New Finds

[02audionoob]

Congrats!
I think you will really like it.
do you know what the difference is between the 555 and the 555 II? From what I know about the amps it was basically cosmetic but I have not heard anything about the pre's.

The GFP-555II improved the noise spec and the distortion spec as compared to the GFP-555. It also removed the LOMC phono input. I think the "processor in" loop was new with the II.

[02audionoob]

Thanks noob! Nothing like the voice of experience! Very appreciated.

Glad to help. Here's the last of my Adcom gear...



I thought the GFP-565 in bypass mode was even better than no preamp at all, but it's gone because I now have only one source on the Adcom GFA-545II and I couldn't resist the money I could get for it.

[dakatabg]

Seems that I am the only one who doesn't have an Adcom I should quickly get one to see how they sound!

[JoeE SP9]

AFAIK there isn'tmuch difference sound wise between the 545/535 and the II versions. The 5300/5400 and 5500 models are different.

If you've been using a receiver even the GFA-535 will seem to have limitless power. It doesn't but it has more "oomph" than any receiver. I've had and used most of Adcoms amps except the 5500. They all seem to have more power than their ratings.

I recently compared a GFA-545 against a Kenwood KM-106. There was no contest. The Adcom was better in every way. It was smoother, more articulate, had better bass, a blacker background and seemed to have at least twice as much power.

The 535 is rated at 60WPC and the 545 at 100WPC. They are definately conservative ratings.

[Mr Peabody]

JoeE, the KM-106 is out of Kenwood's rack system so it's not the best representative for Kenwood amps. Watt for watt the Adcom would still be better than Kenwood but their Basic amps and some of their integrated were far better than the KM series. Kenwood embraced and believed integrated amps were the way to go, some of them are very good.

[luvtolisten]

Bought a Adcom GFA535 yesterday, (off ebay, the seller lives about 35/40 miles from me. to go with the GFP 555II). Price for both was less than $180. Wondering how it will compare to my Cambridge Audio 640 A V2. Be fun to find out!

[dakatabg]

luvtolisten, you got it right there and you got a deal for sure!

I hope you enjoy the Adcom gear!

[luvtolisten]

Thanks Dak. The seller for the amp just contacted me, he has an identical one for sale too. Can these be bridged in any way, or is there any advantage to having 2 amps? (other than having one as a spare?)

[poppachubby]

Bought a Adcom GFA535 yesterday, (off ebay, the seller lives about 35/40 miles from me. to go with the GFP 555II). Price for both was less than $180. Wondering how it will compare to my Cambridge Audio 640 A V2. Be fun to find out!

Congrats L2L!! I look forward to yourn opinions. We'll see how you and thekid match up. In regards to your Cambridge, I suspect it might not be better, but just different, which is always a good thing.

I forget, did you tell me what elose you were hooking up to this stuff?

[02audionoob]

Thanks Dak. The seller for the amp just contacted me, he has an identical one for sale too. Can these be bridged in any way, or is there any advantage to having 2 amps? (other than having one as a spare?)

The GFA-535 doesn't have a bridging option, but you could use two in a bi-amping setup. You could run the GFP-555II's Main output to one GFA-535 and its Bypass outputs to another GFA-535. Then connect the two amps to bi-amp speakers.

[poppachubby]

The GFA-535 doesn't have a bridging option, but you could use two in a bi-amping setup. You could run the GFP-555II's Main output to one GFA-535 and its Bypass outputs to another GFA-535. Then connect the two amps to bi-amp speakers.

Aside from the great technical advice, are you a fan of bi-amping noob? I would rather see a dual mono scenario, which IMO has a definite audible advantage. This is not possible here, if only the pre had dual outputs, he could send both lefts to one, and the rights to the other.

Cordially Yours, Poppachubby Esq.

[thekid]

Bought a Adcom GFA535 yesterday, (off ebay, the seller lives about 35/40 miles from me. to go with the GFP 555II). Price for both was less than $180. Wondering how it will compare to my Cambridge Audio 640 A V2. Be fun to find out!

Well don't blame me when you end up loving that combo..........

Congrats I think you will really enjoy it!

You may already be aware of this review but if not you and the others can read what Stereophile mag thought of your amp when it was introduced.

http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcom...ier/index.html

[02audionoob]

Aside from the great technical advice, are you a fan of bi-amping noob? I would rather see a dual mono scenario, which IMO has a definite audible advantage. This is not possible here, if only the pre had dual outputs, he could send both lefts to one, and the rights to the other.

Cordially Yours, Poppachubby Esq.

The GFP-555II pre does have two sets of outputs, but the GFA-535 amps aren't set up for mono. That aside, I don't know how big a fan I am of this sort of version of bi-amping, anyway...this version being sans crossover. Adcom makes note of it in the manual for the GFP-555II, so I thought I'd mention it as one possible advantage of having two amps.

