I would like to apologize for my second posting regarding the 750. After being offended so much by their customer service department, I angrily posted my feelings about Adcom without regard for objectivity. One of Adcom's executives contacted me after I faxed them a copy of my product review. He arranged for a replacement unit shipped directly from the factory. The unit is just now breaking in and sounds wonderful, especially with the balanced input and output.My source components really don't have enough gain for me to enjoy "passive mode", but the active gain stage sounds transparent enough to me. I would give this unit 4 stars but in order to help offset my "1" I will give it a 5.

I owned this amp for exactly 4 days. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT unless you are sure that the source will gladly accept a return and refund your money. This was my first experiment with a separate amp, and I had some expectations that it would produce sounds superior to a regular receiver. Boy, was I disappoin ted! This is a waste of money. For starters, not all channels worked simultaneously. They would cut out without any explanation. After returning the amp, I was told that virtually all Adcom equipment came back to my dealer (GoodGuys) after purchase. After this, I spent extra on an ATI 1505, and have never looked back. The ATI beats the Adcom in EVERY aspect. The Adcom is grainy and harsh, and a big disapointment. The ATI is smooth, clean, powerful, with a full sound. And get this--it works!!!! Nary a hint of a problem after 6 months. i fully expect to own this amp until it finally expires (20 years from now!) Buy the ATI for a few extra hundred. You won't be sorry.

This pre-amp has so many things going for it I don't know where to start. First off (and the best strength), this pre-amp adds nothing to the music signal. I use it in the passive mode exclusively and have never felt the need to switch to the active mode. Other big plusses are: it is a Nelson Pass design, it is fully balanced, and I just love its flexibility and simplicity.

The only weakness is the remote control. I have never had so much difficulty with a remote. You have to be right in front of the unit and not too far away (and even then you have to play with it). As unimportant as this seems this annoyance drives me absolutely nuts! In fact, I find myself simply not using it. It would have been better for Adcom to simply not offer a remote and pass the cost savings on to the consumer.

A great value with some minor irritations.

Similar Products Used:

The other equipment in my system consists of a Proceed CDP, a Classe Seven Hundred Amplifier, Martin Logan SL3 Speakers, FMS speaker cables, Nordost Red Dawn XLR Interconnects, a Panamax 1000 power conditioner, and a Salamander Rack (w/ mega-spiked feet).

One of the best iunder $2000. Very transparent and efficient. No wonder its Stereophile Class A Preamp.

Very clean sound, transparent

Does not look expensive, cheap remote

You can hear the pedigree of a Nelson Pass design. Single gain stage with all switching done by relays.

Auditioned against VTL 2.5 and Classe CP 35. The GFP750 was the hands down winner. The sound is smooth yet crystal clear with no discernable coloration. The Classe looked much nicer but lacked the transparency of the Adcom. The VTL colored the sound with extra harmonics which tube fans may like but for me it did not enhance the sound.

At home, the GFP 750 was unhappy driving my Ayre V-3 connected with single ended Kimber Silver streak, the sound was dry and strangled. Connecting an Audioquest Ruby balanced cable transformed the sound completely, with richness warmth and body. The Audioquest turquoise from my TPC DAC 2.5 to the GFP now sounded unbearably bright. I switched to Straight Wire Rhapsody II which tamed the brightness without losing two much detail.

I have tried passive mode many times with different input and output interconnects, in all cases the passive mode sounded duller and less dynamic than active mode. I believe it reflects the lack of signal driving ability of the final stage op amps in the DAC.

Treating the input and output jacks with Caig's Pro Gold contact cleaner noticeably improved the sound - lifted a veil and increased transparency

VERY reasonably priced, fully balanced, remote control pre
amp, from a brand I have only had positive experience with.

The remote volume control works poorly at low levels. The RCA jacks are too close together for large connector barrel cable.

