Review: Adcom GFP-555 preamplifier

 (Image from Google)

Note:  This review is of the original incarnation of this model, not the latter Series II model.  The "Series 1", for lack of a better term, features a moving-coil head-amp that can be turned on via a switch on the back.

History: Adcom.  There's a company that brings memories of the late 80s and early 90s, back when their gear seemed to be everywhere.  The famed GFA-555 amplifier drove a lot of high-end speakers, and as proof of their longevity, one of these amplifiers has been in continuous service at my father's house for over twenty years.  My very first "high-end" preamplifier was the Adcom GFP-565 which was once on Stereophile's Class B list.  I never liked the unit, or, to be fair, I never liked the sound I got out of it when matched with a Harman Kardon Citation V.  I've also owned the GTP-400 tuner-preamplifier; not exactly a stellar performer but good for mid-fi duty.

So how did I end up with a GFP-555 in my system?  It was mostly a matter of need since I recently bought a McIntosh 2100 amplifer.  For now I decided to wait until a good McIntosh preamplifier comes along but I required something serviceable until then.  For $129 via Ebay, the Adcom GFP-555 is certainly affordable, and, as I was to find out, is actually quite listenable.

Ins & Outs: A rather boring, er, conservative black metal case.  The tone controls that are defeatable.  A Mono button.  Two outputs - one with capacitors on the output and a "Lab" output that is DC coupled.  Switchable MC (with a 100ohm load) head amp, and a regular ol' MM phono stage.  Dual tape outs - hey, you remember cassette tapes! - and, more important for the McIntosh 2100, switchable two-prong AC jacks.  No video switching or subwoofer outs.

The Sound: Paired with the McIntosh 2100 - a rather strange combination in terms of years - the sound is actually quite good.  Fairly warm without that upper midrange/lower treble grit that I normally associate with solid-state gear.  The bass goes down low with nice control and the treble is fairly clean too, at least not intrusive with the transparent B&W tweeters.  Not bad for a bunch of op-amps.  However, compared to the departed Quicksilver tube preamplifier, the Adcom suffers from less detail, a flatter, more 2-D sound, and, for lack of a better word, some greying of the musical palette.  But such weaknesses are only obvious with active "between the speakers" listening, and does not normally interfere with my current listening habits.

For us vinylphiles, the phono stage is very good - quiet is the first word that comes to mind.  Perhaps I'm too used to tube gear, but with the Adcom the music comes out of the speakers from a black background.  There is no tube hiss or rush anymore.

Conclusion: The Adcom GFP-555 is a sensible - but perhaps a touch boring - option for any entry-level system.  Where it fails - definition, detail, and dimensionality - will only be noticeable as the quality of the front-end and speakers begin to outpace this classic piece.  So this preamplifier does get a recommendation, but only within the confines of the partnering gear.  For example I certainly wouldn't use the GFP-555 to drive a pair of Eico HF-60s into the UREI loudspeakers because only then would I start to hear the deficiencies of this budget piece.  But partnered up with an Adcom amplifier, or any other budget solid-state powerhouse, and some decent speakers, this preamplifier is a good starting point. 

System:

Dual CS5000 turntable with Nagaoka MP-110

Pioneer DVD-V7400

McIntosh MC2100

B&W Matrix 805s on stands

Wire: Various brands

Review: Nakamichi SR-3A receiver

For some strange reason I decided to simplify the second system, replacing the odd couple Rotel integrated and Sansui tuner with a receiver.  Now I've never been a big fan of the "all in one box" approach to audio components, but having a single device handle the amplification chain and radio certainly takes up less space than all separates.  After cruising through several hundred items on Ebay, I finally zeroed in on a Nakamichi SR-3A receiver.  Why?  It uses a "Stasis" output stage, the very same topology that my now departed Threshold S/500 had.  This circuit was designed by the great Nelson Pass who continues to make some of the most interesting amplifiers around.  Though obviously built to a price point and lacking the muscular grunt of the Threshold, I thought the Nakimichi would provide good enough service for less intensive listening.

When I received the package, I opened the box and found a rather Plain-Jane receiver in that most boring of colors: black.  Hooking it up was a bit of a nightmare - the receiver depth is larger than expected, making speaker and RCA cables with large jacks almost impossible to fit because of the limited Ikea Expedit shelf space.  Also the banana jacks in the back really don't have any metal contact and are too small for the banana plug(!).  So in the end I ended up using insulated wire twisted together.  Other than that, build quality is pretty good - though not exactly McIntosh.

Once I finally had everything in place, I could finally turn the Nakamichi on.  There is a fairly dim display for the radio station, tuner signal strength, and that's about it for the light display.  There is an input for turntable (with a switch for MM and MC), CD, Video, and Radio.  The tuner portion is switchable between AM and FM (no surprise there) and stations can be programmed into memory.  Bass and Treble controls are defeatable.  There is a loudness contour button and two speaker selections: A or B.  The right side is dominated by a volume and balance combination - the inner ring controlling the former while the outer ring does the latter.

Listening to a record, the sound coming out of my B&W Matrix 805 speakers took on a different character.  The mids were cleaner and leaner, but, strangely enough, the lowest bass seemed to have more depth and control.  The top end had real "presence" - ie, slightly forward in it's presentation.  The phono section itself seemed to be very good with excellent overload characteristics and lacking that op-amp etch that many receivers have.  Though only rated at 45WPC, the Nakamichi SR-3A seemed to punch much higher than one would expect.  There was more than enough volume for my not-quite efficient B&W speakers and mid-sized room.   Dynamic contrasts were also more evident, making this receiver a good match for these classic monitors.

The tuner - which is popular for listening to classical music - was excellent.  I'm normally not a fan of digital tuning, but the Nakamichi really locked into the signal, easily bettering my analog Sansui AU-777.  Music from the radio also seemed more lively compared to my old integrated/tuner combination.

In conclusion, the Nakamichi SR-3A is one of the better "vintage" receivers I've heard.  It certainly doesn't sound overly warm or suffer from solid-state harness.  Instead, it's quite even-handed, even with my finicky B&W tweeters.  The Stasis output circuit really does remind me of a mini-Threshold amplifier; giving the user a taste of the real high-end.  Highly recommended.

Second System:

Analog: Dual CS5000 turntable

Digital :Pioneer DVD-V7400

Speakers: B&W Matrix 805s on stands

Wire: Various brands