What would be a good Adcom Pre/Pro?

Ron-P

After I land my forth GFA-535, I will need a HT pre/pro. I'd like to stick with Adcom. In my constant ebay searches, I really have no idea what to look for, or keep and eye out for.


Peace Out~:D

madmax

I'll say it just once more then you are on your own. Acurus Act III. It doesn't get any better for under 2 grand and if you are lucky you may find it for under 1 grand. Seriously!!! Look for the bass management module INSTALLED! They taut it as being audiophile quality in a HT application. They are right on the money! I wasn't wrong about the differences in a 60 watt amp verses a 70 watt receiver was I???
madmax
madmax

Ron-P

Under 2 grand surely you jest.

There is no way under heaven I'm spending that much. I'm looking for something in the range of 5-600.00. If it can't be done, I'll keep my Marantz.

Like I said, I'd like to stick with Adcom.


Peace Out~:D

Ron-P

Well, from my thread over at the HTF it seems Adcom is behind the times with their pre/pro's. So, Lexicon is coming recommended, but damn, used is running into the $600+. Looks like my Marantz is going to be around for quite awhile.


Peace Out~:D

jrausch

I have a GTP-600, I could let go for $175 + shipping from Denver Co. The unit has remote, manual and basic antenna. You can get the specs from Adcom. I have a mega pix digital camera and can take some nice pics if you want. The unit is clean and in 100% working condition and was never abused. I bought a $2000 pre/pro and it's been sitting since.

,Jer

Ron-P

Does it have dts, dd all that good HT stuff aboard?


Peace Out~:D

jrausch

The unit has Dolby Pro, 6 surround modes. 4 s-video in, 2out. Tuner and 2 inputs for infared reapeater. I was thinking if you wanted to step up without beating the bank to much. You could e-bay it when your pockets were prepaired for the higher end stuff.
As long as you did'nt spill any of the great beer on it.

,Jer

tonyv1

checkout Jeff's Sound Values:
http://www.jeffssoundvalues.com/Inventory/Video.htm
Adcom GTP-830, List $1200, $750 new full warranty. Tuner/Preamp/Processor Dolby Digital 7.1 & DTS
Great guys, check their rating on audiosurvey.com
The're in San Diego (actually National City)

weavercr

the GTP 830, GTP 760 then the gtp 750

TroyD

Ron,

On a budget, I'd look at the Outlaw pre/pro.......just a thought.

BDT

RuSsMaN

****, I'd just keep using the Marantz......

Cheers,
Russ

nascarmann

I "think" a lot of pre/pro's from many manufactures are nothing more than a receiver without the amps? Take out the amps, put it in a diff chassie and call it a pre-amp-prossesor? But this could be that brown mouth talk that Russ refers to?

hoosier21

Ron keep the Marantz.

I have seen the Act III go at Ubid "new" for 700.00-900.00

Ron-P

Allright, if there is no 'real' bennie from ditch'en the Marantz in favor of a pre/pro, I'll save the coin and keep it. That makes me very happy. Oh look, Ron's happy, he just had 44oz. of DosXX Amber for lunch today. Surprised I can even type:)


Peace Out~:D

har_navalta

Just give you an idea... mine is Adcom GTP-830 Digital Proccessing Tuner Preamplifier 7.1 channels has all the option for Home Theater. I bought mine for $1200.00 at Utimate Electronics at Davenport, Iowa. Now you can get them for only $750.00 New.

This is my Pre/Pro.

har_navalta

Adcom GTP-830 Digital Processing Tuner / Preamplifier
Reviewed By Brian Kahn November, 2001

The GTP-830 ($1,200) is the latest home theater processor from Adcom, and their first to offer 7.1 processing. The GTP-830 surprisingly features a RDS (Radio Data Systems) AM/FM tuner in
addition to its preamplifier and processor section.

The preamplifier-processor section of the unit has five video inputs (three with S-video), a CD input and a tape loop. There are also three digital inputs, one toslink and two coaxial, which are linked to the first three video inputs. Lastly, there is also a 5.1 input for multi-channel SACD or DVD-Audio. The Adcom comes with a variant of the Theatermaster learning remote and also features a 12v trigger to aid in integrating with the rest of your theater system.

The Adcom is a full-featured processor with both Dolby Digital and DTS capabilities. 24-bit 96kHz digital to analog converters are used throughout as well as true 24-bit signal processing for sources at that level of resolution. The 5.1 input bypasses all digital signal manipulation and is affected only by volume and trim controls.

The GTP-830 features four different surround modes: DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro-Logic and Hall. The 7.1-channel output capability is available in all surround modes. The output is proprietary and not set up for DTS ES or THX EX. Adcom claims its advanced digital bass management reduces phase shifting and keeps the bass tight and defined. The GTP-830 also features dynamic range control for late-night viewing. Unlike many similar systems, which only offer one level of dynamic reduction, the GTP-830 offers four levels of range control.

