New Adcom GFA-555 se - Special Edition


Adcom is making a new version of the GFA-555 II, the GFA-555 se. This amplifier is essentially the GFA-555 II with slight improvements including balanced inputs larger capacitors resulting in a better soundstage and an even higher damping factor. Did you know that the GFA-555 is likely the best selling piece of hi-fi equipment ever made, with a build of over 100,000 units? The GFA-555se will be available sometime in November.
power_hungry

Showing 7 responses by stonedeaf

Have added a pair of very old B&W 801/series 80's ( first generation -not ported-no matrix) and the pair of GFA-555se's run bridged.-for CD use either a old Sony DVD changer or even older Marantz DR-700 fed into Benchmark DAC .Analog stuff is what i described in my 12-16-09 post.Oh yeah and I've got one of those great Sony XDR-f1HD tuners and some video stuff fed into a Marantz pre-pro - then out thru a state of the art seventeen buck RadioSchack A/D converter into the optical input of the Benchmark DAC.Not much into the video stuff.
Agree with Mjcint -somehow the actual weight of the amp and 200W X 2 class A seems unlikely. Still -found a couple new at a good price -so I ordered two to drive subs.
Have a old LG CRT hidef TV that can only feed audio out via Toslink - this goes into the Marantz pre-pro - which gets me a volume control and mute button - something my Benchmark doesn't offer via remote.Very focused on the best LP playback i can afford -CD comes next and the radio and TV/DVD sound is not real important to me.
System :
Denon DL-301/II on a Slindy modified Rabco SL-8E mounted on a four pillar Slindy modified Oracle Delphi 2, feeds into a B&K Phono 10 -digi out of that into a Benchmark DAC-1 -into a ARC-90B and out a pair of Paradigm Studio 20 v-2's.
Have the Paradigm X-01 X-over - plan to just use the 801 woofers with a pair of GFA-555SE's to handle the bottom octave or two.Sold this version of 801's back in the day -my experience is they demand really powerful impedance stable SS amps- will be curious if the GFA-555SE's fit the bill?
My pair of 555se's came in - have a few hours in listening to them ( mostly driving the B&W 801/s-80's). Initial impression : 1.) despite being prejudiced in favor of balanced lines - the balaanced inputs on these do not sound good in my system.Very "trazitory" high end -not pleasant.Changed to the unbalanced inputs and all is well -very nice detailed highs and midds - no fatigue - what a modern transitor amp should do.
2.) Compared it with a Parasound A-23 I ussed to own. Very similar character - but the Parasound had a little more contol or grip in the bottom end when comparing stereo amps. Once the 555se's where run bridged - they did win the bass race.
3.) After a couple of hours pushing the not exactly efficient 801 series 80's to as loud as i want to go - both 555se's run bridged where surprisingly cool. Pretty clearly these are not running class A for more than a few watts.
4.) Nice amps - well made/assembled. Fit and finish are definitely up to par.As a tube guy - I am surprised how many really listenable transistor amps are popping up at reasonable prices.
Minor update: While chasing ground loops -I gave the balanced inputs another chance.Not sure what's changed - but I am now very happy with what's comin in thru the balanced inputs.And at least i don't have to waste time with poor connections on the RCA side of things.