Help with Adcom Serial Number.

Inspector 24

Im looking at a Gfa-5503 to buy and the seller doesn't know how old it is, but he does have the serial number:
A03LDB02399

Is the age coded into the serial somehow or do I need to contact Adcom USA?

Thanks!
Ryan

Gempler

I too would love to know if the date of manufacture can be determined from an Adcom serial number. They are being slippery about weather or not a unit is still covered by warranty service by not answering me about the date of manufacture and instead just stating that warranty coverage is solely based on date of purchase (aka without a receipt you are sol). I call it slippery because if they know the date of manufacture then they could determine if it without a doubt still under warranty or if it without a doubt no longer under warranty... with the understanding that there may be some period of dates were it would be iffy.

heiney9

Not that I am aware of, but then I have never had reason to research it.

H9

Gempler

I thought of another possible way to date an Adcom... By the year they started to use IEC detachable power cords on each of their models. Perhaps someone knows when each model began to ship with the IEC connector, or if someone has an Adcom with a IEC connector perhaps they would be so kind as to list the model and the year it was purchased. Many thanks!

FTGV

The output transistors might have a date code stamped on them.While that won't narrow down specifically the amps date of manufacture you can at least determine it was built some weeks or months following that date.

Syndil

Gempler wrote: »

I thought of another possible way to date an Adcom... By the year they started to use IEC detachable power cords on each of their models. Perhaps someone knows when each model began to ship with the IEC connector, or if someone has an Adcom with a IEC connector perhaps they would be so kind as to list the model and the year it was purchased. Many thanks!

This may not always be accurate. I have an Adcom GFA-6000 with an IEC detachable power cord, but only because it was originally an European model. North American models of the same era did not use detachable power cords. Adcom has a section on their website for converting most of their gear from one voltage to the other, so an IEC cord may simply tell you that it was originally an overseas model. Just FYI.

http://www.adcom-usa.com/voltage-conversion

Gempler

In a seperate thread (http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?128719-Adcom-GFA-5500-Power-Amp) DarqueKnight gave this interesting insight on the IEC connector...

DarqueKnight wrote: »

I own four GFA-5500's...

The hard wired power cord version and the detachable power cord version were offered at the same time. The latter is not a more recent version. The hard wired power cord version was for 120 volt areas and the detachable power cord version was the convertable 120V/230V version. See attached Adcom instructions.

The convertable version is the more desirable version not because it is "more recent", but because it has a better transformer and it allows the use of better power cords. I have owned both versions. The convertable version sounded better in my two channel system. I could not tell a difference between the two versions in my home office and master bedroom systems.

Further to this I have found that there are at least two types of IEC connectors that came on a GFA-5500. The older is larger and has a gray fuse cover, the newer is smaller and all black including the fuse cover. Still have no idea of the dates when either was offered, but at least it gives a hint of how old the thing is...

mentorron

I believe the 5503 is circa 1995-96. There is an older review here:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_3_3/v3n3k.html

Syndil

Marlboro, NJ

Syndil

They moved from East Bruswick to Marlboro in the spring of 1998. The GFP-750 came out in early 1999, I believe. The manual for the GFP-750 has the Marlboro address printed in it.