Starting new surround system

[Jeff klarich]

I just traded up my adcom gfa-555 to a 565se.
My pre-amp is adcom gtp-600 I've had since
The early 90's. I have jbl l890's for my fronts.
My thought is to buy 2 more 565's and 2 more 890's
For the rear. Is it smart to use three 565's or should
I buy something else for the center and sub or subs?
Plus should I stay all jbl?
I really miss my old L-100t's!!!

 

[Swerd]

I just traded up my adcom gfa-555 to a 565se. My pre-amp is adcom gtp-600 I've had since the early 90's. I have jbl l890's for my fronts. My thought is to buy 2 more 565's and 2 more 890's for the rear.

Is it smart to use three 565's or should I buy something else for the center and sub or subs? Plus should I stay all jbl? I really miss my old L-100t's!!!

Jeff, welcome to Audioholics. Your post raises several questions.

The main issue I see, is your Adcom preamp dates back so far back that I think you should consider replacing it. If I understand correctly (I read this), it has Dolby Pro-Logic Surround Sound, but nothing more modern such as Dolby Digital or DTS decoding. Those became current sometime in the late 1990s. They will sound significantly better than surround sound via any version of Pro-Logic. DVDs in either of these formats have 5 discrete channels of sound digitally encoded on the disk. In comparison, Pro-Logic takes 2-channel audio and synthesizes a center and rear channels.

DD or DTS are now dated formats as well. They have been superseded the various loss-less digital sound formats found in Blue Ray players. Blue Ray disc players are inexpensive, and will play all older CD and DVD formats as well.

I don't know how much you plan to watch movies with your surround system, but if you do, there will be significantly audible benefits by replacing your preamp with something modern. If you will only listen to 2-channel music, then your preamp will be fine. But if that's the case, why you want a surround sound system?

As far as the speakers go, if you like your L890s, look for a center channel speaker made by JBL that seems to go with the L890s, such as the LC2. For rear channel speakers, if you plan a surround sound system for movies, I'd suggest something smaller and less expensive. The rear channel content in most movies is significantly less demanding than for the front three channels.

Your amplifier is fine, but I think you might put off decisions about more amps until you have looked into modern AV receivers. I suggest that because you can get an AV receiver with RCA preamp out put jacks that allow you to continue using your amp. That way you can get all the modern audio decoding features, the ability to seamlessly hook up a TV set, and use the receiver as a preamp for those channels where you have outboard amps.

 

[Jeff klarich]

Jeff, welcome to Audioholics. Your post raises several questions.

The main issue I see, is your Adcom preamp dates back so far back that I think you should consider replacing it. If I understand correctly (I read this), it has Dolby Pro-Logic Surround Sound, but nothing more modern such as Dolby Digital or DTS decoding. Those became current sometime in the late 1990s. They will sound significantly better than surround sound via any version of Pro-Logic. DVDs in either of these formats have 5 discrete channels of sound digitally encoded on the disk. In comparison, Pro-Logic takes 2-channel audio and synthesizes a center and rear channels.

DD or DTS are now dated formats as well. They have been superseded the various loss-less digital sound formats found in Blue Ray players. Blue Ray disc players are inexpensive, and will play all older CD and DVD formats as well.

I don't know how much you plan to watch movies with your surround system, but if you do, there will be significantly audible benefits by replacing your preamp with something modern. If you will only listen to 2-channel music, then your preamp will be fine. But if that's the case, why you want a surround sound system?

As far as the speakers go, if you like your L890s, look for a center channel speaker made by JBL that seems to go with the L890s, such as the LC2. For rear channel speakers, if you plan a surround sound system for movies, I'd suggest something smaller and less expensive. The rear channel content in most movies is significantly less demanding than for the front three channels.

Your amplifier is fine, but I think you might put off decisions about more amps until you have looked into modern AV receivers. I suggest that because you can get an AV receiver with RCA preamp out put jacks that allow you to continue using your amp. That way you can get all the modern audio decoding features, the ability to seamlessly hook up a TV set, and use the receiver as a preamp for those channels where you have outboard amps.

I've asked Adcom about new surround pre-amp.
They said my be coming out at end of the
Year.
Any suggestions on other brands?
Also, do I need to have same size amps for surround?
Thanks for input. Wife hates me spending (our) money!

 

[Grador]

I've asked Adcom about new surround pre-amp.
They said my be coming out at end of the
Year.
Any suggestions on other brands?
Also, do I need to have same size amps for surround?
Thanks for input. Wife hates me spending (our) money!

Well the most wife appeasing choice would probably be to go with a modern A/V receiver, especially if you're primary concern will still be two channel music. With an AVR that has pre-outs you could [as swerd suggested] continue to use your current amp for the main speakers, but beyond that you could use the amps built into the AVR. Should you decide this isn't sufficient you can add an amp for the center or surrounds as needed. You may choose to go for a similar sized amp for the center, but the surrounds will almost certainly be fine with the amp built into the AVR.

As for brands: My preference is for yamaha, solid performance unsurpassed reliability. Others here really like denon which I put as a second choice mostly just out of brand loyalty. Onkyos are pretty alright but I've read of to many failed units to be comfortable really recommending them. My knowledge of higher end brands is very limited so I won't touch on them at all. Frankly though, I'm not really sure how much more they'd have to offer.

 

[Jeff klarich]

Well the most wife appeasing choice would probably be to go with a modern A/V receiver, especially if you're primary concern will still be two channel music. With an AVR that has pre-outs you could [as swerd suggested] continue to use your current amp for the main speakers, but beyond that you could use the amps built into the AVR. Should you decide this isn't sufficient you can add an amp for the center or surrounds as needed. You may choose to go for a similar sized amp for the center, but the surrounds will almost certainly be fine with the amp built into the AVR.

As for brands: My preference is for yamaha, solid performance unsurpassed reliability. Others here really like denon which I put as a second choice mostly just out of brand loyalty. Onkyos are pretty alright but I've read of to many failed units to be comfortable really recommending them. My knowledge of higher end brands is very limited so I won't touch on them at all. Frankly though, I'm not really sure how much more they'd have to offer.

That is great news because I have a Yamaha rx-v863.
It's hooked to Boise acustmas 10 now.
I dug the Adcom out of my pre-marital pile of stuff to relive the old days.
(Good times of my youth) and bought the565 because I need louder when
Wife and kids are gone.
Did not even think about trying to use what I already have.
Lack of knowledge too

 

[Swerd]

That is great news because I have a Yamaha rx-v863.
It's hooked to Boise acustmas 10 now.
I dug the Adcom out of my pre-marital pile of stuff to relive the old days.
(Good times of my youth) and bought the565 because I need louder when
Wife and kids are gone.
Did not even think about trying to use what I already have.
Lack of knowledge too

You're in luck, the Yamaha RX-V863 does have the preamp output jacks (not all receivers do). Go ahead and try using that. With your Adcom amp driving the front speakers, the Yamaha should have enough power to drive a center channel plus rear channel speakers. You don't need really big amps for that.

I didn't know Adcom is still around, I thought it had gone out of business. Its possible the name is owned by someone else, but it probably isn't the same company it once was.

I might be wrong, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to produce a new preamp/processor. The big audio electronic companies like Yamaha, Denon, Pioneer, Onkyo, dominate the AV receiver business. Since the economy has gone south, most smaller specialty companies have either gone out of business or failed to produce any new preamp/processor models, choosing to keep making only their amplifiers. The exceptions I can think of are Outlaw and Emotiva. But there is no reason why you can't use your Yamaha with your Adcom amp.