GOODSOUND!GoodSound! "Ask Me" Archives

...to December 13, 2006

 

Adcom question

December 13, 2006

I have an Adcom GSA-700. The power LED is yellow only; it will not turn to red. Therefore, the unit does not turn on. Any ideas? Can this unit be used as a surround preamp (all five line outputs going to my GFA-6000) and will I still have surround sound?

Chip

The GSA-700 is a surround-sound preamp-processor, although it decodes Dolby Pro Logic only. So yes, it will produce surround sound. If you own a DVD player that has built-in decoding for Dolby Digital and DTS, then you can use the '700’s multichannel inputs (to connect the DVD player) and multichannel outputs to connect your Adcom amplifier and you will be in business. As to what is wrong with the GSA-700, it could be a fuse, which you could check yourself. You’d have to take it to a technician if it’s anything more serious.


Auto-sound driver for DIY subwoofer?

December 8, 2006

I have an old Kicker subwoofer left over from my car-audio days, and I was wondering if there is any reason I cannot use it for a home DIY subwoofer project. I’d like to have more kick in my home theater.

Jason

That sounds like a good use for it to me. You do need to make sure you have all of the specs on the driver so that you can build a properly sized cabinet for it, get the port specified correctly, etc. You’ll also need to buy a plate amplifier that is a good match in terms of power output. But the answer to your question is that a car-audio driver can be used in a home environment if you do your homework before you start construction. Good luck with the project.


Akai speakers?

December 4, 2006

Have you ever run across a pair of Akai SW-180A speakers before? I picked them up thrifting today and I can't find any info at all on them. They are a huge: 31" x 19" x 16" and have a 12" woofer, a 3.5" x 11.5" mid-horn, and two 2" horn-type tweeters in the middle. They sound good enough to keep, but I would love to know more about them.

Bob

I don’t know anything about them, but I can guess that they were designed back when tube amplifiers from makers like Fisher and McIntosh were popular. They might have also come from a large rack system, which were popular back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. I’m guessing you picked them up for next to nothing, and if that’s the case, how can you go wrong? Enjoy them. And who knows, maybe you’ll find a classic tube receiver to pair them with the next time you go "thrifting."


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