Accuphase in Bridge Mode (BTL)

[wawa_chan]

Ah no sour taste... I love Accuphase. I'm looking for an Accuphase CDP at the moment, but the new Esoteric K line players look very nice. I want to run direct from player to amplifier and the Esoteric are setup to do that, while Accuphase seems to not promote that setup (although I've heard it sounds fine as well).

Leon: I have a dealer very close to me but they don't have anything really in stock, all special order. Doesn't seem to sell well here (unfortunately).

Brian

[Masterlu]

[antipop]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

I really need to listen to this one and how it compares to similar priced Accuphase

What I love about the DP67 is that it has a loop to integrate an EQ while remaining in digital and I still can access it's DAC to plug in the mac mini.

[94turbo3.6]

The K-03 is an outstanding player. I am not a fan of digital and stick primarily to vinyl but I have to admit if I was going to get serious this would be the unit I buy.

Nothing against Accuphase, I love their amps would put them up against any SS units but their pres and CD players don't do it for me.

[wawa_chan]

antipop: I think the DP-550 might be equivalent, but is around $7000 more than the Esoteric K-03 MSRP. The DP-600 and 700 are much more and they don't have USB. It wouldn't surprise me when the new DP-410 (Redbook with USB) is released (it's on the japanese Accuphase website) that its price is almost the K-03 MSRP.
Really, I think the Esoteric is a much better value. I'd prefer a matching CDP but for the price, I think the Esoteric is the way I will probably go. Unfortunately I don't have the ability to listen to either of them.

[antipop]

Originally Posted by wawa_chan

antipop: I think the DP-550 might be equivalent, but is around $7000 more than the Esoteric K-03 MSRP. The DP-600 and 700 are much more and they don't have USB. It wouldn't surprise me when the new DP-410 (Redbook with USB) is released (it's on the japanese Accuphase website) that its price is almost the K-03 MSRP.
Really, I think the Esoteric is a much better value. I'd prefer a matching CDP but for the price, I think the Esoteric is the way I will probably go. Unfortunately I don't have the ability to listen to either of them.

You're right. I haven't compared them but from what I read it seems that the esoteric is really a notch above. Though here it is similarly priced as a DP-600 so it may be a close match.

Anyway, I'm now spending most of my money on the analog side of thing. I'm very happy with the DP-67. It's a great machine considering the age

[wawa_chan]

Yeah, the MSRP in the USA is $17500 for the DP-550 and $21000 for the DP-600. Only the DP-550 has USB as that model was recently released.

The DP-67 is a wonderful machine.

Brian

[antipop]

The DP-600 is 14500€ ($19000) here while the K-03 is 12000€ ($15500).

The DP-510 is half price ... I guess the DP-550 is there to bridge the gap between the two. I would tend to compare the K-03 to the DP-600 than the DP-550.

What is really crazy is when you compare with the price in Japan and then wonder why companies are fighting the grey market

[Glisse]

I lived in Tokyo for a few years, and bought a lot of Accuphase whilst I was there! I have never understood why they actively promote such high prices outside their own country, and have always done so. Probably because they are a small, basically family owned type business less concerned with the world outside Japan. Their products are beautifully made, and their level of service is the best I have ever experienced.

Esoteric, being part of the large TEAC conglomerate, have a much more global outlook.

[antipop]

Originally Posted by Glisse

I lived in Tokyo for a few years, and bought a lot of Accuphase whilst I was there! I have never understood why they actively promote such high prices outside their own country, and have always done so. Probably because they are a small, basically family owned type business less concerned with the world outside Japan. Their products are beautifully made, and their level of service is the best I have ever experienced.

Esoteric, being part of the large TEAC conglomerate, have a much more global outlook.

The same is true for Esoteric. On the grey market, you can find the K-03 for 6000€ which can give an idea of the price on the local market.

(My point is not to enter into the whole discussion about buying with your local dealer vs. grey market... but only to point that you can have great differences between markets that are quite difficult to explain except to say that it's the rule of the market)