C-2120 or C2420

[Mattia]

Barsur, thank you for your honest and enlightening report and also for your website.

I must say I'm not too surprised in you findings: all the time I compared power amps, with levels matched and at a level that all amps could easily reach without problems, differences were slight at best. Even with wildly different amps regarding typology, age, power rating, ecc.

I find fascinating your statement about Accuphase preamplifiers, since I never had the opportunity to compare all the 4 Accuphase offerings at the same time.

Blind test is brutal in his honesty

[Accumac]

I can only speak for McIntosh but the change of preamps, i.e. from C46 to the 2 box C500/P was significant same as the switch from the MC402 Stereo Amp to the MC501 monos. No need to blind test, just listen. So I'm surprised that it would be different when moving up the Accuphase hierarchy and price scale.

[paul1]

Originally Posted by Barsur

In the blind test which we did, I could hear no differences between C2120,2420,2820 and 3800. My son, who has better ears than I, had following results between C2420 and C3800: From ten comparisons (always ca. 5 minutes), 6 times he couldn´t find a difference, 3 times he thought that the C3800 was better and once he thought the C2420 was better. Ofcourse statisticly this result (3 times out of 10 for the C3800) is almost irrelavant. I can´t judge the E470 because I never compared this amp at my house. What I can tell you, that there is a subtle improvement when you hear the combo C2420/A70 against E560 and a bigger improvement when you compare it against E406V. These amps we audited. I hope you are now not to upset, but a lot of people came now to our lasts blind tests and people are always shocked how small and subtle are the differences between the amps. Most of the time, they can hear no differences at all. And it is always the same, if the people and guests know which amp is playing, the difference seems to them great and clear. When they listen to the amps blinded, than the people are shocked, that there is almost no differences at all. You can hear bigger differences between speakers or different locations (rooms). Best regards Martin

Thanks for reply I am not upset In fact happy.
I had c2300 and mc452 changing to the e470 was a big differences the change is easy to hear blind reddy can hear it.
So would you say there is no difference in sound between my e470 and a A70 and pre combo?

[Barsur]

Originally Posted by paul1

Thanks for reply I am not upset In fact happy.
I had c2300 and mc452 changing to the e470 was a big differences the change is easy to hear blind reddy can hear it.
So would you say there is no difference in sound between my e470 and a A70 and pre combo?

I can´t tell you if there is a difference to the E470, because I never heard this amp at my home.
I only can tell you that the Accuphase A70/C2420 is slightly better than the E560 (lets say 100% to 97%) and clearly better against the E406V (lets say 100% to 85%).


Today I checked some reviews and Stereo, a great german Audio magazine, gave the C2120 and C2820 both 100%. So it seems for them, both units are also "perfect" and on the same level.

http://www.pia-hifi.de/accuphase/pdf..._C2820_A46.pdf

http://www.pia-hifi.de/PDF/Preamplif...2015_C2120.pdf

Best regards

Martin

[paul1]

Originally Posted by Barsur

I can´t tell you if there is a difference to the E470, because I never heard this amp at my home. I only can tell you that the Accuphase A70/C2420 is slightly better than the E560 (lets say 100% to 97%) and clearly better against the E406V (lets say 100% to 85%). Today I checked some reviews and Stereo, a great german Audio magazine, gave the C2120 and C2820 both 100%. So it seems for them, both units are also "perfect" and on the same level. http://www.pia-hifi.de/accuphase/pdf..._C2820_A46.pdf http://www.pia-hifi.de/PDF/Preamplif...2015_C2120.pdf Best regards Martin

Thanks Martin

[Pierre!]

HI

I have a C-2120 with AD-30 phono board.

I want to upgrade the phono but not sure what would be the best option?

Option 1: Keep the C-2120 and get a C-37

Option 2: Sell the C-2120 and buy a C-2420 with the AD-2820 phono

What would be the best upgrade?
It´s playing with A-70.

[puiutu]

Sorry to intervene, but the difference between 2400.2810 and 3800 (these preamps I could compare them) is huge, not enough knowledge of English to describe these differences, but !!!!! For an "amateur audiophile" These are incredible differences in quality ... control, resolution, sophistication, speed, soundstage,separation of channels, beter say..another life.
Maybe,the room or the setup or the music who was use to comparation,(not the compositor/interpretation, the quality of that),is improperly to use a high nivel of audio installation......
Is lyke the diference in a Mercedes Class 100 with a class 300 and with a Mercedes 600 SEL.

[Mike1998]

Originally Posted by Pierre!

HI I have a C-2120 with AD-30 phono board. I want to upgrade the phono but not sure what would be the best option? Option 1: Keep the C-2120 and get a C-37 Option 2: Sell the C-2120 and buy a C-2420 with the AD-2820 phono What would be the best upgrade? It´s playing with A-70.

I would buy a C-37 now and then upgrade the preamp when the next gen models come out.

[meltemi]

Originally Posted by Pierre!

HI I have a C-2120 with AD-30 phono board. I want to upgrade the phono but not sure what would be the best option? Option 1: Keep the C-2120 and get a C-37 Option 2: Sell the C-2120 and buy a C-2420 with the AD-2820 phono What would be the best upgrade? It´s playing with A-70.

I would do excactly the same as Mike1998:

I would buy a C-37 now and then upgrade the preamp when next gen models come out.

Martin
__________________________________________________ ________________________________________
SME 20/3 / SME V / Accuphase AC-5 / Accuphase C-37 /
Accuphase T-1100 / Accuphase DP-900 / Accuphase DG-58 / Accuphase DC-901 / Accuphase C-3850 / Accuphase A-200 / B&W 800 Diamond
Cables XLR: Audioquest WEL Signature / HS-Link: Audioquest Diamond RJ/E / Speakers: Audioquest WEL Signature LS

[Pierre!]

Thanks.....
Then i´m going for a C37 and later on upgrade my preamp.