Adcom amps any good?

danger boy · December 2002

I"m looking at an Adcom amp to power my center, and rears. does anyone own any Adcom amps? If so, what is your experience with them? More power to your speakers helps them sound cleaner, right? like is the difference between say.. 75w to 150 or 200w, will i notice something more and better from my RT800i's?
thanks

gidrah · December 2002

1 Million forum submissions can't be wrong. People that I've read about either love Adcom or they can afford much more and snubb their nose at it. I've never read a nose snubbing compared to a similiarily priced amp. Polks love power. Or more accurately, Polks love current. The more, the better, but I think 100Wpc or so oughta do nicely.

Ron-P · December 2002

I have 4 Adcom GFA-535, 2-channel amp's rated at 60wpc. Three are bi-amping my mains and center and the 4th powers the surrounds.

I was using a Marantz SR5000 rated at 75 wpc and the Adcoms easily best the Marantz, which is now used as the pre/pro.

One thing I did not need were amps that went into the hundreds of watts, at 60wpc, I cannot max them out as my room is small (9'x16'), so these Adcom's are a perfect fit. I got them to push out 118db's in the Driftwood and they could still go, but my ears could not.

They are great amps, I have yet to have a problem with any of them and the sound they produce is amazing.

Peace Out~:D

danger boy · December 2002

Ron-P, that's where i'm at right now myself. my Marantz SR5000 just ain't doing it it seems. I am looking at the GFA-535. i have heard that it can power the center and both rears. I have two Marantz MA500's for the front mains.. now looking for something to power the center and rears. I was thinking this would be better than having the receiver power them. Hope my thinking is correct here. the GFA-535 i can get for about $200.

DarqueKnight · December 2002

I've been into Adcoms since 1986. I own nine Adcom power amps and one Adcom preamp. Never had one microsecond of trouble or downtime.:D

danger boy · December 2002

cool raife 1, but how do they sound? I understand that they are way under rated.. which is a not a bad thing at all. I've heard that a 60wpc Adcom amp.. usually powers more like a 125amp? can you confirm this?

Anyone else have any amp recommendations for under like $350 to power a center and both rears??
thanks

DarqueKnight · December 2002

danger boy,

I don't have any experience with Adcom's smaller amps. All of mine are and have been the 200 watt and above amps (GFA-555 Mk II, GFA-5802, GFA-5500, GFA-565, and GFA-5503).

They sound great!!! The MOSFET models (the ones with 4 digit model numbers) soound more neutral to me than the bipolar models (3 digit model numbers). The bipolar models lean just a tad toward the bright side.

They last forever if not abused.

mantis · December 2002

dangerboy,
what is it about the Marantz thats not doing it for yeah?I feel your at a crossroads where most of us get 2 after a period of time.You thinking in going with outboard amps could very well help what you feel is missing.I think you mihgt be slightly misguided by needing more power in order to sound better.
Seperate amps don't need to have more power to sound better.More current yes,I'll agree with that 2 an extent.Sound quality gain from going from receivers internal amps to external amps is cleaner power.There could very well be many improvements you can make on your system without spending any money at first.You probably done it before but give us a rundown of your system and maybe I or someone could help you out.
As far as your concerns about Adcom........very good sounding,well sound product.Personally I like Adcom alot.I think they got good punch.

TroyD · December 2002

As far as your concerns about Adcom........very good sounding,well sound product.Personally I like Adcom alot.I think they got good punch

REALLY? In one of your previous posts, you refered to them as SADCOM.

BDT

RuSsMaN · December 2002

Troy, actually I believe liv4chaos wrote that catchy line.

6 of one, half a dozen, etc. . .

Cheers,
Russ

mantis · December 2002

God we can't even talk about amps without starting madness.I should call you guys the liv4chaos brothers.
Sadcom............some people call it that.Personally I like there sound despite what others think of it.

stubby · December 2002

danger boy,

raife1 summed it up pretty well. They have plenty of current and are built to last. I drove my 1.2's with a pair of 545II's for several years and never clipped the amps or the speaker's protection circuit. They can get a bit harsh in the upper frequencies when pushed. I have heard that the 535 was the best sounding of the old series amps. Get one, you'll like it!