I bought this pre amp specifically to match up with my Rowland Model 2 power amp. The Rowland is fully balanced & I wanted a remote control pre amp that would allow me to take full advantage of it. I'm surprised at the negative Adcom QC comments on this pre amp. I have owned a 565 pre amp & (4) 555 markII power amps w/no problems at all. I know this website is accurate on Q/C issues because of the Panasonic/Technics DVD complaints. I've owned (1 each) Technics & Panasonic CD player. I bought both of them new & they both were repaired during the warranty period with a repair KIT! When I asked why they weren't recalled for a common problem, the rep said they just fix the ones people complain about... NEVER Again!
I was lucky enough to find this piece used, locally, & bought it from someone who's on a vacuum tube binge, (been there). It was 4 months old when I bought it... It's been on continously now for a month, with no problems.
I borrowed XLO balanced interconnect from my local dealer, for pre amp to amp, & single ended XLO from my CD to the pre amp (both Reference 2). I brought home a pair of single ended Ixos cable to try from the CD to the pre amp, the RCA connector barrels are way too large in diameter for the space provided between jacks on the pre amp. I can't believe Wes Phillips didn't mention this in his Stereophile review of this piece! I bought the XLO & took back the Ixos, I still want to try Ixos speaker cable.
My only other nit-pick is the remote volume control. It moves way too fast for low level listening. I just have to walk over & adjust it manually for late-night listening.
Despite my complaints, NOBODY has a comparable pre amp at this price point!

Similar Products Used:

Rowland Consonance.

Transparency and low price

None

The ADCOM GFP 750 has lived with me for more than two years. In the meantime, some preamps have been listened at my house and discarded because of their low Satisfaction/price ratio. This pream has a high ratio and that is why I still keep it. I use it with a Mesa Baron tube amplifier, a Jolida 603 CD player and a pair of Sonus Faber Extrema speakers.

The preamp is superb for its price. It simply disappears specially in passive mode, which is my favorite position. Moreover, it is simple to use especially at the time of watching movies with my Toshiba DVD.

I also use another configuration by which I bypass the pream and give manual volume to the Jolida CD which feeds my Harmonic Recovery System and the Baron amplifier. I do not understand why, the sound thru the Adcom 750 is more detailed and subtle.

For those budget minded audiophiles, this is the best preamp.

Similar Products Used:

VTL,PS Audio, Sonic Frontier

As an update to the "$10,000.00 System Revised Once Again!!!" entry in "dream systems" column, I would like to provide a review of a new preamplifier from Adcom, the GFP-750. Ever since I read in "Stereophile" that Adcom is coming out with a new remote controlled preamp, my curiosity was immediately stirred. Never before having owned an Adcom product (for a long time, I was a NAD fan), I wanted to see what it looked like. My lucky day came three-and-a-half weeks ago, when I saw a colorful new brochure from Adcom. A turn of a few pages later, I finally saw it. I then started comparing it to the McCormack TLC-1, another preamp I was strongly considering at the time. While the two preamps may cost the same, they could hardly be any different. The Adcom is a "solid-state active/passive" device with a wand-sized remote control unit, whereas the McCormack is strictly a "solid-state" passive device with unity-gain. The reason I said the McCormack costs as much as the Adcom is because I was going to get the McCormack with an external power supply with intention of further lowering the noise floor and improving the bass response. Anyway, let me start out by saying that the Adcom GFP-750 is one fine new preamp. The top-end is rather on the brighter side of neutral with a sense of openness, but found the midrange to be transparent, but forward at the same time. The bass response is adequately deep, but taunt. I definitely heard a deeper bass from a preamp before, but we're talking about a Krell or Mark Levinson, which is something the Adcom isn't. But that is a good thing, given the very deep, but looser bass response I anticipate getting from the Vandersteen 2Ce's. It also produced what is to my ears a wide sounstage that emanates beyond the plane of the speakers themselves, giving me a rather big sweetspot. Depth is a bit forshortend in the active mode, but increased drastically in the passive mode. But so much for its sonic capabilities. I'm also turned on by its versatility as well, in that it offers balanced outs as well as the standard RCA outs. It also offers a processor out (so that it allows me to add a surround sound processor later to integrate into home theater). I recall the McCormack being rather extended on top with a touch of sweetness, a neutral and airy midrange, and a lightweight bass response, hence my reason for acquiring it with the external power supply. There was also a good sense of depth with instruments and vocals firmly in place, and air and space around the instruments. After comparing the two preamps, I'm leaning toward the Adcom. The reasons are obvious: (a). a choice to go active or passive when the mood strikes, and (b). remote control capability. I think that acquiring this piece will put me on the road of acheiving my "dream system"(meaning that I am halfway there), having already acquired the Nakamichi BX-300 Cassette Deck, JVC CD Changer, and Magnum Dynalab Tuner, with the Vandersteen Speakers, Marantz Amps, Pioneer Elite/Theta CD System, and MIT cables to go. The Adcom GFP-750 will replace a Perreaux SM2 Preamp(Circa 1984)that I bought used three years ago. My current speaker/amp combination right now is a pair of KEF Reference 102's being driven by a B&K ST-140 tied together with Monster Cable. I think Adcom have themselves a winner in the GFP-750. If there is such thing as halves in this column, then I would give it four-and-a-half out of five stars.
Suggested Retail Price: $1,250.00

