Adire Rava -- first impressions (1 Viewer)

[DarrenAlan]

First of all, I want to thank Adire Audio for responding quickly once they'd been notified of my delay. The sub shipped 9/8 and I picked it up from the UPS counter last night (they tried to deliver to my house in the daytime but needed an adult signature).

The sub was double-boxed and extremely well packed. This thing is a brute! It is big and it is heavy. If you're considering one, be sure you're ready for a 18" cubed box in your listening room. My wife was none too happy but she'll get over it. The construction quality is very good and I see no reason why this product won't provide decades of dependable service. The red oak finish is very nice, almost furniture grade.

Since I wasn't able to pick it up until close to my 3-year-old daughter's bedtime, I was only able to give it a cursory listen. I turned off my main speakers and let some dance music via digital cable radio play through the sub for about an hour. My wife said the sub playing alone sounded like when you live in an apartment or condo and the neighbors are having a loud party.

Once everyone else went to bed, I switched to some jazz and was very impressed with the quality of upright bass. With just rudimentary adjustments to phase and volume, the sub blended quite well with my KEF Q15 mains and added just the right amount of weight, depth and solidity to the bottom end. (I will do a more in-depth integration this weekend, as well as running a few more bass-heavy tracks to loosen up the goddess Shiva.)

My initial placement (near the lefthand corner of the 23x17 horizontal room) left little bass at my usual listening position. Fortunately, a move to a less obtrusive place not only improved the bass greatly at the listening position, but made my S.O. happier as well. She was just relieved the buzzing from my PDR-10 was gone!

I'll report back with more in-depth findings once I get the sub dialed in better. Really seems to be a stupendous product considering the $399 retail price.

 

[Wayne Ernst]

My wife said the sub playing alone sounded like when you live in an apartment or condo and the neighbors are having a loud party.

Sounds like the "fountain of youth" - Party on !!

 

[DarrenAlan]

More impressions:


Got a chance to run in the sub a little more yesterday before wife & child arrived home.

-Police, "Synchronicity," tracks 9 & 10
-Strauss, "Thus Spake Zarathrustra," opening (otherwise known as "2001: A Space Odyssey" theme
-Holly Cole, "Train Song"
-U2, "Joshua Tree"
-Shaggy, self-titled, Track 1
-DTS opening sequence from "Chicken Run"

Ran the music with the "A" speaker button depressed so only the sub received signal, then would push the button in to see how the whole musical spectrum sounded. Got the Shiva driver to bottom out once, at a very high SPL and volume setting, to the DTS opening sequence.

After about 45 minutes, I just started listening to music. Bass was tight, fast, yet deep and rock-solid. It was also surprisingly to integrate, even without the benefit of a sound meter and setting levels. (I didn't have time for that but plan to do so this weekend or next.) The Rava added just the perfect amount of weight and depth to music, especially jazz, without being overbearing. Not one hint of boominess, even when the sub was turned up too high -- you just got too much bass, as if the rest of the band was 40' away and the bass player was standing right next to you.

The Rava shook my room so much so that I had to put some sorbothane pads I'd purchased for another use under each corner of the sub to isolate it from my suspended wood floor. The windows rattled, pictures shook, even the plastic case of my Panny 47WX49 RPTV was vibrating! Yikes!

For $399, the looks, finish, build quality and sound of this unit is really very impressive. And while it might not pump out the total SPLs of a ported unit, its output is plenty enough to set things in motion.

Overall, I am very pleased so far.

 

[Jeff Aguilar]

I had a feeling you would be pleased with your purchase. I know that you know this, but make sure you set that thing up properly with a sound meter before you push it too much, you don't want it bottoming out.

I am glad that you are enjoying your new sub. I really do not know of another sub for $399 that looks or sounds as good as the Rava. Enjoy your bass.

Jeff Aguilar