ADCOM GFP-915

[NormB]

So far I haven't seen a single review on this NEW offering from ADCOM.

I got on a waiting list back in January for one of these and finally got the "they're coming" email from the seller (a well-known high-end stereo shop just outside of Miami I won't mention directly because his service, communication, and overal process was flawless and I don't want in any way to disparage him), paid, and two weeks later had one in my hands first week of May.

Unit looks nice, like all ADCOM products and I've had more than a handful over the years, from GTP 350 to 450, 500-II, 555-II, 565 (two) and have repaired several FM sections, rebuilt, recapped many preamps (latest 565's I have done all the usual Nichicon FG in audio path in one, fixing the power supply, changing out gain section opamps, but went with Nichicon UKA audio caps in the second unit I use in my basement audio room and I'm amazed at how much better they sound, especially the UKA modded one), I've done similar things to some amps (535,-II 545-II, 555-II including power supply, recapping, input section transistor matching, and more) - all by way of saying I do have some familiarity with the brand.

So imagine my surprise, when turned on, all panel lights came on, but wouldn't go off.

I couldn't put unit into standby. While playing audio, there was NO mute, even with volume turned all the way down to ZERO, sound STILL came out of speakers. There was no "on" led on one selection button.

On the PLUS side, to MY 65 year old ears, the sound was at least as good as my 565 with the UKA and Burr-Brown OPA604 op amp upgrades. Headphone output was stellar (but only as good as my 565 with a BB OPA2604 op-amp).

It just wouldn't turn off. And the remote ONLY affected volume, but again, no mute or zero volume.

MAN!!!!!!!

Quick call to seller who had a return label within the hour to send back to ADCOM in Phoenix, AZ who sent another back which took a week with delays, and....

It doesn't work either. Standby light comes on, nothing else works.

What is the statistical chance that TWO out of the first 546 units built (#Vxxx546 and Vxxx502) would be broken, non-functional?

Emailed seller (This was Saturday) call to seller yesterday (Monday), label in hand in ten minutes, dropped off with FEDEX, I'm done.


This has been a major disappointment, BUT, this second one is on it's way back to ADCOM, seller assures me I'll have a refund upon its arrival.

No, I won't risk playing "third time's the charm" with $1,000 and trust, based on experience that another unit will work out of the box or even LAST through the 2 year warranty period.


Meanwhile, I've had a chance to compare 30 year old ADCOM preamps I've taken very good care of, updating/modding to take advantage of improvements in technology in that time, and
I have to say I'm good with what I've got.

Maybe that's the lesson for me.

FWIW, YMMV.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[C. Cook]

Coincidentally, I just bought a demo model of the Adcom GFP-815, which was discontinued last year. Also nearly impossible to find any reviews. In this case I am going to send it in to Amir to test it - IF - I am not satisfied with the sound of the phono stage. If I do like it, the way I've got everything set up makes it a real pain to remove components and reconnect things so I will probably not send it in for measurements until I have a long term replacement for it.

I think the only difference(s) between the 815 and 915 is the bluetooth (and maybe optical/DAC?) functionality, but I could be mistaken. However, that's why I didn't buy the 915 because I don't use bluetooth for audio (and don't need a new DAC). The 815 does look like it's got an MP3 switch, which is kinda strange, but I think it's been around a lot longer than the 915. But I did like the fact that the 915 has balanced XLR outs. Oh well. Took Adcom forever to embrace that.

It arrives via UPS tomorrow and I'm anxious to see if it has the same issues with the lights and switching as yours. Will add a reply if so.

 

[NormB]

Coincidentally, I just bought a demo model of the Adcom GFP-815, which was discontinued last year. Also nearly impossible to find any reviews. In this case I am going to send it in to Amir to test it - IF - I am not satisfied with the sound of the phono stage. If I do like it, the way I've got everything set up makes it a real pain to remove components and reconnect things so I will probably not send it in for measurements until I have a long term replacement for it.

I think the only difference(s) between the 815 and 915 is the bluetooth (and maybe optical/DAC?) functionality, but I could be mistaken. However, that's why I didn't buy the 915 because I don't use bluetooth for audio (and don't need a new DAC). The 815 does look like it's got an MP3 switch, which is kinda strange, but I think it's been around a lot longer than the 915. But I did like the fact that the 915 has balanced XLR outs. Oh well. Took Adcom forever to embrace that.

It arrives via UPS tomorrow and I'm anxious to see if it has the same issues with the lights and switching as yours. Will add a reply if so..