Soundstage...detail..timbre realizations.

None at this price!

This is an addendum to my previous comments
about the GFA-750.

I added one of the Monster Power Conditioners
to this system. I just wanted to make note that
this added an additional degree of realism to
the system and preamp.

It enlarged the soundstage even more and seemed
to add a sense of stability to the center stage
presentation. It also seemed to compliment the
already great detail and instrumental timbre
presentation of the GFA-750. I take the Monster
out of the system at times to get even more
familiar with the preamp's own qualities.
(I probably put the Monster in a bit too soon)


Anyway, I thought I would make sure all are aware
of this Power Conditioner's capability. Its strenght
is in its audio filtration. Some assistance in the
Video was noted..richness of color, more balance in
the color presentation, pastel improvements. But,
it is in the Audio domain where this conditioner
is most noticeable. It will handle your big audio
100lb amplifier without suppressing the power.

I am referring to the Monster model 2000. This is
stage 2 of filtration in the Monster series. I tried
the model 3500...but, in my system it did not
seem to have the same good effects of the 2000!
The 3500 is a stage 3 (even more filtration) and
a voltage meter on the front. But in the audio
domain it did not seem to cut it as does the 2000.
I wish it had...its a much better looking unit and
has some good on/off time delay features. Cost around
$400 list.

At this cost $179 to $200 the model 2000 is worth
looking at. It does have an effect!!

Leonard...

P.S. This is not akin to the heavy duty Tice
units..however, it does seem to be a step
ahead in its filtration sophistication in
the audio domain.

Similar Products Used:

Audio Research, Classe, ML, etc.

I have tried GFP-750 in my system for five days now and I like it a lot. I think I will end my long journey for searching a good preamp within $1,000 to $2,000 price range with it. The GFP-750 performs well for all kinds of classical music which is my primary listening interest. The sound quality of GFP-750 can be described as detail, focused, neutral and transparent. And its overall sound texture is inclined to lean side which matches well with my dark and warm Classe amp. The 'active' mode of 750 provides a bit more sense of presence and involvement than 'passive' mode but sacrifices some transparency. I prefer the 'passive' to the 'active' in the most of times. In addition to its good sound quality, GFP-750's versatility attracts me. Passive/active modes, balanced input/output and external processor bypass do give me more flexibility for future upgrading and for hooking up with my home theater components. I have tried McCormack TLC-1, Audio Research LS7 in the past. Both of them lacked versatility GFP 750 has and in term of sound quality, McCormack TLC-1 didn't provide enough music excitement to my ears and LS7 sounded too analytic for a tube preamp. I am sure there must be some other good preamps which can fit in my system as well as GFP-750 at my price range, but in reality who got so lucky to be able to try all interested components in his/her own systems before making final purchase decision? So, I don't want to say GFP-750 is THE BEST preamp you can buy at $1,250 in the market. However, it is certainly a reasonable-priced, well-engineered and excellent-sounding preamp. Highly recommend!
P.S. Since Adcom GFP-750 was rated as class A in the Stereophile Recommended Components List in the April issue, it has become a hot product in my local Adcom dealer. There is a moderately long waiting list for special ordering.