If you have two GFA-555II amps, you can bridge both and go dual mono. Get two GFA-565 amps and you have a dual-mono tower of power, to say the least.

[luvtolisten]

Congrats L2L!! I look forward to yourn opinions. We'll see how you and thekid match up. In regards to your Cambridge, I suspect it might not be better, but just different, which is always a good thing.

Thanks! You could be right, but I guessing they definitely will sound different from one another, which as you say is a good thing.It may just come down to personal taste

I forget, did you tell me what else you were hooking up to this stuff?

Yes, on page 14 of this thread. I meant to ask you again (forgot, sorry) what DAC are you running, and what was that chip series you liked?

[luvtolisten]

Well don't blame me when you end up loving that combo..........

Congrats I think you will really enjoy it!

You may already be aware of this review but if not you and the others can read what Stereophile mag thought of your amp when it was introduced.

http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcom...ier/index.html

Thanks for posting about it in the first place. I got the GFP 555 II today! It looks better than I thought. There isn't as much paint overspray as in the picture on ebay. I'll experiment on a small spot to see if I can get it off. If not no biggie. Still happy!

[luvtolisten]

The GFP-555II pre does have two sets of outputs, but the GFA-535 amps aren't set up for mono. That aside, I don't know how big a fan I am of this sort of version of bi-amping, anyway...this version being sans crossover. Adcom makes note of it in the manual for the GFP-555II, so I thought I'd mention it as one possible advantage of having two amps.

If you have two GFA-555II amps, you can bridge both and go dual mono. Get two GFA-565 amps and you have a dual-mono tower of power, to say the least.

Thanks noob, and Poppa C too. From what I'm hearing, it really doesn't justify buying the other amp, I'm not a big fan of bi amping speakers, at least not with the speakers I have anyway.

[Mr Peabody]

The best way to biamp with those amps would be what's called "vertical biamping". Take the left preamp out to a Y adaptor running one leg to each input of one 535, hooking one of the 535 speaker terminals to highs and the other to low end. Then do the same with the right. You are effectively creating a monoblock as one amp will be running each channel, as well as getting some benefit from biamping. The vertical biamping itself should give some what better sound stage but I can't really tell you for sure if it's worth the extra money.

For $180.00 you have a great combo. I am really looking forward to hearing your comparison against the 640.

[Mr Peabody]

Be careful, only preamp outputs can be used for biamping. Bypass or monitor outs will not allow any volume control.

[poppachubby]

I meant to ask you again (forgot, sorry) what DAC are you running, and what was that chip series you liked?

A Philips TDA 1543 Non-Over Sampling dac. Here is a fave of mine...

http://www.pacificvalve.us/LITEDACAH.html

[02audionoob]

Be careful, only preamp outputs can be used for biamping. Bypass or monitor outs will not allow any volume control.

You're misunderstanding what the Bypass output does on the GFP-555II. All it does is bypass the tone controls and filter switches.

The best way to biamp with those amps would be what's called "vertical biamping". Take the left preamp out to a Y adaptor running one leg to each input of one 535, hooking one of the 535 speaker terminals to highs and the other to low end. Then do the same with the right. You are effectively creating a monoblock as one amp will be running each channel, as well as getting some benefit from biamping. The vertical biamping itself should give some what better sound stage but I can't really tell you for sure if it's worth the extra money.

For $180.00 you have a great combo. I am really looking forward to hearing your comparison against the 640.

Why would you need a splitter on the left output and a splitter on the right output when you have two lefts and two rights?

[luvtolisten]

Be careful, only preamp outputs can be used for biamping. Bypass or monitor outs will not allow any volume control.

Thank you Mr. P.,good idea as far as how to use them as mono amps.
I knew the monitor outputs had that effect, but I thought "bypass" was just for the tone controls only. Thanks for sending that along, I may have done a bad thing! Why are is there a "bypass " anyway?

[luvtolisten]

Oops I see noob just posted too. Thanks noob.

[luvtolisten]

A Philips TDA 1543 Non-Over Sampling dac. Here is a fave of mine...

http://www.pacificvalve.us/LITEDACAH.html

Sweet! This time I bookmarked it. I am using a laptop, is ther a device that you know of that converts usb to coax or optical?

[poppachubby]

Sweet! This time I bookmarked it. I am using a laptop, is ther a device that you know of that converts usb to coax or optical?

Yes... http://www.pacificvalve.us/M2TechHiFace.html

But there are some USB options with the 1543 chip, you can find them cheaper than this... http://www.mood-lab.com/dice.htm

[luvtolisten]

Wow, I didn't think such an adapter existed. Very cool, thanks!