speakers at a new, lower price point.

The F5 and F7 near field monitors feature a newly designed version of the ADAM proprietary Accelerating Ribbon Technology. These tweeters reproduce the high frequencies with the very airiness, clarity, and detail ADAM is famous for. The high performance woofers are designed to seamlessly integrate with the tweeters’ performance. The subwoofer comes into play whenever deeper and more powerful bass response is required. The subF has been specifically designed to match the F monitors and will perfectly complement them in any set up.

The F models feature a newly designed version of ADAM’s highly acclaimed ART tweeter. Slightly smaller than the X-ART tweeter, it is the next step in this continuous evolution in tweeter design. As the name suggests, the F5 sports a 5” woofer made from carbon and paper and a 25mm voice coil. Despite the size of both the woofer as well as the cabinet, the F5 is capable of an astounding deep yet tight bass response. The F7 contains a 7” midwoofer with a 37mm voice coil, and really shines in both the deep registers and the crucial midrange. Several controls to adjust the monitors to the environment are located on the rear panel of both models: two room EQ’s for both the high (>5kHz) and the low (<300Hz) frequencies as well as a volume knob (-∞ to +6dB).

The SubF is a small yet powerful subwoofer, housing a robust 8“ woofer with an 1.5” voice coil. It is driven by a 150W (rms) ICE Power amp. This amp stays cool while handling maximum power levels, even if they are sustained. In addition to the volume knob, the subF includes a control for the crossover frequency, as well as a phase switch.

In contrast to the earlier A and AX series, ADAM F series controls are all located on the rear panel, giving a smooth, sleek look to the front side of the monitor. The F series is well worth a look for any serious engineer looking for sonic clarity in their monitoring.