Adam Audio T8V vs Yamaha HS8 || Sound & Frequency Response Comparison

Yamaha HS8 on amazon DE: amzn.to/3cGTR6t
Yamaha HS8 on amazon UK: amzn.to/32Zi2IO
Yamaha HS8 on bhphotovideo: bhpho.to/32ZFo17
Adam T8V on amazon DE: amzn.to/3caGZWr
Adam T8V on amazon UK: amzn.to/2ZOz246
Adam T8V on bhphotovideo: bhpho.to/2ZP9Jz5
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All the tracks used in this video can be found here:
• Test Tracks
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-Sound recorded using pair of SE Electronics SE8 mics and Zoom H6 recorder
-Frequency measurements done in semi treated room using UMIK-1 microphone
-Levels matched using SPL meter
-All tone controls set to neutral

[@DSAUDIOreview]

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[@kubiiiik]

waited for so long for this comparison ! and now...I am not able to choose :D

[@runnningonempty]

Thats a good thing,Find the less expensive option.

[@keysbymo944]

Same boat. What you end up going with?

[@keisaboru1155]

@@keysbymo944 OMG i dnt know what to choose . the mid of hs8 vs overall t8v T.T . they sound kinda wierd with the bass the t8v

[@keysbymo944]

@@keisaboru1155 made up my mind. I'm going with the T8v for my room. I have a pair of MixCubes for mid-range that translate excellent. The HS7's I had were almost useless and redundant. The T8v's should give me the Low-end i've been missing since I got rid of my old 8" set, and that exaggerated 1k and 4k that i've been overdoing on mixes with my HS7's.

[@keysbymo944]

@@keisaboru1155 Just got my T8V's and i love them. They are perfect for my 10x11' room

[@monovision566]

This is remarkable. So much variance between their 5s and 7s, but at the 8s, they both nail the same mark.

[@tranceporter6176]

In the future, can you please play the same part of the song on a loop for each speaker and also the source, so that the comparisons actually make sense ? ... also it would help if the loop had a musical length like 4 or 8 bars long so we can anticipate the change ... thanks!

[@flowerdoodle2438]

THIS! ⬆️ 💯

[@intrascendente]

Really, really close… but the T8Vs sound a little (but so little) more detailed, IMHO. Thanks for this comparison

[@masonwilliams1810]

More technical, I think the HS8’s sound warmer

[@spicecrop]

@@masonwilliams1810 Only because they sound like they have a blanket over them. The Adam Audio are much more defined in the high end and low end.

[@max-pd3oo]

@@spicecrop strange but in my headphones yamaha clearer than adam

[@gibby3350]

This is about what I expected, the Adams sound very similar to the HS8 but with a little clearer high end. At a lower price, I see no reason to not get the Adams, they are sooooo good!!! I have the T5Vs and they sound INCREDIBLE!

[@OMPTraxxs]

The question is: are the highs at the Adams correct and at the Yamahas to low OR are the Highs to much at the Adams and at the Yamahas correct ?

[@defailers]

Finally! Battle of the kings

[@Subholik3]

yessss XD

[@yellowflash7303]

And the same price: ADAM EUR 262.-- / Yamaha EUR 259.-- (per 30.11.2020)

[@Kogaion78]

@@yellowflash7303 to me Y. is 300e and A. 500e!.......cannot find cheaper......

[@thebandcordero]

On Sweetwater, currently, in the US Adams are $329.99 and Yamaha’s are $374.99

[@Shrebina-kq4cs]

kings :-))))))))))))))))) yeah, ok

[@carnalcarnivore]

T8V has black woofer, HS8 - white.

[@lukeevans6437]

[@Banzai431]

Oh man. Through youtube, and through headphones... They sound almost identical. Really speaks for the expertise of the engineers and designers and Yamaha and Adam.

