Carver m500t versus adcom GFA555 ???????

doggie750
doggie750 Posts: 1,160
edited July 2012 in Electronics
Who wins? Scratching my head.
Godspeed,
D0661E

AVR:Pioneer Elite SC-07
Surrounds: RTis
2channel:Rti100 (carver driven
Sub:SVS PB12-Plus/2
Dedicated AMPs:Adcom GFA535, 2xCarver 1.5t, Carver m1.0t
Wsrn:Hitachi ultra vision LCD60, 32XBR400
PowerConditioner: MonsterC HTS5100
PS3, Toshiba HD A2, etc: SonySACD/ Panasonic gears DIVX.

MR3LIGION: Polkaudio; GSXR; E46; Reeftank;
Odyclub; Xsimulator; Sony; Zune; Canon
Post edited by doggie750 on
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Comments

  • PreCd
    PreCd Posts: 786
    edited July 2012
    GFA-555 ALL THE WAY!!!!!! WEeeeeeee....

    (Did you guess I own the Adcom?)

    Really I have not heard the Carver but the 555 I have after a tune up sounds really nice. With a good preamp I would be a really happy camper.
    SDA2BTL
    Marantz CD5004
    Adcom GFA-545
    Bottlehead Quickie Tube Preamp
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited July 2012
    Simple answer....

    Whichever one your ears like better.

    Otherwise its too subjective a question.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • hertz9753
    hertz9753 Posts: 310
    edited July 2012
    doggie750 wrote: »
    Who wins? Scratching my head.

    You own both Adcom and Carver amps. Tell us what you think of each.
    AVR-Onkyo TX-NR808
    Front amp-Adcom GFA 555>Polk Audio LSi9's(Vr3 Castle Mods)
    Center amp-Adcom GFA 5400>Polk Audio LSi9 bi-wired(Vr3 Castle Mod)
    Surrounds-Polk Audio F/X500's<Onkyo TX-NR808
    Sub-Velodyne SPL-1000R
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  • doggie750
    doggie750 Posts: 1,160
    edited July 2012
    hertz9753 wrote: »
    You own both Adcom and Carver amps. Tell us what you think of each.

    Sniped me on that one huh.. :)

    As for my CARVERS......they have put a smile on my face. The adcom is for surround application only and haven't really pay attention much on it. Perhaps you can tell me more about your Adcoms........ HE HE HE
    Godspeed,
    D0661E

    AVR:Pioneer Elite SC-07
    Surrounds: RTis
    2channel:Rti100 (carver driven
    Sub:SVS PB12-Plus/2
    Dedicated AMPs:Adcom GFA535, 2xCarver 1.5t, Carver m1.0t
    Wsrn:Hitachi ultra vision LCD60, 32XBR400
    PowerConditioner: MonsterC HTS5100
    PS3, Toshiba HD A2, etc: SonySACD/ Panasonic gears DIVX.

    MR3LIGION: Polkaudio; GSXR; E46; Reeftank;
    Odyclub; Xsimulator; Sony; Zune; Canon
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited July 2012
    Toally different sounding amplifiers. Would all depend on speakers and other gear in the line. Example, when I ran a 555 on my old Vandersteen 3A, it sounded great. Put some polk sda 2.3 on and I thought it got harsh sounding. changed over to a carver or sunfire amp and the 2.3 sounded right but the vandersteen was lacking so, it all depends on the rest of the gear, and your taste in sound. There is no wrong or right answer with this question.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited July 2012
    Synergy is a BXXXh! Generally speaking Carvers are a little warmer than Adcoms. But some people don't like that because they claim the Carvers miss some of the detail that the Adcoms reveal? I couldn't tell you.

    I've heard both amps. And own a couple of Adcoms. The 545 and the 555 (the Nelson Pass versions-earlier units). Both are fairly neutral, detailed and can sound a little sharp on bad source material! They reveal recording and mastering shortcomings but can also put out some solid bass. The Carvers I've heard do NOT include yours but rather the ones that are designed to, supposedly, sound more like a tube amp! They are softer and warmer, perhaps better with some speakers (that tend to be forward).

    As said above. Two very different sound signatures here. Only your ears can decide!

    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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  • hertz9753
    hertz9753 Posts: 310
    edited July 2012
    doggie750 wrote: »
    Sniped me on that one huh.. :)

    As for my CARVERS......they have put a smile on my face. The adcom is for surround application only and haven't really pay attention much on it. Perhaps you can tell me more about your Adcoms........ HE HE HE

    The Adcom 555 has a slight edge in the upper end details compaired to my 5400 on my LSi9's. In the mid and low end the 555 stomps on the 5400.

    I tested both my amps with a H/K 3490 and a Denon DVD-1930CI. I also used the optical out.
    AVR-Onkyo TX-NR808
    Front amp-Adcom GFA 555>Polk Audio LSi9's(Vr3 Castle Mods)
    Center amp-Adcom GFA 5400>Polk Audio LSi9 bi-wired(Vr3 Castle Mod)
    Surrounds-Polk Audio F/X500's<Onkyo TX-NR808
    Sub-Velodyne SPL-1000R
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