Full Accuphase system

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by Cellindo

Dear joeinid,

The A-65 is one of the most transparent amplifier I've ever auditioned. So are the TAD speakers... The combination of these two could either reach Nirvana or just be 'too much'. You'll need to try by yourself one day.

No worry about the drive capability of the A-65. It was even OK (not best, though) with Q5 from Magico which are known as super power hungry speakers.

Thanks Cellindo,

The too much of a good thing is what I am worrying about. Thanks for your response.

[TOGA]

After A200 were long gone from my home. I recall that with most musics the power meter
showed only around 1-30 watt. Maximum short time peak I did was 180 watt during movie or
1812 cannon shot. Somehow I think A65 may be powerful enough and can save a lot of $$$. Then I can spend the rest of fund to upgrade Sophia3 to Alexia. Back to Moon and I instantly feel the extra speed and power and also stronger bass. So that mean even A200 cannot make the same power and speed that Moon provided anyway. I gotta try A65 one day. It has less damping factor and lower S/N ratio than A200, however.
Toga

[joeinid]

TOGA,

I would love you to try the A-65. There was someone selling one of his A-65's because one was enough for his TADs. That's saying something. I am sure the A-65 is a great amp.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by joeinid

TOGA,

I would love you to try the A-65. There was someone selling one of his A-65's because one was enough for his TADs. That's saying something. I am sure the A-65 is a great amp.

Joe
Someone once suggested that a pair of A-65's would handle the MBL 111f's I owned at the time as easily as my 1.2k's. I heard them driving the larger Focals with ease.

Jim

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Joe
Someone once suggested that a pair of A-65's would handle the MBL 111f's I owned at the time as easily as my 1.2k's. I heard them driving the larger Focals with ease.

Jim

I am not a head banger so one should be enough I'll have to look into it.

[Anatta]

Hi TOGA,

Don't remember if you mentioned it, but did you try the Accuphase amps connected directly to the DC-901, it has a digital volume control and with the Accu amps having a gain control (16dB at lowest gain position) you wouldn't have to attenuate too much. This would avoid the need for the 3800 preamp so more $$$ for the amps.

[redm]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Ok, are you ready ? I am ready to share some of my thoughs.
How to start.
ok, my basic system is Accuphase player>ARC Ref40>Moon W7M.
first I wanted to compare C3800 with ARC Ref 40. So I put(cold) C3800 in. At first it sound really similar to ARC Ref40, overall quality is similar, the smoothness, quietness. Tonally Accuphase sound denser and warmer in the lower frequency, a bit darker despite fed with AQ WEL. sound feel a bit slower and a little bit less slam from C3800, bass from C3800 is softer. But overall C3800 make very beautiful sound with Moon Power amp, I really like how it sound.
Ok, then A200 is fully warmed up (hot), I connected A200 and switch phase from DC901 to Accuphase standard. Now I have full Accuphase system feeding Magico Q3.
What a surprise, to my ear, A200 sound very similar to Moon W7M. even thinner and leaner and colder sounding ... how come ???? voices was not as lush as I expected from Class A amps. When I play TELARC Pomp & PIZZAZ at high level, so loud, but at peak
the digital held value at only 138 watt. that was still within A200 comfort zone for 5 ohm load, but I felt it lack slam and punch.. Magico can punch much harder than this.
So there must be something wrong in matching. or can it be the Rodium plated wall outlet that I plugged A200 into ? Should I change it to gold plated ? No I don't have
time and energy to replace wall socket at this time.
This kind of tonality I know very well was mainly from Audio Quest WEL power cord.
So I removed WEL out of DC901 DAC, and finally found one that match well. It's the Oyaide Tunami GPX. With Tunami feeding DAC, now full Accuphase system sound tonally spot on, lush, warm and highly beautiful sounding. Piano is the best sounding I have heard here.
Ok the last testing is the most important as it is the most likely to happen.
that is ARC Ref40+A200. But judging from C3800 sound, I can sell ARC Ref40 without feeling bad as well. I don't care that Ref40 is limited or collectible as ARC is releasing twin of it in the name of Ref10 anyway, for this test I will do later, not tonight.
One thing I really want to share is how does Burmester 077+911 compare to
C3800+A200, using DP900+DC901 as source.
I can tell you that they are like from different planets.
With Burmester, I said WOW... what a really great sounding as soon as I play first song.
Sound so clear, so powerful, unbelievably powerful. deep bass was forceful, speed and timing made music so fun. Sound so real make me feel like in a concert. I really have fun listening to many kind of music on Burmester. of course there was a " but " . But after five minutes I asked myself do I want to listen to this powerful sound all day long ??
My ear felt pain from very strong deep infra bass that keep pressurized my ear drum.
Also, may be due to lower S/N ratio from very high gain 911. I always know that I listening from hifi system, as soon as I increase volume I know that I turn Burmester on,
there is something that keep telling me that the Burmester was on play. oh and don't try early digital recording with it.
Accuphase C3800+A200 didn't make me WOW from the start, but it disappeared and make beautiful sound. they will never be in combat mode like Burmester do. But they make music beautiful and smooth to the ears most of the time, here is truly art for the ears. Speed, impact and punch were presented in very different way from Burmester's.
Ok Now I will go enjoy music from these Accuphase system for a few more hours before bed.
Toga

i dont think anyone could argue with the look of that system.. Its gorgeous. I've seen pictures of your room before but let me just say its a WOWzer, just amazing looking. We should all be so lucy to have so much space to work too.

You must have the golden ears, I find it very difficult to tell differences in small changes and tweaks. Then again, I dont have very lots of extra gear to be swapping in and out. Its to bad there's no way to easily and scientifically quantify the differences that people here. The adjectives people use are useful but also so subjective. In any event, love the review

[TOGA]

@Derek,
Thanks for your find words. My room was really nice ten years ago, now it is quite untidy. I can't show other angles of the room too. Also being quite large and rather dead,
it require so much amplifier power if use low sensitivity speakers.
I don't have golden ears like you said actually. But I can hear different of cables, wall sockets, IEC plugs in different plating.
If you believe me, I personally don't think we can really have stereo system to sound like live concert. So we just tune our system to our liking, but it can't be that
realistic. To be able to hear different of those stuffs I mention, the speakers must be
quite revealing.
toga
P.S. and yes that Accuphase system is really gorgeous, at a price.

[redm]

Looking at these pictures never get old. I've seen them like 5 times now

[TOGA]

@Derek, you have to see my room ten years ago. Now I messed it a lot and can't show any more, it's now like storage room. let's see it ten years ago (1998).
I believe in one of picture I still have Accuphase P360 (under cover), still regret
that I sold it.
Toga