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ADS A2 amp

S

steelglam

Super Member
I just picked up a vintage pair of Polk RTA 12a speakers from a local used vinyl/used audio shop for a sweet price. When I demoed them at the store, the clerk attached them to an ADS Atelier A2 amp. The speakers sounded pretty great through that amp: soundstaging was great, good balance of highs and lows, but with an overall warmth and sweet bottom end that I really dug. I got the speakers home and I'm disappointed with how they sound through my Kenwood VR-206 (100 watts per channel). The soundstaging is still there, but the highs are more shrill and the warmth is just not there. I tried different speaker positioning, but to no avail.

Anyhow, is the ADS A2 a good amp? I really don't know much about it, but my interest is now piqued. The shop was selling a combo of the ADS A2 amp, T2 tuner, and CD3 CD player for $250. I asked the clerk if he would just sell the amp separately, and the answer was "no." Not sure if ADS is known for making good stuff, as I'd never heard anything until yesterday, so I'm not sure if that's a good price.

Can anyone vouch for the quality of the ADC amp and the combo (CD player and tuner) in general, and also whether or not it is a good price?

Or do you have any suggestions for an alternative budget amp (used or new) that will power my Polk RTA 12s? I've had several people suggest to me that my Kenwood VR-206 just may not have the power to drive the Polks well, and that I should look at something more in the 200-250 watt per channel range. I also don't have a lot of cash to spare: I'd consider buying the ADS combo at the $250 price, but that's for three components and is at the upper end of what I want to spend.
 
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the Atelier a/d/s/ pieces are OK as long as all is working properly. I'm surprised you found the A2 "warm". I always considered it to be a bit dry sounding. :scratch2:

If you like them and they sound good to you $250 for the three pieces isn't bad if they are clean and again....all working properly. the DO make for a simple and elegant setup.

Good luck,

Paul :thmbsp:
 
beemer said:
the Atelier a/d/s/ pieces are OK as long as all is working properly. I'm surprised you found the A2 "warm". I always considered it to be a bit dry sounding. :scratch2:

If you like them and they sound good to you $250 for the three pieces isn't bad if they are clean and again....all working properly. the DO make for a simple and elegant setup.

Good luck,

Paul :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

Thanks, Paul. I think it's the Polk's that sound warm in general, and more of that warmth comes out when they were attached to the ADS A2 then when I have them attached to my Kenwood. When they are attached to my Kenwood, it honestly sounds like they are trying really hard to be warm, but something is holding them back from reaching their full capacity in that regard!

I liked the Polk's because they were warm but not excessively so. The detail in the highs was sufficient for what I am looking for, yet they had nice, warm lows with a bit of punch. So, I don't want an amp/receiver that is too warm so that things are overdone, but at the same time my Kenwood doesn't bring out the warmth enough and makes the Polk's sound more shrill than they really are. In other words, I guess I'm looking for something in the middle.

So, you seem to be stressing the fact that that the ADS is OK only if all is working properly. Does it have a tendency to malfunction?

Given what I want out of an amp/receiver (as described above) and my budget, would you have any suggestions of an alternative to the ADS? I'm definitely open to other things if they sound better than the ADS and can be found for the right price.
 
I would not say they tend to malfunction......at $250 they should all be working fully.

At one time I had a complete collection of every a/d/s/ Atelier piece they made. I had little to no trouble with them except for replacing the rubber belts on the CD player drawers.....however belt replacement is a given on any older piece, not just a/d/s/.

I still have one A2 here used to power a small system in the kitchen for DVD watching with a pair of JBL 4311's. I'm well pleased with it.

Best,

Paul :thmbsp:
 
beemer said:
I would not say they tend to malfunction......at $250 they should all be working fully.

At one time I had a complete collection of every a/d/s/ Atelier piece they made. I had little to no trouble with them except for replacing the rubber belts on the CD player drawers.....however belt replacement is a given on any older piece, not just a/d/s/.

I still have one A2 here used to power a small system in the kitchen for DVD watching with a pair of JBL 4311's. I'm well pleased with it.

Best,

Paul :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

Thanks, Paul. I see that you primarily use it for DVDs. Have you had any experience using it to listen to music? Because that's all I'll be using it for.

I really didn't know much about ADS, frankly, so I did a little research and saw that it was an award-winning car audio maanufacturer, but that it did not branch out into home audio that much with the exception of a few pieces like the ones I found and a few others. So I'm wondering what their reputation is in regards to home audio.
 
For $250 in my opinion your getting decent deal from Reese. Last time I was in there I saw the ADS intergrated amp, cd player and tuner, they looked good but I didn't have time to listen to them. I'm not familiar with the Kenwood VR-206 intergrated amp but I'd dump it for the ADS components. If the Kenwood is working ok see if he'll take it in partial trade. Checked Ebay and his price is under anything listed BIN for the three ADS components. I purchase just about all my vinyl at In Your Ear Records and purchased a turntable/speakers that were in very nice shape.
 
