I don't usually leave reviews on any gear, but I joined to leave a review to off-set a total BS review someone left. I have this item and find 0, that's zero problems with sound quality at all. There's virtually no difference in sq between running my amps via my dac or using the 750 in passive mode; or active, for that matter. Stereophile compared it to a Mark Levinson 380S($6,495) and claimed to be unable to distinguish a difference while also comparing it to an AR LS8($1,495) which it handily beat. Yet it is given a 1-star rating? It handily beats my Odyssey Tempest in sq. I'm sure Nelson Pass would be offended since it's his design. As for the little remote being a joke, I think Conrad Johnson also used the same remote for one or more of their pres. I saw it in a Youtube vid. It does all a simple stereo preamp needs to do. It has 6 input selectors plus volume, mute, L/R balance, and On/Off.

I recently attempted to open it up to do some pre-emptive dusting and was unable to get the cover off. It would be nice to get into it. The volume control via remote could be quicker. It is showing its age, of course, so it lacks all the new inputs.

I have my 750 mated with a pair of Monarchy Audio sm 70 pro amps in mono balanced mode. I use a Cardas Clear balanced inter connect between the previous and amps and it's audio bliss. On a budget which affords me money to spend on other equipment. I'm pushing a pair of Vander- Steen Signature 3. The Adcom 750 at the used prices I have been seeing them latEly is a steal.

IN MY EXPERIENCE:
Extremely quiet,honest to the upstream equipment,value,reliability,no "solid state" sound (although not necessarily tubey either)versatile,mates well with a variety of amps,(can make not so goodamps sound better,and will not embarass itself in the prescence of the megabuck stuff either)the passive section is magnificent if the amp is a good match from an input sensitivity perspective,overall neutrality.

Doesn't cost a million $$$, so snobbish "audiophools" have to "create" negativity to justify their own insane budgets and EGOS.!!!

I'm not sure what ancillary equipment these previous two dimwits were using,but it's quite obvious they both believe that they're not only professional audiophiles,but that they have the right to judge other peoples'subjective opinions about this preamp. I've owned this preamp three times since it came out in '99 and must say in my humble experience I'd place it in the top three preamps I've owned over 35+ years of this hobby. I've currently got it mated with a Plinius SA 100 MkIII amplifier and am immensely happy with the sonics provided by these two pieces. I'm using Nirvana SL IC's along with Audience ,and Kimber IC's in my system with Hyperion 938s'.My sources are a Jolida JD 100 tubed CD player in stock form as well as a highly modded JD100 by Chris Johnson @ Parts Connexion (formerly of Sonic Frontiers).The top end is beautifully rendered with no overtones on sibilants,the mids are dlicately musical or can be smashingly powerful with the bloom and musicality of a live performance. The bass changes depending on which player I'm using,depending on the recording at any particular time. My point is,there are so many different factors(synergy of components,cables,power conditioners,etc>)it seems a bit rude to me for anyone to judge someone elses opinion on a particular piece of equipment. To each his own. The key element to all of this is ENJOY THE MUSIC. what's the use of putting someone elses opinion down to justify your own???

Customer Service

Haven't had to use it. Never had a problem,and I've owned three of these units.

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Audio Research LS 15,Anthem Pre2L SE,Pass Labs X2,Threshold,. I'm getting too old to remember the rest of them...

None. Sound is one step up from a cheap receiver.

Harsh, grainy sound.

I have two homes, one with a top quality system, and a second home. I bought this ADCOM for the second system based on low price and good reviews.
I had it in the second system for several months and didn't think much of the system, so I took the ADCOM and the CD player to my primary system to try and see what was what. The sound quality of the ADCOM was clearly the problem.
My main system has an Audio Research LS2, and by comparison the ADCOM sounds harsh and dry in the treble and has poor bass definition. It was definitely the problem.
I then took my Cambridge A300 integrated amp that I was using with the TV set and took it to my second home, and this $300 integrated had a better-sounding preamp section than the ADCOM, in a direct comparison. I thought maybe the ADCOM was broken, but when I had it checked, the technician said it worked fine with a test signal. He said he had a lot of experience with the 750 over the years, and it never was a very good-sounding unit.
In looking over the reviews here more critically, it looks to me as if the people who think this unit sounds good are using stuff like Onkyo and other 'mid-fi' equipment in their systems (to listen to what?). No wonder.
If you are used to high-quality audiophile sound in your system, this thing isn't goona sound worth a darn to you; it's just not in that class.
It has mediodre to poor sound, in my opinion. Bad value for the money, even used.
You are far better off buying an NAD or Cambridge or Music Hall Integrated amp for $400-$600.
You will save money and get better sound.

