FS: Adcom GFP-750 Pre-Amp

Demon16v

Hi Jay, sent you a pm.
Jon

rebelsoul

How does this unit stack up against the carver c-19

JayCee

Demon16v wrote: »

Hi Jay, sent you a pm.
Jon

Appreciate your interest but have decided to keep it. For anyone else looking, the 750 is no longer for sale. I'll be using it in a secondary system needed to rehab a pair of Genesis II speakers.

rebelsoul wrote: »

How does this unit stack up against the carver c-19

Don't have experience w/the C-19. Not an apple to apples comparison but the closest Carver pre I've owned was the Sunfire Theater Grand III, which I thought was very good @ used prices, but the 750 was clearly (pun intended) better for 2 channel.

Toolfan66

Wyred4Sound’s STP SE is on par for comparison with the 750, as much as I love the 750, and I wish I had kept it, I would give the edge to the STP SE as the better pre, but you are not going to pick up a STP SE for $750-$900 either.

I don’t think the W4S STP SE gets talked about enough, IMO it is there flagship piece, yes even over their DAC 2. I feel their week link in their gear is their Amps, not that there bad but something better would help their other gear shine better. At least Adcom had some good amps to make that 750 shine.

Glad you are keeping it, I feel you would regret it, and if I didn’t have the STP SE I would probably still find myself wanting another one for the office..

JayCee

Did you do the mod's to your 750? Definitely not end-game but the 750 will be paired w/my second modded HCA-1500A for the project rig. Paired for several years and enjoyed them. Have no experience w/the W4S gear but did consider them at one time. I'd also considered Cary when my budget was much bigger and would again if in the market.

My PSA BHK Pre w/BHK 250 are the gold standards in the house and will eventually be used on the Genesis II's when I get them running. The Gen II's are 600+ lbs and my basement is the only place they can live for now. A more accommodating house is in the future.

Toolfan66

No mods in the 750, it was a game changer for me when I fist got it, along with the 5802 it was a step in the right direction, back then both were fairly easy to find, now they are fairly difficult to get your hands on one, especially one that has been well taken care of.

I think about modding the STP SE, and I may do that sometime down the line, it would be a fun project.

Right now I am enjoying my Cary gear, another game changer for me, this may just be it, at least for a while, it would take a great deal of $$$$ to top it I'm sure, but it is nice to have my feet back in the hobby as I truly haven't been in the deep end for a while, refreshing my brain, and getting my learn on about tubes again..

I would love to get my ears on the PSA gear...

I would also kill to move into a more accommodating house, but where we are in this house feels good, we are in a good place right now..

CH46E

I've been very close to owning one. But ended up with a Anthem Pre 2L from @JayCee he had both available. The 750 is still in bucket list.

Navy_Goat

JayCee wrote: »

Did you do the mod's to your 750? Definitely not end-game but the 750 will be paired w/my second modded HCA-1500A for the project rig. Paired for several years and enjoyed them. Have no experience w/the W4S gear but did consider them at one time. I'd also considered Cary when my budget was much bigger and would again if in the market.

My PSA BHK Pre w/BHK 250 are the gold standards in the house and will eventually be used on the Genesis II's when I get them running. The Gen II's are 600+ lbs and my basement is the only place they can live for now. A more accommodating house is in the future.

Curious what you mods you did to the HCA. I have one that I love and I have been contemplating a refresh to give it new life. I have not modded any of my amps, but I did build an AkitikA power amp over the summer so I think I should be up for it.

JayCee

I have 2 and they were both modified by Big Sky Audio (BSA) back in 2012. Unfortunately, Rick, owner/technician is now now retired. Your question has come up several times through the years and this is one of my posts documenting it...

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/2108193#Comment_2108193

I alluded to some things Rick said at the time that I wasn't comfortable posting in public but now think is okay to mention. He/BSA was an authorized Parasound service center and had access to the most recent Halo parts of the time and told me he was using them in the upgrade and, as I recall, I'd get 80-90% of the performance of the newest Parasound models.

BSA's website no longer exists but here's the upgrade page Wayback captured from 2015:
https://web.archive.org/web/20151013081059/bigskyaudiomt.com/index.php?pr=Parasound_HCA1500A

TroyD

rebelsoul wrote: »

How does this unit stack up against the carver c-19

That's a good question......

Having had both......the phono stage of the C-19 is a sleeper giant killer. That said, the are both stellar but different. The Carver is a bit more lush and romantic but both are great to listen to. In either case, you have to spend a lot more money to get significantly better performance.

So, if I HAD to choose, if I could get my hands on a recapped C-19, I'd be a pretty happy camper.

steveinaz

TroyD wrote: »

Hey kids....this is an insanely good preamp. Destination piece.....and trust me, I’ve thought about getting my hoard on.

No joke, probably the best preamp I’ve had here.....by far the best sand preamp for sure.

BDT

EXACTLY. This is classic awesomeness.

Navy_Goat

JayCee wrote: »

I have 2 and they were both modified by Big Sky Audio (BSA) back in 2012. Unfortunately, Rick, owner/technician is now now retired. Your question has come up several times through the years and this is one of my posts documenting it...

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/2108193#Comment_2108193

I alluded to some things Rick said at the time that I wasn't comfortable posting in public but now think is okay to mention. He/BSA was an authorized Parasound service center and had access to the most recent Halo parts of the time and told me he was using them in the upgrade and, as I recall, I'd get 80-90% of the performance of the newest Parasound models.

BSA's website no longer exists but here's the upgrade page Wayback captured from 2015:
https://web.archive.org/web/20151013081059/bigskyaudiomt.com/index.php?pr=Parasound_HCA1500A

Thanks for the info, I bet they sound great! I saw a summary on another site detailing the basics of what Big Sky did as a standard upgrade. I would love to follow his blueprint. I believe he passed all the pertinent info to the DIY community. I may have to dig it up one of these days.

JayCee

Navy_Goat wrote: »

I saw a summary on another site detailing the basics of what Big Sky did as a standard upgrade. I would love to follow his blueprint. I believe he passed all the pertinent info to the DIY community. I may have to dig it up one of these days.

Please post a link if you find it. I have no intention of getting rid of them and will keep them going as long as possible.

Navy_Goat

Here you go. I knew I had saved it somewhere. I am including the GFP-750 documentation since it is on topic here.

JayCee

Thanks, appreciate it!