[@SergePavlovsky]

lol. they sound identical because it's your headphones sound, not they

[@steverix8181]

Firstly, this is a great comparison and has helped me pick between these two, thank you for work on this. I've listened to this a few times and whilst I appreciate some in the comments are saying they are similar; I'm going to disagree. Listen with a pair of decent headphones and there is a noticeable difference between these two monitors. The T8V sound a lot brighter, which I'm not so sure is a benefit if the desire is a neutral sound. I can also hear a lack of detail in the mids to highs on the T8V, it sounds almost scooped in comparison, it’s more obvious especially on vocal and the guitar tracks. I'm guessing it's down to the ribbon which isn't able to cover as wide frequencies as the HS8 dome tweeter. I've purchased a pair of matched H8S.

[@moy2010]

I have read so many reviews where these two are compared, but your comparison is more straight forward: The Yamaha's have a warmer sound, but the ADAM T8V have a clearer audio and better response in the low and high frequencies. I'm definitely going with the ADAM T8V.

[@humwhatever185]

Geez, they're close, really close. That's a good sign though. It seems like you could eq them ever so slightly to sound like the other one. But if you say that the yammy's are better, I'll get them! Thank you very much for this vid!

[@Cody_OConnell]

wait did he actually say they're better?

[@PumpkinSeed17]

Amazing video! Much better than the prior video I watched comparing these Yamahas and JBLs. The stereo image is better and the Yamahas don't sound as shrill as they did in that other video, and sound nearly identical to the source! Listening with my AKG headphones, the Adams sound ever so slightly more punchy and deeper in the bass. The upper range sounds nearly identical to me. Thank you!

[@lisan_al-ghaib]

It's not that the T8V has a smiley curve like some say, it's because the bass response and high end is better than the HS8 that's why people are saying that. The HS8 sounds a bit mid-rangey only because the T8V has a better bass response and high end. That's just a matter of perspective. I still think the high end on the T8V (at least according to this video) is just a class above the HS8 and that's something that can't be replicated with EQ correction.

[@glaucosalmazio9647]

Awesome comparaison !! I'm getting new 8" monitors in a very near future. Its a very tiny difference but seems that adam has a more round sound where the Twitter and the speakers meet, therefore more homogeneous. I would love to see a comparaison between this adam one vs the Presonous R80.

[@bensherwood777]

I was looking forward to this and now I can't tell them apart! There's little or nothing separating these. Really. Perhaps the Adams have a slight better definition on the high end. But then I prefer the Yamaha on the classical piece and acoustic instruments (which sounds like a contradiction). Thank you for the review!

[@Alex.R.O.P]

Just listen to one instrument at a time. (For anyone that can't tell)

[@keysbymo944]

The SPL graph shows exactly what I think of the few Ribbon tweeter monitors I've heard. Their exaggerated "presence" in the 4-6k range makes our brains perceive them as "better." The real question is how accurately do they translate to common and popular listening setups?

[@DescartesRenegade]

Exaggerated or more clarity? Nearly everyone who comments on the ribbon Tweeters says they reveal more clarity. Now Klipsch's have exaggerated high end.

[@mladenjurosevic9904]

Ribbon tweeters make a huge difference! :P

[@certifiedbeatz]

This is what I have been looking for for 3 reference monitors since I can't listen at stores.. like guitar center which don't carry them in my area.. 👍 job subscribed

[@luffer.oficial]

Toda mi vida esperando este video

[@testowykana1763]

Ok, from my observations: Adam T8V have more of a "smiley curve" sound to them, and they seem to reproduce low level details like reverb tails better than Yamahas. They also reproduce transients very well, but they sort of "change" the attack and decay of the sound so it doesn't sound like the original recording. Yamahas reproduce the transients more naturally, and have more midrange. But to really be able to tell which monitors are better, I would have to hear them in real life.

[@prichina]

By the graph, in the midrange the Adam's wave has much higher db, actually. It's just that, the Yamaha's has less pronunciation in the higher ends. it feels like they have more mid-range, but they don't, it's not overlapped by the high ends, In a technical sense if you go by the graph, rather by the BOOK, the ADAMs just perform better. But, it does not mean that they are the clear choice, it comes down to what your ear prefer and likes. It's a tricky choice i must confess.

[@edgardomoreno2059]

I think the Yamahas are warmer without losing definition. I found the Adam sound a bit boxy, more defined in mids . I've read great reviews about the Adam but this video makes me think Yahama... thank you

[@OfficialELTB]

My ears can't tell them apart but the Adam look amazing!

