Adcom gfa-565

Toolfan66
Toolfan66 Posts: 17,609
edited March 2009 in Electronics
I have been looking at these. Anybody have this, and or have had this Amp?
What do you think of them?
Post edited by Toolfan66 on
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Comments

  • blakeh
    blakeh Posts: 491
    edited March 2009
    ADCOM's monoblocks are quite nice. They occasionally had problems with caps leaking (you'll want to check out the service history of any unit you may be interested in) but overall they are monsters that put out quality watts/current.

    I use the GFA-585 in my secondary system which is essentially two 565s in the same chasis and I love it.
    /COLOR] [U][URL="http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=68366"][COLOR="Blue"]My Rigs[/U][/COLOR][/URL] [COLOR="Red" Balanced Audio Technology | Revel | Dodd | Monarchy | PS Audio | MIT | Polk | Etc.
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,609
    edited March 2009
    How would i check the service history? ( ask seller? ) I thought this could be the fist step towards 2 channel.
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  • Ender
    Ender Posts: 603
    edited March 2009
    If you can afford two, then yes, these are awesome. I wanted these but I had to drop to GFA-555 due to price. Otherwise, check out Outlaw Audio 2200 monoblocks.
    SDA 1C, SDA 2A, SDA SRS 2, CMT-340SE, Swan M200MKII, Swan D1080MKII, Behringer MS40

    Outlaw Audio M2200 x2, GFA 555 II, BGW 750C

    GDA 700, Outlaw Audio Model 990, Sansa Fuze, X-Fi Platinum Fatality
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited March 2009
    Can you get them local? They are prone to leaking caps. I have repaired some of these. It is not a fun task. The best thing is to take a multi meter and read the voltage across the +/- speaker terminals. If you get anything over a reading in the mv range they need work. Even if they are within spec I would replace the caps before they leak. Great amps that are rated at 850wrms at 2 ohms. Yep 2 ohms in home audio. They are stable to 1ohm. I have a pair of them, and a 585 running my custom SDA's. They are very nice.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,609
    edited March 2009
    No they are not local about 200 miles away. so changing the caps is a pain in the ****? there is a hifi repair place here in denver a buddy of mine knows them very well maybe i should give him a call. if i could get them for a good price.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited March 2009
    Ok,

    I have to show my ignorance here. What would be in a capacitor that would 'leak'. I've always assumed SS gear to have nothing that could do that. Obviously I am WRONG!

    So what is the substance? And would that also be a problem for the other Adcoms (non-mono blocks) like the classic GFA-555?

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited March 2009
    cnh wrote: »
    I have to show my ignorance here. What would be in a capacitor that would 'leak'. I've always assumed SS gear to have nothing that could do that. Obviously I am WRONG!

    So what is the substance?
    Electrolytic type caps contain a liquid substance called electrolyte, thus their name.
    Testing
    Testing
    Testing
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited March 2009
    TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »
    No they are not local about 200 miles away. so changing the caps is a pain in the ****? there is a hifi repair place here in denver a buddy of mine knows them very well maybe i should give him a call. if i could get them for a good price.

    There is only 14 or so small caps that need to be replaced in each amp. They are easy to get at in the 565's, and are not very expensive. If done before there is a problem this is an easy job. If you wait the fluid GV was talking about seeps into the boards and requires a very tedious cleaning with an ultra sonic cleaner. Most shops skip this step, and their work is almost completely in vein.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • fbm211
    fbm211 Posts: 1,488
    edited March 2009
    I have a pair and had to have mine repaired almost a year ago due to leaky caps.The cost was 400 for both which included shipping one way.The input boards are removed-stripped of all parts like caps, resistors,etc.The boards have to be cleaned and have all new caps,etc soldered back on.If they need serviced have ben do them and ask for the mods he can do and get much better amps in the end.
    I was having problems last year when I got my first pair on SDAs and found out on this forum what was wrong.My 565s had been in storage around 8 years so I didnt have any idea of the leaky cap problem these amps had.Electrolytes or something like that is the substance that corodes the boards and parts.
    I would have had ben do rhe repair had I known at the time he does this kind of work.
    SDA-2BTL with custom IC
    Adcom 565 monoblocks--Monarchy Audio M-10 preamp
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  • Ender
    Ender Posts: 603
    edited March 2009
    cnh wrote: »
    Ok,

    I have to show my ignorance here. What would be in a capacitor that would 'leak'. I've always assumed SS gear to have nothing that could do that. Obviously I am WRONG!

