Anybody Recommend Adcom GFP 555 Preamp?

BottomFeeder
BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
edited April 2008 in 2 Channel Audio
I'm thinking of buying one & would like to know if you recommend it and how much you think a used one might be worth.

Thanks for your help!
"Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited April 2008
    Havin owned one before,, it's allright,, I don't think I'd spend more than 100.00 on one FWIW,,headphone circuit is pretty good.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited April 2008
    Great amp if in good condition. $300 is usually what they go for.

    Edit: sorry, thought it was the GFA-555...George is right; $100 is about all I'd pay for the GFP, which is also a nice preamp.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited April 2008
    Using it for a 2-ch system? What other gear and speakers?

    It's a decent sounding pre for a more budget orientated system. If you have a high dollar amp and high dollar speakers there is probably a better match out there.

    That said, they are solid performers and dead reliable. I'd say for a nice condition unit $150-160 is a good price.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited April 2008
    Ricardo wrote: »
    Great amp if in good condition. $300 is usually what they go for.

    It's the pre not the amp. Adcom's numbers are the same but the prefix is different and very confusing.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited April 2008
    Wow! Thanks guys for responding so quickly.

    Yeah, it's a preamp only. GFP 555 2. Don't know if it comes w/a remote.

    I've got an Adcom GFA 5500 amp, a NAD cd player and intend to get some LSi15's to go w/it all.

    What do you think?
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited April 2008
    BottomFeeder wrote: »
    Wow! Thanks guys for responding so quickly.

    Yeah, it's a preamp only. GFP 555 2. Don't know if it comes w/a remote.

    I've got an Adcom GFA 5500 amp, a NAD cd player and intend to get some LSi15's to go w/it all.

    What do you think?

    I guess it depends on the cost. It's a solid pre amp and if you buy it right and don't like it you could flip it. If it were me w/ your current gear I'd try to get it as cheaply as possible.

    It's hard to say. The best Adcom pre amp by a long shot is the GFP-750; but those used are still in the $500-700 range. Of the "other" Adcom pre amps the GFP-710 would be next and then the GFP-555. The pre's w/tuners are along the bottom; IMO.

    The biggest sleeper I have come across for around $200 is the Nakamichi CA-5. I always recommend that pre over any Adcom except the GFP-750.

    It's a solid performer if you can buy it right. You could do worse and you could do better.

    Ha ha ha.......how's that for a definitive black and white answer :o:p.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited April 2008
    Hey, thanks very much! You not only told me about the 555, but about some others and that really helps to educate me about pre's.

    I'm currently using my NAD C320Bee IA as my preamp. Do you think I should just stick w/this or buy a preamp?
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited April 2008
    The Adcom preamps were designed to control the slight harshness of the GFA 535,545,555 could present and did and admirable job IMHO. However, some have complained of signal bleed-thru from non-selected sources.
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    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
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  • Jonesy
    Jonesy Posts: 189
    edited April 2008
    BottomFeeder wrote: »
    Wow! Thanks guys for responding so quickly.

    Yeah, it's a preamp only. GFP 555 2. Don't know if it comes w/a remote.

    I've got an Adcom GFA 5500 amp, a NAD cd player and intend to get some LSi15's to go w/it all.

    What do you think?

    Are you looking at a 555 or a 555II? It's my understanding that the II was a slight improvement over the original. I'm running the II with a Carver amp into 7B's and am very happy. If I had $500 to spend I'd probably be happier, but I didn't. I'd say anything over $100 for the II is too much but it is a pretty clean performer and you really cant' argue with $100 for solid performance.
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  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited April 2008
    It's the 555 II. Does it come w/a remote?

    & Would it be an improvement over my NAD C320Bee IA which I'm using as a pre?
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited April 2008
    http://www.adcom.com/data/manuals/gfp555IImanual.pdf

    Here's the manual; appears there is no remote. If you can buy it right compare it to your NAD. It's really hard to say. It will probably sound better but not by a lot. Buy it right and flip it if it doesn't work out. That's the only sure way to know.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited April 2008
    Again, great advice.

    Thanks very, very much.
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited April 2008
    As a matter of fact, I have a GFP-555 that I'm trying to sell.

    I was using it with my Carver M1.0-t power amp before I went the HT route.

    I'm still using the Carver M1.0-t as the amp for my fronts (RTI4s), but the Adcom is available -was going to sell it locally on Craigs List.

    It was a sweet combo for my two-channel setup.

    I have the original manual and the original box. The preamp is in excellent condition, no problems, no scratches.

    I'll sell it for $100 + shipping.

    PM if interested.

    Hopefully I'm not violating any forum rules....

    Erik Tracy
    San Diego

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited April 2008
    Yea, post that formally in the Flea Market as opposed to someone else's thread.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • tom t
    tom t Posts: 543
    edited April 2008
    i just want to know how the 5500 is doing??????????????????

    no more hum i take it
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  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited April 2008
    Humming right along...w/o the hum!

    Loving it!

    Thanks again, Tom! Heaps!
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited April 2008
    The GFP 555 is not a bad unit. It might be worth looking at a GTP 500 mark 2 instead. It's a pre-tuner however they have remote control and are not bad performers. Also can usually be had fairly reasonably.

    Agreed that the Pass designed GFP 750 is the best of the bunch though.
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