Earthquake Vs. Adcom

[rolyasm]

My friend is looking at getting some seperates and needs and amp. He has a friend in California who is some kind of a wholesaler or something, and so is limited to what he can sell. Anyway... he is looking at the Earthquake 7 channel amplifier due out in January, and the Adcom GFA 7807. No direct links to the Earthquake, since it isn't out yet, but he says the stats will be the same as the five channel Earthquake, only now 7 channels. here is Earthquakes site.
http://www.earthquakesound.com/cinenova grande.htm
and the Adcom site.
http://www.adcom.com/newproducts/gfa7807.htm
Both are very close in price, but I think he can get the Earthquake for several hundred cheaper. I checked the Adcom site and there are not specs. Anyone had any dealings with either of these companies? Thanks
Roly

 

[mulester7]

My friend is looking at getting some seperates and needs and amp. He has a friend in California who is some kind of a wholesaler or something, and so is limited to what he can sell. Anyway... he is looking at the Earthquake 7 channel amplifier due out in January, and the Adcom GFA 7807. No direct links to the Earthquake, since it isn't out yet, but he says the stats will be the same as the five channel Earthquake, only now 7 channels. here is Earthquakes site.
http://www.earthquakesound.com/cinenova grande.htm
and the Adcom site.
http://www.adcom.com/newproducts/gfa7807.htm
Both are very close in price, but I think he can get the Earthquake for several hundred cheaper. I checked the Adcom site and there are not specs. Anyone had any dealings with either of these companies? Thanks
Roly

.....Rolyasm, the amps you have linked, are higher than a hawk's nest in North Dakota....think Outlaw mono-blocks on the front three channels, imo, and let the receiver push the surrounds.....

 

[MacManNM]

I know Adcom is some good gear. I have had several of their amps and never had any problems with them. Earthquake sounds like it belongs in car audio. I have never dealt with them.

 

[QED]

Home Theater Mag Review

September, 2005 issue

http://hometheatermag.com/poweramplifiers/905earthquake/

 

[MacManNM]

I don't think its worth 6k no matter how you slice it. Overpriced. You are way better off going with a pro amp like a Mackie or Crown, the sound quality is just as good and you will have just as much power.

You can get 3 mackie 1400i, for 500 each and have more dynamic headroom than you will with that one amp.

 

[jcPanny]

7 channel amp

Take a look at the 7 channel Emotive amp from AV123 and read the audioholics review. At $2K, its a better value than the models you listed. They also make a matching processor.

 

[PENG]

I don't know much about the Earthquake but I have faith in Adcom. Must be nice to have the power of the 7807 whether you need it or not. The thing weighs 119 lbs!

I guess the Earthquake weighs even more.

 

[rolyasm]

I should have been a little more specific, sorry. I think he is getting either of them for around $2500, the Adcom maybe a bit more. Does that change the scenario any? Thanks
Roly

 

[PENG]

I should have been a little more specific, sorry. I think he is getting either of them for around $2500, the Adcom maybe a bit more. Does that change the scenario any? Thanks
Roly

Sure it does. If he can get that Adcom for anywhere near $2,500, that's a little less than $1.2 a watt! Is the wooden crate included?

 

[mulester7]

I should have been a little more specific, sorry. I think he is getting either of them for around $2500, the Adcom maybe a bit more. Does that change the scenario any? Thanks
Roly

.....not saying that's not a decent price, Rolyasm, and if the kids will have bicycles in spite of the purchase, may he go for it....but it will receive the same signals as three mono-blocks would, and the receiver would push nothing with that many channels....to me it would be a matter of prudence, if, the surround receiver pushes the surrounds ok....maybe a report could be made by someone who went from, just the front channels on slave power, to, all 5 or 7 channels on slave power....sure, the latter would be the best shot for system sound-quality, but I'm not sure it's worth the difference in price, nor actually needed....bicycles, guys, bicycles.....ain't this cool weather wonderful?......

