Comments on: The Return of Adcom: Nelson Pass Redux?

By: Karl J

Karl J — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 22:39:30 +0000

In reply to ORT.

I love their 80s designs and I’m relieved that they preserved the original look.

Maybe I’m in the minority here, or maybe not, but not everyone needs everything to be redesigned every year and gets tired of a classic design to the point that they get bored with it. There’s a reason why the Porsche 911’s design stayed essentially the same for a few decades.

Other examples of this philosophy are the Rolex Submariner, Swiss Army Knife, Fender Stratocaster, and even the 2021 and newer Macbook Pros – Apple tried to mess with the design and features from 2016-2020 and all they accomplished was to mess up a great thing and irritate their customers with annoying bells and whistles, so they backtracked.

Those who love the spartan industrial design of 80s Adcom, NAD, and Proton, to name just a few examples, are the likely target customer for these tribute models. Not everyone needs blue lights, digital screens, and trendy tech that will be hopelessly dated in 5 years.

JM2C

By: Ian White

Ian White — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 15:52:04 +0000

In reply to Don.

Don,

What would be a good preamp for the GFA-535 and normal used price?

The new preamp is $995.

Best,

Ian White

By: Don

Don — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 00:18:36 +0000

In reply to Ian White.

Round about 1987 I bought a GFA-535. It has been in my system and playing almost every day since without issue. It’s on now

(Can’t say the same for the tuner/preamp which went out for repairs before finally…)

By: Ian White

Ian White — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 14:16:25 +0000

In reply to joe c..

Joe,

Read it again. I make it very clear that Nelson Pass has ZERO to do with it. It’s not confusing at all. I only mention his name in regard to specific models that they are relaunching.

I don’t see a new 535 which is disappointing.

Do you think it makes sense to search for an older 535 and have it refurbished?

Best,

Ian White

By: joe c.

joe c. — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:33:58 +0000

Some bits… Adcom’s 535 is now 40 years old not 30 ( it was survived by the Mk2 which might have made it to 30 years ago..
the famous speakers the GFA 555 were able to drive were the Apogee Scintilla and the Infinity Kappa 9’s at every CES event back then there were multiple rooms with those pairs demo’d.
I’d alo like to point out that you mention NP has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the current lineup and yet you mention Nelson Pass multiple times regarding the new line up, it’s more than confusing.
I know this history as I worked for the first Adcom representative in the USA. I look back fondly on my interactions with the Channon’s.(the original owners fo Adcom)

By: Tim Watson

Tim Watson — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 02:21:40 +0000

My system is still powered by the GFA-1. I bought it new. It has been the workhorse for the past 44 years.It now works the front channels of my home theater.Speakers front Synergystics S-71’s rears EPI 250’s. I never found any reason to replace any of it.

By: Ian White

Ian White — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 15:07:58 +0000

In reply to Sean.

Sean,

No. He was just in the room that also included Music Hall. It was also only days before the announced sale of Music Hall was announced.

Best,

Ian White

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 15:04:34 +0000

“Roy Hall showed me some of the new Adcom designs at CAF 2023 but all of the products were on static display. ”

So is Roy Hall part of this Adcom resurgence?

By: Ian White

Ian White — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 01:00:45 +0000

In reply to ORT.

ORT,

All of the products are available now. I do think the look should have been updated. The parts quality is supposedly a lot better and the reliability needs to be for this to do well.

The prices are actually not terrible so far.

Best,

Ian White

By: ORT

ORT — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 17:31:24 +0000

Decades later Adcom’s products are still too plain looking for me. I am not one to “install” an amp on my floor and even if I were so inclined Adcom stuff looks like it should be surrounded with Barrier Tape.

Having said the obvious, I wish them all the best. In the wacky world o’ car sales there is the term, “Beeback”. That is when a possible sale is put on hold by the customer who says they’ll “be back”.

So Adcom’s come back is in reality a Beeback until they actually are back. And if prices are too high for reality?

Red or Blue. Welcome to the Wabbit Hole.

ORT