Incredibly quiet, transparent, clean, neutral preamplifier. Ability to function in a 100% passive mode, or if necessary or desired, to function as an active preamplifier. It had a mono switch! I don't use this very often, but it is a thoughtful touch that Adcom included it. So many manufacturers do not. There were two versions of this preamplfiers, but did not merit different model numbers. One version has a phono stage, the other version does not. Mine has the phono stage, and if you ever play vinyl, or think that you might, this is a great plus. If you are already into vinyl big time, you probably already have a separate phono preamp. I really can not evaluate this phono stage; I do not listen to vinyl very much anymore. I have heard and read that it is quite good, though.

First, if you really need a remote controlled preamp, don't buy this. It doesn't have one. My life works okay without a remote. Also, if you really need, or think that you really need balanced input/output, don't buy this. Input and output is all RCA. I sometimes think that if I had a chance to modify this to XLR, I would do it. Finally, and I really hate to this list as a weakness, but I will. Adcom stuff generally is pretty ugly. I really like their products, but their stuff is pretty ugly. If that matters to you...

This is really a superb preamplifier at what was a great price. Now,on the used market, these things can be had at what is an incredible price. I really wish that I needed a preamplifier so that I could buy one of these. It would be hard to make a better choice than this. I have used this preamplifier for about 8 years, and while I have seen numerous speakers systems, front end systems (SACD players, CD players, turntables, tuners), and power amplifiers in and out the door, I have never felt even the slightest urge to upgrade this preamplifier. It has always had the ability to just disappear into the system. It is a very, very quiet, neutral preamplifier. Someone said, and I wish I knew who it was so that I could attribute this properly, that this preamp is the best amp I never heard. Soundstage is quite good (not superb), details are wonderfully there. Articulation is fantastic. This preamp is very transparent; again, the best way to describe its sound is to say that it just doesn't have any. It has quite a full array of functions and inputs and outputs and other thingies; but this preamp's greatest strength is its ability to play music without using all of the bells and whistles. Adcom put three separate outputs on this thing: the normal output, which is a capacitor coupled signal path with complete access to tone controls and filters, the lab output, which is a direct coupled signal path with limited access to tone controls, and the bypass output, which is a direct coupoled signal path with no tone controls or filters in the way. Connect your power amplifiers to the bypass outputs for the cleanest, most transparent, most neutral sound. I found that when playing through the normal outputs, the sound was somewhat muddied, and so I would say that I never use this. The lab output is not bad, but I so often found myself listening with all filters and tone controls defeated, that I concluded it made no sense to have those things in the signal path. The bypass output and the lab output can be used together, by the way, to allow for bi-amping, as long as all filters and tone controls are defeated.

Similar Products Used:

Sony SCD-1 SACD Player California Audio CD Player Adcom GGA 565 Monoblock Amplifiers B&W Nautilus 803 Speakers

Dead quiet, Excellent sound, build quality, and presentation.

Not remote operated

I just recently purchased this pre but i use to own this product for several years before-hand and regretably i sold it. I have tried many preamps and this one simply beats them all. First off this preamp will satisfy purists as well as audiophiles who need a full featured preamp. No matter what power amp i threw at it, it's presentation is nothing short of spectacular! The sound stage is wide and deep as you want given the power amp is of good quality. When your tired of trying to find the ultimate sound in preamplification the buck stops here. Highly recommend!

Similar Products Used:

Too many.

Excellent functionality, good phono stage. More than one way to use the shortest circuit path. Transparent, all you hear is the music. Quality from Adcom in construction and internal components. All stages are operated in pure Class-A mode. Stable accurate voltages. Price.

None

I bought this as a preamplifier for my new (used) Rotel RB-991 amplifier. It has been a perfect compliment. I am in sonic heaven and not broke. Lots of jacks including a clean phono input for listeners like myself that still indulge in vinyl recordings.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR-3802, Harman Kardon AVR-85, JVC

Completely dead quiet. No coloration of the music what so ever. Separate tape loop. Dual outputs for bi-amping. Tone defeat. Excellent Phono (MM/MC) Pre-amp.

No remote.

I bought this unit used for $300 (USD). I think for that much money it is unbeatable in performance. I am using the unit in "passive" mode without the tone controls. It is completely DEAD QUIET. I am amazed at how quiet this unit really is, I mean absolutely no additional noise. One feature I like about it is the dual pre-amp outs which is allowing me to bi-amp my speakers.

I have to admit I've never even tried it in active mode. I liked the sound so much in passive mode that I never even considered to change the setup - it's perfect.

One thing I really liked about it is the built in Phono (MM/MC) pre-amp. It's a love/hate relationship. I love the sound, but I hate how bad my Sony turntable really sounds! (it's a decent turntable, but needs a better cartridge.)

I find the pre-amp is so transparent that I am very disappointed with the sound quality of my amplifiers. I'm going to be buying a Rotel RB-1090 to replace them, and since I'm so happy with the Adcom pre-amps I'm going to try out a GFP-750 after hearing so many good things about it.

My system consists of:

B&W DM604 S2
Tara Labs RSC Prime 1000
Adcom GFA-5300 (2)
AudioQuest Opal X3 (to amps)
Adcom GFP-565
Nordost Blue Heaven (to CD Player)
Rotel RCD-971
Sony MDS-JB930 MiniDisc Player
Sony PS-LX300H Turntable

If you have any doubts about this pre-amp, listen to it. I think after hearing it you'll realize how good it really sounds for the money (used that is.)

