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Adcom - A Good Value?? Auctions risky??

I really have 2 questions.

First, There is a lot of discussuion here and elsewhere that make Adcom sound pretty bad. I am looking for a good amp with 200+/chanel and good down to 4ohms, without breaking the bank. The old 555 may have been rough, but how about the 5500, 5800, and 5802?? The 5800 would appear to be a pretty good deal on the surface, at around $600 used. But some have raised concerns about mechanical noise and noisy fans. Has this been a significant problem for any users?? The 5500 and 5802 are current models and seem to sell about $900 and $1400 new. I have seen the 5500 at about $600 or so used. This is no less than a used 5800, which would seem to be a better value, unless noise is a common problem. It appears the 5500 and 5802 have no fans. Do they have no noise problems? If the 5802 is the best of these might it be best to wait for the next generation to come out so the 5802 will then drop to say $800?

Second question is how risky is buying an amp over audiogon or ebay classifieds? If you get a DOA or even a hummer you have little recourse but complaining. I am sure there are horror stories. Is the experience generally good, or is this just a gamble?

Thanks in advance for thoughtful reactions!!!!

Steveg
steveg

Showing 1 response by bishopwill

bishopwill
369 posts
 
My own experience with Adcom is that they sound pretty much like sound reinforcement amps. Coupled to goodish speakers they're likely to be bright and tight--design considerations to help them cope with slow, tubby road speakers.

They wouldn't be my choice for music.

That being said, some very critical listeners use PA amps to drive passive subwoofers.

But if I were going to do that, I'd go to Mars Music and buy a Crown K2. Dead quiet, electronically and mechanically, built like a tank, able to drive any load known to man, and with damping factor enough to tame even the most bloated sub system.
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