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Adcom GFA-5802 Stereo Power Amplifier to drive Andra speakers!Is it a good choice

Dear All,

Years and years after my original post for issues with the Andra I speakers I had an amazing yet surprising experience. Initially I used to drive them musical fidelity KW500 which was bright. I sold the musical fidelity and I out the Andras on the side of the room, took picture to sell them. Then I thought of testing them where they are in the room(against another wall perpendicular to original location. I put them 3-4 feet apart(that all I  an do), hooked them to 120 WPC Harman Kardon stereo receiver(that is I have at the moment, I pulled it form the basement) and tried it on my Denon 5901 DVD player. To say the least, I have never heard the speakers before. It was the room, I heard music. The notes were coherent and everything made sense. Bass is very light to non-existing, but the music is there especially the mid range. Enya's watermark album was amazing. I listened for ours and would not leave the  room. Now I am comparing this $300 receiver to the $5000 amplifier in the previous location and it is better from a musicality standpoint.  It was the room folks. Location, location, location.  I will not sell them and I am looking for an amplifier that will drive them without breaking the budget again. Hence my post. what about the  Adcom GFA-5802 Stereo Power Amplifier? if not, any other sgeestion easy on the wallet.
Thanks
Scientist73
scientist73
wolf_garcia
6,708 posts
 
I still have a very inexpensive (bought used anyway) Adcom 5300 (!) that I use for extra (window placed for deck duty) speakers that sounds great. I've had a bunch of Adcom stuff over the years including preamps and a few other amps and all of them worked beautifully. 
timlub
2,040 posts
 
The 5802 is the best of the Adcom amps and definitely has a Pass flair to its sound... There are several good inexpensive amps out there and this is certainly one of them.
I'd also look for a Muse One Hundred Sixty... Maybe a Sumo Andromeda II or III. 
These are all $500 to $800 and are still all nice sounding amps, but you certainly won't get hurt with the Adcom and at $800 or less, you could recoup your money
viggen900's avatar
viggen900
64 posts
 
Never used that Adcom, however presently have a gfa5500

also a longtime Adcom fan, started when I became hooked on their car audio amps in the early 90's, they were the best car amp I ever heard for a long time.

A few years ago I compared my Adcom to a similarly priced and powered parasound amp.  I hate to say it but the parasound amp was much better.  Much tighter and detailed low end and everywhere else the parasound was a step above the Adcom.  As stated I was a Adcom fan and wasn't expecting to vote against my brand of choice.
wolf_garcia
6,708 posts
 
Adcom produced a LOT of amps including improved versions of some of them, with reviews all over the map relative to the model. The big mono amps were raved about, as well as the 5800 and 5500...I owned a few of the also well regarded el cheapo 535s (used in recording rigs, etc.) although I think my more current (pun) GFA5300 sounds better, and man…those things are ridiculously inexpensive as mine (the 5300) was bought in mint shape for maybe 125 bucks a few years ago. 
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