I bought it for the bluetooth, something new, trusted line, XLR outs I didn’t “need” and bought (then returned) XLR-RCA adapters (like I have for a REVOX PR99 MkIII but I’ve ordered an orchardaudio converter which might be here by July-ish).

Right now I’m looking into GFP-750 and the 815.

Figure by selling one of the 565’s it’ll offset the price.

I’m curious about your impressions of the 815, keep us posted.

Norm

 

[C. Cook]

Welp. It arrived damaged. Can't say for sure it happened during shipping, but for now I'm giving the seller an 'out' by presuming that's what happened. Since the volume knob scrapes against something inside the chassis when I turn it, I'm not even going to plug it in and try it out. As you might be able to see from the third pic, the thing must have been knocked around pretty good during transit because the mute button (found it in the box) was not exactly easy to put back in place.

If, for some reason, the seller makes it difficult to get a refund and I'm stuck with keeping it, I'm going to ship it straight to audiosciencereview.com for test/measurement.

I will withhold any commentary on this particular prolific seller at US Audiomart, but there's a reason I didn't see pictures before making the payment (it involved a different unit I purchased but which this person realized after the fact that he didn't have in his inventory).

 

[NormB]

Man, so so to hear that. It’s gut-wrenching.

I think I found a demo model 815 close by, just not sure specs are as good as the 565’s I’ve updated per Bigsky Audio’s recommendations.

750 looks better. SFAIK both are made in USA.

915 is being made in chin now.

 

[C. Cook]

Man, so so to hear that. It’s gut-wrenching.

I think I found a demo model 815 close by, just not sure specs are as good as the 565’s I’ve updated per Bigsky Audio’s recommendations.

750 looks better. SFAIK both are made in USA.

915 is being made in chin now.

As I'm sure you have experienced as part of this hobby through the years, I'm not surprised at all that it was damaged and in worse shape than initially described. Long time ago I purchased a used Adcom GFA-555II from a dude on Fleabay and when it arrived it reeked of smoke and was full of sand. When I got back in touch with him, he told me that he was Robert Altman (the famous director's) son in law and that the unit was taken from a beach/party house that he had somewhere along the SoCal coast. The right channel was burnt out and at the time I was still in college so I couldn't afford all the test equipment or professional soldering gear that I have now* and was thus forced to take it to a local Adcom dealer to see if they could repair it. Price quoted was more than I'd paid for the thing, so I ditched it there and never saw it again. I do think I got a full refund, but it was 21 years ago so I forget.

Long story short/TLDR: Guess I'm cursed with buying used Adcom gear over the Internet. LOL

*Still don't have any test equipment other than a decent multimeter, but I am in the market for a used o-scope.

 

[NormB]

As I'm sure you have experienced as part of this hobby through the years, I'm not surprised at all that it was damaged and in worse shape than initially described. Long time ago I purchased a used Adcom GFA-555II from a dude on Fleabay and when it arrived it reeked of smoke and was full of sand. When I got back in touch with him, he told me that he was Robert Altman (the famous director's) son in law and that the unit was taken from a beach/party house that he had somewhere along the SoCal coast. The right channel was burnt out and at the time I was still in college so I couldn't afford all the test equipment or professional soldering gear that I have now* and was thus forced to take it to a local Adcom dealer to see if they could repair it. Price quoted was more than I'd paid for the thing, so I ditched it there and never saw it again. I do think I got a full refund, but it was 21 years ago so I forget.

Long story short/TLDR: Guess I'm cursed with buying used Adcom gear over the Internet. LOL

*Still don't have any test equipment other than a decent multimeter, but I am in the market for a used o-scope.

Um, wow.

I've been buying/selling on ePay for 23 years, I think.

I've been burned ONCE by a "seller" out of Russia - I finally got around to tracking the package 6+weeks out (I knew it would take a while) and the number was linked to THREE different packages, one to Chicago, one of Japan, one to Korea, arrived in Chicago and Japan within four hours of each other on the same day.
Hmm... something fishy there. Got my $$ no problem.

Two people I have sold to USPS has destroyed the package, no insurance claim they said, it was damaged before they got it.

Uh-huh.

I still use USPS, but take photos of EVERYTHING before and after packing just in case.


I really wanted to like the 915, but both were broken.

I'm comparing specs on the 750 and 815; 750's are selling for around $1200 now. Insane, but that's the market, I think. I don't need balanced in/outputs.

815 looks more like what I'm after, maybe. I was looking for digital/optical in for CD and bluetooth with a better DAC and a remote which is why I jumped at the 915.


