Great soundstage, lot's of configuration options, highly transparent.

None I can see of yet.

Since I just purchased the unit this is really a brief first impression. I'll do a more detailed review in a month or so. First off I want to say that as I am in the process of building a Home theatre system so I am using this as basically a stereo pre-amp and suround processor through an Adcom 100 Watt 2 channel Amp and Tannoy speakers. It was with great trepidation that I turned in my old Adcom pre-amp Audio Alchemy DAC combo, and so far I am very happy I did. The DAC aspect of the 760 is superb. The soundstage is full and robust and the musical clarity and balance is pure bliss, in fact, the softness of the high end and the tightness of the bass just blew me away. Really impressive for solid state. I can't even begin to imagine what this unit will sound like after it's burned in a bit.
As to the high frequency buzz mentioned above. I had the same problem. It's most likely your cable TV ground loop. Very easy to solve and it's documented on the Adcom Website.
I also agree on the Bass management. There are a plethora of different configuration options, just read the documentation.

Easy set-up, sweet warm sound for DQ10s

I wish it had seperate Bass and Treble controls on the face of the unit.

In a word... WOW. This is so much better than the GTP750. The sound is way smoother ( I will admit I had a bad GTP 750 and Adcom cust. service was NO help) It has a warm tone that made my DQ10s sound like they are new. I am using the GFA 7400 as my amp and the GTP 760 can go full tilt and there is no clipping. The Dalhquist speakers seem to imaage a bit better as well. Im not a big fan of the special effects DSP modes etc etc but Adcom did a nice job with this unit. When watching DVDs or TV it even makes CNN sound better ! Over-all a very good AV preamp for the money..and why not 5 stars? ..because that would mean I would be drooling all it and thats not quite the case lol. In the looks dept I will always wish the Adcom looked like a Mac ( gotta love the looks of ANY Mac as far as Im concerned!)I will say if you have a chance to pick one up do so without fear. It does what it is supposed to do and does it quite well.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom GTP750

I have always been an Adcom fan (as well as Rotel) as I sorta think they are within the break of 'you get what you pay for'. I picked this baby up on Ubid.com for $612 shipped and with IL sale tax (sweet!). It replaced my OLD Technics 5.1 decoder which was $300 at BestBuy and was one the 1st affordabe decoders (which was really desinged to work w/ receivers that had 5.1 in) now they all have the chip internal (unless you buy the really cheap units). Anyway WOW!.. Dinsey Dinosaur in DTS is amazing. My brother who is by no means an Audiophile could hear it.. He was like "Wow, it sounds like real life". Using it with a Adcom 5 chn amp and an Adcom 2 chal amp. With Legacy Kevlar Sats, Legacy Monolog Center Channel, Leagcy Dual 12" subs, and Sonnance (also from Ubid.com) inwall rear. In the past I kept turning up the rear just to hear stuff, but no the imaging is so much better you dont have to crank the rears for the sound to come out.. Im happy, and the price is amazing!.. really $612 shipped.. I think at that price there is nothing to touch it, but again Im and adcom fan.

Oh, the remote is sorry funny (big dial area is a top so I keep picking up upside down in the dark). Nor am I a fan of the rubbery buttons. But I like the backlight feature. It just dosent have the layout like a good Sony remote. Adcom take a lession from Sony on remotes..

Made in China (in case you care)

jr

detailed sound and easy setup

no bass or treble controls!!!!! what? isn't this a preamp?

well, what can i say. i am not impressed at all. i purchased an adcom 7300 amplifier about two years ago with intention of buying an adcom a/v preamp. finally, i picked one up from ubid for $700.

This unit is a preamp, but it doesn't have bass or treble controls. i don't get it. don't get me wrong, the sound is detailed and smooth, but why can't i adjust the bass or treble? yes i know, you can go into setup and change the size of the speakers, the levels, etc. Whatever!, you still can't control bass or treble. i have to say that this is very annoying.

uhm, what is adcom thinking? i have never seen a preamp without bass or treble controls. am i crazy or is this just something adcom overlooked?

Well, how about some good news? let me think. it does sound good. it is easy to setup. it has a decent remote. it is built pretty solid.

Similar Products Used:

denon, harmon kardon, carver

versatility

no phono stage

Not enough time yet to fully review.
This is a response to the review below me.
Any true audiophile would know that better audio equipment does not need any bass or treble corrections in most cases.
These are completely useless and should not be used even if it's there. It only ads discoloration to the sound.
That's why you find it on receivers and not on better audio gear.
To base a review on something like this is nonsense.
This is a deal of the year if you have guts to buy refurb from Ubid - you might get lucky and get a good unit. Otherwise - Ubid does not respond to their e-mail and there is no way to contact them. So pray that it works !

Similar Products Used:

GTP-600

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There's a new ADCOM Tuner/Preamp out. The GTP-830.
The MSRP is about $1200.
http://sql.onecall.com/PID_12156.htm

Link to ADCOM's site and description of this item:
http://www.adcom.com/main/data/hometheatertunerpr1/homegtp_761.xml

I have an older ADCOM Tuner/Preamp, the GTP-600 ...but I'm thinking of upgrading and noticed in the last week (9/13/2001) that ADCOM has a new Tuner/Preamp, as stated above. I came here hoping to see some reviews on this particular model ....but there isn't anything.

