Give me 1 good reason not to buy....

kevhed72
kevhed72 Posts: 5,054
in Electronics
an Adcom gfa 5800 I found locally. I always wanted one of these or the 5802 but it never happened. Im pretty sure its in good working order based on a bunch of videos the guy sent me. He must be concerned if I show up at his house I might decapitate him and flee the country with nothing but his amp.
So give me one good reason not to go for it. I am closing in on 50 and life is too short...
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    I got nothing.
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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,459
    It only has a Dynamic Headroom of 2.1dB into 4 Ohms.......oh wait.......nevermind.
    George / NJ

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  • TEAforONE
    TEAforONE Posts: 1,026
    Life is way too short. If you can swing it without taking food out of your family's mouth,get it!
    See my profile for list of gear.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    How much is it?
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    I turned 50 last June. Then I sold my Daily Driver Dodge Durango R/T for a Dodge Charger Scat pack which is unless in the winter. Now I have to buy another truck ( should have kept my Durango ) so basically in ways I felt it was a bad decision to buy a race car for a daily driver and this winter has been horrible.

    Just saying when we get older we start wanting things we may not need. I'm sure you can get the amp pretty cheap now so I don't see any reason not to get it. They are good amps , powerful and if you always wanted one , get it. I picked up a Pair of RT16's just because I always wanted them and never got them. Found a local pair in good condition and got them.

    Go for it.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Thorton
    Thorton Posts: 1,324
    That’s why I bought the Hellcat Durango. Yes, I know it cost more. But I can drive it year long even in bad Michigan winters and then take it to the track and run <12 second quarter miles. Best of both worlds in my opinion. I plan on keeping it for a while. Still a month or two till I get it. You only live once, go for it!!!

    If the amp is in decent shape and working properly, go for it.
    _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    I've been buying all the stuff I wanted. I am statically dead so hey, why not?
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,761
    My only reason to not buy it might be that it may need some refreshing at its age. Also, you can get that kind of power in a lot smaller, more efficient (cooler temps, less power) package with Class-D these days.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,436
    Word of caution with the 5800/5802. They run HOT, and service. There are not many who still work on them as parts are scarce.

    I chatted with this guy back and forth. I could not convince him to do my 5802.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/hoppesbrain.com/2015/10/06/some-notes-about-restoring-a-gfa-5802/amp/

    https://hoppesbrain.com/

    He knows his kit about adcom.

    I also reached out to Big Sky audio way before he retired and he also would not work on any Adcom Hexfet amps.

    If its in good shape and the price is right go for it. Just going forward be aware that service might be hard to find.

    They do sound very nice.
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  • JayDog
    JayDog Posts: 266
    Buy it imo! you only live once Bro!
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  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,277
    Don't look back!
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"

    Anger is just anger. It isn’t good. It isn’t bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters.
    You can use it to build or to destroy. You just have to make the choice.     Jim Butcher




    Harry / Marietta GA
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,761
    Yeah, I wasn't thinking that those old metal can output mosfets are probably getting scarce. I tend to stay away from older gear that has 'unobtanium' parts.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited February 2021
    Thorton wrote: »
    That’s why I bought the Hellcat Durango. Yes, I know it cost more. But I can drive it year long even in bad Michigan winters and then take it to the track and run <12 second quarter miles. Best of both worlds in my opinion. I plan on keeping it for a while. Still a month or two till I get it. You only live once, go for it!!!

    If the amp is in decent shape and working properly, go for it.
    The Hellcat Durango is badass. I considered the SRT Jeep Grand Cherokee which is also fantastic but I'm going after a Toyota Tacoma or 4 Runner for a Daily and leave the toy in the garage.

    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    Save your money. Get something better.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
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    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    One good reason? The 5800 is a Non Common Ground design, not compatible with SDA, if you don't have a Dreadnaught ;)



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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,010
    edited February 2021
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Word of caution with the 5800/5802. They run HOT, and service. There are not many who still work on them as parts are scarce.

    I chatted with this guy back and forth. I could not convince him to do my 5802.

    He knows his kit about adcom.

    I also reached out to Big Sky audio way before he retired and he also would not work on any Adcom Hexfet amps.

    If its in good shape and the price is right go for it. Just going forward be aware that service might be hard to find.

    They do sound very nice.
    Ivan, is it because the parts are scarce that they opt not to work on them?
    Post edited by msg on
    I disabled signatures.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,436
    Ivan, is it because the parts are scarce that they opt not to work on them?

    That is what I was led to believe Scott. The Hoppes guy said they can be a can of worms and can easily cascade into bigger problems. The 5802 link is a good read and hits on it. The heat they produce just at standby ages the components and since boards and parts are non-existent from Adcom he made his own. Once again very time consuming, read expensive and laborious. There's a reason why they used those large metal mesh tops on those amps. My 5802 when left on all weekend the cooling fins on the sides and the mesh top would be so hot you couldn't keep you hand on the fins or top for more than a few seconds. Mine was on an amp stand on the floor very open to the room and scorching hot at idle. I know my 5802 was biased high into class A zone and that makes heat.

