Adcom pre amp versus Van Alstine


I am looking to buy a pre-amp and wondering which one might be a better pre-amp: Adcom GFP 750 or Audio by Van Alstine AVA ultra EC hybrid?

Appreciate your thoughts :)

mrdmbman

Thus is probably not fair because I have not heard that model of VA. I am commenting because of some of the comments about Adcom. I have heard all of their pre's and consider most poor. However the GFP750 is a fine preamp, No other Adcom is in the same league. It is passive, it is active, it is single ended and it is balanced, doing all fairly well. I have met Frank and heard alot of his gear. For me, if I could get someone that I trust that clearly know them both and could tell me that the VA is better, I might go that way,  if not, the Adcom is a safe bet and I'd run with that. Plus, not likely that you would lose on resale of the Adcom.

I got the Adcom GFP 750 and tested it.

These are the other components:

Mcintosh Audio 2125 (power amp)
Cabasse artis baltic ii speakers and SVS SB2000 pro sub
Rega Planar 8 TT with Rega Ania Pro Moving Coil Cartridge
Bluesound Node 2, streaming from Qobuz
Teac ud-503b DAC
Audioquest cables

Previously I used the pre-amp option on Cambridge Audio CX81

The sound quality is incredible (at least compared to the Cambridge). Soundstage, precision and details have much improved. I am getting the Van Alstine next for the comparison!

@mrdmbman, not surprised you like the adcom (are you using the active or passive mode?)--it's a helluva good piece. curious to hear your comparison to the va.