Adcom GFA-555II

[hydrostream]

I use a 555II in my 2 channel system and happy with it. But always
wanting to improve. My ? is what amp would be an upgrade without
breaking the bank? Maybe one within the same price range.
Thanks jerry

[leroyjr1]

I don't think you'll find a better amp in the $300 range

[zarrdoss]

go buy a 80's style boom box at goodwill and listen to that for a few months then your 555 will sound superb! lol, seriously IMO Carver M1.5t or other like Carver, Rotel 990BX

[hydrostream]

It does sound pretty dam good. But i will always think what if?
Yeah looks like i will just stick with this setup for a while.
jerry

[comfortablycurt]

Personally, I think you'd get more of an improvement by upgrading the pre than the amp.

[markmarc]

Respectfully, in looking at your system, if you do decide to move on, I'd dump the cdp first, then the preamp. Adcom cdp's many felt never reached the same level as the amps. You may want to check the preamp-tuner for bleed-thru sound from the tuner into the cd section. To do this, switchover to cd without playing a disc, then turn up the volume, if you hear some radio, guess what.

[fbm211]

+1 to above. I upgraded from a GCD-575 to a theta data basic transport and the difference was nite and day.

[thuffman03]

That is a good amp. Don't know of an amp in that price range that would be an upgrade. If you were to sell that one and put another $400 or $500 you might be able to get into a Sunfire 300x2 but I don't think you will hear much of a difference with your setup.

You could look into getting into a class A tube amp but you will be putting out more $$$ than you want to spend.

IMO your speakers and your amp are a good match. If you are looking to upgrade your speakers then a bigger amp would be an option but like I said already I don't think you will hear much of a difference with what you alread have.

[concealer404]

Maybe not an upgrade from a power perspective, but i never liked the way my 555 sounded. Keep in mind that mine wasn't gone through by a pro or anything, but it sounded pretty harsh and grainy. My Onkyo sounds WAY smoother, and is still more than up to the task of driving the same speakers i ran with the 555.

But i doubt that amp is what you're looking for.

[heiney9]

Maybe not an upgrade from a power perspective, but i never liked the way my 555 sounded. Keep in mind that mine wasn't gone through by a pro or anything, but it sounded pretty harsh and grainy. My Onkyo sounds WAY smoother, and is still more than up to the task of driving the same speakers i ran with the 555.

But i doubt that amp is what you're looking for.

Your weakest link is the pre you're running. Swap out the pre for a nicer sounding unit and you won't have anymore issue's with the 555 sounding harsh. The 400 is a lousy sounding pre-amp.

To the OP, for the same amount of money, in my experience, you won;t find a better sounding amp. Double or triple your funds then you'll be in the ballpark for a better sounding amp. Nothing wrong with the Adcom it needs a good source and very good pre and for the money you can't beat it.

YMMV

H9

[cnh]

I agree completely...I run an Adcom-GFA-555 and I don't even use a real dedicated pre on it....so far I've just run it through my Denon and I do believe that it sounds better than what you are describing even with the AVR as a pre..no hint of graininess or harshness....I can only imagine how good this would sound with a higher end pre. Both heiney9 and, more recently, Curt have run such a system with the GFA-545 with very nice results.

I remember reading a review or two that talked about the 555s 'graininess' but I just can't or don't hear that!

cnh

[leftwinger57]

I also run an ADCOMgfa555 the original style . functionly the only thing I would trade for it woould be a mCINTOSH 2300 and not exactly a house type amp. THE dead used 3-2500s for the piano and drums on stage Jerry used a2300 and a fender twin for his pre, Bob used a Ampzilla and Phil a stack of 4-2300s for his quad rack . ALL told for P.A. VOCALS and instruments 3-2500s and 89 2300s w/ leapfrogging rigging and stageing.THE WALL OF SOUND did need to be heard but logistically a nightmare...lerftwinger57

[sm88]

Perhaps consider an integrated to replace both your amp and preamp? As for your source, you could try an original run PS1 (the version with separate analog RCA's) for dirt cheap, there has actually been some praise for the unassuming gaming system

[Refefer]

I'm not quite sure how the sonic qualities of the amp, save the dynamics, differ between the 555 and the 535, but I found upgrading my pre to my passive TVC made a world of difference. Granted, I have to do without a remote for volume, but the difference was night and day.

[leftwinger57]

should of stuck w/ just your question. I own an Adcom 555 running through an onkyo pre
and it sounds great W/ shipping thrown in mine went for$275 at Audio Classics, for that kind of cash you can't get much better anything unless it's inherited.

[Dawgfish]

I swapped my Adcom GFA-555 original for a B&K ST-202+ with great results. The B&K simply sounded much better to my ears and in my rig. It was much smoother in the highs and mids, had better imaging, better soundstage, and a tighter and more detailed low end. It was a better sounding amp to me all away around. Typically you see this particuliar model B&K go for around $300 so they go for pretty much the same as the Adcom GFA-555 whcih makes this a no brainer. In my experience there is no comparison between the two, the B&K smoked the 555. BTW, I was playing it through a modified Anthem Pre-1L with NOS Mullard 6922 tubes, and modified SDA-1Cs speakers, Opera Audio CD-120 Balanced CDP, Denon 2900 SACD, KAB modified Technics SL-1200MK2 turntable with a Dynovector 20X cartridge modified by Soundmsith, a Jolida JD-9 phono pre with NOS Telefunken 12AX7s, Ben's ICs, Ben's SDA interconnect cable, and Audioquest CV-8 speaker cables..