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
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.
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?
"Wasn't there a Yugo SE at one point?"

Audiofeil likes car analogies, but hates sushi analogies!
I had the original GFA-555 from Nelson Pass Designs, in the early 1980's. That amp handled some of the most difficult to droive speakers, I had on loan. It drove my big ALON Model IV's and B&W SPeakers in stereo mode, 200 wpc, with no problem. I cant trash it at all. IT also lasted years, being left on all the time, till I sold it. I find the people trashing it, either didn't own one, or are jealous of it, not having to spend a fortune to get sound that they have spent tons of m oney for, and Adcom equalled or bettered theirs. Ray
I bought one used off agon as a fill in while my Proceed HPA2 was in the shop.... had to die when they where moving the factory so I had PLENTY of time with the Adcom.

Wasn't too bad at all considering I paid about what the tax was on the proceed to purchase the Adcom used. My brother had it for another 3 years powered up all the time, no issues. Co-worker now has it in his system.