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
>All in all it may be smoother, more musical and less harsh than the original.<

That doesn't exactly raise the bar very high......

Shakey
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.
Stonedeaf,
Let us know what you think when you get it. What is the rest of your system that these amps will integrate into?
Wow. I just stumbled across this. I own a GFA555II which I bought as a demo in 1995. I've been happy as hell with it for years (presently in combo with a Mac C220 pre) but that doesn't mean I'm not looking at upgrading at some point. Surely "Edsel" is not an appropriate analogy. The Edsel was a bomb right out of the gate and the 555 was one of the best value purchases a mid-level audiophile could make for years on end. That technology would advance beyond it twenty years on is no reason to dismiss one of Nelson Pass's landmarks out of hand like that.

So I'm curious what some of the Adcom naysayers would recommend if my target budget is $4-$5K. My present inclination is to go with the Mac 252 as I like the solid-state/tube combination. My present speakers are B&W cdm7se and I've got the 803d's in my sights somewhere down the road.
B&W mate exceptionally well with Classe and Mac. No need to necessarily go with tubes w/ Mac power amps (unless you want to) as they use output transformers like tube amps do. I've heard the B&W/Mac SS combo and it floored me. Many swear by this combo or w/ Classe. Incidentally Classe uses B&W speakers to voice their amps so you have upped the ante w/ the B&W/Classe combo.