 

[PENG]

.....not saying that's not a decent price, Rolyasm, and if the kids will have bicycles in spite of the purchase, may he go for it....but it will receive the same signals as three mono-blocks would, and the receiver would push nothing with that many channels....to me it would be a matter of prudence, if, the surround receiver pushes the surrounds ok....maybe a report could be made by someone who went from, just the front channels on slave power, to, all 5 or 7 channels on slave power....sure, the latter would be the best shot for system sound-quality, but I'm not sure it's worth the difference in price, nor actually needed....bicycles, guys, bicycles.....ain't this cool weather wonderful?......

Agree, but Roly didn't say anything about his friend having a receiver.

 

[Snap]

I might have missed it but what speakers are the amps going to be driving? That kind of makes a big diff. No sense in getting a High Quality amp if you are not going to go with High Quality Speakers. (And cables, and CD player etc.....)But if he is a big time Audiofile, and has the money to spend that get the Earthquake. Great amp!

I would choose the Earthquake over the other for sure. Another amp to check out is the Parasound line. Very nice and not as much as the other selections.

Personal pref......stay away from Mackie Amps and mixers if possible. Some of thier monitors are good. But they are just like Bose....over priced and over rated. But that is my thoughts on Mackie..... And just for the people that would disagree with me...I own a Macke 32-4R.

 

[mulester7]

Agree, but Roly didn't say anything about his friend having a receiver.

.....Peng, you pretty sharp....I went back and read the opener, and it said a friend was building a system of seperates, and needed an amp....I thought two or three channels getting the signals out of the receiver....will that work?....hey, I can try again, haha.....Peng, you got amps everywhere....we could hang......

 

[rolyasm]

Well, he isn't totally set on seperates, he just wants a good theater for a descent price. I think his budget is around 10k or less. I think he was looking at a Pioneer Elite Receiver, maybe the newer 74ai something or other, or a Sherwood-Newcastle. Haven't heard much about the Sherwood. I looked them up. The Flagship is a 7 channel x 120 watts. His price is around $1200.00. So if he got a three channel amp, I would think he had plenty of power for the surrounds? You agree? Also, as far as speakers, he likes the sound of Klipsh, likes Def. Tech more, but his rep. guy can get Earthquakes Platine Noiree for a fairly competative price. He didn't tell me what that was, I can ask, but he said they were all about equal in price. I think the whole Platine Noiree system, without sub, was around $3500.00. Here is a site for earthquake and Sherwood Newcastle.
http://www.earthquakesound.com/Platine Noiree.htm

http://www.sherwoodamerica.com/nc_cat_hts.html

I called him and told him to hold off on the 5 channel as it sounds like maybe a bit much. On that subject, let me ask this. What would anyone use 7 channels of 300 watts for? Do any surrounds require that much? I guess I could see using a 5 channel and bi-amping the fronts, but that seems like an awful lot of power too. Who is using this stuff? Thanks for it all.
Roly

 

[PENG]

If he is open to receivers/amp combo then as mule suggested, the receiver can drive the surrounds.

Shoud he decide to go with the 300Wx7 amp, then tell him to wire at least one separate 20A circuit for the amp. A dedicated 15A circuit, at 120V, can only deliver 1800W, assuming no voltage drop. That's just power input to the amp, by the time it get to the amps output terminals, you are lucky to get 1000W.

 

[MacManNM]

I might have missed it but what speakers are the amps going to be driving? That kind of makes a big diff. No sense in getting a High Quality amp if you are not going to go with High Quality Speakers. (And cables, and CD player etc.....)But if he is a big time Audiofile, and has the money to spend that get the Earthquake. Great amp!

I would choose the Earthquake over the other for sure. Another amp to check out is the Parasound line. Very nice and not as much as the other selections.

Personal pref......stay away from Mackie Amps and mixers if possible. Some of thier monitors are good. But they are just like Bose....over priced and over rated. But that is my thoughts on Mackie..... And just for the people that would disagree with me...I own a Macke 32-4R.

Funny you should mention Bose and Mackie together

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11799&highlight=1801

I also have detailed measurements on the M1400i power amp by Mackie. I don't recommend something unless I have measured/heard it.