Wes_in_VA
Super Member
Those are great finds but using them to assess what’s a fair or reasonable price for a piece of equipment isn’t really fair or reasonable
Does Adcom make good Amps ?
- Thread starter braincramp
- Start date
I disagree! Paying $23 for a 545 clearly represents the market value of Adcom amps that I have found at Estate Sales in the past year.......
Pio1980
AK Member
I paid $10 for a nice 535 needing fuses at a thrift, it's really worth 10-15X that, working.
Otherwise, Adcom amps generally run toward the lower end of the market due to being fairly common.
I'm using a 545-2 for a default amp in one system that I don't use for critical listening.
Otherwise, Adcom amps generally run toward the lower end of the market due to being fairly common.
I'm using a 545-2 for a default amp in one system that I don't use for critical listening.
JayBlok
Super Member
Free and cheap for a good quality amp sounds good to me,i'll post when I come across an adcom power amp that falls in those categories .
z-adamson
Addicted Member
I notice a lot of adcom amps on the used market. Much more than any other single power amplifier manufacturer.
This leads me to believe that many were, at one time, sold on the new market...likely because they were so much cheaper than the competition that boasted similar specs.
Why did so many turn up on the used market then? Because many bought the cheap amp with good looking specs then later on moved onto the higher end amps with similar specs that these thousands of buyers turned down in favor of the cheaper adcom.
Thats my observation.....
This leads me to believe that many were, at one time, sold on the new market...likely because they were so much cheaper than the competition that boasted similar specs.
Why did so many turn up on the used market then? Because many bought the cheap amp with good looking specs then later on moved onto the higher end amps with similar specs that these thousands of buyers turned down in favor of the cheaper adcom.
Thats my observation.....
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They also tend to hold up well, last a long time, and are generally pretty repairable if they ever do have an issue.
z-adamson
Addicted Member
Making then even more desirable in the used market.
But.....they are an entry level amplifier none the less.
Pio1980
AK Member
But a good line, simple solid engineering and build without the monument frills.
Admittedly I come at this discussion as the owner of 4 Adcom amps with a admitted bias but just a couple of observations
I think that too much is being made regarding their value on the secondary market. A stock 555 sold brand new in 1986 for $595 and sell regular for $400 today. So in real dollar terms that $595 is the equivalent of $1365. Which I believe means that it has held about a 1/3 of its cost in real dollar terms. A Krell KSA-200 which was also a 200 wpc amp sold for $4500 in 1987 which is the equivalent of $9980 today. Based on current listings sells around $2500 or about a 1/4 of its cost in real dollar terms. Point being the Adcom's 555 has held its value better than a similar amp (subjective opinions will quibble with my use of the term similar amp) from the same period that cost 7 times as much.
Second the fact that there are so many being sold is not IMO a reflection that people are dissatisfied with them but a testament to their build quality and the fact that so many were sold. It would be kind of like saying that the Honda Accord must not have been a very good car because there are so many used Accords for sale.
The OP's original question was - Are Adcom amps good amps not did Adcom build the best amp. When you consider price, performance and resale value I think objectively the answer is yes.
I think that too much is being made regarding their value on the secondary market. A stock 555 sold brand new in 1986 for $595 and sell regular for $400 today. So in real dollar terms that $595 is the equivalent of $1365. Which I believe means that it has held about a 1/3 of its cost in real dollar terms. A Krell KSA-200 which was also a 200 wpc amp sold for $4500 in 1987 which is the equivalent of $9980 today. Based on current listings sells around $2500 or about a 1/4 of its cost in real dollar terms. Point being the Adcom's 555 has held its value better than a similar amp (subjective opinions will quibble with my use of the term similar amp) from the same period that cost 7 times as much.
Second the fact that there are so many being sold is not IMO a reflection that people are dissatisfied with them but a testament to their build quality and the fact that so many were sold. It would be kind of like saying that the Honda Accord must not have been a very good car because there are so many used Accords for sale.
The OP's original question was - Are Adcom amps good amps not did Adcom build the best amp. When you consider price, performance and resale value I think objectively the answer is yes.
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Ranrt
New Member
Hi, I have bought protection relay board from eBay, can you please tell me how goes the wiring into the ADCOM GFA 545mk2 ,I have bought soft start board as well , need implement this but need help how. I have some skill
Thanks
Ran
StimpyWan
Addicted Member
I just bought an Adcom GFA-5400 S2 mosfet amp. The S2 version with internal speaker protection. The power supply caps have been refreshed too. I'm running it with my also newly found Schiit Saga tube preamp. A great combination. Extremely good resolution. I'm hearing further into the mix than I've previously experienced. Good air around performers and instruments. A sense of space and proper placement in the soundstage. You can hear decay very easily. Good balance, and not too bright, even though increased detail is very audible. A true winner, so far.
Wow, unless you blew an output transistor, you were a cranking!
Yes, a fuse protects just as well as a DC relay. I know, have used it many times. And since it is in constant contact, doesn't switch on and off with power, can actually sound better than some relays. Sometimes I wonder if I should ditch all and just use fuses. My First Watt amp has nothing at all on the outputs, and I don't use fuses.
I know first hand that the rail fuses in an Adcom amp will not protect a speaker against 6 volts dc. My vintage infinity woofer also found this to be true.
Indeed it is and that's why dc protection is a necessity. Take an old driver and put 6-12 volts to it and watch what happens.