    So what is the substance? And would that also be a problem for the other Adcoms (non-mono blocks) like the classic GFA-555?

    cnh

    No. The other Adcom amps have some other problems. Here are common problems (but not necessarily common occurrences) noted by a hifi repair company: http://www.angelfire.com/art2/stereorepair117/adcom.htm
    SDA 1C, SDA 2A, SDA SRS 2, CMT-340SE, Swan M200MKII, Swan D1080MKII, Behringer MS40

    Outlaw Audio M2200 x2, GFA 555 II, BGW 750C

    GDA 700, Outlaw Audio Model 990, Sansa Fuze, X-Fi Platinum Fatality
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited March 2009
    Ender wrote: »
    No. The other Adcom amps have some other problems. Here are common problems (but not necessarily common occurrences) noted by a hifi repair company: http://www.angelfire.com/art2/stereorepair117/adcom.htm

    Everything wears out. The 565-585 amps are units that suffered a bad batch of caps. The others will last many years without issues. Any gear over 20 years old will suffer from degradation of SQ. Caps don't last forever. As for the other Adcom products listed most of what they are offering is improvements.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited March 2009
    I've had 555's, 565's and a 585. The 555's were rock solid- the 565's were amazing- if I needed more wattage than my bryston does, I might consider going back to them. The 585 was too much Amp for the chassis size in my opinion AND had the leaky cap issue. The driver board went, fried a pair of speakers and cost a good bit to fix.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited March 2009
    unc2701 wrote: »
    I've had 555's, 565's and a 585. The 555's were rock solid- the 565's were amazing- if I needed more wattage than my bryston does, I might consider going back to them. The 585 was too much Amp for the chassis size in my opinion AND had the leaky cap issue. The driver board went, fried a pair of speakers and cost a good bit to fix.

    If you are referring to the 585 being too crammed with the input boards I totally agree. That was the first amp that I did serious repairs to and what a headache. The chassis is fine to operate, but to work on:( A few resistors and caps on the 565 are in order to bring them up into a higher class.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,136
    edited March 2009
    You can also strap the grounds of the 565s to make them common ground for SDAs. When I had my pair, I strapped both the ground lugs and the chasis. They are great amps.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,262
    edited March 2009
    Ender wrote: »
    If you can afford two, then yes, these are awesome. I wanted these but I had to drop to GFA-555 due to price. Otherwise, check out Outlaw Audio 2200 monoblocks.

    The 565's are leaps and bounds better than Outlaw. Not even a fair comparison. The 565's were Adcom's "flagship" amp(s) of the day. They are very nice sounding units and well worth the used prices they currently command. Barring the cap leakage issue (bad run of caps) they are rock solid. It does take a knowledgeable person to repair these so make sure you do your homework on repaired units.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,262
    edited March 2009
    cnh wrote: »
    Ok,

    I have to show my ignorance here. What would be in a capacitor that would 'leak'. I've always assumed SS gear to have nothing that could do that. Obviously I am WRONG!

    So what is the substance? And would that also be a problem for the other Adcoms (non-mono blocks) like the classic GFA-555?

    cnh

    Adcom was supplied with a batch of defective capacitors. These types of caps have electrolytic solution as part if it's make-up. When a cap goes bad it can leak this caustic fluid all over the input PC board. Once this happens it's a MAJOR PITA to get all this "electrolytic" fluid off the board and other components. If it's not 100% removed in every nook and cranny it causes major problems like high DC offset which is bad for speakers or ends up over loading one or both channels and other parts go bye, bye.

    Replacing them before they leak (not all 565's or 585's leak it was one bad batch) is a much easier task than cleaning up the mess after they leak.

    P.s. also be aware in some extreme cases the boards are ruined. Adcom no longer has these input PC boards available.

    P.s.s. No other Adcom models beyond the 565 and 585 (they were produced about the same time used the same part) exhibit this issue. That's not to say that after 20+ years in service that these types of things don't randomly happen in any electronic piece of equipment.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,262
    edited March 2009
    I just had a couple caps replaced in a pre-amp. They weren't swelled and they weren't leaking. They just started to get noisier and I lost about 30-40% of the dynamics in my music as well as a lessened soundstage and "tizzy" sounding top end.

    Those are some signs of weak and failing caps. It was a gradual thing and now the pre sounds better than ever.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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