Has anyone seen, previewed personally and/or purchased this new ADCOM Tuner/Preamp yet? If so, I am very curious what your opinion is.

Thanks!

P.S. I selected 5 stars ONLY because I didn't want to under rate something I haven't previewed personally yet.
I wanted to submit this post to ask about the NEWEST ADCOM Tuner/Preamp.

Similar Products Used:

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Very good to excellent audio quality for both music and HT; excellent DTS decoding; excellent dynamics and transient response; sufficient features without excess; analog 5.1 inputs for DVD-A players; good tuner; good remote; excellent parts quality; high value (price-to-performance ratio).

Volume control not the smoothest; no capability for upgrade to newer HT formats; utilitarian exterior appearance; no phono input; ground hum when using digital co-ax connection.

For someone who is seeking a high-quality, high-value HT pre/pro that also does a very good job with music, this unit is an excellent choice. Adcom, as it does with all of its product line, emphasizes value and performance over an expensive exterior and numerous features. I have used the GTP-760 for both HT and audio, and been very pleased with its performance. While it may not be the best preamp for strict audiophile music reproduction, it nevertheless provides good imaging and soundstaging, excellent clarity, and dynamic transients. Decoding for DTS is excellent, while DD decoding is very good (a bit soft at times, and not as dynamic as DTS). The only problem I have had with the unit is hum (actually, more like a whine) through the digital co-ax input from my Pioneer DV-37 DVD player, which has restricted me to using the TOSLINK connection. (I contacted Adcom about this, and they told me that there is sometimes a ground problem with the co-ax input that is attributable to equipment incompatibilities -- i.e., some do it, some don't.) I purchased the unit new for $1325 (incl shipping), and at this price I think the unit is an unqualified "best buy". This unit was reviewed in "The Perfect Vision" magazine, Issue #35, and the reviewer (Anthony Cordesman) gave the GTP-760 very positive marks.

I have used the GTP-760 in both an inexpensive HT setup (belonging to my ex-wife), and in my own audio/HT combo system which has the following equipment:
Bryston SP-1 pre/pro
Bryston 4B-ST and 5B-ST power amps
Vandersteen 3A Signature main speakers
Vandersteen VCC-1 Signature center channel speaker
Coincident Triumph Signature rear speakers
VPI HW-19 Mark 4 turntable with Rega RB900 arm
Lehmann Audio Black Cube phono preamp (version 4)
Pioneer DV-37 DVD/CD player
Interconnects: HomeGrownAudio Silver Lace and Super Silver
Speaker cable: Kimber Kable 8TC, bi-wire

I have given this unit an overall rating of 5 stars. If the rating system allowed for partial points, I would have rated it 4.5. On the whole, the unit is better than I expected, but better than just "very good" at this price range. Compared to the original GTP-740, this unit is far better, and it is highly competitive with units selling in the $2500 price range. Is it as good as my Bryston SP-1? No, it's not, but it provides 85-90% of the performance for 1/2 to 1/3 the price. (MSRP for SP-1 is $3800, but it can be bought discounted for about $2900. The GTP-760 can be bought discounted for around $1350.)

Similar Products Used:

Adcom GTP-740; Parasound AVC 2500; Bryston SP-1.

It's an Adcom:
Transparent audio playback.
Decodes DTS as well as Dolby Digital.
D/A Conversion is excellent.
Cinema EQ setting.
Great remote control.

No phono input.
Insufficient subwoofer gain for passive woofers.
Surround modes over emphasised.
Automatic Input Selection is slow.
5.1 analog inputs hard to use.
Dim feature is frustrating.

The good:

It's an Adcom: Solid construction, fair price, and responsive customer service. All very good things.

Great sound: Transparent during audio playback. Excellent D/A conversion for all digital sources. Decodes DTS as well as Dolby 5.1.

The 5 channel stereo processor is surprisingly good. It is subtle and natural sounding. 2 channel is still there for the audiophile recordings, but 5 channel can really fill a room when you're in a non-purist mood.

Double subwoofer outputs were a nice touch.

Cinema EQ setting: Many old movies can have soundtracks so harsh that I would actually get an ear ache listening at normal volumes. The Cinema equalization takes the edge off without getting in the way of the sound, and makes these soundtracks much more enjoyable.

Remote is easily programmed to replace other remotes, so no more juggling. The layout and the feel of the keys is great for most A/V components, and the well placed backlight key is easy to find in low light.

The not-as-good:

No phono inputs. There are enough choices for add-on phono pre-amps, that it wasn't hard or expensive to get my turntable hooked back up. I know they didn't want to charge everyone for a phono stage that only a few would use, but it's worth mentioning.

