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Post by M57 on Sept 13, 2015 9:22:03 GMT -6
Currently I'm getting by mixing with headphones and a set of M-Audio BX5a's (powered monitors). So this morning I just dusted off a pair of NS10Ms and B&W Matrix 2 Series 2 speakers, hooked them up to an old Onkyo receiver fully expecting the tweeters to be fried on some of them. Turned out a channel was fried on the receiver, but speakers are fine.
So my choices are to sell the speakers ..or purchase an amp and a switcher. I'd love to keep them if I can afford to. The switcher's easy enough, but I'd prefer not to break the bank and as I recall the B&Ws are power hungry hogs.
Suggestions?
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Sept 13, 2015 10:00:04 GMT -6
JW modded Adcom GFA555 or the brystons in the classifieds
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Post by kcatthedog on Sept 13, 2015 10:08:06 GMT -6
there is an unmodded gfa 545 there too, also good amp so I have been told. I just bought one up here in Canada as i am thinking seriously abut some amphions.
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Post by M57 on Sept 13, 2015 10:23:45 GMT -6
Thanks guys. I agree the 555 is probably the way to go. I bought the B&Ws ~25 years ago when I worked in retail and I remember as a salesperson usually pairing the Matrix 2's with a 555 or a Luxman receiver. I picked up a Luxman with mine, but that receiver has long since died. As I recall the B&Ws need every bit of the 555; I believe they would be underpowered by the 545.
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 13, 2015 19:09:45 GMT -6
Check out used Lexicons too. Rebranded Brystons.
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Sept 13, 2015 19:37:54 GMT -6
Check out used Lexicons too. Rebranded Brystons. Only the NT series! |
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 13, 2015 19:50:59 GMT -6
Yep. I don't doubt there are better options out there, but this thing has served me really well
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Post by stratboy on Sept 14, 2015 5:09:59 GMT -6
FWIW, Yamaha M 40, 50, 60. Highly rated in their day and very cheap these days. I didn't know they existed until I bought a 40 for $50 on a whim at a swap and looked them up. Its a great amp!
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Post by Ward on Sept 14, 2015 7:31:25 GMT -6
AB made some killer amps back in the day too. Not sure if they're still in business but an old AB International amp (400 watts a side) still runs my Tannoy Mains. Works like a charm.
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Post by kcatthedog on Sept 15, 2015 16:53:06 GMT -6
Bumped into a good deal on a adcom 545 mki circa 1989 and it showed up today seems bullet proof and heavy  Just has a chat with Jim Williams re: his mod, which is well priced too, so I guess my amp will head off to CA for a bit ! its dusty inside but looks like its all stock to me: factory bolts/build not cracked. Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted |
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Post by M57 on Sept 15, 2015 17:11:09 GMT -6
I'm don't consider myself a hard-core audiophile, but I do seem to remember that the 555 was not among my favorites sonically. It was a long time ago for sure, but I was able to do a lot of A/Bing because well.. it was my job, and I'm pretty sure that's why I went with the Luxman, which I think was in the 120 watt/channel range. I just thought the Adcom lacked definition, and I didn't like the way it handled transients. I sold it for many years, so I saw a number of iterations. Does the JW mod some of you mention change it sonically in any way?
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Post by kcatthedog on Sept 15, 2015 17:31:05 GMT -6
I guess Jim can answer that best he was describing the work to me.
I have read a couple of reviews of people who have had jim's mod and they were very pleased!
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Post by tonycamphd on Sept 15, 2015 17:48:36 GMT -6
I'm don't consider myself a hard-core audiophile, but I do seem to remember that the 555 was not among my favorites sonically. It was a long time ago for sure, but I was able to do a lot of A/Bing because well.. it was my job, and I'm pretty sure that's why I went with the Luxman, which I think was in the 120 watt/channel range. I just thought the Adcom lacked definition, and I didn't like the way it handled transients. I sold a it for many years, so I saw a number of iterations. Does the JW mod some of you mention change it sonically in any way? yes, the transient response, and punch are most excellent, but the performance depends also on the sensitivity of the speaker being used, higher sensitivity is better without a doubt, a lot of audiophools live by the chart, and their speakers are low sensitivity expressionless flat surfacing stones that you couldn't pay me to take off their hands, the original adcom gfa555, 545's are the ones, the second generation wasn't close, the Nelson Pass design on the original adcom is still revered as a killer design by audiophools for the most part. |
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Sept 15, 2015 18:06:07 GMT -6
Plus you can bridge the 555 into a 4 ohm load ! Lots of current!
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Post by kcatthedog on Sept 15, 2015 18:54:37 GMT -6
" the Nelson Pass design on the original adcom is still revered as a killer design "
^^this^^; thx Tony, my research had indicated that it is the mk is you want and I thought getting one in good working order and adding the JW mod was the way to go !
there was a recapped 555 mk i here in cdn but they guy was firm at $450. I got the 545 for $160 cdn so I gave up a little grunt but I would rather invest in Jim's mod and also have someone with his expertise looking the amp over can't do me any harm; its circa 1989 !
got to admit it was a total thrill to pull it out of the box; its just feels like a classic piece of real gear !!
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