[@user-jn6ut4ep2v]

А теперь просим битву PreSonus Eris E8 XT vs Adam Audio T8V. В этой битве однозначно победили Адамы своей детальностью и близостью к оригинальному треку, ямахи мутнее звучат.

[@theenhancer]

Having heard both IRL, the ribbon tweeter of the Adam is so much more gentle on the ear. I found the Yamaha on the shrill side.

[@user-pm9lv3xx3b]

Ты просто глухой, выдумщик, они пели ИДЕНТИЧНО - АБСОЛЮТНО! Слушал в АТН М50 никаких отличий между колонками нет это и показывает спектр АЧХ.

[@HagoAi]

@@user-pm9lv3xx3b irl, geniy

[@runnningonempty]

Thats not shrill...Those are high end sounds you hear in REAL music. cymbals high hats guitar...Not samples..

[@max-pd3oo]

have you listened to them in real life?

[@erikcebokli9585]

The Adams are way more bright than the HS8. And when I used to own a HS8 pair I found them to be too bright for me to translate the mixes the way I wanted.

[@MrAtsguitar]

To me the HS8s sounded closer to the original tracks. The T8Vs sounded like the mids and/or low mids were attenuated.

[@VinnieMoore1986]

Very difficult😬 I say Yamaha=Adam 👌👌👌👌👌👌

[@LaurentDiscShowMan]

Yo creo que es una de las comparativas mas difícil de hacer...yo me quedo con el Adam..me parece que esta un poco mas equilibrado en todas las frecuencias...bien animo con todas las cosas y vayamos todos con alegrías...

[@j.armijomusic]

The low end on the Adams are really good

[@gallectee6032]

I only notice a high end boost difference which is on the T8V's. It's quite a large one, nearly 5 db. Not overcooking the top end is important and by looking at frequency response graphs it looks like the HS8's are more transparent while the T8Vs have a high end boost. I'd go with HS8s as they're more neutral. Consumer devices will already be boosting low and high end, so with the T8Vs you might produce with the top end a little too boosted which will also be boosted more on consumer devices.

[@gibby3350]

Honestly I’ve heard both in person (although it was the 5 inch not the 8) and the top end sounds much clearer than Yamahas. Plus, since they are ribbon tweeters, it is not overwhelming at all. It is crazy how close they are!

[@DT-yt2zh]

There are one or two places where the Yamaha's might have a little bit more on some upper bass but I'm pretty sure I could differentiate these in a blind test. Save some money and get the Adams!

[@Mstccmanealt]

Have been in studio yesterday and i have listened music on hs8 and t8v and damn they’re almost the same ofc there’s lil bit diff in highs etc. But small. For me Adam cos they’re lil bit cheaper and sound is amazing

[@jegerlyd1443]

I chose the HS8 for it's phantom center. I'm going for a 5.1 setup soon, all with Yamaha HS8. Only thing now is how do I choose a flat sub 😅

[@bhromAustrol]

im very happy with my HS8... really, i chosee them.

[@imixitphatt]

Correction on my previous post. Adams are actually cheaper! Assumed this was not the case because of price point of their other products, but Adams are indeed cheaper. My apologies on that mistake. I stand by everything else I said.

[@baspravisrbin]

HS8 flatter...ADAM better detail... if you are listening this on your headphones..think twice!

[@dedskin1]

far as flatness goes you have the graph they are very similar . You cant say witch one wins . But in your arrogance youve missed the obvious details . Adam goes higher and lower Due to the design , bigger speaker , cut off baffle with a wave guide for a tweeter . So far as classical speaker categories go , Adam wins hands down , and that is exactly why it costs more .More research went in to it , and it is a better speaker . But that tweeter is sensitive , one touch and its gone .Yamaha will work for longer .

[@dedskin1]

@Laputa Mierda where i am , 20-30% more expensive , but its not like its all that important , both are good , more then needed for most producers and good choices , it all depends what one prefers

[@jari121]

Adam sounds more like original track. It's more clear and detailed. Yamaha is little smoother.

