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Speakers for Adcom GFA 575se $2k-$3k

Hello to all. it's been a long time since i posted but some bad luck has me scrambling to put a temporary system together. was planning on upgrading my rig next year but lost my amp and speakers days apart right before Christmas (ML-432 and Aerial 7B's). both piece's were old/due for upgradeing, but i wasn't ready for them to go belly up  so soon and at almost the same time.

will not have the time or funds to venture into the HiFi rabbit hole until summer/2021 at the earliest. probably more like fall 2021. and once i do start the journey, it'll take some time to research/listen and execute the new setup. i need something to hold me over for 6-12 months at least.

so far i've grabbed an Adcom GFA 575se for dirt cheap. went with the 575 because...
A: it's modestly priced mid-fi 
B: plenty of power to drive whatever speakers i end up getting (350wpc/8ohm  450wpc/4ohm)
C: have a soft spot for Adcom from back in the day/my first real amp and it lasted forever.

now i need a set of speakers that will work decently with 575se. would like to stay in the $2-$3k range. prefer new but would be willing to consider something relatively new but pre-owned,or demo's (nothing old/vintage please). do have a Velodyne DD12 sub but would much prefer to ditch it in favor of full range speakers that put out good/tight/controlled bass. will use this gear (Adcom and TBD speakers) to replace my current living room system after i get around to building my REAL listening room setup next year.

what i would like....
floor standers for Rock/Jazz/Alt music
somewhat high listening levels
prefer musical/easy to listen to speakers. nothing that could be fatiguing
Need something ASAP.....don't have the time to shop around/research/listen etc.... just need something that works well enough for now/6-12 months.

front end being used will be my ancient (in digital terms) PSA Perfect Wave Dac MKII and Perfect Wave Transport. these two piece's will also get relegated to my living room after i  do the real upgrade next year. listen to mostly streamed music with a considerable amount of Hi Res files. do have plenty of hi quality cables and my listening room has been sound treated well. i'm good in that department

just need a decent set of speakers to fill the gap until i'm ready to get on the hifi hamster wheel again =)

look forward to hearing your thoughts




levy03
12 responses Add your response
213runnin
914 posts
 
The 2-3k range.  Well, I don't think you'll find anything in that range that is actually rated for up to 350 wpc.  So whatever you end up with, you'll have to go easy on the speakers somewhat.

I recently picked up a GFA 565SE, and found a great deal in the Kef Q series.  The Kef Q950 would be an option for you at about $2k a pair.  
levy03 OP
442 posts
 
thank you for the suggestion. agree regarding the power and not going crazy with it regardless of what speakers i end up getting. i've always found excess power can be dealt with much easier then not enough. would rather keep the amp working at 50% max then 100%. have read/i believe most damage happens from pushing your amp too hard.... into clipping. good reminder though. 

are you happy with the KEF Q950's?. any complaints or regrets? have not listened to any of the big KEF's for well over a decade. did hear some of their smaller/bookshelf models a couple years back and thought they sounded decent
soix
9,456 posts
 
The LSA-20 Signatures are available here on sale new from the manufacturer for $2299/pr and will likely fill all your needs very nicely.  They offer a 30-day trial so you can try them at home, and I think it’d be hard to find something much better used much less new.  Read the reviews, and best of luck. 
213runnin
914 posts
 
On the Kef Q950, I was on a speaker search recently myself, and the Kef Q line really impressed me at the dealer, so I ordered a pair. Other brands were brighter and or congested compared to the Kefs. I’m getting the Q750 because I have a smaller room, and these speakers can really fill a room. They demoed them with a mid line Denon receiver and I couldn’t believe the bass I was hearing.

The coaxial design is a favorite of mine, it presents a single point for the music to be coming from.  This aids the imaging focus, at least in my experience with some small Tannoy speakers.  The Adcom GFA 565SE is a lot of fun, too.  Open, detailed and effortless.
mofojo
2,289 posts
 
If I was buying new at 3k Tekton DIs for sure.

Other things to consider are older (not vintage) flagship models. I just picked up some Pioneer s-1ex right around that cost. Others may be Revel Ultima 1, Aerial model 9 or LR5, some Golden Ear Triton 1 come up for that price sometimes as well. Lots more I'm sure. Just a thought. 
213runnin
914 posts
 
BTW, I concur with the theory of under driving an amp vs over driving one.  And listening at 70-80 dB most of the time at 10 feet away is what I do most of the time.

The Adcom GFA565SE sounds dynamic and live\detailed at any volume, it’s a great option.  It makes me wonder what they can do at double the price with the GFA575SE!
213runnin
914 posts
 
Sorry to double post, but the Kefs came in this afternoon and I’m breaking them in right now.  They are warm but detailed, and I really like what I’m hearing with the vocals.  Clear and airy.

The Q750’s impedance curve dips down to 3.8 ohms while the Q950 go down to 3.2 and are 91 dB sensitive.  Worth a short list for sure.
tweak1
3,658 posts
 
go to Underwood HiFi
his LSA speakers are still on year end sale
levy03 OP
442 posts
 
realized i left out one important detail in my quest while checking out some of the great suggestions here (thanks to all).

would much prefer speakers that can be bi-wired. love my accoustic zen santori's but they are shotguns....thus the bi-wired preference. not an outright deal breaker but would like to keep using them if at all possible.

also...can now stretch to $4k-ish if need be.
soix
9,456 posts
 
I’ve been using the same cables you have for years so I understand.  There’s a demo pair of Usher Mini Dancer 2 with diamond tweeters for $2950 on eBay that may just end up being keepers.  
levy03 OP
442 posts
 
Soix3: glad somebody understands =). the Santori Shotguns turned out to be "the missing link" when i put my last system together (ML 436/Aerial 7B's and PSA PWD2/PWT). they took me from great sounds to unbelievably great sound (to my ears) about 10 years ago. have been thrilled with my system ever since and haven't changed a single thing. having new terminals put on them right now, while i wait for my speakers (see below). no clue if they'll have the same synergy with this new equipment.... but i'm going to confirm/make sure before ever not using them. hoping they match up nicely with the new gear

thanks to all for the suggestions/help. just made a deal on a used pair of Sonus Faber Sonnetto 8's. decided to put more weight on appearance vs sound quality. these speakers will end up in the living room down the road where they'll need to look good way more often the sound good. read some decent reviews on them and they look fantastic imho. they fell within budget too.  should have everything together/setup by weeks end. have gone almost three weeks without  any hi quality audio (something i enjoy nightly). am slowly losing my mind and counting the days now.
213runnin
914 posts
 
Those Sonus Faber Sonnetto 8 look pretty impressive.  Made in Italy.  Up to 300 watts handling, 4 ohms rated, 36 - 25,000 Hz, and a retail of $6500.  When you've had some time with them, please update us on how they sound with the Adcom!
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