Subwoofer gain is not sufficient for listening to movie soundtracks with passive subwoofers. I asked Adcom about this, and they say that a lot of manufacturers over-emphasise bass for effect, but their GTP-760 is compliant with Dolby requirements. I say, "more bass". I don't care how accurately it conveys the filmmaker's intentions. When the bus blows up, I want my windows to rattle. They rattled with my old 60 watt Yamaha receiver, they should shatter with a GFA-5500 pushing two 15" subwoofers. This was also easily remedied by using the 5500 to power my surrounds, and buying a separate subwoofer amp with it's own gain control. I am very happy with the results, but I thought this was also worth mentioning.

Surround modes too exagerated: I realize this is very subjective, but for me, the "Hall" and "Stadium" surround modes are overdone. I haven't found music that I could enjoy with these DSP's active. Most recordings I have listened to with these modes sounded like they were coming from a boombox in a very large cave. The "Jazz" surround mode sounds more natural, but because the sub tones are filtered out in all 3 modes, I feel like I'm missing sound on most jazz recordings too. These features are not in the way for the most part, so I just don't use them.

"Auto Select" however, does get in the way. The GTP-760 senses the incoming signal, and will automatically change to the appropriate input mode. A great feature. The problem is that it takes time to do this. If you are listening to a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal, and you jump to another track, the player stops sending an audio signal while it is changing tracks. The 760, not sensing a signal, switches to 2 or 5 channel stereo. When the 5.1 signal is restored, the 760 senses the change, and switches back to Dolby Digital. This switch takes a few seconds, so if the soundtrack starts immediately, I miss the first few seconds of music or dialog. Annoying if it was something I wanted to hear, but I've become used to it, and I know to rewind a little further than needed (unless it's track 1). I would have enjoyed an override on this feature.

The ugly:

5.1 analog inputs are hard to use: There is no video input associated with the 5.1 analog inputs, and there is no way to directly select 5.1 from the remote. It is possible to select 5.1 from the remote, if you go to the Input Selection menu and scroll through the inputs, but if you have hooked your DVD-Audio player up to any input other than DVD (the next selection), you will lose your video feed when you scroll through. And don't plan on using your 760's remote to control the DVD-Audio player either. Switching the remote to a mode that controls the DVD player also switches the audio input away from 5.1 analog. To me, the 5.1 analog inputs feel like a rush-to-market add-on to the GTP-750.

Finally, the only feature that really bugs me, obsessive as it sounds, is the "dim" button. Pressing this button from the panel or the remote, dims the main display to a level that is less distracting in low light (DVD) situations. Well, less distracting except for the new LED that lights up to tell me that "dim" is enabled. Don't worry about the LED, however, it won't be on long enough to bother you, because every time you touch a button on the remote (and I'm talking about almost every button) the "dim" feature is disabled. If you want to dim the display again, you'll need to select "Main" on the remote, and then press the "dim" button, which is one of the few buttons on the remote that is not labeled so that it could be found in low light (DVD) situations using the backlight feature! This feature should have been "sticky". If I press "dim" the display should stay dimmed until I press "dim" again. On the front panel, this is the button they should have re-labeled for the 5.1 input selection. I would find a "mute" button to be more valuable than "temporarily dim" on the front panel.

Summary:

This has been a great pre-amp. I have no regrets about buying it, and I'd do it again. I had a few things I would have liked different, but when talking about a component with this many features, the fact that I only had a few says a lot. When I price compared this pre-amp to other pre-amps of similar quality and like features, it easily came to the top of the list.

Low noise floor. Rf demodulator built in.

Only 3 digital inputs. Extremely poor bass management options. Quality control.

Unit arrived defective. All digital sources worked well, but when I hooked up an analog source, there was a high pitch (maybe 3.5 kHz, 50 db)tone emitted from all the output channels. Without anolog connections the unit was very quite.

The autodetect for surround mode worked well, and DD, DTS sounded as good as the Sony.

While 3 digital inputs was enough for me, it just is not enough by todays standards.

Bass management is unforgivable. I just do not know what ADCOM was thinking when they came up with this. There are bassically three choices:
A-Front speaker small or large, center and rears small, subwoofer on
B-Front speakers large, Center and rears small, no subwoofer
C-All speakers large, sub on, but full range signal to it.
I would have liked to see the ability to set the size of each speaker as I have full range (to about 40 Hz) rears.
The crossover for the sub is fixed at 100Hz.

I was a little concerned at first about purchasing the ADCOM since the 740 seemed to be plagued by so many problems. The 750 seemed to be a solid performer, but I have to wonder if my defective unit is a fluke or a trend.

I am returning the ADCOM and am going with a Sunfire II instead.

Similar Products Used:

Sony TA9000ES

An excellent update to the GTP 750. Completely upgrades over the plagued 740. The DVD-Audio connections are a great add-on, just gotta get a player for it to see how the discs sound. Processing is good and the menu is fairly straightforward. The speaker size selection could be better, so we can mix and match sizes and sub settings easier. Learning remote obliterates all my 100 remotes sitting around. Using this amp with VampireWire interconnects, a GFA 7300 amp, and Kef Cresta series speakers. Sounds great, let everything burn in and run. Now I can disturb my neighbors like I always wanted.