    Mine disloged my high performance Roland upgraded TFM45 of a couple of decades. Then Keith dangled the Aragon 4004mkii in front of my face and it was so much more articulate than the Adcom 5802 that I sold the Adcom. The Adcom was in pristine condition and @DSkip gave me a great price on it and brought it to me at Axpona. I sold it for the same price he sold it to me to another member here and drove it to him in Indiana about a year later. I had thoroughly entertained the idea have it completely rebuilt but was having a hard time finding anybody that worked on them. @daddyjt turned me onto a guy way up in Michigan. I never reached out to him because of the Aragon and was moving on in that direction with a Aragon 8008bb which is still my daily driver. I will have it done (recapped and service bulletins) here soon probably sometime in the next year.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,436
    edited February 2021
    lpzs28a37sla.jpg
    The little heat producing monsters from the 5802.
    My understanding is those little monsters are no longer made. If they need replaced they must be matched very very closely so IF you find some you need to buy a bunch to be able to match them to the others. That was my understanding from Hoppes.
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  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 5,054
    edited February 2021
    Update...first off the guy wants 400 for it....it has never been serviced and he is the second owner. He said the 2nd fan turns on AFTER the first, as in there is a delay between both fans powering up. One negative is I will have to go by the videos he sent, as to be honest I understand the whole thing about having strangers over to the house. My listening room tends to be warm due all the mineral wool insulation I stuffed in the walls. Also, did try calling Big Sky audio and it was apparent that place is no longer in business. Ill make up my mind this weekend...
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,436
    If you can get it for 300.00 go for it. You can't get hurt too bad. I was unaware that the 5800 had fans. That can't be all bad as my 5802 had zero fans.
    All I remember is the guys name was Garza IIRC up in Michigan. Reach out to Mark @daddyjt. This guy was his mentor in the audio service business.
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  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 5,054
    Thanks for that info. I was thinking 300 also in case it goes belly up right away.
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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,497
    Greg at Nelion Audio is an excellent tech, and he works on most anything. He is very meticulous and warranties his work (naturally).

    https://nelionaudio.com/

    Vintage Adcoms tend to be on the expensive side due in large part to their use of a few large filter capacitors, vs an array of smaller ones. For example, an Adcom will use something like four quantity of a 18,000uf 100v capacitor, at $80 each ($320) vs a Mccormack that will use twenty quantity of a 2,700uf 100v capacitor at $3.50 each ($70). I’m not saying the Adcom design is bad - far from it - it’s just significantly more expensive to refresh. Adcom also has the same issue that many vintage amplifiers suffer from, that being obsolete transistors. With work, replacements can usually be identified, but then they need to be replaced in complimentary pairs at least, and the entire channel at best. This too adds up cost wise.

    Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your new purchase!
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,436
    Thanks brah!
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,365
    If you were to purchase it you should at least have it checked out, and maybe have the caps replaced before they take out something that can't be sourced. Then again if the caps are over $300 you could probably get something better for that kind of money.
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  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 5,054
    Well decision made for me. It sold to another buyer, which is probably best in the grand scheme of things.
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  • Jetmaker737
    Jetmaker737 Posts: 1,047
    Seems like too many red flags. When @pitdogg2 says his Aragon eclipsed it that says a lot. Aragon is a very good amp. I had a 8008MkII that I sold on this forum. Maybe look at one of those. Indy Audio Labs may even have parts still. Then again if a $300 risk is OK for you, go for it.
    SystemLuxman L-590AXII Integrated Amplifier|KEF Reference 1 Loudspeakers|PS Audio Directream Jr|Sansui TU-9900 Tuner|TEAC A-6100 RtR|Nakamichi RX-202 Cassette
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,281
    You guys failed ...Kev asked for 1 reason ...just saying :p
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,010
    Is this still available?
    I'll take it if Kev passes.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited February 2021
    I've always found the Adcoms a bit boomy on the bottom end for my taste. Service can be problematic due to them not posting specs on some of their circuits as they use some unmarked components and they won't tell the user or outside techs the replacements. The Parasound stuff is similarly priced and serviceable more easily. And they sound better to me jmho.
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,365
    soundfreak1 wrote: »
    I've always found the Adcoms a bit boomy on the bottom end for my taste. Service can be problematic due to them not posting specs on some of their circuits as they use some unmarked components and they won't tell the user or outside techs the replacements. The Parasound stuff is similarly priced and serviceable more easily. And they sound better to me jmho.

    I think the parasound amps have some sort of speaker protection and I don't think the adcoms do. I'm sure someone could verify this that has owned and done work on them before.
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