Steelglam, ads has a very good reputation in home audio and deservedly so. They were building great-sounding speakers dedicated to home audio before they became known for their car stuff. I believe there was a change of ownership leading to that, but someone else will know those details better than I. The Atelier pieces were quite pricey for me back when, and I never owned any, but they did have a good reputation. Also, you might watch the used markets for amps/receivers from NAD and Adcom; sometimes you can find these very affordably and they would very likely put a smile on your face.
 
I have this amp and it is mainly for my son for listen to his music. lucky, I paid only about $130. The sound is not very impressive but is not bad either. It is reasonably good.
 
Checked my references re prices for the three ADS components, if in good shape all three for $250 is a very GOOD deal. Also checked my old Audio annuals quickly but didn't see the three listed but typical ADS components were far from cheap, my guess is they ran $500 to $800 each or $1500 to $2,000 for all three in 1980s dollars. As for the Kenwood VR-206 it looks like an entry level black plastic surround receiver that had two channel stereo as an after thought. No offence but the Kenwood isn't in the same league as ADS.
 
I found it and stand corrected, 1984 Audio Equipment Annual lists the ADS A2 intergrated amp for $579.00, ADS T2 tuner for $399.00 and from the 1988 Audio Equipment Annual the ADS CD3 player lists for $1,200.00. For a total of $2,178.00 in 1980s dollars. These were not entry level components. You will have a set of matched components that look very sharp/perform well and I doubt you will be able to put togeather anything better for much less money if you go with different brand (Adcom/NAD) components.
 
Yeah, I agree. Just tried to offer him some affordable reccomendations that might be in his range if he didn't pick up the ads for some reason. Like I said, they were too pricey for me back when, but at the price offered, if in good shape...a good deal.
 
Just a quick bit of help, I hope. I answered another post in here the other day which is related. The A/D/S series that you are looking at were actually made by Braun and were rebadged for A/D/S. I have the R1 receiver and have been pleasantly surprised by the sound and build. Only weak spot seems to be the controls need cleaning from time to time; nothing unique to this brand!!
 
no1maestro I was thinking of that also, Braun/West Germany/QUALITY. As you said even the best equipment needs needs a tuneup after so many years, like cleaning the volume/balance pots. Just thinking those ADS components would make a great bedroom system for me paired with some small ADS/Braun speakers.
 
musichal I agree that NAD and Adcom components would be a good alternative to look at and should be in the same price range. Only thing all being equal I don't think you can beat the price of this ADS matched combo. Sure there's the one in a million chance of finding something at a thrift store for peanuts. I'v checked the local thrifts and there's nothing but junk and it would take a lifetime of looking every day to find the ultimate deal.
 
Thanks so much for all of the feedback, everyone. Very helpful and insightful.

I think I'll make a decision on the ADS when I take the Polk speakers back in to test them out and make sure they're not faulty. He told me to bring them back in and play them through the ADS again anyhow. I really liked how it sounded when I demoed the speakers; I just wasn't sure how reputable ADS was in regards to amps. Seems like it was popular in the 80s, when I was still a youngster listening to a crappy boom box!

majick47, that's awesome that you know the unit I'm speaking of and that you shop at In Your Ear. Great place. I think you probably may have seen the Polks I bought then as well. I love 'em...I just have to get something that makes them sing better!
 
Asds a2

Steelglam it's been about two weeks since I'v been in there and the Polks must of arrived after that visit. Reese occasionally gets some nice electronics/speakers from affluent Brookline or BU students, that's where I think the Polks/ADS came from. Audition the equipment again and I'm sure you will be pleased with both. I enjoy visiting In Your Ear Records, talking with Reese and his crew and always leaveing with a pile of LPs and who knows what I find hidden in a corner.
 
If you want to buy the ads, then you might want to do it before they get away from you; that does indeed sound like a very sweet deal. I remember reading very good thing about the amp when it was new; seems like it had pretty good power output, too, but I don't remember the numbers. Tried to find info online and all I came across was a couple offerings on ebay that claimed 550 watts, which sounds too high; note also that one of these guys claimed the tuner had 15 watts?????
 
Ads a2

Checked the Audio Annual 1984 again and the ADS A2 is rated at 80 watts x 2. Found info on the Polk RT 12B speakers (4 ohm) and they are rated to handle 10 to 500 watts, should be close for the RT 12A. If he doesn't have a large room and the ADS A2 is clean it should be adequate for the Polk speakers but may not bring them to their fullest potential with having a 12" woofer.
 
Yeah, my room isn't large, so that's not a concern right now, but I'll probably be moving out of my apartment come summer time.

As another possible alternative, I found a guy selling the following as well:

1. Adcom GFA 1A amp + Technics K808 Tuner/preamp for $175

2. Kenwood KR6030 receiver for $75

3. Marantz 2230 receiver for $75

The only problem with those options is if my CD player is causing the static/popping issue, I'll have to replace that as well and the ADS package contains a CD player.
 
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