Great buy for even $400; tough to beat for price/performance. Highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

B&K, Rotel, Marantz.

Quiet, detailed, neutral,lots of inputs, good phono section, has a mono switch.

No remote, won't impress the thick faceplate/shiny aluminum chassis/if it doesn't say Krell, Levinson...on the front it's no good crowd. No balanced inputs/outputs.

I've had this preamp in my system for almost ten years now, and have never really had much of an urge to switch. When run on bypass outputs (which completely misses the tone controls and almost all the rest of the front panel buttons) this preamp does a very good disappearing act. It is not so hot when running amps off the other taps. Has a very slight tendancy to harden a bit on the highs when driven hard, but overall is quite neutral. Has enough inputs to handle my fairly extreme number of sources (turntable, CD, tuner, two tape decks, VCR). I have mine running eight meters of interconnect out to a pair of monoblocks by the speakers, and it handles the job with ease. Given the length of this run I may upgrade someday to a preamp with balanced outputs, but that will come sometime after I get a new turntable...a subwoofer...a new CD transport...a new DAC...a large screen digital TV...you get the picture. You can pick one up for around $300 used; at that price it's a steal.

Associated equipment:
Snell E.5 speakers
Monarchy Audio SM-70 amps run as monoblocks
Marantz 465 CD used as a transport to drive MSB Link II via a Monarchy Audio DIP
J.A. Michel turntable with Grado Platinum cartridge
Sony KA-2ES cassette deck (I've got 500 hours or so of live recordings I've made)
JPS Labs Ultraconductor interconnects
AudioTruth Clear 3 speaker cables

Similar Products Used:

Nothing in the last decade. Previously have used Hafler, Lexicon, Levinson (in its first incarnation sometime in the seventies)

Quiet to the point of disappearing in "bypass" mode.

No gadgets, no "Tokyo at night" display (but that is a plus for me). No decent home theater upgrade by Adcom.

Excellent phono, sufficient # of other inputs, 3 outputs (one of which bypasses everything but the balance control, which is the only one to use).
I've tried to replace this with a home theater preamp/Dolby processor but nothing (in my price range) sounds nearly as good. Rotel comes close, but is not quite there. All of Adcom's home theater preamp/processors stink. If anyone made a quality home theater preamp/processors at this price point that was half as good as this unit, I would trade up.

Similar Products Used:

Dynaco (tube), Pioneer, Sony, Rotel.

bypass outputs,smooth sound,good midrange

a very laid back highs at a lower volume,but helpful at higher volumes

First off,let me ask,Where is the usual attack on Adcom that I've come to expect from "David the Adcom hater"that I have seen in the other review sections.Hey David,did Adcom do you a great Wrong once long ago?I admit that Adcom gear is not perfect,but it's not to bad either considering their prices.I have owned my 565 for about 6 yrs.The only thing I can say is you must be careful when choosing speakers to use with it.I have used Mirage 990m's and found the highs to laidback.On the other hand when using my brother's Bryston BP4,the system sounds like it is to bright.Of course everything we listen to has it's faults over time.But I like my Adcom 565,and because it is not the end all pre,I will eventually upgrade.I do like the mids and bass very much,but I wish the highs were alittle more upfront,but overall I would recommend this pre as a good upgrade,and at the price you can get a used one for you can't go wrong.Good clarity,clean bass,smooth mids.

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo p3030,Adcom 555,Bryston BP4

Dead quiet signal to noise ratio, the phono section is one of the best regardless of price

Cheap typical Adcom looks, no remote, tone control button inverts polarity.

For the price new or used($300 used, $800 msrp new, I got mine new for $600) this is one hard to beat budget preamp. The other poster Derrik must have a very poor link in his system somewhere that the 565 was revealing and the Meridian is hiding, this preamp has no mercy, it will not mask other weak links in your system. Very neutral and very quiet, the phono section is quieter than many line levels and has very, very good sound. Turn your selector to phono and turn the volume up past halfway, all that hiss that you are hearing is not there with this preamp, a >95db signal to noise ratio on the phono section, very few preamp phono sections regardless of price are this quiet, and the few that are generally cost twice as much. The Onkyo was a total joke compared to this. The build quality inside is amazing at this price level, of course Nelson Pass of Pass labs had his hand in it. There are better out there but you will have to spend at least one and a half to twice as much. Be sure to run it through the bypass outputs, this bypasses the dc filtering caps and the tone controls completely.
greg

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo P308

Some. Sounds OK, but just not quite there.

Poor controls. Horrible looking faceplate.

I really liked this unit at first, but over time my ears just hurt like crazy. I thought it was my Tannoys at first, but then I plugged in my extra Meridian, and the fatigue went away after a few hours at the same level. Must be some IM distortion or something finite that is hard to get to, but it is there. Just wore me out. Try other directions before going to this thing.

Similar Products Used:

Mark L., Lexicon, Meridian

I recently purchased a used 565 after comparing it to my previous Rotel 940ax preamp/tuner (erroneously suggested by my ex-dealer). The 565 bested the Rotel in an ab test and surprisingly, destroyed a McCormack TLC-1. I have read great reviews on the TLC-1 and either this piece was defective or else I had a sudden build-up of earwax whenever it was hooked up. The 565 is now mated with my Rotel 991, waiting for a pair of Maggies. Any words of advice on how to convince the spouse of the aesthetic advantages of 5 ft. panels in the living room?