Another ADCOM ACE-515 AC Enhancer

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01-12-2020, 07:38 PM
BMWCCA

Another ADCOM ACE-515 AC Enhancer

Just received another one of these I won in an Ebay auction. Adcom must have sold millions of them because there always seems to be one for sale when I need one. I like the pristine ones with the owner's manual that I can buy for around $50, shipped. I've said before I have no illusion that they actually enhance my power but I do like the sequencing feature and figure maybe they'll offer some protection against power surges. The hardest thing to find for these is the rack-mount brackets. Generally go for double what the ACE-515 sells for, if you can find them. I think I stashed another pair away a while back. I remember buying an Adcom speaker switch-box just to get the rack ears!

Installed this one in the TV room system so my family can turn the system on and off at the touch of one button when they want more than just tiny TV-speaker sound. In this case, one push of the Crown PSL-2 power button activates a Soundcraftsmen Pro-Power Four without any turn-on thump, and also supplies power to an Emotiva XDA-2 Gen2 DAC for the Toslink from the TV and remote volume control. Simple and effective. Wonder if I might be better off leaving the Crown switch in the "on" position and just using the Adcom switch to start everything. Have to figure which is the most fragile or harder to replace. Speakers are L5s, for the time being.

This one is a bit newer than my other one in that it has a round power switch and a sticker saying "Made in China". Owner's manual has been updated to reflect the new power switch but says nothing about it being made in China. Power cord seems to be a bit heavier than the one made in USA. This just follows the trend set decades ago by Soundcraftsmen and then Ashly to build their legacy products offshore. I like being able to say nearly every older component in my systems was made in USA. Very difficult to do today. Even bought a Maytag washer and dryer "assembled in USA", just because. Can't say I'm not impressed with my two pairs of LSR305s made in China, so I'm not really fighting the concept. Wouldn't do me any good, anyway!
01-09-2024, 08:41 PM
mbottz

A new twist to the ADCOM ACE-515 AC Enhancer

The ADCOM ACE-515 AC Enhancer is a very interesting piece of gear. This year my wife turned on and off all our Christmas lights with her cell phone when I used Bluetooth controllable 120V adapters from Amazon for around $7 each. She loved the convenience!! So after putting the decorations away for another year, I had an Idea. I used one of the Bluetooth 120V adapters on the control wire of the Adcom ACE-515, Now I can turn on my separates stack anywhere in the house with my phone. If I forget to turn it off no more trips upstairs. I just use my cell phone to turn it off!! Now all I need is a cost effective Bluetooth volume control to adapt to my phone for the separates and I will be all set. If anyone has a solution, please post for all to review!! MB
01-10-2024, 06:09 AM
DerekTheGreat

I like those ACE's, but the relays are old and have possibly endured lots of abuse. Each one I've got ended up welding it's contacts together. When I took them apart, the relay isn't even rated for a full 15 amps like the literature states. I moved to a Furman M8-S for the main stack. Even it does some sort of conditioning to the AC, which I don't want. However, I can't find a single switcher on the market which doesn't condition to some degree..
01-10-2024, 11:43 AM
hjames

I've got a pair in my AV rack in the multichannel room downstairs that have been working like champs since I first set the room up with an HK AVR and external Adcom GFA 555 amps to run the big 4341s around 2007.

They are currently slaved off the switched outlet on my Integra DTC pre-processor and control the B&K 202+ power amp for my front mains, the B&K AVR5000 Ser II power amps for the surround channels, and the HK Citation 22 (bridged to Mono) for my JBL B460 sub.

Makes that system user friendly for Emma and I through many configurations, working flawlessly every day for nearly 20 years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerekTheGreat

I like those ACE's, but the relays are old and have possibly endured lots of abuse. Each one I've got ended up welding it's contacts together. When I took them apart, the relay isn't even rated for a full 15 amps like the literature states. I moved to a Furman M8-S for the main stack. Even it does some sort of conditioning to the AC, which I don't want. However, I can't find a single switcher on the market which doesn't condition to some degree..
01-10-2024, 12:00 PM
BMWCCA

I had my newer one (Chinese push-button power switch) fail once. Unplugged it and walked away. Plugged it back in later and no problem for several years. Use it nearly every day. The US-made version with rocker power-switch has never failed
01-10-2024, 02:09 PM
Odd

I also use ADCOM ACE-515 AC which I converted for 230 v

Has worked fine for many years.
01-10-2024, 09:59 PM
1audiohack

I have a couple of the early units and like Derek, I welded the relays on, more than once. They will switch a single 565 or 585 but not two at once. Not very many times anyway. I bought them new last century.

One AC215 has been happily running a 585 in the bedroom for the 1400 Arrays for a decade now

As for a power conditioner, well, one little choke coil on one line only is not much of a conditioner haha.

Barry.
01-11-2024, 05:22 AM
DerekTheGreat

Quote:

Originally Posted by hjames

I've got a pair in my AV rack in the multichannel room downstairs that have been working like champs since I first set the room up with an HK AVR and external Adcom GFA 555 amps to run the big 4341s around 2007.

They are currently slaved off the switched outlet on my Integra DTC pre-processor and control the B&K 202+ power amp for my front mains, the B&K AVR5000 Ser II power amps for the surround channels, and the HK Citation 22 (bridged to Mono) for my JBL B460 sub.

Makes that system user friendly for Emma and I through many configurations, working flawlessly every day for nearly 20 years.

That's what I love about switchers. Just one switch and all of the stuff comes to life. Makes it easy for Angela to rock out and enjoy. The system was too intimidating before. Plus, doesn't it save the power switches and what not on our equipment?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCCA

I had my newer one (Chinese push-button power switch) fail once. Unplugged it and walked away. Plugged it back in later and no problem for several years. Use it nearly every day. The US-made version with rocker power-switch has never failed

Want another one of the older, US version? I've got one. Pay for shipping and it's yours. Might even have the original box. Wait, no, Angela threw that away. Accused me or hoarding :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1audiohack

I have a couple of the early units and like Derek, I welded the relays on, more than once. They will switch a single 565 or 585 but not two at once. Not very many times anyway. I bought them new last century.

One AC215 has been happily running a 585 in the bedroom for the 1400 Arrays for a decade now

As for a power conditioner, well, one little choke coil on one line only is not much of a conditioner haha.

Barry.

Good to know, I remember our conversation about them back when I bought the Furman. But yes, I've got the one ACE-515 happily running the system in the garage. Ran into issues trying to get the thing to switch two amps simultaneously.
01-11-2024, 06:06 AM
BMWCCA

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerekTheGreat

That's what I love about switchers. Just one switch and all of the stuff comes to life. Makes it easy for Angela to rock out and enjoy. The system was too intimidating before. Plus, doesn't it save the power switches and what not on our equipment?

Want another one of the older, US version? I've got one. Pay for shipping and it's yours. Might even have the original box. Wait, no, Angela threw that away. Accused me or hoarding :D

Good to know, I remember our conversation about them back when I bought the Furman. But yes, I've got the one ACE-515 happily running the system in the garage. Ran into issues trying to get the thing to switch two amps simultaneously.

Yeah, the simplicity of turning on a complicated system is why I use them. The living room system operates a Crown PS400 and PS200 triggered by a Soundcraftsmen Pro-Control-Four. The "Library" system with the TV does a JBL/Urei 6260 amp through a Crown PSL-2. Both systems use an Emotiva XDR-2 for remote volume control.

I'm not really relying on their power conditioning capability and I did install whole-house surge protectors on both panels in the new house.

Derek, I'm happy to take you up on your generous offer. A PM is on its way to you. Thanks!