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Adcom - A Good Value?? Auctions risky??

I really have 2 questions.

First, There is a lot of discussuion here and elsewhere that make Adcom sound pretty bad. I am looking for a good amp with 200+/chanel and good down to 4ohms, without breaking the bank. The old 555 may have been rough, but how about the 5500, 5800, and 5802?? The 5800 would appear to be a pretty good deal on the surface, at around $600 used. But some have raised concerns about mechanical noise and noisy fans. Has this been a significant problem for any users?? The 5500 and 5802 are current models and seem to sell about $900 and $1400 new. I have seen the 5500 at about $600 or so used. This is no less than a used 5800, which would seem to be a better value, unless noise is a common problem. It appears the 5500 and 5802 have no fans. Do they have no noise problems? If the 5802 is the best of these might it be best to wait for the next generation to come out so the 5802 will then drop to say $800?

Second question is how risky is buying an amp over audiogon or ebay classifieds? If you get a DOA or even a hummer you have little recourse but complaining. I am sure there are horror stories. Is the experience generally good, or is this just a gamble?

Thanks in advance for thoughtful reactions!!!!

Steveg
steveg
sean
6,229 posts
 
Can't speak for the 5500, but the 5802 is MUCH better than the 5800. All of these amps are relatively brawny and will make a lot of sound for the money spent, but I wouldn't call any of these amps "musical".

As to buying used or on an auction, take a look at the seller's feedback ( if they have any ). People that have good feedback are typically good to deal. As such, most wouldn't want to risk their otherwise good reputation just to make a quick buck by posting misleading / incomplete info in their listing. Like anything else though, you could be the one out of the whole bunch that ends up getting "shafted". My suggestion is to find out who you are dealing with and as much info about what you are buying BEFORE bidding or finalizing any transaction. Sean
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tacs
220 posts
 
Look, in a way you can't have it all. 200 watts, good to 4 ohms, under $800, warranty.....(however you did not mention your other equipment, sound preferences, etc).
if you're buying used, there's nothing wrong with Adcom in general. obviously a bad unit is a bad unit, no matter what brand it is, so only deal with reputable sellers, otherwise it is a gamble as you say.
it is hard to get 200 solid and clean sounding watts that are stable into 4 ohms and lower without spending about $2000 retail (the Marsh amp A400 I believe is a good design and made by cheap labor/assembly costs in Thailand so the price is relatively low). The 5802 is a little less than that retail.
Sean's advice though is good....and ask a lot of specific questions about your intended purchase, like has it ever been fixed, modified, blown up, whether the seller is the first owner, why selling is also sometimes indicative of condition though not always easy to get an honest answer.
also big items are expensive to ship and they need very good packing.
parasound is also a good amp, with high power for few watts, nad, etc.
good luck
bishopwill
369 posts
 
My own experience with Adcom is that they sound pretty much like sound reinforcement amps. Coupled to goodish speakers they're likely to be bright and tight--design considerations to help them cope with slow, tubby road speakers.

They wouldn't be my choice for music.

That being said, some very critical listeners use PA amps to drive passive subwoofers.

But if I were going to do that, I'd go to Mars Music and buy a Crown K2. Dead quiet, electronically and mechanically, built like a tank, able to drive any load known to man, and with damping factor enough to tame even the most bloated sub system.
abecollins
219 posts
 
For the money, I would seriously consider a used Classe CA-100. You can find this outstanding amp selling typically for around $550 - $700. In fact there are a few up on Audiogon for sale right now. They are available in black or silver.

I owned a CA-100 at the same time I owned a heavy Adcom 5-channel amp. The Adcom sounded compressed and thin compared to the Classe. In fairness, this was a multi-channel Adcom intended for home theater vs the 2-channel Classe. I've owned a number of Classe amps over the years (DR10, 10, CA-100, CA-200, CA-300) and they never disappoint. And for the money, you'd be hard pressed to find better, IMHO.
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