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ADS A2 amp

The difference between the rooms can often make a big difference in a speaker/amp's overall "presentation". I have had speakers that sounded harsh and brittle in one room sound sweet and full in another. Just keep that in mind!

(And I would love to have that ADS combo...)
 
Of the alternatives I like #1 with the Adcom GFA 1A amp, not familiar with the Technics preamp/tuner. Due to the 200 watt x 2 output of the Adcom amp it might better power the Polk speakers. The other two choices look like low powered receivers of 30 to 50 watts. But then your looking for a cd player which will bring the total back up to $250 or there abouts. I'd be leaning towards the ADS components and see how they work out in your present listening room with the Polk speakers. If down the road you feel you need more power then you can upgrade into a more powerful amp and sell the ADS equipment. My guess is the ADS A2 amp would be a very good match for reasonably efficent "bookshelf" speakers with a 8" woofer.
 
Gotta agree with Majick. If I were in that area, rather than down here in Takes-us, I might have already gone to get that a/d/s combo myself. I remember reading about them when they were initially offered, and drooling a bit, too. On the other hand, if the budget can be stretched, the Adcom might be more satisfying in the long run, but I am also unfamiliar with the Technics tuner/pre. I bet the Atelier has preamp outs, though I don't know...I say just get it all, and sell the Technics, and the Kenwood HT Receiver and CD player. What the hay.
 
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say thanks for everyone's help once again. I ended up picking up the ADS. Took the Polk speakers down to the shop, played them through the ADS, and no problems were exhibited when I played the tracks on the CDs that caused the weird staticy/popping noise when I had the Polks hooked up to the Kenwood receiver/amp. Anyhow, so I decided to pick up the ADS and will set it up over the next few days and see how it delivers in my space. I'll keep you posted. (I'd still like to figure out exactly what was causing the problem with the Kenwood stuff, but I'll leave that to some point in the future.)

In the meantime, does anyone on here have access to a manual for the ADS A2 amp, T2 tuner, and/or CD3 CD player, or know where I can get one? I've done a bunch of searches online, but I have come up empty. I even called Directed Electronics because they apparently took over ADS's stuff when it went out of business. But they only have old manuals on file for ADS stuff from the 1990s on, and the units I purchased were from the mid-80s. Most of the functions on the ADS are intuitive, but I have questions about some of them since my experience to date has been limited to a modern, late 90s Kenwood A/V receiver and CD changer.

By the way, without having listened to it yet in my space, I can say the one thing that seems attractive to me about the ADS amp is its versatility. It has three things that I have been really wishing my Kenwood had for some time: 1. A mono switch, since I have a bunch of old mono records and a mono cart; 2. A switch for both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges; and 3. Two "filter" buttons labeled as 25Hz and 7.5 Khz (which I assume will allow me to set the crossover from the amp itself should I decide to attach my crappy sub to the system or upgrade to a better sub in the future). It also has "pre out" and "main in" jacks in the back, which also means that if I like the sound but need more power in the future, I can just use the A2 as a pre-amp and hook it to a power amp with higher wattage capabilities. My Kenwood only had a single, mono pre-out jack designed exclusively for attachment of a subwoofer. I like this versatility!
 
Steelglam I stoped by IYE earlier this week and spoke with Reese re the ADS equipment which had a HOLD sticker and I was hopeing it was for you. Reese mentioned you were going to bring the speakers back and see how they sounded again with the ADS equipment. Must of been a workout with those big speakers lugging them down the stairs and back up after the audition. As we figured the ADS A2 intergrated amp is quite flexable and if the 80 watts isn't enough juice for the Polk speakers you have the option of going out to a bigger amp. Reese told me what you payed for the Polk speakers and along with the ADS equipment you got an excellent deal from him. List on the ADS and Polk had to go $3k when new. Maybe someone on AK has the manuals for your ADS equipment and would send you copies, try asking in vintage solid state. Goodluck and enjoy your ADS/Polk.
 
musichal I think steelglam might be spending all his time listening to his ADS/Polk that he hasn't had time to give us an update.
 
Don't know ads electronics however their speakers (at least the dual woofer models are fantastic) haveine said that the Kenwood isn't nearly powerful enough to drive the Polk speakers properly. Start with at least 200w's if you want them to open up. And clean watts at that. They require lots of power to really shine.
 
But steelglam is still here and if someone pings him, @steelglam, there I did it. Maybe he will drop in and give us that long awaited update. Wonder if he remembers what he did with the amp.
 
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