The video side of the GTP-830 is unique in its ability to up-convert composite video inputs into S-video output. This feature alone normally takes a separate device priced at around $100. I found this feature particularly useful, as it requires only a single S-video cable to be used for the video output.

The RDS tuner supports both RDS PS and RDS RT formats. The RDS system displays information on the front panel of the tuner. In the RDS PS format, that information is limited to the identification of radio stations. The RDS RT format, also known as Radio Text, allows for additional information to be displayed on the tuner. During my evaluation of this unit, I saw various types of information being transmitted through this system, including programming and promotional content.


Set-up
I utilized the GTP-830 in my reference theater system. The Adcom fronted my system, which also features the following components: Adcom 5802 and 5503 amplifiers, three McIntosh Laboratories MC602 stereo amplifiers, M&K MX-350 subwoofer, Martin Logan Ascents, Theater and Scenarios, Sony DVP-CX850D DVD player, Pioneer Elite DV-38A DVD-Audio player, Pioneer CLD-704 Laserdisc player, ASC room treatments, Barco BarcoGraphics 808s, Silicon Graphics iScan Pro, Monster Cable power conditioning, video and line level cables and Audioquest speaker cables.

Programming the inputs was pretty easy. There is plenty of real estate on the back of the preamp, but there are some limitations as to which inputs go where, especially for digital. Composite can be transcoded to S-Video if needed, but there are no component video inputs, which is perplexing. Component makes for a noticeably better video connection and it's the way I'd prefer to hook up sources like my DVD player, my DVD jukebox and my Playstation 2, not to mention an HDTV tuner. In an HDTV-capable system, you are going to need to use a completely different video switching system in conjunction with the Adcom. A good Extron switcher alone can cost nearly as much as the Adcom itself.

Music and Movies
The Adcom had no problems decoding any surround format on a level consistent with this class. The Adcom provided a generally smooth and enveloping soundfield, free of any digital artifacts. The GTP-830's 5.1 inputs provide a clean signal path with no signal degradation. I'd call it sonically superior to nearly every receiver in this price range that I have heard to date.

I started out with an old favorite of mine, Air Force One (Columbia Tri-Star, the newly released Superbit DVD edition with DTS soundtrack). The GTP-830 provided sound that was clean and detailed enough to realistically place the viewer right in the middle of the action. I did all my critical listening with the dynamic range control off and was satisfied with the GTP-830's overall punch. The sound never seemed to be restricted at any reasonable volume level, regardless of the amplifier combination used.

On U-571 (Universal), the Adcom remained accurate, painting a convincing sonic picture of an underwater world, disturbed only by the deep blasts of devastating depth charges. It appeared to me that the digital bass management was working well, as the bass was consistently tight and detailed, even compared with the results on my B&K Reference 30.

The Adcom's surround processing remained fairly neutral and thankfully omitted the commonly found distorted and screeching highs. I found that there was some background noise present in just about every source utilized and in every decoding format (excepting the 5.1 input). This noise was only noticeable in a very few passages and did not intrude on the overall listening experience, especially at higher listening levels.

I was dying to try out the GTP-830's 5.1 audio input for DVD-Audio. I began with Toy Matinee's self-titled DVD-Audio (DTS) disc. The full and detailed first track "Last Plane Out" enveloped me with its vocals and string work. The percussion was deep and detailed. I noted that the sound through the 5.1 inputs was smoother and lacked the background noise I noted while listening to surround soundtracks that did not utilize the 5.1 input. I got my freak on with the newly-released DVD-Audio disc, Missy Elliott's So Addictive (Warner Brothers), which further strengthened my initial listening impressions. The Adcom's 5.1 input provides a clean and pure signal path with no noticeable degradation.

The Downside
For $1,200, it is hard to argue against the Adcom GTP-830. I would like to see a few more A/V inputs. In today's increasingly complex systems, four rear-panel A/V inputs don't really cut it, especially without at least one HD-capable component video input. I would also like to see S-video and digital inputs for each source, or at digital inputs assignable to sources as needed. In comparison to comparably-priced (say, $2,500, including five channels of amplification) Japanese receivers, the Adcom comes up way short in connection options.

As for the sonic downsides, they are fairly minor. Adcom is experienced in building reasonably-priced high-quality gear, which is evident in the GTP-830. I found the GTP-830 to have a slightly higher amount of background noise and a bit more grain than my B&K Components Reference 30 ($2,800) processor. This sonic shortcoming was not evident when listening through the 5.1 inputs.

Conclusion
Bang for the buck – the Adcom GTP-830 delivers a lot of it. For the majority of simple theater systems, the Adcom will fit the bill. The Adcom's surround processing is accurate and the interface was very easy to use, with the unit automatically detecting the proper input and mode. The Adcom excelled in its video capabilities with composite to S-video transcoding and clean signal paths. Sonically, the Adcom held its own, never becoming uncomfortable to listen to, even over extended listening sessions. The background noise in this unit, while higher than some, is likely to be masked by other components and in any event will be lost in actual listening sessions.

