September 8, 2024
Complete Starter System
After a 400-mile+ motorcycle ride to South Carolina—just north of Columbia, I am now the proud owner of some vintage Accommodate equipment: a GTP-450 preamp and, more importantly, a GFA-5300[1] amplifier. Coupled with my Sonus Faber Sonetto IIs and my Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer, I now have a complete, entry-level system. The Adcom components were inexpensive, so I decided to go for it.
Giles and I left fairly early to hit the backroads in our usual caravan style. It was a lovely morning, a bit cool and overcast. The BMW R 1200 GS was running beautifully, and I enjoyed the 200 miles to South Carolina. I had found the Adcom components on Craigslist, then Facebook. I was looking for a GFA-545 or a GFA-555 to as an upgrade to my long-gone-but-much-beloved pair of GFA-535s I had thirty years ago, but while there were a few available, the GFA-555 I did find that was about the price I wanted to pay, the guy in Atlanta decided he wanted to keep it. So, I found this pair of later-model Adcoms and decided to pick them up.
It turns out the guy selling them finds and repairs audio equipment, and he'd been doing it for most of his life. He had a sound shed packed with stuff. He had the Adcoms playing some Dire Straits when we came in, and after chatting for a bit, we had my new components—both in excellent shape—loaded and were headed to Augusta for some lunch. We arrived back in Macon late-afternoon, and in-all it was a productive and fun day. I had about 435 additional miles on the GS.
This week Giles and I will set up my system in his front room where it will live until I get my studio built. More on that soon.
note
- ↑ The Adcom GFA-5300 has been positively received by both audiophiles and casual listeners for its combination of power, precision, and value. While not the most powerful amplifier in Adcom’s lineup, it is appreciated for its sound quality and ability to drive difficult speaker loads. The simplicity of its design and its reliable performance have helped it remain popular on the secondhand market, with many still considering it an excellent choice for those looking to build or enhance a quality audio system. The GFA-5300 delivers 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 125 watts per channel into 4 ohms. This power level is sufficient to drive most home audio speakers, offering clean and distortion-free sound even at higher volumes. Its ability to handle 4-ohm loads makes it versatile for use with a variety of speaker types. The GFA-5300 uses high-current MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) output devices, known for their ability to deliver powerful and efficient amplification with excellent transient response.
