Adcom 555 or parasound hca1500?

EDUBAG
EDUBAG Posts: 403
edited April 2010 in Electronics
Hello guys,

i would like to know which of these is a better amp overall, and in your opinion which would be better for rtia7, also i can get a pair of emotivas upa1 monoblocks.

Regards,

eduardo
HT:
POLK AUDIO RTI4 FRONTS
CSI3 CENTER
DEF TECH PROMONITOR800 SURROUNDS
PSW 125 SUB
PIONEER ELITE AVR23TXH AVR
APPLE TV 160GB
PANASONIC BLURAY PLAYER
50" PANASONIC PLASMA TCP50C2

2 CHANNEL:
KEF R300 THREE WAY BOOKSHELF GLOSS PIANO BLACK
ROTEL RC 990BX PRE
ROTEL RB 990BX AMP
OPPO DV980 (AS CD PLAYER)
PIONEER PL100 TURNTABLE WITH SHURE MX97E CART
MIT EXP2 SPEAKER CABLES
Post edited by EDUBAG on
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Comments

  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited April 2010
    Never owned the Parasound but the Adcom 555 is a great amp. From what I hear the Parasound is a warm amp so that might match up good with the bright A7's. You can't go wrong with either company.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,249
    edited April 2010
    Asked and answered about 20-25 times. Do a search you'll find lots of info and opinions.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • dudeinaroom
    dudeinaroom Posts: 3,609
    edited April 2010
    I had a GFA-555 and now have a HCA-1000a the Adcom was more forward with the bass, but the Parasound is more refined. The detail in the upper ranges may sound bright or harsh until you realize it's not more treble, just a lot more articulate.
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  • cnoat
    cnoat Posts: 315
    edited April 2010
    I love my parasound.
    Parasound Avc-1800
    Mains-Rti 12 -Parasound 1500a
    Center-Csi5-Parasound 1000a
    Rears-Rti 8-Parasound 750a
    Sub SVS Ultra Tv 12
    Diamondback and King Cobra IC's
    AQ T4 SC
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited April 2010
    Parasound.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,537
    edited April 2010
    I have been enjoying my Parasound HCA-1500A for 8 years now!
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited April 2010
    Another vote for Parasound.
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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited April 2010
    Parasound.

    don't care for the emo sound, bit too forward for Music IMO.
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  • 98Badger
    98Badger Posts: 317
    edited April 2010
    Never owned Adcom, but I prefer Emotiva over Parasound. Owned both of those brands. To me, Emotiva had better controlled bass and let more detail shine through for music.
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited April 2010
    cstmar01 wrote: »
    Parasound.

    don't care for the emo sound, bit too forward for Music IMO.
    98Badger wrote: »
    Never owned Adcom, but I prefer Emotiva over Parasound. Owned both of those brands. To me, Emotiva had better controlled bass and let more detail shine through for music.

    What are you 2 smoking? The 2 amps in question are Adcom & Parasound.

    I loved my Parasound 1500 when I had it & now my brother is enjoying what it does for his LSI 7s.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • 98Badger
    98Badger Posts: 317
    edited April 2010
    cfrizz wrote: »
    What are you 2 smoking? The 2 amps in question are Adcom & Parasound.

    Reread the original post. The OP mentions the UPA monoblocks.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited April 2010
    That's right....I missed that as well.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited April 2010
    Cathy... what have you been smoking? ;)
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
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  • rdb2001
    rdb2001 Posts: 791
    edited April 2010
    I being the new owner of a Adcom 555(thanks lightman aka russ), I love the sound of it. I was using a sherwood newcastle A965 for my Kefs, and the bass was typical Kef, not full. Well the adcom has changed that, and I dont mind listening to them in 2channel without a sub anymore.
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited April 2010
    98Badger wrote: »
    Reread the original post. The OP mentions the UPA monoblocks.

    Whoops! Sorry!:o

    You mean I was actually supposed to read beyond the title? Sheesh you people sure are picky.;):p:D
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited April 2010
    cfrizz wrote: »
    Whoops! Sorry!:o

    You mean I was actually supposed to read beyond the title? Sheesh you people sure are picky.;):p:D

    all good, I read over it too the first time I read it
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  • 98Badger
    98Badger Posts: 317
    edited April 2010
    vc69 wrote: »
    Cathy... what have you been smoking? ;)

    Better yet, why aren't you sharing? :p
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  • anhchungdoan
    anhchungdoan Posts: 760
    edited April 2010
    Kim wrote: »
    I have owned both and I always thought the Adcom GFA-555 sounded a little hard.
    The Parasound HCA-1500 was much warmer and smoother sounding.
    Just my .02 cents...


    IMHO, Adcom is RAW and Parasound is a bit more REFINED. YMMV.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited April 2010
    The Adcom is not raw..it is, in fact, fairly neutral if you have an 'original'. I would not call it a warm amp. The Parasound has more of that. But, to some extent the points are moot...because you can 'warm' up an Adcom and make a Parasound more brittle depending on what you use for a PRE-amp!!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited April 2010
    Brittle? That's a new one.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited April 2010
    Parasound.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited April 2010
    cfrizz wrote: »
    Whoops! Sorry!:o

    You mean I was actually supposed to read beyond the title? Sheesh you people sure are picky.;):p:D

    Me too-- I thought the 555(at least mine) were particularly bright,,I felt that the Parasound was warm,but not bright.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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