Newbie - my stereo, comments?

nadnerb5
nadnerb5 Posts: 6
edited May 2003 in 2 Channel Audio
Hi everyone, I'm brand spanking new to this forum and to home stereo stuff. I figured this would be a good spot to post what I just picked up for my room. I was possibly thinking about adding a sub but my amp doesn't have a sub channel... I'm pretty new to home stereo stuff, but I learn fast.

Anyhow, this is what im rocking -

Adcom GTP-400 preamp
Adcom GFA-545 II amp (100x2)
Pair of Polk LS 70 towers.

Monster cables in the rear going to the towers and Jesoteric Audio patch cables.

18418078-73fa-02000180-R.jpg

I know, they are real close together, I need to redesign my room to spread them out.

Also, I need to get a decent CD player. most of the time I have it hooked up through a headphone to RCA jack setup. Argh.

Thanks for checking it out.
Adcom Amp and Preamp powering some Polk LS70 towers

VWs are my car of choice, ask me about my rabbit if you're interested!
Post edited by nadnerb5 on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    edited April 2003
    nadnerb,

    Welcome to the forum.

    Looks like you're off to a good start. As you realize, get some distance between the speakers and toe them in a little, get a new source (a sub can wait) and if i may, get your power gear off of the speakers. They don't like the vibs from the drivers, it colors the music. I think you'll soon be in audio heaven. :D

    F1

    BTW, is that chair a Chippendale or Queen Anne style wing back?
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nadnerb5
    nadnerb5 Posts: 6
    edited April 2003
    I do believe it is a Queen Anne, after doing a bit of research on google. (Learn something new everyday)

    I need to head to home depot and pick up some shelving stuff to make a bit of a shelve for my amp and preamp.

    Do you have any recommendations as far as laptop into preamp connections go? I can't really install a new soundcard with RCA outs.
    Adcom Amp and Preamp powering some Polk LS70 towers

    VWs are my car of choice, ask me about my rabbit if you're interested!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    edited April 2003
    Ok, I thought so.

    Laptop into preamp......hmmmm, no sorry can't help you there. Is a new source (cd, sacd, dvd-a) out of the question right now? One of those will give you much better sound than a computer.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nadnerb5
    nadnerb5 Posts: 6
    edited April 2003
    Im pretty new to this field. Most of my current know how lies in cars (namely VWs.. haha) and building stereos for them. I felt the need to build a home stereo for all those pesky times that im not in my car. go figure huh?

    What is a SACD? I have seen it mentioned around, but alas, I can't figure out what it means. Thanks again
    Adcom Amp and Preamp powering some Polk LS70 towers

    VWs are my car of choice, ask me about my rabbit if you're interested!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    edited April 2003
    SACD is a high-rez format. Click on this link........http://www.superaudio-cd.com/. Then click on technology for all the info.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited April 2003
    You should be able to get a cable to go from your laptop to the preamp. It would be a 3 conductor mini plug to two RCA jacks. The same as you would use from a walkman to your stereo. Best Buy and Radio shack should have them. Set the laptop volume low to start with incase it is too loud. On the preamp you can plug into any of the inputs except phono (if it even has a phono input).

    Nice LS 70's. They seem to be somewhat rare.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited April 2003
    Welcome
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nadnerb5
    nadnerb5 Posts: 6
    edited April 2003
    Madmax, thanks for the info on that. yeah the amp has phono, i found out the hard way that i shouldnt plug it into there. just didnt sound good. haha! so i have switched over to the CD in.

    Danger Boy, thanks for that newbie GIF, im on a few VW forums and that one comes up a lot :D pretty good gif really.

    Thanks for the help guys, once again
    Adcom Amp and Preamp powering some Polk LS70 towers

    VWs are my car of choice, ask me about my rabbit if you're interested!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited April 2003
    Welcome to the forum. As I looked over the responses, no one answered your subwoofer question.

    You don't need anoter amp for your subwoofer. What you were referring to in your question was a passive subwoofer. Passives require an amplifier.

    When you're ready, buy a powered subwoofer. Powered subs already have their own amplifier built-in and connect the sub to the pre out on your pre-amp.

    Maurice
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited April 2003
    Does your preamp have a subwoofer output?
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2003
    Welcome nadnerb5... not as imaginative as dangerboy's (nice gif use there), but welcome...

    Nice starter rig. The Adcom amp will always have a place in your system.

    Agree you should think source first, and if you're not opposed to buying used, a nice CD player on ebay won't even run $100.

    As for the sub, you can always wire a powered sub "the Polk way" in the short-term.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TonyPTX
    TonyPTX Posts: 545
    edited May 2003
    Welcome to the forum Nad. If you're in the looks for a cheap stereo rack, check out the TnT Audio Flexy Rack designs. They can be had for extremely cheap prices with a trip to Home Depot or Lowes. I'm in the process of building one and it should be done by the weekend. I plan on posting some photos once it's all together and I've got my gear on it.

    Tony
    Damn....8 lines...I've gotta put my sig on a diet now....
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited May 2003
    Hi danger boy,
    Was that question for me or nadnerb? If it was for me, my pre-amp has a second set of outputs.

    Maurice
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2003
    Maurice,

    yes the ? was for you. so you have two LFE outputs as I understand it? That's very cool.

    thanks, Al
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter