Have you tried to change your listening position back and forth say 3 feet...every foot, check for balance...had same issue with my former room which was partially open on one side and at some reflection corresponding point, there was a balance shift...nothing too do with system in my case. |
I'm trying to trouble shoot which component (or the room) is responsible for more volume occasionally coming from one channel. To compensate, I have to move the balance contgrol to either a 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock position. Has anyone ever had trouble that can be traced to the GFP 750? |
VTL 5.5 was noisy to start with and had a veil that the Adcom does not. It may be a question of synergy but in my system the Adcom in pasive smoked it. And I was not. |
Johnss,
What outboard power supply are you talking about. |
I know I would inflame many members by saying this, but I'll do it anyway:
I never heard Adcom, but I owned various preamps at different price points, and came to conclusion, that if you are on the path to find "miracle component" and " a giant killer", sooner or later you'd realize they are pretty much non-existent entities. Miracles do not happen in this hobby, and to a certain point (point of diminishing returns, that is) you get what you paid for.
If it was that easy to create $1400 preamp equal to the best $10,000-15,000 units, somebody would've done it by now.
Do arrest me now. |
If you really want to hear what the Adcom pre amp sounds like, try it with an outboard power supply. All the Adcom pre amps benefit from this greatly; huge improvement; will cost you 150 bucks in parts to do it, and its a simple connection to your existing pre amp.
J |
Well as someone who enjoyed the GFP750 (in active mode) for a couple years before changing to a Supratek tube preamp (approx 2400 new). With no other changes..
Quantum leap forward in bass response, soundstaging, noise floor. I was especially suprised at how much better the bass response got. Now we're comparing a $1400 new to a $2400 new unit, but that was a well spent 1000 bucks. |
I'm with Usblues on that one...A VTL 5.5 vs any Adcom (unless the tubes in the VTL desperately need replacing) isn't a contest, the VTL makes music. Real, natural music. 'nough said. |
Saying an Adcom smoked a VTL 5.5 pretty much blew your cover here.Or should I say smoked? |
I owned the Adcom. Now I have the H20 Fire. They are not even comparable on any level of sonic ability. There is one point in favor of the Adcom. The Fire, new at $5k, is considerably more expensive. |
How would the GFP 750 in passive mode hold up to a Sonic Euphoria PLC?
I'm seriously considering one of those.
I also wonder how the $399 Shanling PH300 headphone amp, used as a 2-input preamp, would compare to those tube-based Melos head amps of a decade ago. |
750 is a decent preamplifier for a system with low to average resolution. With good speakers, power amplifier and source however is will show all of its shortcomings, which are plenty. |
geez, man, just buy a steinway and get a piano teacher... I have a Yamaha Disklavier baby grand on order..... |
better preamps short-out unused inputs, provide SE and BAL inputs and outputs, use much-higher quality connectors, detachable power cords, resonant-free cabinets, longer lasting and quieter switching devices... another thing is the box needs to be stable and solid enought or it gets thrown all over the place by the sheer weight of the cables attached to it. otoh, you can buy a superb "used" preamp that used to be class "A" for 30 cents on the dollar. i set a limit on what i will spend on a preamp, and it's pretty high. but i will never buy a boulder or "whatever" for over $30k. not ever. and i respect boulder and fm acoustics, goldmund, kondo, etc. dynaudio even tried to market a $100,000 preamp awhile back. and what the heck was THAT suppose to sound like? but IMHO music sources aren't that good that i feel i need to worry about a $60K preamp. geez, man, just buy a steinway and get a piano teacher... |
I completely agree. It is an amazing preamplifier for the money and competes with much more expensive units. Let's not forget that despite the Adcom badge, this thing was designed for Adcom by none other than Nelson Pass!
Enjoy. |
Both the DAC and amp are excellent. I suspect they are a nice sounding combination with the Adcom. You can get better but it is going to cost even buying used. Enjoy. |
Monarchy M24 DAC and Classe Fifteen amplifier, I am trying to stay under a grand or so for each component. As for "good enough is good enough", that sure is the mother of all advices... |
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I'm sure you feel your new Adcom preamp sounds better than a JVC or Pioneer receiver. Please educate me on the difference. How could a $1200 preamp sound better than a $250 receiver? Why spend more than $250 on a receiver?
Bottom line, reviews don't mean crap...if it's good enough for you, then it's good enough. 'nuff said....enjoy...
Cheers,
John |
Kanuk, if you ever have a chance to try the Placette Active Linestage, you'll get the full measure of where the Adcom comes up short. Same type of "passive pre" sound but considerably better. But really, stay with the Adcom. As others have said, it's a great value and a I found it a real joy to use and to live with. |
Kanuk,
What tube Dac are you running with your GFP750? also curious if you are running a Adcom Amp. |
I run it passive and as for "affecting" the musical presentation, I decided to introduce some tube at the DAC and phono-pre level instead. How much would I have to spend to get more of the GFP750 nowadays? I sure know that my $3,000 VTL did not survive. |
I will agree the GFP750 is a great value. I compared it to my Melos 333? several years ago. It was impressively close to a $3000 preamp for only, if I remember correctly, $750 or so. But the Melos was slightly better in all areas, with more neutrality, but also mainly more fully fleshed out tone and imaging. Nowadays, compared to current well regarded preamps, I am sure it holds its own, but the differences would be even greater. A Ref 3, for example, has a MUCH more transparent sound, and will show the GFP as sounding too thin, and not that neutral. Neutral only sounds "neutral" until you hear something even more "neutral". But hey, the GFP is still a great value. It is just not close to the best out there anymore. |
Are you running the Adcom in passive mode or active? |
Not everyone likes a truly neutral sound. Different preamps can and do provide presentations that stray from neutral (warmer or cooler) and better match with the rest of their system. One size doesn't fit all. |
