The best preamps get out of the way of the music. This unit does just that. It is clean and musical. If you want to spend thousands more to impress everyone with your super-high end pre-amp, go ahead. But after direct comparisons, I can say you'll just be paying for that other companies lack of distribution and parts purchasing power. Give it listen. You won't be disappointed.

I have been an avid music listner for years with a few years in musical training. I have also sought to purchase equipment that will accurately reproduce music in my living room without spending a ridiculous amount of money. In persuit of that end, I have purchased a set of Theil 2.3's, an Adcom GFA-5802, Adcom GFP-7500, and Adcom GCD-750. Wiring - Kimber PBJXLR' interconnects and Kimber 4PR speaker wire.
You can see that I would have what might be considered a "Budget" hi-end system. I can afford more, but see no point in it. I do believe there are sonic differences between your budget "Circuit City" components and mid-fi to hi-fi. In fact, within the consumer line, the low-end, and mid-fi there are great differences. However, most of the differences above, say $4-$6 grand for a setup, are subjective and subjective evaluations are heavily clouded with many external factors: speaker placement, room decor, what you had for lunch, carpet pile, room dimensions, room construction, equipment combination, room temperature, headaches, physical comfort, mood, music, etc. etc.

However, none of these factors, which likely have more affect on a particular review than copper vs. silver cable connects, are ever articulated. Additionally, the very essence of music, austensibly WHY we buy fine audio equipment, is that it transcends words. However, we try, however futily, to contain it within the context of an "audiophilian" vocabulary.

I have found much useful information on this site, but also much arrogant hubris. I get the impression that many of these reviews are offered not in an attempt to help the equipment seeker, but to serve as a platform for many to fan their "audiophile" plumage. The plumage is seen in all its glory in
colorful hyperbole - like, "bass is quick and bold, yet restrained and intimate"

I am reminded of the art critic - he who transports himself above the "common folk" with the use of an esoteric vocabulary. He cannot simply say that the art was inspiring, beautiful, detailed, or appealing, for if he does so, he enters the house of the common man and loses his high position as the critic.

Many equipment manufacturers cator to this arrogance and build quality equipment, yet sell it to those who seek to transport themselves above the rest of us man. The value (say $6000 for a pre-amp) comes not from its performance, but the percieved need of the buyer to "be a cut above."

Adcom builds quality equipment and sells at a reasonable price. I am thoroughly convinced that the audio equipment buyer who seeks high quality sound reproduction, without knowing the "reputation" or "price" of the components would recognize only modest differences between a $1000.00 Adcom pre-amp and say a $3000 unit from some fancy-name company.

I have said it before, and I still maintain, that you could make the equivalent of a Honda Accord, put a $80,000 price tag on it and people would buy it just to be "exclusive". However, they cannot say they bought a $20,000 car for $80,000 to be exlusive as this would be repulsive to most. So, to justify the big cash outlay, they would speek of its "refined styling coupled with its smooth and humble, yet positive and articulate acceleration, gracious handling, and inviting interior." Hey, I think I have just described a BMW.

Thank you Adcom for producing fine hi-end audio equipment for the common man and thank you for recognizing the price to performance ratio rather than the price to exclusivity ratio. I give the Adcom GFP-750 5 stars simply because I will be able to enjoy supurb music reproduction, and send my kids to a year of private education with the money I'll save.





This is why I buy Adcom.

This is, hands down, about the best freakin' deal possible for a preamp.
Balanced ins, balanced outs, passive mode (for which, unlike the otherwise excellent McCormack, you don't have to switch cable inputs), plenty of inputs, noiseless remote, much better looking than you thought in the store....

Seriously, I have read the (few) negative comments below, and I can't say I agree with much. I have never heard an audible hum/hiss, it sounds very clean, and it gives you the choice of an excellent passive stage or an excellent active stage. For $1250.00, it's a miracle.

Good clue: How many used examples of these pop up for sale on the various marketplaces?

Excuse me Dan Romano but how is your post related to the Adcom Preamp.I personally couldn't figure out what you want to say! Please elaborate.

I have heard many great preamps, ranging from CLASSE to PASS. I own a Classe CP60. I needed a second preamplifier for additional analog sources. I had heard good things about this preamp, but figured that most people who would purchase an Adcom preamplifier had lower expectations. However, not really being an audio snob, I'm willing to give anything a chance.
Boy was I surprised. I heard (or didn't hear) this preamplifier coupled to a Chiro C-200 and a Levinson 27 amplifier. Passive mode and active mode were almost identical sounding ... except for the gain level. The Adcom preserved the "sparkle" of the sound and didn't effect the impact and dynamics of the sound.

My friend, comparing this unit to a Conrad, thought the soundstage was not as good, but I disagree. I heard no effect and truly felt that the sound being heard was the sound provided by the CD/Amplifier combo.

