Adcom vs Emotiva

[slovell]

I've got an Adcom GFA 5500 and a GFA 7000 that are both getting long in the tooth and starting to sound a bit ragged. Both of them are at least 15 years old. I'm trying to decide whether to have the 5500 serviced/modded by Musical Concepts and the 7000 serviced or to replace them both with something more current like the Emotiva XPA-2 and the XPA-5. I use the 5500 to power my Klipsch KLF-20's modded with Crites titanium diaphragms in the tweets, Klipsch titanium diaphragms in the mid horn, and Crites custom crossovers with an added band pass for the mid horn. I use the 7000 for my klipsch center and surrounds and a Marantz AV-7005 prepro. Would going to the newer Emotivas be an improvement or just a sideways move? I don't want to throw good money after bad, (who does?) but on the other hand I don't want to spend money on new amps with little improvement. I've never heard the Emotiva line of amps but I've read a lot of good/bad/indifferent things about them. Any opinions/advice will be welcomed even if it's basically informing me that I'm a complete idiot.
Thanks, Sam

 

[ski2xblack]

Those are some good and proper monkey coffins.

Considering the sensitivity of your speakers and that you would never tax either of the options, it would be a sideways move IMO. If Musical Concepts is a reputable shop, I suspect re-habbing the Adcom pieces would cost far less than the new Emo amps.

 

[slovell]

What in hell is a monkey coffin???

 

[Bizarro_Stormy]

What in hell is a monkey coffin???

Probably phlegm...

He's a chain smoker...

 

[PENG]

My GFA555 and GFP565 are well over 25 years old. The 565 has no issues but lost one channel on the 555 a couple years ago. The remaining channel powered my center channel, still sound like what an excellent amp should sound like. When you said it sound ragged, you meant both channels? You may just have to replace the big caps.

 

[KEW]

What in hell is a monkey coffin???

I think he was referring to your speakers.

 

[jinjuku]

Depends on how much the retrofit is for the Adcom. I owned the GFA 5500 for 3 years. Thought it was average at best for all the hoopla that people made over it.

You can get two Crown XLS 1500's for $398 off of Amazon to your door with Prime.

 

[slovell]

Probably phlegm...

He's a chain smoker...

View attachment 16698

 

[slovell]

I think he was referring to your speakers.

I found some strange stuff in them when I tore them down for rebuilding but no monkeys, unfortunately. That would have been kinda cool.

 

[slovell]

My GFA555 and GFP565 are well over 25 years old. The 565 has no issues but lost one channel on the 555 a couple years ago. The remaining channel powered my center channel, still sound like what an excellent amp should sound like. When you said it sound ragged, you meant both channels? You may just have to replace the big caps.

Yeah, both channels. It's started sounding kinda grainy and thin with bloated bass overall, seems to have lost a lot of it's punch.

 

[slovell]

Depends on how much the retrofit is for the Adcom. I owned the GFA 5500 for 3 years. Thought it was average at best for all the hoopla that people made over it.

You can get two Crown XLS 1500's for $398 off of Amazon to your door with Prime.

From Musical Concepts it'll be around $600 less shipping for their mods and service. From EBC Electronics their standard service runs around $300 less shipping.

 

[ski2xblack]

I found some strange stuff in them when I tore them down for rebuilding but no monkeys, unfortunately. That would have been kinda cool.

Yeah, a reference to your speakers, meant in a complimentary way. I'm partial to the old Klipsch monkey coffins. Careful with it, as the Klipsch thing typically ends up being a compulsion, and you end up with a house full of huge antique Heritage speakers (that still kick ass), or even a pair of Jubs (clouds part, angels sing!).

 

[jinjuku]

From Musical Concepts it'll be around $600 less shipping for their mods and service. From EBC Electronics their standard service runs around $300 less shipping.

Either way a no brainer then. I've owned the 5500 and 535, along with some Carver and Parasound.