Stubby

mantis · December 2002

I'll but it in Russ tems........we are the milk in your coco puffs

phuz · December 2002

Originally posted by mantis
I'll but it in Russ tems........we are the milk in your coco puffs

More like the brown spots on our banannas.

danger boy · December 2002

here is what i have currently. as mis matched as it all may be. so i should be able to work with what i have till i can begin an upgrade. I really can't upgrade anything till some time in 2004. at that time i hope to go seperates.. that's the plan anyway.

Here it is.
receiver Marantz SR5000 70wpc x 5 (high current)
800i's bi wired powered by Marantz mono block MA500 125wpc
400i powered by receiver bi wired too
fx/300i powered off receriver as well
350 sub
one RT1000i (this can go anywhere in the system, got it for $99)
Toshiba SD4700
older Zenith 27" tv.
cables are a mis-match of monster Z and Ixos.
speaker wire is 14 guage Liberty high def similar to monster XP

What is the difference between WPC and current?
I see some amps draw 400watts, is that right?

I guess i'm not happy with my sound right now. or else over time i have become accoustomed to the sound and i'm not hearing it preform all that well. I did add the mono blocks about 8 months ago.. that helped to improve the highs in the fronts a bit. I did immediately take note of how that helped going from the receivers power to the mono block's increase in power.

Guess the mono blocks are cleaner, etc. My main problem is i don't feel like i'm getting good clean highs, and mids from any sources anymore. I have checked all the drivers in all the speakers are working. Tonight, i was watching satellite off the dish network. and it sounded very muddy. I guess maybe that isn't a very good example. This morning i was in the mood to watch something intense and put the old system through it's paces. So i stuck in Lord of the Rings. While it has plenty of volume.. the sound is lackluster or muddled to me. The receiver is from 1999, all parts were purchased new, the receiver is the oldest thing.

this is my thought, as wrong as it may be. I'm thinking if my receiver had the 192/24 or 96/24 DAC's it would certainly clean things up. I"m sure my 1999 SR5000 does not have those DAC's. I do get pretty acceptable sound while playing and listening to DVD-audio music using the 6 analog RCA inputs. To me that is about the only source i am happy with the way it sounds.

I guess, the least expensive way would be to begin replacing the interconnects so they all match..and of the same caliber. That i could do on the cheap side.. if I replace one or two every month.. instead of shelling out $$$ to do them all. I understand the importance of good well make cables and interconnects.

Sometimes i have to crank the treble on the receiver to get any clear enough sound in the highs... i did notice this from the moment I got the receiver. It was a big improvement over my 10 yr old Pioneer. But I did have to set the treble to about 3 o'clock and the bass at about 12 or 1 o'clock.

Any tweaks or inexpensive "fixes" i may try will be greatly appreciated.

other useful info. My room is small. 10x12. extremely low ceiling, 7ft. it's got carpet over cement on the floor. On the walls are 1" thick pine paneling (not my choice) but it looks cool.

Finally, i'm guess i'd be happy if I could just find a way to bring out a little more brightness in my system. Not much... just a tad from the fronts. I used to have KLH towers and they were way to bright. with this same set up.. so I'm thinking it's not the receiver.. but the 800i's that are holding back on me.

thanks, y'all !

George Grand · December 2002

While it may have been the least powerful of the original line-up (GFA-535, 545, 555), the ORIGINAL 535 was regarded as the best "sounding" of the three. I can't remember if it held true for follow-ons (GFA-535 II). Whoever said love or hate in a previous post was right.

Around 1990 or so, I was buying Adcom stuff direct from Adcom, through their senior service tech (who is a good bud, now at Onkyo). I bought a brand new GFA-555 for myself ($212), and a GFA-535 for a navigator friend. He was delighted. I HATED the sound I was getting. At the time I was driving 4 Polk RTA 11t's by way of a Dynaco Quadaptor. My amp was a Carver M4.0t at 375wpc/8 ohms. I wanted to see about all the hooplah the 555 was making in the audio press. Calling it a Krell killer and stuff like that. Well, compared to the big Carver, the Adcom mid and top end were real grainy to me. I got it out of my system pretty quick and eventually sold it (kick myself in the zorch for that now).

