I just got older Adcom GFA 5500 amplifier (and switch for shifting sound to other rooms) and Bang and Olufsen active Penta III speakers. What is best way to hook up iPod or iPad to 5500? If I wanted to add other audio inputs or TV sound, what is best solution?

Price paid: $350 from a friend.

The Adcom 5500 is a fantastic amplifier. I use mine along with a 555 and 5300 for my home theater system. I have done direct listening comparisons between all of the above amps using the same pair of Energy Connoisseur 6 ½ inch 2-way speakers for comparisons. I have noticed the newer Adcom MOSFET amps have a very controlled low end and very smooth highs compared to the older GFA555, which is still a very detailed amplifier. As others have stated the Adcom will bring out all the good and bad of any speaker as I did switch to a less expensive pair of older Pinnacle AC800s while testing the sound of the amps.

I don’t quite understand some of the reviews of the 5500 being dead, fatiguing, or even one review stating it’s not powerful enough! Can’t help but think the reviewers may have been using lower quality speakers, poor program sources, or may be hard of hearing. The friend I purchased mine from upgraded to all McIntosh equipment. He used to design amplifiers for phase Linear for a living and custom modified my GFA5300 to be bridgeable (see my review on that in the GFA5300 reviews). He stated that his $5000 McIntosh does sound a touch smoother, but has the same or less output power and is also rated at 200 watts per channel.

There are better amplifiers out there, but you will pay 5 times the price for 5 percent better sound. The Adcom is built like a tank, runs hot even at idle, and is not energy star compliant by any means! But it sounds smooth and refined, has more than enough power for any home environment, and at $500 or less on ebay, is an audio bargain.

POWER! POWER! POWER! Without losing fidelity.

This amplifier doesn't have vue meters like the Yamaha M-80. That's all I could think of that this amplifier lacks.

The Adcom GFA 5500 is a great amp. Too bad Adcom is no longer making power amplifiers. I wanted to purchase the GFA 5802, but their were none to be found brand new at the time I wanted to purchase an amplifier. Discontinued items suck. Adcom definetly needs to manufacture more power amplifiers like they have in the past. I hate 3 to 7 channel amplifiers for audio, they're okay for surround sound but not for audio reproduction. I haven't been disapointed by purchasing this amplifier, it produces clean sharp bass. Tight bass. Real tight bass. If you're the type of person who likes muddy bass, this amp is NOT for you!!! The distortion LEDs work! They let you know when the source music is crappy or there's just too much umph from the source calling for bass. This amp definetly rocks! I've got a fan installed on the back of the enclosure I placed the amp in because of my old Yamaha M-80 power amplifier. Even with the fan the Yamaha got hot, the Adcom stays cool with the fan going, it's awesome and I'm driving this amplifier @ 2 Ohms driving 2 Cerwin-Vega DX-9s per channel, this baby cranks!!!

Customer Service

Adcom told me this amplifier couldn't drive a 2 Ohm load. I've got a fan going on it from start to end of listening sessions. Make sure you cool this amp by using a fan!!!

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha M-80

Detailed sound stage, ability to drive finicky low impeadance speakers, seemingly unlimited power, rugged construction

Runs hot, feel of the power button, power consumption

The ADCOM GAF-5500 has been a welcome addition to my audio system for over a month now. I find it absolutely superb. I was a little reluctant to purchasing this unit because of some of the reviews that was posted on this site, but after listening to it in my system I have no regrets. The entire musical range is very detailed at any listing level. I am particularly impressed by listening at high sound levels for extended periods without fatigue. I have no idea what another reviewer meant by saying that it got dull and tiring. I have several pairs of speakers including, Infinity Kappa 6, Infinity RS-6b, Rectilinear III, and a pair of speaker that I built myself. This amp has no problem driving any of them. Since it has so much clean power, ear shattering volumes can be obtained in my rather large family room without any clipping. This is a truly impressive amp for the money. Certainly, there are many amplifiers on the market that sound better if you are willing to pay considerably more. Overall, the ADCOM GAF-5500 is an excellent sounding amplifier and is hard to beat in its price range. I am really puzzled by the widely contrasting reviews. I guess with this amp, you either love it or hate it. I would strongly recommend this amp to anyone that is interested in purchasing an amplifier in this price range.

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Harmon Kardon Citation 16, Sony TA-N330, Maranz 250, Dynaco 400, Dynaco 120, BGW 500

powerful within its limitations very reliable a bargain

limitations become apparent with real good speakers.

I haved used this amp for over two years, to drive NHT 3.3s. Pre-amp Adcom GFP 750, Philips SACD 1000, Marantz CC9100 CDP, MIT Terminator 2 cables, DH Labs/Monster ICs. I think this is an excellent amp and is a real value for money. It also extremely reliable, works flawlessly. This said, I cannot wait to upgrade to a more powerful amp - it somehow does not drive the gorgeous NHT 3.3s the way a real beast can. After a lot of research I have decided to replace this with an used Krell 100S. My thought is - if you are driving average speakers, this is a great choice and is a real bargain (can be found real cheap at audiogon). But if you want to do justice to your full-range, 350W + speakers, something with more power and speed becomes essential.

