Better amp for rti a7

hawk4
hawk4 Posts: 27
in Electronics
I have an opportunity to get 2 different amps. One is a b&k 4420 and the other is an adcom gfa-555ll. The adcom is about $70 cheaper. Which would pair better with my a7's. Will be used mostly for movies but some music as well.
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    Either would do a fine job.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    Owning several Adcom amps I'm an Adcom fan, however if given the choice I would spend the extra $70 and get the B&K.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • hawk4
    hawk4 Posts: 27
    xcapri79 wrote: »
    Hasn't this question been asked before?

    I have asked for an amp recommendation before. Now I have a chance to get one of these two and wanted to find out which one given the choice would be the best long term before I commit to one. Sorry if you don't like me asking again. Didn't know there were thread police. Thanks for all the replies.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,966
    B&K hands down....
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    edited October 2015
    I have the same B&K Reference 4420. It's been on 24/7 for the past few months I've had it and its been solid powering my RTA-12Bs @ 350 watts. I'd recommend it. How much are they asking?
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • hawk4
    hawk4 Posts: 27
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I have the same B&K Reference 4420. It's been on 24/7 for the past few months I've had it and its been solid powering my RTA-12Bs @ 350 watts. I'd recommend it. How much are they asking?

    That's good to hear. He's asking $350 for it and says its in good condition and willing to audition it for me.
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  • jeremymarcinko
    jeremymarcinko Posts: 3,785
    Don't wait too long. :)
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    hawk4 wrote: »
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I have the same B&K Reference 4420. It's been on 24/7 for the past few months I've had it and its been solid powering my RTA-12Bs @ 350 watts. I'd recommend it. How much are they asking?

    That's good to hear. He's asking $350 for it and says its in good condition and willing to audition it for me.

    I'm not saying the amp isn't worth $350, it is, but just for reference I paid $225 for mine. I also paid $225 for a 3 channel 4430 for another forum member here and shipped it to him. He was still under $300 after shipping several states away.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    Adcom makes good quality good sounding amps. I always liked the performance you get when using them no matter what speakers are connected to them.
    However I have also seen many Adcom failures. They tend to break way more then B&K does.
    B&K is my favorite amp company in that price point meaning brand new stuff. When they where in business, I tested many different amps , pre's and even receivers vs them and they where always as good or better then everything anywhere near their price points.
    B&K amps are warm punchy and very clear. They are also very dynamic even when pushed to the limit.
    There is no question the B&K IMO is a better amp. Better built better sounding and better overall.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • hawk4
    hawk4 Posts: 27
    edited October 2015
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I'm not saying the amp isn't worth $350, it is, but just for reference I paid $225 for mine. I also paid $225 for a 3 channel 4430 for another forum member here and shipped it to him. He was still under $300 after shipping several states away.

    Thanks for the reference. Was able to negotiate a bit and agree to a slightly lower price than asking. Will be going this week and checking it out and hopefully taking it home.
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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    hawk4 wrote: »
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I'm not saying the amp isn't worth $350, it is, but just for reference I paid $225 for mine. I also paid $225 for a 3 channel 4430 for another forum member here and shipped it to him. He was still under $300 after shipping several states away.

    Thanks for the reference. Was able to negotiate a bit and agree to a slightly lower price than asking. Will be going this week and checking it out and hopefully taking it home.

    I have to chime in on the B&K. I absolutely love mine. They have been solid and reliable performers. Build quality is excellent, and of course they sound fantastic.
    2 channel:
    Bryston 4B3, Bryston BDA3, Cary SLP05, Shanling CDT1000SE with parts conneXion level 2 mods, Nottingham analogue ace space 294, soundsmith Carmen MKii, Zu DL103 MKii, Ortofon MC 20 MKii, Dynavector XX2 MKii, Rogue Audio Ares, Core power technologies balanced power conditioner, Akiko Corelli power conditioner with Akiko Audio HQ power cable, Nordost heimdall 2, Frey 2, interconnects, speaker and power cables, Focal Electra 1028 BE 2, Auralic Aries Femto, Black diamond racing cones, ingress audio level 1 roller blocks, JL Audio E110 with Auralic subdude, Primacoustics room treatments.
    Theater:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    B&K over the Adcom for music. I've loved all my adcom gear but think the B&K would win in this set up.
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  • hawk4
    hawk4 Posts: 27
    Well I picked up the B&K yesterday and all is good. Great condition and I'm very happy so far. Hooked it up and sounds good, much clearer sound, sound effects are amazing, more than I anticipated and right now only have cheap speaker wire and ic's hooked up. Next step will be to get some better cables and the matching CSIa6 center. Will probably go with some Douglas cables. They seem like a great value for the price.
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    Glad to hear you got the B&K, heard nothing but good about them, same thing with Douglas cables sounds like your happy on your choice enjoy.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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