Hi-fi history: Adcom
SACD �
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Do You Remember the LP? ADCOM began selling components in the '70s.
Our first offerings weren't amplifiers, surprisingly, but phono
cartridges! These weren't ordinary cartridges, however. They were
extraordinarily musical "moving coil" designs that extracted a lot of
information from a record groove. These early "CrossCoil" cartridges
were unique in two ways: They were affordable (does this sound
familiar?) and their innovative high-output design meant that
consumers didn't need expensive and finicky "step-up" transformers" as
they did for other moving coils.
These products were so successful that other companies asked us to
begin making cartridges for them, too! And so we became a
manufacturer!
Early Electronics... ADCOM's first electronic product, the
groundbreaking GFA-1 power amplifier, appeared in December 1979.
Looking sort of like a black ice cube on steroids, it combined several
interesting technologies. It was substantially more powerful than most
of its competition at 200 watts per channel and was one of the first
"high current" designs available. Again, it was an affordable and
standout performer. Critical response was phenominal and the GFA-1
became the "hot ticket" amplifier of its day, as did the successor
GFA-1A.
"The overall performance and features of the ADCOM GFA-1 would be a
credit to any high-power amplier regardless of size and price."
�Stereo Review (July, 1980)
"As is true of the finest of audio devices, one gets the feeling of
"listening through" it back to the source itself." �Modern Recording &
Music (October, 1982)
The First "GF...System" The GFA-1 and GFA-1A were followed by a new
group of matching components: the GFA-2 power amplifier, the GFP-1
preamplifier, and the GFT-1 tuner.
These were also unique products. The GFA-2 power amp boasted 100 watts
per channel and used high-speed output transistors and dual power
supplies.
The GFP-1's low-noise design won a lot of praise from record lovers
and the evolutionary GFP-1A added the convenience of ADCOM's
innovative dual recording/listening source selectors.
Specifically optimized to extract the best FM sound quality in urban
area listening conditions, the GFT-1 tuner won many converts to FM who
had previously avoided the medium because of reception difficulties.
The GFA-555 Amplifier: An ADCOM Milestone The GFA-555, introduced in
March 1985, was a phenomenally successful product. It has a large,
well regulated power supply that helped develop very hgih output
current. It offered a combination of high power, outstanding sonics,
and rugged design.
"It is so clearly superior to past amplifiers in the low- to
mid-priced range - not to mention most amplifiers costing two to three
times its price - that I can unhesitatingly recommend it for even the
most demanding high end system." �Anthony Cordesman, Stereophile Aug.
'85
It evolved into the GFA-555II. Today, the GFA-5500 carries on that
same tradition.
A "New" Product Category - and how ADCOM made it happen! When the
GTP-500 tuner/preamplifier appeared in 1986, it was a real
breakthrough. Although not the first tuner/preamp known to the audio
world, the GTP-500was the first truly successful one. ADCOM's
innovative circuit design and strong benefit story literally created a
whole new way to put together an audio system! The tuner/preamp was no
longer audio's "forgotten child."
ADCOM introduced the audio-conscious consumer to the performance
advantages of keeping all the low voltage, low current stages
(sensitive tuner circuits and delicate preamplifier sections) separate
from the high voltage, high current "brute force" power amplifier
stages.
The GTP-500 had convenience features like full remote control. But
unlike other products, it used a special motorized volume control that
minimized distortion.
Power to the People! The GTP-500 brought a whole new range of power
amplifiers, too. The GFA-535 (60 watts per channel) and the GFA-545
(100 watts) in addition to the GFA-555 at 200 watts per side. For
many, this flexibiliy really meant "the end of the receiver" as it
gave the consumer the ability to buy the exact amount of power needed
without sacrificing sound quality or convenience.
And ADCOM followed the GTP-500 with the GTP-400, a lower cost
tuner/preamp with the same high quality but without the convenience of
remote control.
Home Theater Comes Into Its Own... By the early 1990's, integrated
home theater systems had begun to replace large hi-fi systems in the
home. But they didn't offer the same sound quality a good hi-fi system
could.
ADCOM's GTP-600 audio-video tuner/preamp and the matching GFA-6000
5-channel power amplifier changed that in a hurry.
Introduced in 1994, the GTP-600 featured Dolby Pro Logic decoding,
integrated video switching, and a surround processor with mutliple
delay settings. And it brought even complex audio-video systems under
total control with a programmable remote that put everything in the
palm of your hand.
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Aliis alia placent
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