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None, but audtioned Krell, CJ, Plinius (at least 3 times the price)

Very nice upper end from lower mids on up to very top,detailing very good.Great micro-dynamics(once warmed up)and good liquidity.Very good in all aspects for image wide,deep,detail up to point it goes into class AB.

Warmer bass(weakness for me)runs hot,long warm-up.Springy power switch creeps me out every time I turn it on(but it has worked all these years knock-on-wood) Chassis and heat-sinking seem to be where Adcom cut building cost,put it on really solid surface.

Following up after several years use... Earlier I would say good amplifier. Now after 7 years use in many various sytem arrangements,several speakers,and cabling changes....this is a really exellent power amp.Here is what I have learned so far,Adcom 5500 rewards you with care in set-up.I re-read most of the 56 other posts.I agree with these earlier observations;Reaches equalibrium at 2 plus hours music signal.Use really good cables and pre-amp this amp keeps up.Put it on a very solid stand(may I recomend stone slabs x2 with lead between.Give it lots of air to cool.Good power outlet like 20 amp service.Decent source/speakers like you might pair with $2500-3000 level amps. Makes exellent top amp in giant killer bi-amp set-up.(have had fun seeing reactions to listeners of my medium room rig) Run short interconnects,and speaker leads. Use in a bi-amp config but try pairing it with the much cooler running efficient 555II doing bass duty(very cheap used) The 555II will reach best sound faster so hold out thru 2 plus hour warm-up.

absolutely no audible distortion whatosever.

Sounds dead. No oomph.

Very clean. You don't get any cleaner, at any price. But poor dynamics gets dull after a while, soon tiring, and eventually irritating. How can a 200-watt amp sound so dead? I sent it to a Chicago custom-mod shop that made the midrange sparkle a bit, but it's still a lifeless amp. Finally sold it and returned to my old Dynaco Stereo A410, with new Dynaco audio transformers from a British supplier (took forever for them to ship here). Sorry, but the old Dyna is still a masterpiece. I'd have to spend upwards of $10,000 to do better. As for the Adcom, it's a pleasant chunk for those who like a really laid-back sound, but those who want something akin to live music will have to look elsewhere.

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Dynaco Stereo A410

Detail, transparency, and a sense of effortlessness in the detail and nuances of music. Very accurate imaging of performers.

The power button is funky, but that is a minor quibble.

This is one awesome amp. I had owned an Adcom GFA-555 back in the early 90's and didn't have the source components to find out how good the GFA-555 was. I got the GFA-5500 last week and hooked it up to the preout jacks on my Onkyo TX-DS797 and what a difference it makes. All of the music I'v played through it seems to have so much more depth and the soundstage is so much more spacious. The low level detail is superb. Most of my listening is done at a low, to moderate level and low level transients are important for this reason. I popped in Jewel's Spirit CD, and there she was - right in front of me. Not in my face, like it was before I hooked up the GFA-5500. I could hear the breath well up in her chest and how sweet and full her voice was. The soundstage was intimate and back in its proper perspective. This amp is fast and very neutral (the way a component should be in my opinion). It has punch for the bass, but doesn't lack control over the woofers - attributable to the >700 damping factor. The bass is deep without getting muddy or distorted. The mids and highs are open and detailed in a way that I have not heard through my system before.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha M-80, Adcom GFA-555, Soundcraftsmen

Everything that Carver is not

Runs warm, but its the sound I really care about!

After 15 years of Carver products, (Carver receiver, pair of 1.0t''s run in mono), I thought it was time to upgrade. I did alot of homework and in my price range I selected the Adcom GFA 5500. For a preamp I selected the much acclaimed Adcom GFP 565. After purchasing them on E-Bay for a very resonable price I hooked them up to my JBL s-312''s and JVC DVD-CD player and a Carver digital time lens. My first impression was that the amp sounded extreamly flat with no soundstage or immaging at all. My Carver reciever sounded better! How could this be I thought!!!! I did my homework and the Adcom equipment was suposed to sound better than the Carver stuff! Well after discovering I had some junk for interconnects and replacing them with new AudioQuest cables...WOW! You would not have been able to convince me that it was the same equipment! This is one of the sweetest sounding amp/preamp combos I have had the pleasure of hearing! The 5500 has detail, tons of rock solid bass and beautiful mid/highs. I could not be more pleased with it. I compaired it with a Carver 4.0t that I have and the Carver can''t hold a candle to the Adcom in any way, shape, or form. The GFA is built like a tank, the Carver''s insides look like a half-blind 8 year old in a Chinese sweatshop soldered it together. I am sold on Adcom! Can''t go wrong for the $$$.

Similar Products Used:

carver reciver, carver 1.0t''s, carver 4.0t.

this thing doesn't even compare to the old GFA-555II. you think adcom didn't use marketing techniques to make all of use go to the higher up model. why do you think they didn't make the GFA-5500 bridgable. maybe because they needed the money. fine if you don't have access to a GFA-555II but lets all tell adcom that they suck....