The Adcom GTP-830 is well suited for those with moderately-sized systems that have reached the transition level between mid-fi and the high end. Adcom, with the GTP-830, makes the same decision I would. It forgoes adding a bunch of (useless) features in exchange for a higher quality product

Ron-P

Nice unit, har_navalta (the Adcom:)). That is way more than I need, thus, not worth an upgrade for even $750. My Marantz has all the features I need, dd/dts, that's it. So, one more GFA-535 and I am done. Next up, move the Mits to the living room and upgrade to a FP.


Peace Out~:D

madmax

Features are BS. Lets face it, you can buy a Sony with a bizillion features but it will hide it's tail and run like a spanked puppy when you turn on a lexicon or an acurus! (sorry, I have not heard the adcom but it should probably be in the list as well) It's about the sound, not the features. Remember that glorious feeling you got when you hooked up the adcom amps? That was just the start. Lets re-access: professional quality home theater room with true theater seating, high quality speakers, everything astheticly pleasing, top notch calibrated video, separate amplification... and a receiver sitting there as the heart of the system??? Am I missing something?
madmax

RuSsMaN

Two words of wisdom a wise old man once told me....

A. The more lights and buzzers, the worse the piece will sound.

B. Dollar (or less) a watt. Fair price for anything usually.

Cheers,
Russ

Ron-P

Soooo, what's the problem with the receiver being used as a pre/pro? It decodes.


Peace Out~:D

madmax

The receiver IS the weakest link.
Goodbye

madmax

Ron-P

How? Care to give me some more detailed input as to why.


Peace Out~:D

madmax

In a receiver you must cram a lot of stuff together. When you do this there are always tradeoffs. The processor is running at a pretty good speed and it gets it's power from the same source as the internal amps and preamps. Digital noise party! Sure it is filtered and stuff but you also have the other circuits in very close proximity. The better equipment normally looks much more tidy. A lot of times even a novice can look at the layout and see a clear signal path. All the way from input to output with the higher speed stuff in an opposite corner. Another tradeoff is price. Sure, a lot of people will pay $1500 for separate amps and $2000 for a pre-pro but when you put it all together in a receiver you cannot charge $3500 so you start using cheaper components. Also, most people looking at receivers are tweekers who want control over everything. They want separate eq's on all the channels and to be able to switch 20 sources with all being able to go anywhere and some of them even want DSP stuff. All of this CRAP adds noise and degrades sound. Given the receiver market, if you made an audiophile version (which you could) no one would buy it. Imagine this: $4000, has one RF coax input, straight signal path from input to output with no ability to switch sources or tape dubbing paths, no means to change tone (no eq's) and one LED on the front (those displays use yet another processor). NO one would buy this. The sad thing is that most people don't know that once you remove all the bells and whistles you no longer need to "adjust" everything. It just sounds good like it is.
madmax

mantis

Strange,
I agree with that post.Less is more in preamps.Receivers have a very hard time sounding anything like seperates.
The key word is seperate.

scottvamp

Next up, move the Mits to the living room and upgrade to a FP.

Hey Ron, now your talking. Once you go front projection - you will never go look back. Trust me.;) Congrates on you Adcom's. They seem to be really clean amps. Next set up I have will be seperates. I was looking at one Adcom on E-bay and it runs 5 ch.'s with (5 mono internal amps) and can handle 4 ohm loads with ease at over 250 watt's a ch. for under a grand. Now that is pretty cool. Later. :cool:

TroyD

Max,
ED ZACHRY........

I would go so far as to say that NO receiver has the capability to match separates. Close maybe but no cigar. As max noted, the ones that come closest cost probably what you could have decent separates for.

Scott, I doubt that the Adcom you looked at had a true 5 mono amp design.....that would be a DAMN pricey amp.


BDT

nascarmann

And to add to TroyD the amp would weigh in around 300lb. with 250wpc x 5 mono design?

jrausch

It's a 150X 5 mono into 8ohm, 225 into 4ohm. It is a mono design though. Looks like a great 5/ch amp for the money. According to Adcoms website that's the biggest one they have unless they make a special edition not listed. 56lbs unboxed

scottvamp

jrausch, thanks for the back up. Like I said it is right there on Ebay. Weights close to sixty pounds. There was also a nice 3 ch. with large heat sinks all around it and you could see the seperate (electronics) for each ch. I try not to talk out of my a$$ all the time.:rolleyes:

TroyD

I looked at the Adcom website and sure enough that's what it says.......Reading though, it's got one transformer though. To me that signifies, 5 discreet channels from one common transformer. To me, a true mono design is 5 monoblocks under one roof.

BDT

RuSsMaN

Ed Zachry.

-R