Adcom history

thedelihaus

Nocturnal transmissions
Anyone with more color on the Adcom line?

Back about 10-20 years ago, I was under the assumption it was overpriced, and not so good.

I primarily learned of it via some folks who were very specific of their gear, what they owned. They felt it was quality-compromised product, pretending to be good, while it really wasn't so hot.

I have since read about it, and have seen build quality, and it seems like really really nice gear.

anyone want to elaborate?
 
You were/are under the wrong assumption.

It is a very well thought out and under-priced equipment.
 
Damage,

I think so myself.

I'm just looking for facts and some color about the company to support my assumptions.

Do you own some yourself?
 
Adcom put 200wpc home amps on the map. . .

I bought one of their very first GFA-1 amps and their GFP-1 Preamp. . .Remember the 12in square cube?? What a brick. . .However it was priced right worked and sounded decent and millions bought them. . .

Along came the GFA-1A then the Nelson Pass designed GFA-555 that is legendary in its own right. Then the GFA-555II that some prefer over the 555.

In my mind they peaked with their GFA-565 300watt Mono amp that could drive a bare wire 18in long and get music from it. . . You could drive 1ohm loads with it if you desired. 300 at 8ohms / 600 at 4 / 1000 or so at 2. At one point in my life my HT system consisted of 5 GFA-565s and a meager 555 for rear channel work. I drove L-250s up front L-150As for rears and 2 L-112s for center and. . . 1 B-380 sub for rear with a B460 for front sub duty both driven by 565s. Front/ Center/ and 2 subs were driven by 565s.

Then came my first big move and I had to leave the big stuff behind. . .That was over 20 years ago. . . Remember Dolby Surround?? It was around this time when Pro-Logic was hitting. . .I sold the last 565 a year ago along with my L-150/250 and both JBL subs. My daughter still has the 555 and the L-112s and listens to them daily.

Up to todays Adcoms while OK are getting away from their early ideas and prices are just going crazy. . .

Love them or hate them but credit Adcom for putting decent to good 200 watt amps in home systems at a price most could afford. .

Some trivia (I know to be true)

GFA = Great F$cking Amplifier
GFP = Great F$cking Preamp
GFT = Great F$ucking Tuner

I was a true blue Adcom fanatic. . .not so much anymore but at least I still have the memories. . .and fond ones they are. . .
 
Damage said:
I believe Nelson Pass designed the 555II model also, but only the first revision. I am curious as to whether the 535/545 were also derived designs from the 555. oh wait, here is the thread.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=5280

Nelson had nothing to do with the 555II. . .His words. . .Only the 555. . .

From a friend in Indy who has built Adcoms for me. . .
The 555Mk.II was similar to the Pass designed 555 except for the drivers. In the Mk.II Adcom used beefier drivers i.e. 2sb817/2sd1047. These were 130 watt/ 140v devices. Also they used a 33 ohm resistance across the driver emitters. The heatsinks were much more substantial than the original and construction overall much better.
 
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Damage said:
Yes, I can read... I was showing my train of thought.

Sorry. . :para: .I did not mean it as a reprimand. . .I noticed your last sentence after I posted as well. . .
 
I've read in several places there is no difference between the 535 and 545 so not sure how accurate a statement that could be.

all good gyusher ;)
 
I'm a real believer in Adcom, and always have been. I'll have to disagree about their best product though, as I'd vote for the 5802.
 
Damage said:
I've read in several places there is no difference between the 535 and 545 so not sure how accurate a statement that could be.

all good gyusher ;)


I have a friend who works on amps, mostly Adcoms and he does a number on the 545 where it puts out about 150wpc (100 stock). It sounds unimaginable (whew) good. . . A stock 545 does sound great buts only drawback is that it needs more power in most cases.

I jumped off the Adcom bus around the time they replaced the 555II, not so much for how they sounded but because I lost my ability to buy them right. I started getting deals on Rotel in the late 80s so I bought what I could afford which floated between Sony ES and Rotel seperates.

I've bought many 565s and 555s from HiFi Buys in Atlanta at their clearance center that was a mad house. . .We would stand in line rain or snow for 4 or 5 hours only to have a cop let us in. . . The deals were extraordinary. . . I bought 4 GFA-565s there for less than 1000.00 total. . . They looked pretty beat but had never been on just displayed and because they were so heavy everytime they moved one they scratched it. Krylon semi-flat black did wonders. . .

Needless to say I like Adcom gear especially the 555/555II vintage. . .
 
i've got a gfa 555 2 that needs repairing, and once is back i hope to listen to it through something very nice, dunno what yet.

Build quality looks damn good, not as heavy as i thought it would/should have been but then again weight is not everything, heatsinks look pretty beefy, rca connectors of the high quality nut and washer to the case not circuit board mounted.

We will see once i get it worked on.
 
I've owned (and still own) more adcom stuff than most can shake a stick at. All stock, no mods. Wanting to mod my favorites now which is the 545's. Love this amp over the 555's. Less power but it sounds better. And IMO you can't beat a gfp-750 in passive mode. I've had pre's from yamaha to sumo to rotel to carver and I've came full circle back to the 750. Sure I could go spend $10,000 on a box but I have reached the law of diminishing returns, plus they call me MidFi for a reason. Now on the flip the pre and tuner in one box...hated it!!!
 
Abit off topic, But I have a Adcom GFC-1E cartridge loaded cartridge loaded onto my TT and it sounds great. It has a nice, warm sound to it and it has an elliptical stylus.

My friend thinks it's crap because it only responds from 20-22,000Hz and his Grado deso 10-60,000Hz but most amplifiers (and including mine and his) only respond to 20-20,000Hz. So the Adcom is one up on Amps.
 
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