Excellent sound

Poor reliablity
Runs very hot
Most audio retailers have discontinued selling Adcom so you can not take it back to them for Service

I did a lot of research before selecting this preamp. I realize my tastes reside in the over $2000 price range for their quality of sound. The Adcom GFP-750 is competitive in this area and it made almost all of my recordings sound much better than my old Adcom 565 did. Unfortunately the build quality of their products has suffered after the company was sold a few years ago. I have 4 other Adcom products that I have used for over ten years with no problems at all. I have had many problems withe the GFP-750 since I purchased it. The first problem was the unit shutting off when you touch the metal plate on the front panel. When I called Adcom they said that this was most likely static electricity. After this I have only used the remote to contol the unit and I would no longer touch it. This seems to have cured this problem. The next problem is that the controls for slection, volume, or balance sometimes freeze up when using the remote and the master power switch needs to be turned off to re-set it. The worst problem is that the right channel intermitently drops down to about half volume. I contacted Adcom to see if I could send it to them for a warranty repair, but they would not let me send it in. Instead they offerd a local repair shop which I took it to. This shop did not seem qualified so I took it back home. I have since found a service center that was out of state where it is now. It is obvious that Adcom is not even close to being the same company that they used to be. This unit does not have much resale value when I recently looked at some more expensive pre-amps at a local audio retailer. I wish now I would have spend a few more dollars and purchased something that was much more reliable. This will be the last Adcom product I purhase.

Customer Service

Service is pretty much non-existant from Adcom.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom GFP-565

It makes great CD's sound like great CD's.

It makes great CD's sound like great CD's. What is he writing? You think. What I just wrote is correct. When compared to the ModWright SWL 9.0SE preamp, the ADCOM sounds pale. The ModWright makes CD's sound like live performances in the room. Incredible. Even my significant other can hear and feel the difference. Would I get rid of the ADCOM? HECK NO! It's great for what it is. I keep it powered-up 24x7 and stream music. When I feel like listening critically, I use the ModWright. Am I a tube lover? Heck, no, which is why I have two completely separate systems. I am simply being honest, and that's why you are reading this.

It is a great bargain and a incomparable, brillant design by Nelson Pass. The preamp has solid, but not extended bass and highs. It's surgically linear. It's quiet, dead quiet. One really could not ask for more in a solid state preamp. I have the great fortune of owning two completely parallel systems that use the same source material and speakers. Running a comparison between systems under identical conditions and equipment is a breeze.

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Kenwood L-07C, Rotel, McCormack, Linn, Accuphase, Nikko Beta

A nice stereo, reverse and mono knob is included, something you don't see too often. Passive mode disables the balance, another great feature. When active the balance is adjustable from the remote. Sweet.

My only complaint is the remote could be a little nicer, but...........

The GFP-750 is a fantastic sounding pre, especially in the "passive" mode. It has little sound of it's own, only traces of being an Adcom, if you know the Adcom "sound". I didn't find this objectionable, since Adcom has made some fine pre's, this being the best so far.

Similar Products Used:

Marsh P2000 {Stereophile preamp of the year winner 2? years ago, but after 100 hours of break in mine just sounded like crap. Very compressed and flat, kind of grey sounding and lifeless. It went back to the store. Oh yeah, really cheesy feeling knobs too, but a nicer remote }

Image depth, noise floor, lovely realistic sense of space. Not the airiest sound ever, but tremendously life-like scale. A no-sound preamp in passive mode. A joy to listen to.

Remote was cheesy even for the 80's. Now it is plain hilarious. Hope that money went into design elsewhere. Works fine though. LED's are tomato red and bit bright. No way to tell volume level in low light. Coloration, veils, transistored tone in active mode still makes for refined sound, but purity is lost.

This preamp marks my first true experience of transparency, image depth, and a noise floor so black and deep as to make subtle nuance a convenience, rather than a strife. My listening has been solely in passive mode. My Rega Planet 2000 provides sufficient single as to allow the passive mode to add gain and nothing else to my Rotel RB 1080 out to Paradigm Studio 60's. Nordost Flatline biwires, Signal Cable and Custom House RCA and XLR's round out the package. Perhaps the change to XLR accounts for the vanishingly low noise floor, but I suspect the simple, passive gain section is the magic behind this sound. I am in love. Still works great after 6 years of service.