The Crown's a better amp, IMO, for several reasons.

 

[slovell]

Yeah, a reference to your speakers, meant in a complimentary way. I'm partial to the old Klipsch monkey coffins. Careful with it, as the Klipsch thing typically ends up being a compulsion, and you end up with a house full of huge antique Heritage speakers (that still kick ass), or even a pair of Jubs (clouds part, angels sing!).

No offence taken my friend. You are absolutely correct about the compulsion thing, once you start listening to these things you're doomed. My KLFs don't need much power but it also seems that the more juice you throw at them the better they like it.

 

[slovell]

Either way a no brainer then. I've owned the 5500 and 535, along with some Carver and Parasound.

The Crown's a better amp, IMO, for several reasons.

I've read some articles about the Crown line but I've never heard them. What are your reasons if you don't mind my asking.

 

[jinjuku]

I've read some articles about the Crown line but I've never heard them. What are your reasons if you don't mind my asking.

Please keep in mind I've owned the 3 channel version of the Adcom you have....

1. There is no compromise in sound quality vs the Adcom. As a matter of preference I thought
the Adcom wasn't as resolving as the Crown

2. The Crown weighs 8 lbs

3. is about 6 times more power efficient

4. has built in X-Over

5. has XLR (balanced connections) along with RCA

5. has adjustable gain

6. It's brand new with 3 year warranty

 

[jinjuku]

I'll add one more:

What is the last new product to come from Adcom and are they going to be around as long as H/K (parent company of Crown)?

 

[slovell]

I've read that they're a tad bright, I have to be very careful with bright sound due to my horns. They are an interesting proposition though. Unfortunately I live in an audio wasteland, there's nowhere to go audition anything unless one considers BestBuy an audio store. I'm sorry, I can't believe I just said that, now I can't stop laughing.

 

[ski2xblack]

No offence taken my friend. You are absolutely correct about the compulsion thing, once you start listening to these things you're doomed. My KLFs don't need much power but it also seems that the more juice you throw at them the better they like it.

Even with the sensitivity, it merely gives a head start in the power race, and power demands still increase exponentially. It's amazing what "too much" power can do. I've driven my old Klipsch (forte ll w/ crites goodies) with everything from goofy flea watt single ended tubes (bizarrely engaging but woefully inadequate on the power front) to some pro amps. Even though it takes getting pretty loud, I can bring my mainstay ATI 60 watt amp to it's knees before the speakers reach their limits. A refurbished old NAD capable of several hundred watts can produce house shaking, club like levels, seemingly effortlessly. Similarly with the pro amps of similar capacity. It's pretty fun what happens with all that power.

Within that line of Crown amps, the 1500 and above spec as well as any amp, and are worthy of consideration for all the reasons jinjuku points out.

 

[slovell]

Even with the sensitivity, it merely gives a head start in the power race, and power demands still increase exponentially. It's amazing what "too much" power can do. I've driven my old Klipsch (forte ll w/ crites goodies) with everything from goofy flea watt single ended tubes (bizarrely engaging but woefully inadequate on the power front) to some pro amps. Even though it takes getting pretty loud, I can bring my mainstay ATI 60 watt amp to it's knees before the speakers reach their limits. A refurbished old NAD capable of several hundred watts can produce house shaking, club like levels, seemingly effortlessly. Similarly with the pro amps of similar capacity. It's pretty fun what happens with all that power.

Within that line of Crown amps, the 1500 and above spec as well as any amp, and are worthy of consideration for all the reasons jinjuku points out.

I've got a Dynaco 70 clone that I hook up occasionally, sounds nice but runs out of gas pretty quick with rock. The thing is that with the 5500 cymbals have always sounded muffled and recessed way into the background. With the little Dynaco (35/40 rms maybe) they come out with ring and shimmer like they should and that's using the same Marantz prepro and cables with both. Cymbals have always sounded like crap with the 5500. What's up with that?