Capin-Newbie Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 I have an Adcom (GFA 5300) that was used to replace my aging Kenwood KM-208 Solid State Amplifier. I have been using it for the last few days and running through my collection of music testing it out on my KG4s. I tried hard to like this amp, I mean it is a nice looking amp, but something about it just did not make my ears as happy as my eyes were. Tonight I found out what it is. I hooked up my old Kenwood again to one side and the adcom to the other... that was it... Wow, what a differance between this one and my old one. My old KW sounds so much better to my ears than the Adcom. Now, I don't mean to be an Adcom basher as it does do a good job and it may be perfect for different ears and musical taste but just not for me. The Question: I read somewhere that a MOSFET was as close to a tube sound you could get with a SS. Is that true or just a handfull of Bull****? I hate to think that is true since my goal is to get ahold of a decent tube amp someday once I can aford one. I have never really heard a good quality tube amp before so I am not even sure a tube is right for me.[*-)] Anyone in the Rochester, MN area that has a tube amp that could demo one for me? I would really like to hear one before I drop a bunch of cash on one and find out I don't like it. Does anyone want an Adcom GFA5300 for Trade? [] Thanks Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Hey Brian, allow me to be the first to not only not have any sort of answer to your original question, but to also hijack your thread completly!! I'm Craig, I live up here in Gods country, a couple (4-5) hours north of you, close to Brainerd. Your post got me to wondering how many people don't have their locations listed in their profile that may be right close (relatively) to me. It would be great if we could all get together somewhere central, probably the Twin Cities, and have a mini convention. I know a few guys on the forum that are in MN or close by in Wis, look for another thread to see if we can get something started. BTY, I am in the same boat as you. I have a couple SS amps/receivers, but have never had the pleasure of listening to a tube system, tough to find up here no matter how many people you ask. I believe, and could very well be completly wrong, that most all SS amp sections are MOSFETs, hopefully someone that knows what the heck they're talking about can verify that or nulify it. Maybe if we had a 20 person meeting at the Minneapolis Marriot (or wherever) we could all bring a piece and/or speakers and compare notes over a weekend. I'm sure you know it's supposed to drop 20-30 degrees tmrw, sounds like the beginning of winter to me. A long period of no road repair, a good time for a Mancation!!! Oh yeah.. I've got KG4's too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Also... I saw your post because I search for all current threads, not individual forums, i.e. Two Channel, General, Modifications And Updates, etc. Although your question is of a technical nature, it would likely get more views if it were in the Two Channel forum, which would likely garner you not only more responses, but also a better quality of response. Of course, this has only been on here a couple hours, maybe give it overnight and see what happens. I'm sure someone has a great answer, they just might not see the thread in this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capin-Newbie Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 Yep... Winter is coming tomorrow. It has been nice though having the warm temps up till now. It would be fun to get some people in the area together. I am totally new to the Klipsch line and higher end audio gear so it would be a real learning adventure for me. Glad to see there at least two of us in the Gopher State on here. (I think) my old kenwood amp is to old to have mosfets, but I don't know that to be for sure. Like you said, maybe some will chime up that knows for sure. I have been watching some ebay auctions for a tube amp under the $200 mark. I was thinking if I managed to get one that cheap, I could resell it if it was not what I wanted. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 I have a pair of KG-4 I've owned since 1985. Over the years I've driven them with a whole bunch of different things. Amongst them was an original series GFA-555 (the one with the big flat black handles), and a 5800. I found that the Adcoms didn't sound good when used at low output levels - into less sensitive speakers (Acoustic Energy AE-1, for example, or B&W 801f) they sounded pretty good, but into the KG-4 or any other Klipsch I tried it with (particularly La Scalas) they sounded thin, hard and grainy - sort of like it had a higher level of odd order harmonic distortion at lower output levels. The best sounding solid state amp I found was an original series B&K ST140 ( ? model, the one with 70 watts/side), which happened to be a MOS-FET design. A little Rotel RA-830BX-2 (which I'm still using) sounded pretty good, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 I can't answer your question, but let me tell you this, the only piece of equipment I was ever sorry I sold,was a Kenwood 701 ( I think that was the number) INTERGRATED AMP, rated at 85 watts per channel. God, I dread the day I sold that, wish I had kept it. I also ran KG4's with that unit, they sounded good, still have the KG4's.............that Kenwood was (is) still a nice unit, still in use today, and everytime I hear it, I could kick myself for selling it.................Oh well, live and learn...................EH!!!!!!!!!!!! If you want to try tubes, try a SCOTT 299 intergrated Amp with those KG4's, you will be surprised, and happy................count on that, that is a real nice match........trust me on that..................I have heard that combo many times, makes the KG's sing smooth......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capin-Newbie Posted November 30, 2006 Author Share Posted November 30, 2006 Thanks for all the input gentlemen. I do apreciate it.I brought home a harmon kardon hk880Vxi to try out tonight. Other than having a weak channel it sound very nice on these KG4s as well. I think I might just fix it and keep it. It sounds pretty good to me. I did manage to locate a tube amp too.. [] I can pick it up next week and try it out for a while. It is an old Fisher that is an backup / extra of a friend of a friend. Not sure if it is a good one or not, but it may give me an idea of what one sounds like.Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Give the Fisher a try, you might be surprised......................All I know is I was shocked when I heard the KG4's powered by the Scott, different sound than with SS...............Bottom end was awesome....................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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