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Cambridge Audio cant remember model integrated, NAD C320Bee integrated, Carver Signature Preamp, Rotel RC 1070. Marantz Receiver.

Active mode is very good, better than that of any preamplifier at its price range and competitive with components at several multiples of its MSRP. Passive mode, when intelligently matched with front-end and amplification components, rivals the best that I've ever heard. This preamp would be an excellent value at $3,000 or $4,000; at $1,200, it's a complete steal.

Realistically? None. Personally, I'd opt for less annoying LEDs and a more usable remote (in active mode), and I'd 86 the trademark toggle switches on the units faceplace, but I wouldn't change a thing about this pre's sound.

People, people, people: You really need to stop categorically dissin' the GFP-750's passive mode! Is it inadequate in many configurations? Certainly -- but the same can also be said about nearly any other passive component. It's tough enough to find good matches when you're pairing active components with one another, after all. My experience with the GFP-750's passive mode has been uniformly positive: Matched with my Sony SCD-777ES SACD player (with SuperClock II and BlackGate/Vishay modifications) and Aragon Palladium power amps, it's been a dream. It lacks some of the very, very slight artificial edge imparted by the pre-amp's active mode and also brings me much closer to the music. Don't get me wrong: The GFP-750's active mode is nearly as good as anything I've ever heard (it has neither the artificial bloom of tubes nor the analytical lifelessness of some solid state), but in my system, still colors the sound to a very small degree. In passive mode, however, the sound of the GFP-750 is indistinguishable from that of a straight wire feed. I'd compare it very favorably to the Placette Audio passive pre – at about one-half the price. For what it’s worth, I think that Placette’s active preamplifier betters the GFP-750 in active mode, as does my beloved Ayre K1x. At $1,200 list, the GFP-750 is one of the best steals in audio history. Even if you find it a lame duck when matched with your other components in passive mode, its active mode compares favorably with preamps that retail at four and five times its price. And if the GFP-750 makes nice with your other components in passive mode, then you’ve a dream component at a bargain basement price. One other thing: The remote control that everyone’s been complaining about really does suck the llama’s arse in active mode, but in passive mode, is a lot more usable. :) Just something to think about!

Similar Products Used:

Placette passive pre, Ayre K-1x, Aragon 28k, AR LS-3

Active mode is very good, better than that of any preamplifier at its price range and competitive with components at several multiples of its MSRP. Passive mode, when intelligently matched with front-end and amplification components, rivals the best that I've ever heard. This preamp would be an excellent value at $3,000 or $4,000; at $1,200, it's a complete steal.

Realistically? None. Personally, I'd opt for less annoying LEDs and a more usable remote (in active mode), and I'd 86 the trademark toggle switches on the units faceplace, but I wouldn't change a thing about this pre's sound.

People, people, people: You really need to stop categorically dissin' the GFP-750's passive mode! Is it inadequate in many configurations? Certainly -- but the same can also be said about nearly any other passive component. It's tough enough to find good matches when you're pairing active components with one another, after all. My experience with the GFP-750's passive mode has been uniformly positive: Matched with my Sony SCD-777ES SACD player (with SuperClock II and BlackGate/Vishay modifications) and Aragon Palladium power amps, it's been a dream. It lacks some of the very, very slight artificial edge imparted by the pre-amp's active mode and also brings me much closer to the music. Don't get me wrong: The GFP-750's active mode is nearly as good as anything I've ever heard (it has neither the artificial bloom of tubes nor the analytical lifelessness of some solid state), but in my system, still colors the sound to a very small degree. In passive mode, however, the sound of the GFP-750 is indistinguishable from that of a straight wire feed. I'd compare it very favorably to the Placette Audio passive pre – at about one-half the price. For what it’s worth, I think that Placette’s active preamplifier betters the GFP-750 in active mode, as does my beloved Ayre K1x. At $1,200 list, the GFP-750 is one of the best steals in audio history. Even if you find it a lame duck when matched with your other components in passive mode, its active mode compares favorably with preamps that retail at four and five times its price. And if the GFP-750 makes nice with your other components in passive mode, then you’ve a dream component at a bargain basement price. One other thing: The remote control that everyone’s been complaining about really does suck the llama’s arse in active mode, but in passive mode, is a lot more usable. :) Just something to think about!

Similar Products Used:

Placette passive pre, Ayre K-1x, Aragon 28k, AR LS-3