Added a bit of Adcom....and now Aerial Acoustics

the 545/ 555 are sweet amps $20?!?!! = such a deal! The Adcom amps have ticked up in price in the last few years, along with the perceived value. It's good to still hear about deals like that!!

I've been looking at the ACE-515 conditioners @hjames and @Skinnidog .. >> @others << I've read good things about these units but some say that they colour the sound to some degree. Have either of you noticed any differently hued tones? Do you find that it improves your SQ?
 
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Nope - the ACE-515 is basically a switched outlet -
I have heard no changes to the sonics of the various amps I have used them with over the years.

the 545/ 555 are sweet amps $20?!?!! = such a deal! The Adcom amps have ticked up in price in the last few years, along with the perceived value. It's good to still hear about deals like that!!

I've been looking at the ACE-515 conditioners @hjames and @Skinnidog .. >> @others << I've read good things about these units but some say that they colour the sound to some degree. Have either of you noticed any differently hued tones? Do you find that it improves your SQ?
 
the 545/ 555 are sweet amps $20?!?!! = such a deal! The Adcom amps have ticked up in price in the last few years, along with the perceived value. It's good to still hear about deals like that!!

I've been looking at the ACE-515 conditioners @hjames and @Skinnidog .. >> @others << I've read good things about these units but some say that they colour the sound to some degree. Have either of you noticed any differently hued tones? Do you find that it improves your SQ?

Just so it's clear Monad, I only got the 545 for $20. (Technically $22.50 including tax but I have a habit of exaggerating my scores... :D ) However I consider the 2 refurbished 555's that fellow AK'er Mayank sold to me to be the real scores! They are sweet sounding amps!!!
 
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the 545/ 555 are sweet amps $20?!?!! = such a deal! The Adcom amps have ticked up in price in the last few years, along with the perceived value. It's good to still hear about deals like that!!

I've been looking at the ACE-515 conditioners @hjames and @Skinnidog .. >> @others << I've read good things about these units but some say that they colour the sound to some degree. Have either of you noticed any differently hued tones? Do you find that it improves your SQ?
I have not heard any difference whatsoever.
 
still a smoking score and now with 2 restored 555 monsters, even better!@ Nelson Pass goodness!

Yes so very true! I used the 545 yesterday to test the recently acquired Aerial Acoustics SR3's which at 6 Ohms and 85db are not the easiest speakers to drive but the 545 didn't even break a sweat.
 
9B66149E-0C90-4068-ABBC-29B730010FDE.jpeg The changes keep coming......

Found a great Estate Sale this weekend and in addition to a couple of pairs of Cardas and Audioquest cables I ended up with a great deal on a pair of Aerial Acoustics SR3 ($3500 original price) speakers when they did not sell at the discounted price by the end of the sale. Of course this raised the issue of where to put them so more changes to the Music room....
I know using a pair of speakers for stands is not optimal nor is having one speaker in the corner but comprises had to be made due lack of quality stands and the room size. Still sounds fantastic!
 

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My 555II never got more than warm, with a single amp v. hongry KEF speakers and I was pinning it for hours at a time.. I ran 4 other amps through my system and it out performed every one, even though it was mildly underpowered..

I <3 Adcom gear because it fits neatly into my SQ, aesthetic, build quality and value matrix, also, (+++) I get to name/ bomb drop Nelson Pass, like a some kooky audiophile mantra. See, I just did it again...can't help myself. :blah: "..something, something..I read that Nelson Pass amps are.."

I do wish Ken Rockwell would take down his GFA 555II review online.. It comes up first in search, in most browsers and is probably a key factor in driving up the costs and limiting the availability of these fine amps.. Sam Tellig's Stereophile review of the 565 monos is doing the same...At the same time, the latter was a key driver in my decision to find a pair of restored 565s, which I did last week, so I can't complain too much.

:jump:
 
I am starting to put the new setup through its paces..... if you could see the sh*t eating grin on my face right now......

I'm playing the 5.1 SACD version of Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" and I am hearing instruments and background vocals I have never heard before! I'm not going to say whether it is the cable construction or just the fact that it is a thicker cable but the Cardas cables have taken the 555/Von Schweikert combo up a notch. Having the Aerial Acoustics in place in the rear is fantastic as well.
 
HUUGE!! I upgraded my interconnects with the last DAC addition, Wireworld/ Van Damme..and some Zu Mission LC-1 cables, and while not as pricey/ pretty as the Cardas, with the deal I got on them, I'm stoked too.

I had no idea how much interconnects affected SQ, until I bought new and A | B'd them. Night and day, veiled to clear and a :| turned into a : ]
 
7FE09F79-8FED-415C-BE4C-83EC22EEF6BC.jpeg And added a bit of Oppo....

Recently acquired a near mint Oppo BDP- 83SE as a upgrade source component. Moved the 535 with a single Cardas cable to drive the center channel and moved the second 555 to drive the Aerial Acoustics. Audio Bliss!!

Listening to the DVD-A version of ELP’s “Brain Salad Surgery” and crystal clear notes are just flying around the room!!
 

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607D47D8-8F7F-4828-BA5E-AF54072A8F4B.jpeg Just added a minty GFP-565 for what should be my last upgrade for some time.

Was not satisfied with either the GFT-400 or the the GTP-600 as I think the 400 needs some work (weak left channel) and the 600 lacks a phono section.

Very impressive how the 565 is matching up with 545 for vinyl listening on the Roger’s and Polk’s.
 
Congrats on the Aerial Acoustics acquisition. I have a pair of Model 8 tower speakers and they are fantastic. I drive each speaker with a McIntosh MC501 monoblock and the pairing is pure audio bliss.

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Congrats on the Aerial Acoustics acquisition. I have a pair of Model 8 tower speakers and they are fantastic. I drive each speaker with a McIntosh MC501 monoblock and the pairing is pure audio bliss.

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Those look sweet!! Congrats!!
Doubt I will come across another pair of Aerial’s at an Estate Sale but you never know.
 
Major changes going on with my setups but I thought I would add a pic of how part of my Multi-Channel system is starting to come 38DDB2EB-2D3A-4B2B-960A-509C8EA09B96.jpeg together using the 2 555’s and the 535 amps.
 
C1B0EDC9-74A0-49D5-8ED5-E25BC1FE2464.jpeg So I tested my wife’s patience yet again when I saw a really nice TV stand yesterday. I now have been able to add back my minidisc and cassette decks. Book cases now have the Aerials at the right height.
 

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So two more additions of note; A couple of F90AE909-9E3B-4AB6-B56B-A62221C10A4E.jpeg weeks ago I found a great deal on CL for a Von Schweikert L/C/R 20 that is now pulling Center channel duty and this morning I have added a M&K V90 sub so I can move the Triad Bronze to match up with the Focals in the bedroom system.
 

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