I really think I'll keep waiting.

 

[suttondesign]

I doubt that the current brand “Adcom” is anything but a name used by some corporate successor with no engineering chops.

 

[C. Cook]

Haha, so in response to my request for refund accompanied by pictures (with the one here added to demonstrate that the volume knob got smashed), he said I should try pulling gently on the volume knob to get it to stop scraping. LOL. Offered a 25% discount on a beat up unit that I'm not going to plug in considering there could be internal damage and I don't want to be on the hook if the thing catches fire. At least I have somewhere to rant about it now!

I'll keep you posted if I happen to encounter any good deals on the better Adcom products in the future and hopefully my situation will be resolved to both of our satisfaction.

 

[C. Cook]

I doubt that the current brand “Adcom” is anything but a name used by some corporate successor with no engineering chops.

What I've read and been told is that it was in fact sold numerous times over the years and that the current owner has all of the original schematics, supposedly. What Hi-Fi did a longer than usual writeup on the company not too long ago. I would guess China is its new home. Very interesting story behind the brand, though. In some ways it seems like it's *always* been a name used by various corporate successors. If it's China, I'm sure there is someone there who knows a thing or two about engineering based on some of the other Chinese originated products reviewed here, but what do I know.

Adcom GFA-585se review

They don't build them like this any more

www.whathifi.com

However, although some Adcom amplifiers are built in Taiwan, others are not. The Adcom GFA-5500, for example, is built for Everest by China-based company Quality Technology Electronics.

Don't think this Everest company was mentioned prior to that, though, so I have no idea who or where they are.

 

[NormB]

Addendum:

Just had a brief talk with the seller - again, whose name I'm withholding as he's been great during this whole process - and he tells me the ADCOM tech in Arizona told HIM the ONLY problem with the two units were blown fuses.

THEY suggest I check my power supply/line voltages.

Yes, I have a full refund pending.

Here's the thing.

1 - I use a power conditioner for my workbench, just a simple Tripplite Isobar surge suppressor, for my audio gear running full time, I use an APC sine wave battery backup unit. I check it with a laptop periodically, there hasn't been an incoming voltage reading over 122 VAC for months.

2 - I checked the fuses. At least twice. There's just the one at the power input in back. They were fine. Besides, how would ANY power come through to light up the Standby light if that fuse were dead? Answer: it wouldn't.

3 - So they're saying there's nothing wrong with either box, but I couldn't get either one to work properly, there were the aforementioned issues with the first one, second one had NO sound, no response at all to any switch or remote input.

I'm not buying it, what's more, I'm not recommending ADCOM.

I've got TWO GFP-565's I done the Bigsky Audio upgrades (as much as needed as both are later units), replaced gain op amps to my satisfaction (OP2134 now, I have some 2604's I'll play with), and I'm not about to play "best out of three" or third time's a charm here.


And no, this doesn't surprise me in the slightest, that I'd get this assessment from their techs.

I put video of the units doing nothing on VIMEO for them to see.

Fuses burned out?

Mind blown.


Compare this to REVOXonline.

I bought a control board for a B77 from them several months ago, finally got around to pluggin it in. Parts were missing, a bracket fitting, and a 500k P10 trimmer potentiometer forend of tape control. I sent them pictures, they okayed putting in a trimmer. Got that to work okay - the EOT function - BUT on start, there was NO surge at the takeup real, the tape would go slack, no play, no joy.

I went back to the old board but intermittent problems were now continuous, ordered some parts, used a spare PR99 board for a few weeks, went out of state for May, came back, tried the new/improved REVOX board again, now it starts/plays just fine, but if I hit FF or REW the controls don't work, I have to turn off the deck and reboot.

Made video, sent link to them, 24 hours later get an apology, advising they have recently upgraded the board and are sending me a new one.


Can't say that ADCOM could've done anything different except MAYBE suggest I take it to a local dealer (there's ONE in Maryland - not the guy I bought from) for a second set of eyes to see what I HAD RECORDED LIVE.

Thanks for reading, vent mode off.

 

[MRC01]

This is sad to read. I have an Adcom 5800 I bought new 28 years ago. It's seen daily use and still looks, functions, and measures like new. The only service it's ever needed was to check the bias a couple of times (no need, it didn't drift) and replace the power switch, which is a $20 part and a 20 minute job. DC offset still measures 5 mV or less on each channel. Based on experience, if and when it ever dies, I was going to get another Adcom amp. But now I am not so sure...