[@thanglongliving]

Both are the same but I prefer Adam to Yamaha as ratio 51:49 :) For listening music at home, I would like ADAM T8V :)

[@cesarherediaaguirre4419]

I don't know why everyone leans for the T8V. Ironically, the Yamahas seem to be better for mixing. Listening through my Beyerdynamic DT 700 X PRO they have a more balance sound across the frequency range and wider. You would have to overcompensate the highs for the Adams. But these test are kinda pointless when they will sound different IRL and in your environment.

[@aleksis181990]

Thank you mate. Great work!

[@kayakbandits9894]

So whats the consensus out there folks? After almost a year when this video was made? Im heading to GC to one set of these and need some help. I cant hear a damn difference? So I said if thats the case then go with the cooler looking ones. Well shit- theyre both cool! White woofer or the cool ribbon tweeter. Why God!!!! LOL

[@ltpstan]

I think mixing on the adams would be a better choice. I have the HS7 and always normally i push 5ks and above to get more details out of the sound. In the end, it translates to harsher highs when playing on other sources.

[@ltpstan]

@Laputa Mierda bass response is just slightly extended..

[@keimforeignking]

Adams keeps winning me over

[@firstdreamwalker]

Actually the Adam Audio are way more accurate to reproduce the transition steppness of the low and the high ends. Thats why people falsely might think the Yamaha are better in the midrange!

[@itrema]

it's was hard to choose, i wasn't looking for extra cristal sound or deeper low end, i sufferd from former speakers which colored too much low end ( KRK rokit ), and my mixes were catastrophics. Then i bought the Yamaha HS8, because i wanted only one thing : speakers to translate well my mixes. And it works very well, i'm very happy with them. Now i listen to my tracks on other systems and i don't have problems from the lows to highs. Maybe Adam does the same work, i don't know. Now i have to look for the subwoofer to dig deeper :-)

[@bigbluespike5645]

Mortals is TOP

[@michaelstrode8924]

The ribbon is WAY TOO TINY. Incredible that Adams somehow made it sound so good. Must use a dome in between this tiny tweeter. Or use 5" Adams with a Sub. Both exceptionally designed and sound veey goid. Can easy own and enjoy either pair. Excellent comparisons. Best youtube channel for this by far. Great setup🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@gaborbiro815]

3 months ago I bought a set of T8Vs. The other option I was thinking about, was the HS8, and since then, I was allways wondering, if I made the right choice.... A week ago I managed to compare the two sets, with a 4 output sound card (so I could change wich one was playing with a push of a button). I was really nervous to try them out as I thought that the yamaha might be better.... But maaaaan I'm sooooo happy that I have choosen the T8Vs, as I absolutely hated the HS8. In fact it sounded so bad (at least for me) that I just do not understand the hype around the HS8. For my ears and taste, Adam was way better in every possible way....

[@tranceporter6176]

"in every possible way" ... in which way ?

[@hanzen5174]

still happy with the t8v`s? interesting to hear two speakers relatively so similar to each other, but people with real world experience saying thay are worlds a part. you are not the only one who have the impression hs8 give some ear fatigue

[@gaborbiro815]

@@hanzen5174 Yes, I still love them! When I got them, I was blown away by the clarity and precision, as this was my first set of studio monitors. But as time passed, I started to hear things I really did not like. I was sure it's all about room acoustics, so after competely rearrangeing my furnitures at least 5 times, i think I managed to find the perfect position for them, and I just really really love the way they sound. The only thing I hate about it, is that is has quite a loud hissing noise....

[@hanzen5174]

@@gaborbiro815 have an class d amp myself which is similar. I turned it down to the hissing was minimal and the signal into it up. that is not always possible ofc

[@havocpidgeon6839]

Please play some bass heavy trap

[@WaterRiver777]

On gang

[@runnningonempty]

then just buy the jbl's.save some money

[@imixitphatt]

Both are lovely, but as these are really meant for mix engineers, the Yamahas have the edge in that the mid-range content is more aptly represented, thereby helping the mixer avoid too much mid-range clutter and discomfort to the listener of said mix. The adams do have a lovely sounding high-frequency, but sounds a tad hyped and mid-range a bit scooped, which doesn't help me avoid issues of too much mids and not enough highs in a mix. Of course price point of Yamahas will make those scrapping money together to get their setup happier and not at any meaningful disadvantage for choosing over the Adams. Adams do sound pretty though, and if they're for enjoyment purposes, choose what you prefer with your ears.

