I compared them to uncoated D'Addario 10/47's that I fitted on a guitar only a few days before, because they are de facto the standard. Both sets have the same freshness and scale length, so the comparo is fair. The Adamas set has a slightly more metallic tone, but not cold, and its harmonics at the 5th, 7th and 12th frets are somewhat less loud and a tiny bit less chimey, and that might be due to the coating.
Both sets have the same feel when fretting the notes, and when doing bends. I did four or five bends on each strings, and the tuning was just as stable with both brands. The loudness and feel of hammer-ons is the same.
Scratch noise is lesser with the 1717NU set, the competitor is a little rougher in that regard, but only by a very small amount.
So, overall, the D'Addario confirm their reputation for a warm sound, but they do lose some crispness in the long run. The Adamas should retain it for a longer time, I will post an edit in a few months or weeks when the two sets are worn a bit. First impression is very good, D'Addario is better by a small margin when brand-new, but Adamas should keep its perfomance over a more extended time. We'll see.
