Piranha Posted November 10, 2003 Share Posted November 10, 2003 Anyone have any experience with using an Adcom 5500 or 5800 amp and Adcom GTP 450 preamp with Cornwall or Heresy loudspeakers? Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I like those amps -- but that preamp/tuner has got to go. It's bright and grating, and probably one of the worst things you can use for those horns. My friend is still using the 350 though, and he likes it -- of course, I think he's half deaf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted November 11, 2003 Author Share Posted November 11, 2003 OK, so you feel the Adcom amps good then? What preamp would you suggest I go with to compliment an Adcom 5500 or 5800 driving Cornwall and Heresy's? FYI..I am also planning to buy a HH Scott 299 amp. That way I ge to use both SS and Tube amps. Your opinions are well respected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahorns Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I have an Adcom 450 GTP, but I am using it in a separate 2 channel stereo setup. I found that listening to 1983 Cornwalls driven by the 450 coupled with a heavily modified Hafler DH220 amp was too edgy and bright. I am looking to do a SET tube amp to drive my Cornwalls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Since you're asking for a preamp recommendation -- does this mean you don't have the Adcom yet either? What are you willing to spend for a preamp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted November 12, 2003 Author Share Posted November 12, 2003 ---------------- On 11/12/2003 11:12:51 AM DeanG wrote: Since you're asking for a preamp recommendation -- does this mean you don't have the Adcom yet either? What are you willing to spend for a preamp? ---------------- I have an Adcom GTP 750. But, I can get a fairly good price on the Adcom GFA 5500 and GTP 450 if I buy them together. Then I'll eBay the 750 if the 450 works OK. However, I don't want to buy both the amp and preamp if it will not sound decent. I'll spend up to $750 for a preamp to compliment an Adcom amp. Any suggetstions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Personally, if you DONT have those Adcom amps already, I would LOOK elsewhere. I have owned several Adcom pieces since the mid 80s and found them ok for the ducats, but outclassed by B&K of that era. One can get a used B&K ST-202 that sounds better than the Adcom amps in my opinion. At least the models you are looking into ARE MOSFET, which when done well seems to be a better option than that bipolar transistor Adcoms that received the early raves ala GFA-555. Still, in my view, it's a moot point all the way around as I dont think the Adcoms mate well with something like the Cornwall. If you are stuck in solid state, I would look for something like the Class A biased, Zero global feedback, Monarchy Audio SM-70 over the Adcom. Partner this with a good tube preamp, the cheapest option being the LAM 6SN7 SRPP on ebay at @$250 or so. To do even better, I would go ahead and jump to tube amplification. But the Adcom choices just wont be doing the Cornwalls any favors in my view. I have had several of the Adcom preamps in my system in the past such as the GFP-555, GFP-565, and the tuner pre combo, the worst of the lot. I agree with Dean, this is not a great, hi-rez solution (the 750 would be heads above the 450 though but beat by a host of quality tube pres). kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowooo Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Tombjr...I have owned the 5500 for a few years and have really enjoyed it. I was running it with a GTP-600 pre/tuner and then I bought a used Mcintosh C-15 preamp. The Mcintosh, which you can probably pick up used on Audiogon for 900-1,000 made a considerable difference in my system. Much easier on the ears, warmer midrange, and the bass extension and clarity is in a different league. Mobile, "I don't think" has heard the newer Mosfet Adcom amps, he's referring to the 555's and late eighties and early nineties Adcom amps. I have heard the 555 and it was definitely brighter and less musical than my 5500. Good luck.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Rowoo -- I bet the MOSFET driven 5500 probably does do a good job compared to the older stuff, but will all due respect -- you're running a dinky pair of two-ways. As you know, I'm running a dinky set of two-ways also, and frankly, we can get away with soooo much more since we don't have to appease that devil of a squawker. I'm definitely with Kelly here, and that is why I asked if you had the Adcom yet. Honestly, unless you're an absolute volume freak, and don't plan on needing much of your hearing in the near future -- there are much better options. For now, forget the Adcom business, and let's say you eBay that Adcom GTP-750. I'm seeing those go for around $550. You were probably going to spend around $800 for the 5500/GTP-450 -- is that close? Should we assume that if you sell the GTP-750, and don't buy the 5500/GTP-450 -- that you could possibly scrape together $1500 for both an amp and preamp. Is that correct? Let's talk about some important things first: 1) How big is your room? 2) How far away from the speakers are you? 3) How loud do you normally listen: soft, medium, or hard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted November 12, 2003 Author Share Posted November 12, 2003 ---------------- On 11/12/2003 2:25:31 PM DeanG wrote: Rowoo -- I bet the MOSFET driven 5500 probably does do a good job compared to the older stuff, but will all due respect -- you're running a dinky pair of two-ways. As you know, I'm running a dinky set of two-ways also, and frankly, we can get away with soooo much more since we don't have to appease that devil of a squawker. I'm definitely with Kelly here, and that is why I asked if you had the Adcom yet. Honestly, unless you're an absolute volume freak, and don't plan on needing much of your hearing in the near future -- there are much better options. For now, forget the Adcom business, and let's say you eBay that Adcom GTP-750. I'm seeing those go for around $550. You were probably going to spend around $800 for the 5500/GTP-450 -- is that close? Should we assume that if you sell the GTP-750, and don't buy the 5500/GTP-450 -- that you could possibly scrape together $1500 for both an amp and preamp. Is that correct? Let's talk about some important things first: 1) How big is your room? 2) How far away from the speakers are you? 3) How loud do you normally listen: soft, medium, or hard? ---------------- For an amp and preamp I'd like to try to spend a grand, give or take a couple hundered. 1) My living room is 24 X 40. 2) The speakers are around 20 feet from me. 3) I like the volume in all ranges. But mostly prefer medium and hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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