[@ponzo9296]

Well said 👍

[@96szilder]

wow, I love the Yamaha. it's very pleasant to listen to it, and it's very accurate, too

[@Subholik3]

here comes the god level

[@albertmanzo9510]

Very good sound stage comparison with all the monitors...

[@keisaboru1155]

i just realised . if the mid is too vage for you, you can always take your headphones and fix stuff . thats easy .

[@TM-ju1lb]

If you're looking for something cheaper than the Adam A8V or Alpha Evo 80, I think the Pioneer VM-80 is by far the best choice. Try it without any preconceptions.

[@rehansamuel]

What's best for mixing with acoustic stuff Eg-Acoustic drums,bass ,guitars etc

[@mariolignini1512]

"Gold8" or "HS8" for nearfield/midfield listening??

[@vectragt2310]

Very similar! Would go for the Yamaha probably.

[@hailongli1532]

T8v is better than HS8 in both high frequency and low frequency, and its sound positioning is more accurate

[@boristaskov1369]

Damn..hard choice, but Adam maybe have little much clear sound.. and more bass . What a price of 2nd?

[@Weirdbloke1]

Very good video, thank you for your work. I hear a bit more lo mid on the Yams, bit more width on the Adams. But the question for me is, which is closer to the original?

[@samuelebarbiera1075]

can you make ADAM T8V vs presonus e8 xt please?

[@runnningonempty]

Not even worth it..These 2 are much better and the little amount of money you save its stupid..

[@chadjay3229]

E8 XT vs T8V?

[@Minimalici0us]

I was wondering the same

[@okan1151]

HS is a bit soupy in the low end. Adama are a bit scooped but cleaner over all.

[@SJ23982398]

My Sennheiser HD650 ends up winning all of these with the source track.

[@suneefilm]

Adam are superb on human voice, its ribbon type win over traditional twiter. however yamaha's low driver delay is well controlled. so if you wan to listen for more rock, low frenquency choose yamaha, Myself will have adam I like the middle range.

[@Noddytheblackgod]

If you want speakers for listening music then it is adam, but if you want to make music the hs8

[@djkapa7226]

Pls also play hip hop, trap etc

[@saepiole]

Adam has tight bass and yamaha has crisp highs

[@vincentlabating211]

To my ears the Yamaha is better with the instrumentals but with the tracks that has vocals the Adam wins. We always mix tracks with vocals right so the Adam overall.

[@THX-jm6rm]

Hard choice ! Quiet difficult to isolate each one from the other. A slightly preference for the HS8 who are really stunning.

[@ehdyn]

Amazing how close these sound using completely different technology

[@Joseph-Lau]

They sound very similar to me, both have very good balance tonal characteristic, either one will be great. Well, the Adam has a little darker mid tone than Yamaha, isn’t? Adam also has more solid sound of violin when playing Bellissimo. That’s deal breaker to me, a classical musician.

[@MarioGoneri]

I agree on that. Violin in Adam is amazing.

[@jacekcwik]

Very nice comparison, however far from perfect. Your songs have many inside variations - and this is the reason why the speakers sound the same in one spot and different in the other. This also applies to speaker-original track connections. You NEED to make CUTS in perfectly the same sounding parts of the song. Otherwise these comparisons are not reliable.

[@doug753]

yamahas are smoother, never thought i'd say that

[@saki-gavidi9026]

Great video...The yamaha mid range is warm and not so translate,but nice low end.Adam mid range is very translate but reasonable low end.Both the best right now..I use Yamaha..

[@michaelhack3347]

How did you create the 3 different files (Brand A/Brand B/ Original) for that video?

[@tux4205]

Very hard to choose... I'd go for the Yamaha probably only because of the traditional, lovely white cone woofer.

[@Kingofweastpak]

How about the Presonus R80s?

[@smpiggystudio]

I think HS8 performs better than T8V, the bass of HS8 present the source track well, T8V seems has a bit boost in mid-low. But that just my opinion.

[@webstudius]

Yep )

[@tylerdengler6960]

The T8V seems a bit colored in the high-end where the HS8 seems more smooth and flat that the bass seems to translate better.

[@han1218]

@@tylerdengler6960 because of the ribbons.

[@WaterRiver777]

That's bc the Adams have a frequency response of 33 hz

[@TWSBofficial]

T8V vs A8X torn between the two.. Or the equivalent 7's. Need to know if its worth the additional money

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

I have the HS80M. What about them vs the HS8? How much better are the Adam's As vs the Ts? Would the Adam A series be a good upgrade from the hs80m?

[@rehansamuel]

A series of Adam is really great But hsM series is the older one right,I say get a focal

[@beneditoalbinodava5792]

Yamaha souded best for me. Why? Gives you a better resolution on the highs, you hear the way the guitar are beeing distorced exctactly the way it is. The adams have more clarity at mid range and tell you less when there is some problems, but the yamaha they tell you immediately whats going on

[@indyawichofficial1346]

Exactly. Yammies reveal, they are able to provide relevant picture of what is going on, so one is able immediately define the problem and correct it appropriately.

[@devrimayer]

fluid audio fx series pls

[@hohloyumor]

What’s better to you?

[@DSAUDIOreview]

Soundwise they are VERY close, but I prefered slightly smoother sound of HS8 a bit more

[@mariolignini1512]

@@DSAUDIOreview and Tannoy "Gold8"??

[@suppenkaschper4686]

amazing thank u so much

[@madalogi2091]

Thank you for your work on these clips. Do you recommend listening to T8V at a distance of ~60cm ?

[@rdolle990]

In this case, choosing between them would really be a case of your own room acoustics.... Low-end is cleaner on HS8, Adam little clearer highs where I find the Adams sounding slightly "boxy" and the HS8's are a bit more open.

[@humwhatever185]

So which speaker for which room ? I'm interested in your opinion!

[@tylerdengler6960]

@@humwhatever185 Smaller room probably for the Adam's and bigger room for the HS8. It's all based on your preference. Each speaker would have the same sound with a little bit of a difference. Both speakers would ideally work with the same room.

[@humwhatever185]

@@tylerdengler6960 okay thx

[@rdolle990]

@@humwhatever185 That is hard to say of course. Does the room boost low end or does the room increase treble? Even rooms with the same shape and dimensions can sound different because of furniture, wallpaper or paint, carpet or wooden floor, windows, curtains and so on. I think it's safe to say at least 20% of the sound character coming from your speakers is determined by the acoustic properties of the room.

[@acid4acid]

Yamaha provides a more natural, consistent sound of mid and high tones. Listen to bellissimo :) and vocals. Yamaha WINS :)

[@dokanyon]

Hi guys im a rookie in audio . I got the Audioengine A5+ and want to upgrade to something better. I don't have a soundcard or card. Are these much better?

[@derricdani]

Hi Digital Stereophony, could you please let me know the music director of "Man on Fire" Sound track...you were using in your videos...This is a humble request..

[@alexg8957]

both great. I lean towards the Yamahas!

[@tottimejdi5820]

too close but adam have more refined hights and cleaner sound

[@Jokestbh]

Adam Audio ALL DAY LONG.

[@Subholik3]

me with adam

[@sandygreenfield1508]

Is anyone else hearing the Yamahas as more trebly despite the freq curve? Feels like I’m hearing that ~12k bump even tho Adams are accentuating the 6-8k region a lot more. Weird. I hear more frequency band separation from Adams…Yamahas a bit more smeared but overall very close.

[@paweszymanski7189]

Adam T8V vs Presonus e8 XT please :)

[@matrixate]

Incredible.

[@starmoonlightt]

I hear more detail on HS8. Silky smooth highs and tight bass.. mid is balance compared to the smaller versions. If i may ask, is the “ear fatigue” issue still exist on HS8? Thank u

[@sterling3387]

yeah it is i’m losing money switching to Adam but it's worth it