The Adcom GFA-555 and the Onkyo Integra M-504. Two relatively close-in-price power amplifiers that emerged in the mid 80's to critical acclaim from the audio press. The asking price for the used Onkyo on sites like ebay is frequently higher than its original MSRP; for the Adcom, not nearly as often. Why is that?
I suspect the meters have a lot to do with it. Gorgeous. The Adcom is just a black box. And I've noticed that many people buying older gear want not just sound, but appearance.
Plus, Integra was Onkyo’s high-end line, like NAD Masters or Sony ES. Adcom is . . . Adcom, a value-oriented manufacturer often offering very good sound. (I owned a GFA-555 and enjoyed the heck out of it.)
I bought an Adcom 555 brand new from Tweeter HiFi in the mid 80’s. I couldn’t wait until I could afford something better and never liked the sound. I do not see why the love for Onkyo. At one time I sold the line and it was real junk, broke down often and sounded like nothing special. While the Onkyo may have looked good on the outside, the inside was full of cheap parts, internal heat sinks could cut your hands to ribbons.
P.S. I said I "enjoyed the heck out of" my original Adcom GFA 555. Thinking back -- it was a long time ago -- that really isn’t true. I remember that the treble always bothered me, Nelson Pass influence notwithstanding. I sent it out for modification and finally sold it. After an intermediate amp that sounded better but had transformer hum, I wound up with a Bryston 14B SST, which was another, far better, world of high fidelity. Better across the band! I've never tried an Onkyo.
@mike_in_nc I have the 535L. I cannot be sure if it's Pass designed or not. I love the bass and the slam but the treble is a bit rough. Same experience. Bought in early 90s.
Hey out there. I do appreciate all the perspectives coming from everyone. It was fun - for a relative 'snoozer'! Maybe I can spice things up a little. So, "Fuzztone," you wonder why should I care in the first place. Well, maybe because I would be looking to differentiate among historically well regarded yet affordable products of the same class currently on offer in the resale marketplace. Or maybe I wouldn't, but I simply would want to see what you and others would have to say on an audio related topic of my choosing. Or how about this even...it was a round about way of calling out those who must seize an opportunity to gain at the expense of the guileless, whether it be with audio sales or with auto sales. Ebay audio sellers take heed...Sorry, but no way am I giving you double the original retail price for a 30+ year-old metered power amp, while I couldn't in my right mind ask for more than maybe 70% of original retail, at best, for a similarly priced and respected functional "black box" equivalent from back in the day. Sell 'em if you got 'em - just not to me!
Well since the market sets the price, the comment "opportunistic sellers" is just plain silly. Obviously demand for one is greater than the other. Number of units produced could have some bearing.
If I were in the market for such a product, and the price seemed high, then I would want to know if the product had been reconditioned, restored, upgraded or whatever.
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