Alta Audio Adam Speaker System

Description

ADAM SPEAKERS -

Alta Audio’s Adam epitomizes the perfect blend of style and performance— a three-way floorstanding tower available in Alta’s signature finishes, and custom finishes as well.

An Audiophile Perspective -

The Adam is truly an example of the sum being greater than its parts, the parts themselves being spectacular. The 3rd generation ribbon tweeter used in Adam ensures excellent clarity and dynamics for exceptional upper register output. The Alta Audio-designed wide-band midrange is underhung for exceptionally low distortion and ultra-fast transient response, while its aluminum pole increases dispersion. Rounding out the package is a supremely powerful XTL* Bass (patent pending) woofer, featuring a black anodized cone, heavy duty 6-hole cast frame, low-loss rubber surround, solid aluminum phase plug, and rubber magnet boot.

*Extended Transmission Line — Alta Audio's proprietary technology that applies sonic geometry to tune speaker cabinets as if they are musical instruments, delivering an accurate, fast, and powerful low frequency response.

The Adam is a 3-way design, with a 5.75” 3rd generation neodymium magnet ribbon tweeter, a 6” midrange driver, and an 8.75” woofer. All drivers are made custom to Alta Audio specifications with the midrange boasting an aluminum pole said to increase dispersion.

Alta Audio couples the custom-designed woofer with a proprietary geometric design in the speaker cabinet to deliver at the very least, lower frequency response, named XTL or Extended Line Transmission. It reminds me of the ATL Technology developed by Peter Thomas for PMC speakers. The main concern is with cabinet resonance distortion and although the PMC is heavily stuffed, Alta is much more reserved with its stuffing, so reserved in fact that there is none! In addition, the Adam design looks for a controlled, deeper bass response. Michael Levy’s transmission line leads to a port, making it a “tuned port” speaker.

Designer Michael Levy's comments on the Adam:
 

Our main goal was to get full advantage from the three-way design while avoiding any disadvantages. Alta Audio designs are based on using a ribbon tweeter and our XTL bass technology. The Alec has been very highly reviewed and uses an 8.75-inch woofer with a 5.75-inch pure aluminum ribbon tweeter in a two-way design. What would a similarly sized (but 50% larger in volume) three-way have as advantages?

1. Better image cohesion and detail: This is achieved through centering the design on the midrange where the ear is most critical and where our brain looks for the imaging clues that let us define the size and shape of what we are listening to. The midrange needs to be as fast and as dynamically wide band as possible. We found the best way to do this is to use a full-range midrange and then cross it over well inside its operating range. The 6-inch midrange in the Adam is tuned into its own XTL bass transmission line and has a phase plug. It operates from 50Hz to 20KHz but is crossed over to/from the woofer at 250Hz and is crossed over/into the tweeter at 2.25KHz so that in both cases the crossover does not suffer from any driver limitations in the crossover region. The blending is so well done that the crossover is inaudible, and all sound seems to source from the image of the instrument or vocals. 

2. Smoother, more extended upper midrange and high frequencies: The 5.75-inch ribbon tweeter is in a magnesium housing and uses neodymium magnets for the highest flux density on a pure aluminum ribbon. Crossing it over well within the operating range of both the midrange and the tweeter allows the midrange to match the acceleration of the near-zero mass ribbon for incredibly smooth sound with intimate detail.

3. Intimate detail without harshness or edge:  

Unlike dome tweeters, the secondary resonant point of this ribbon is well beyond audibility, eliminating audible ringing.

4. Incredibly powerful, low distortion dynamic deep bass:

The 8.75-inch woofer on the Adam is very special. Using the XTL bass design and optimized for depth of bass with high power handling, It easily outperforms much larger woofers and subwoofers. Using our patent pending transmission line technology, the transfer of energy from motion to sound is so good that the woofer barely moves while putting out incredibly deep, powerful, dynamic, and well-controlled bass. This is due to the maximum energy transfer of the XTL Bass system, but there is one more important effect. Since the woofer barely moves, it does not contribute any Doppler distortion. 

5. Doppler distortion is minimized in both the midrange and woofer:

Doppler distortion is when the upper frequencies put out by a woofer are modulated by the lower frequencies' motion making them pitch slightly higher in frequency when the woofer is moving toward the listener, and slightly lower in frequency when it is moving away, giving the sound a slightly warbling sound. The XTL system stops the woofer motion and eliminates the Doppler distortion.

6. Bass extension:

Another positive effect of XTL bass is that it does not decouple with the woofer below resonance, thus greatly extending the depth of response. The Adam will perform to well below audible frequencies.

REVIEWS -
 

Audiophilia: "From my perspective, the Alta Audio Adam loudspeaker is the “gentle giant” of the Statement Series; a significant achievement at $18,000/pair. Handsome and stately looking, it exhibits a powerful but intimate presence, with warmth, clarity,  timbral accuracy, detailed smooth high-ends, tremendous bass, and a true-to-life-size soundstage that can be enjoyed even if not sitting in a sweet spot. It also appears to be less sensitive to its positioning in a room than one would expect. Very highly recommended." - Karl Sigman

Hometheaterhifi: "For my space, the ALTA AUDIO ADAM exudes a warm tone, well-balanced bass, and crisp-edged highs. They are quite outstanding. 

"There comes a time in every reviewer’s mind – do I like this enough to make it permanent in my system? The bass response, the level of detail, and resolution through the midrange in the Adams to me say yes. They just “match” my system very well and I would be happy to have them permanently."

Likes:

• The rich, warm, yet clear sonic signature
• Extended, tight bass
• Beautiful finish

Would Like To See:

• Nothing of note

Stereophile: "Right now, these are the speakers I'd consider most if 20 grand were burning a hole in my pocket." - Rogier van Bakel

The Absolute Sound (AXPONA Show Report 2022): "Alta Audio, of Huntington, New York, clearly believes in their new Adam floorstander—they were playing in four rooms at AXPONA 2022. The 96-pound loudspeaker employs a 5¾** ribbon tweeter, a 6** wideband midrange, and a proprietary variant of a transmission line to assure articulate bass from a single 8¾** woofer. The Adams’ front baffle is made from a multilayered, multi-density material of the company’s invention called DampHard, which the manufacturer claims allows for a reduction in the amount of internal padding needed inside the box. Piano bass was taut and deep with my new favorite chamber music recording, clarinetist Anthony McGill accompanied by Gloria Chien in the two Brahms Clarinet Sonatas on the Cedille label. The scaling of the two instruments was exactly right." - Andrew Quint

Stereophile (Pacific Audio Convention coverage): Infigo pairs with Allta Audio - "Let's start with the music. On Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's RCA Living Stereo recording of Rimsky-Korsakoff's Scheherazade, the solo violin's sound epitomized beauty of tone. Smoothness was the system's strong suit, dwarfing (in this room) layering, detail, dynamics, and grandeur.Then again, sound on a 16/44.1 file of Chabrier's España was the most liquid of anything I heard at the show up to midday. "Absolutely the right timbre and sound quality for this music," I wrote in my notes. Equally impressive was the beautiful guitar sound on a 24/176.4 transfer of the Mercury Living Presence LP of The Romeros playing Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez. The sound was superb." - Jason Victor Serinus

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - 

Frequency Response:20Hz to 47kHz

Sensitivity: 91.5 dB / 2.83 Volts @ 1 Meter

Impedance: 4 Ohms

Height:41 inches

Width: 8.5 inches at top, 15 inches at bottom

Depth:14 inches at top, 18 inches at bottom

Requirements: 50 to 300 Watts per channel

Weight: 96lbs