2016 System Evolution

[Jupiter1610]

My system has undergone a major overhaul over the last year at every level. Currently my living room setup consists of the following -

(Digital) Sonos Connect > Parasound zDAC v2
(Analog) Thorens TD-160B w/ Rega RB250 + Grado Reference Platinum

Adcom GFP-565
Adcom GFA-5500

B&W Matrix 803 Series II

The DAC, pre-amp, amp and speakers are all new to me over the last year. Previously I ran the Sonos Connect directly into either my McIntosh MAC4100 or Yamaha CA-2010 to drive a pair of ADS 910s. Every addition or substitution listed above has substantially improved the sound quality of my setup. Even though my previous equipment was quality gear, the Parasound/Adcom/B&W combination offers the highest degree of resolution and musicality of any rig I have had in my home. For all the flack Adcom gets online these days for being harsh or "mid-fi", the GFP-565/GFA-5500 duo is without a doubt the best amplification I have owned. Not the prettiest by any means but it has more muscle, quieter backgrounds and more resolution than any receiver, integrated or separates combo I have owned. My father had a Adcom GCD-575/GTP-450/GFA-545 combination when I was growing up and I remember it could get pretty harsh. But this pair is silky smooth and completely non-fatiguing. Overall, I have been really impressed by the changes made to my system over the last year, especially for the cost.

 

[Ds2000]

Great Adcom combo you have there.

 

[Drugolf]

Nice Jupiter! That 565/5500 Adcom combo was exactly the same I had until this past year. I agree, it was outstanding. I tell others that Adcom amps are probably the best dollar per watt value available out there at around $1 per watt. I had to spend considerably more to make it worth moving up. The first upgrade I did though was go to a tube preamp from the 565. The 565 was outstanding otherwise and does everything short of a remote you would ever need. Just sold my remaining 5500 yesterday.

 

[Jupiter1610]

Drugolf, out of curiousity, what did you replace your Adcom combo with? I have really been impressed by both the pre-amp and amp, especially compared to what have been really quality pieces of vintage equipment that have rotated in and out of my system. Accuphase E-203, Yamaha CA-2010, Marantz 2270, McIntosh MAC4100... even a really nice Kenwood 700C and 700M combo. The GFP-565/5500 easily bests them all sonically. Really too bad that the brand has faded away. It was such a audiophile powerhouse in the late 1980s and 90s.

 

[Drugolf]

AS far as amps go, while there are plenty of newer modern options superior to the Adcoms, I really wanted to keep a vintage vibe going with my system. I ended up going for a fully White Oak restored Phase Linear amp I picked up from an AK'r on Bartertown. I love it. Pretty much a modern amp dressed as a Phase Linear.
As I mentioned, I wanted to go with a tube preamp so I initially got a Xiang Sheng (fantastic value) and now a Citation 1 that I am restoring.