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New Member Needs Help

Hello everyone.  I am a new member and could really use some advice.  First, I hope I am posting this in the right section since I suspect the problem lies in the area of my electronics, although admittedly I am not sure.  I was a budding audiophile in my younger days and accrued some equipment, all bought new.  It consists of an Adcom GFA-555 amp, Adcom GTP-500 preamp/tuner, Adcom GCD-700 CD player and a B&O Beogram 1700 turntable.  I am using a set of Soundwave Grand Soliloquy speakers.   My wife would sometimes turn on the equipment for background music but there really hasn't been any serious listening in years.  

Having just retired I now have some free time, so after checking all the connections, I began listening to the system using the CD player as the source.  Overall, I thought it sounded very disappointing - pretty harsh and a bit thin, lacking in bass.  I couldn't listen to it very long.  I then tried the turntable.  The sound wasn't much different but the belt on the TT must be shot and the resulting rumble made serious listening difficult.

Having done some searching on this forum, I decided to pull the speaker cloth and examine the Grand Soliloquy speakers.  They looked perfect.  The cones and surrounds were butyl? rubber and looked good, as did the glue, which I read was a weak spot on some early model Soliloquys.  

So now I am wondering where to go next.  Could the amp/preamp have deteriorated that much with time?   Is that something I would audibly notice?  Would the crossovers in the speakers deteriorate over time?  Or maybe it is just my memory and I don't remember the sound very accurately?  And is any of this equipment up to today's standards and worth saving?  

I also have a pair of Ohm Walsh 2 speakers and an old Harmon Kardon HK730 receiver packed away that I could haul out for a comparison, but I am not sure that will answer any questions, and might confuse me more.  I appreciate any and all ideas from forum members.  Oh, and my room is large - about 14X22 feet.  Sorry for rambling a bit but thanks very much in advance.  
jpl



golftime
golftime OP
15 posts
 
Thank you guys.  I will let the system start to idle for a couple of days and try again.  I don't have access to any other systems locally as my friends are no longer into sound.  I am not even sure what real sound stores are around me.  There used to be a few but I think most of them went out.  

I have a follow up question.  I recall the Adcom stuff was Nelson Pass designed.  I have read about a number of places that I can send the Adcom electronics to (one being Musical Concepts) who will replace capacitors and perform upgrades.  Do the upgrades put the equipment in the same category as modern electronics such as a Bryston or Conrad Johnson, or am I putting lipstick on a pig?  

rar1's avatar
rar1
1,748 posts
 
Nelson Pass did design the original 555.  You may want to read through this thread ... url=http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/5280-adcom-555ii-nelson-pass.html.  

With that said, I would be asking the question ... does it make sense to rehab 25 year old equipment?  Did you like the Adcom equipment that much back in the day?  These can be tough questions.  Do you want to make major purchases having just retired.  I know as I ponder this myself ... I will be 59 and most of my equipment is at least a dozen years old.  I sometimes am tempted to sell what I have, buy all new Mcintosh  equipment, and let someone else worry about disposing it all in 20 years or so.  Such nice thoughts for a Sunday.    

None of this negates my feelings about the preamp being the weak link.  I don't know your speakers.  My inclination would be to start new with the major pieces, buy the best that I can afford, and be done with it.  I have been burned with enough vintage and older equipment over the years that I am inclined to buy quality and to buy new.      

Rich 

golftime OP
15 posts
 
We are in a similar boat Rich.  Having recently retired at 60, I would like to use the equipment I have and save the major expenditure but clearly don't want to throw money at a lost cause.  The Grand Soliloquy's were great sounding speakers at the time and have been mentioned by others on this forum, but the company went belly up during some hard times.  In fact I used them to replace my Ohm Walsh 2's and felt they were a nice upgrade at the time.  As for the Adcom equipment, I found it to be good but alway felt it was a bit thin or harsh, although not as much as I hear now.  I appreciate the input from you guys.  I obviously have some decisions to consider.  
czarivey
5,740 posts
 
if your amp does not buzz and not noisy at idle, there is large chance that it will 'rejuvenate' while at idle. if speakers were 'sleeping' over years, they will also benefit hours of normal volume level playback so playing some constant music via tuner or other continuous source may certainly help to 'wake up'. 
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islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
There is always another way. Since you've retired, and conceivably have time on your hands, have you thought about DIY? Most of my system consists of DIY in one way or another.

I didn't build any electronics until I was about 62 YOA. I have now built custom vintage Tannoy speakers, a Transcendent Sound preamp, and two Class D Audio amps that sound WAY better than they have any right to. Also,you may need to update the caps in your speaker crossovers to get them to sound their best.

Price for the preamp kit: $499 Price for the two amp kits: About $600 You can have them built for you at extra cost. I can state unequivocally, I want for nothing in sound quality, and wouldn't change a thing, even if I won the Powerball lotto.

Something to think about.

Regards, and best of luck,
Dan
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