Bob the nav, bought a pair of those RTA 11t's off me in 1992, and drove them with the 535, through an Adcom GFA-560 pre/processor for many moons. The 535 was bench tested by my friend Don at Adcom before he shipped it to me. It clipped at 78 watts/8 ohms, making it one of your more powerful 60wpc power amps. Don said that measurement was typical of the model.
The reason I didn't get too much exposure to Bob the nav's amp, was prior to buying my RTA 11t's, he was using original Bose 901's. I like Bob a lot but I couldn't go over and listen to that ****. He bought those things new in 1968 on the Japanese island of Okinawa for $399/pair. When he bought my Polk's (1992), he asked me to sell the Bose'. Took about a month, but I found a lover for those things (ORIGINAL 901's. Not a Series II.), and handed Bob $400. Listened to them for 24 yrs, and aside from the freakin' damage to his ears from those overrated honkers, it didn't cost him a thing.

I would like to have the 555 NOW to drive the woofers in my AR-9's. I think that amp at 350wpc/4 ohms would be good, seeing how the woofer section dips to 2 ohms sometimes, and the grain in the mids and highs would be of no concern. Right now I'm driving them with an Onkyo that is about 180wpc/4 ohms, but this Onk is TWICE the weight of a 555. Believe me.

There you go. ORIGINAL 535's have best sounding cult status, and they can do 78wpc before the wings come off.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

danger boy · December 2002

George, great post guy. I knew someone out there in Polkie land could set me straight on Adcom and amps in general. I have so many more questions. Like I said before.. I wish audio was a mandatory course in high school.

I"m trying to learn as much as I can right now.. so that the next component i add to my system.. will be a good smart decision..and not one that I would regret in a short time. I have a lot to learn in terms of amps, wpc, current, etc.

I was looking at the Adcom 535 and 2535 was the other one. I would really like to add the Marantz 5 channel amp, but can't afford it. SO i am looking for a less expensive used Adcom or Onkyo amp.. open to other suggestions, but it has to be on the cheap side. for me. A decent two channel for under $400 total is where i'm looking at.

George what is meant by clipping? I've heard that term used before. Is that the point where it begins to distort? when you get distortion, are you reaching the limits of the speakers or the limits of the amp? Hence causing distortion?

I'd really like an amp in the quality of Carver, Krell, Rotel, Integra.. but i'm afraid those are well out of my price range. I may, just go ahead and buy the remaining three Marantz mono blocks and go that route.

thanks for your help George.

bye, Al

George Grand · December 2002

Your own explanation of clipping is right on the money. The amp reaches the end of its ability to ACCURATELY reproduce the incoming signal. It still tries to amplify that signal, but falls short of the mark. It "clips off" the top of the waveform (as seen on an oscilliscope). Clipping=Distortion=Do it long enough and constant enough and you lose tweeters. This is how you can hurt a loudspeaker with too little power.

I would shy away from 5 channel amps for one reason alone. If anything goes wrong with one channel, the four others are going to accompany it to the repair shop.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

Ron-P · December 2002

There you go. ORIGINAL 535's have best sounding cult status, and they can do 78wpc before the wings come off.

Needless to say, that brought a smile to my sleepy morning face.

I would shy away from 5 channel amps for one reason alone. If anything goes wrong with one channel, the four others are going to accompany it to the repair shop.

Exactly why I went with separate amps. I was also warned that (depending on the amp) preformance can suffer due to the fact you have 5 amps sharing one power supply.

Peace Out~:D

danger boy · December 2002

ahhh.. makes good sense guys. The mono blocks work well for me.. i just need to score three more. they pop up on ebay every once in a while. i went with Marantz so it would mate well with the receiver.

Got another question. How do I hook up the mono blocks so that it receivers a video signal from a source.. so that it will turn on remotely, when it senses a video signal? Does anyone know anything about the d-bus remote for Marantz receivers?

thanks, again

Adcom amps any good?

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