I would have purchased any preamplifier ... within reason. But my opinion was that this unit stood up to them all ... including my <$4000 Classe.

One note: The Adcom GFP sounds MUCH better than any previous Adcom preamp I have heard. One trade-off, however, is that there is no phono stage.

Please see my previous posting. The unit only worked for an hour and then died. Flipping the two broken toggle switches made no difference. I called Adcom and a woman with customer service was extremely rude to me. She was absolutely no help whatsoever. I am now really upset with Adcom. Stay the hell away from them! They DO NOT appreciate the value of your $1250 purchase.

I have owned the GFP-750 for several months now. My system consists of the following: a JVC-1050 CD player as a digital source feeding a Goldmund Meta Research D2A; a Bruce Moore Dual 75W power amp; a pair of Nestorovic Labs speakers and a Quicksilver preamp. The wiring is homemade between the D2A and the preamp; between the pre and the power amp is XLO Ultra. (The Nestorovic's are extremely capable speakers, revealing of every wrong step). I reserved my judgement of the Adcom until I had done everthing I could think of to accomodate it into my system. This included experimenting with differnt interconnects, speaker cable, speaker position, etc. It was not until I changed the absolute polarity of the speaker connections that I heard the brillianze of this preamp. I do not know if the Adcom is phase inverted or not, but in my system reversing the phase sounded best. In comparison with the Quicksilver, I at first thought that the Adcom sounded a little thin. But, after more critical listening I realized that the Adcom presents a much more refined soundstage. There are improvements in localization, texture and dimesionality. The was a marked increase in soundstage size , well defined to the edges.. The bass didn't seem quit as deep as the Quicksilver but much more tuneful and articulate. The "top end" is excellent and does marginaly benifit from a good after- market power cord or isolation transformer. Dynamics are not compressed and there is vertually no grain. My best description of this preamp would be to say it is neutral to a fault. It will reflect the weakest link in your system. The biggest compliment I can give it is to say it is musical, and it is.

I purchased this preamp after listening to the Rotel RC-995, Sunfire Classic Tube Preamplifer, NAD Model 118, Audio Research LS8, and the cheaper Adcom GFP-710. I thought all the components I auditioned had at least some good points. However, the Sunfire, Rotel, and Adcom GFP-750 had a sonic advantage over the others. The three finalists each had their strenghs and weakness, but I chose the Adcom because it had balance inputs and outputs as well as a passive mode. This is a very flexible component considering its simplicity. In addition to the features listed above, I was impressed with the processor loop which allow you to lock out all the preamp's controls and use your surround processor's controls. The preamp is much more comfortable with a good amplifier. I have heard the 750 with several amps of diferent levels and a budget/mid-fi amp won't do it true justice. I suggests passing on its companion the Adcom GFA-5802 as a mate (a good amp but not a worthy match).
I use several Marantz MA-500 monoblocs (a decent amp for sure) but they didn't do what the Proceed AMP2 did with a pair of Celestion A3's. While this was a rather dry and foward sounding setup (along with a Proceed CDP CD player, the imaging was outstanding. I could almost walk around the sound stage. My more modest rig consisting of a Rega Planet CD player and the Marantz amps is considerably more balanced, but not quite as transparent. I intend to upgrade the amps and CD player and when that happens, the balanced inputs and outputs will be a blessing. I have heard much more expensive preamps and while the 750 isn't absolute high-end, I am confident I would have to spend three or four times more to truely upgrade.

The build quality of GFP-750 really upsets me. I post a positive review for 750 in May while trying out dealer's unit in my home. However, after one week of plugging the new unit I bought into my system, it died on me suddenly. I could not turn it on at all. I was not very happy from the moment I opened the box for my own new unit. The user manual inside the box was furrowed, and the remote control was not wrapped in a small plastic bag which dealer unit had. Anyway, it did not look like a brand new unit coming out of a controlled manufactory. I even suspected that it was refurbished and Adcom repackaged it and shiped it as new. The reason of my suspicion beside above were the manufacture number of the unit was so close to the number of dealer's one which has been used as demo for more than half year and the manufacture date of my unit was 4/98 which was the same as the dealer's. Since Adcom GFP-750 has been so hot and hard to find in dealer's stock for last several months, why Adcom still ships the units which were built in April last year? Big disappointment!!!

Just got home tonight and opened my new GFP-750 which I have been awaiting for a month due to backorder. Adcom's QC completely missed the boat on this one. The remote control is missing from the box (although the batteries are there), and two of the toggle switches are broken (don't work at all). I can get the unit to work and it really does sound great. I currently own 13 Adcom products and have owned over 25 in the past. Never have I seen a QC problem with this company. I am giving this thing a provisional rating of 3 because of the QC. Assuming Adcom kisses my ass and makes me really happy when I call them in the morning, I hope to be willing to post a much more positive review soon.