Accuphase C-200X Review (Vintage Preampifier)

[mhardy6647]

Luxman, Sony (Esprit, R1 and R10 series), Denon (S1 and SA1 series and other statement products), Kenwood (Supreme series), Yamaha (Centennial series and other statement products), Pioneer (Exclusive series) have all made some pretty amazing stuff.

Most of them can be admired on the marvellous The Vintage Knob website that a fellow French citizen have put online.

There's also https://audio-heritage.jp/
Which I like because it shows some of the fine Japanese hardware (particularly loudspeakers) that, by and large, didn't make it to the US. Too darned expensive to ship (especially by the late 1970s)!

 

[martin900]

Which is quite funny as many Japanese speakers were mediocre, with only few exceptions like Yamaha NS1000/FX, TAD and few insane exotics from Sony like the SUP-T11, L11, SEM studio monitors and the R/GR series.
The old TAD is more of a 'what if' Pioneer gave an ex JBL designer, Bart Locanthi an unlimited budget...and so the TAD 1601 and TAD 4001 were born.
Both used in the TSM-1/Exclusive 2401 shown above. I think Shozo Kinoshita was involved in the cabinet and crossover design.

My 4350's have TAD4001 and you have to see and feel them to see the incredible craftsmanship.

 

[Ismapics]

These components are a work of art.

 

[FTB]

You might like Onkyo, Denon and Sansui from late 90's for japanese only market, gorgeous stuff.

Luxman, Sony (Esprit, R1 and R10 series), Denon (S1 and SA1 series and other statement products), Kenwood (Supreme series), Yamaha (Centennial series and other statement products), Pioneer (Exclusive series) have all made some pretty amazing stuff.

Most of them can be admired on the marvellous The Vintage Knob website that a fellow French citizen have put online.

Thanks !

I remember starting Hifi, when I was a teenager, with a Sansui AU517...

 

[mhardy6647]

Thanks !

I remember starting Hifi, when I was a teenager, with a Sansui AU517...

A rather nice integrated amplifier was the AU-517, although the 717 had/has a bit more cachet. Sansui also made a few truly excellent tuners over the years

 

[jon_s]

Is there any other Japanese brand that makes/made such quality devices as Accuphase ?
(I have a thing for Japan)

While I’m personally a big fan of the Denon (S*) and Accuphase gear mentioned (have a Denon PMA-S1 and DCD-S1), and find the top Sony, Yamaha, and rare JVC to be quite impressive, Stax amplifiers (for speakers, not headphones) are awesome, too, if one likes Class A solid-state amps. Rarely seen, but in the same category of exotica. i regret not buying some when I had the chance.

 

[Hipocrates]

Sansui AU517

lovely integrated, extremely well built, I have one. But 90's stuff for Japanese market is on another level.

take a look to this Onkyo

https://audio-database.com/ONKYO/amp/m-510-e.html

 

[FTB]

lovely integrated, extremely well built, I have one. But 90's stuff for Japanese market is on another level.

take a look to this Onkyo

https://audio-database.com/ONKYO/amp/m-510-e.html

60+ kg is the way

I don't know if my AU517 was in a good electronic shape, I was rather inexperienced at the time but I remember it was surely well built and pretty heavy. It drived old Celestion ditton 44. I was very vintage at the time, nothing like the modern gear I have today.
Next was some english "shoes box" amps.

I could go for a trip in Japan and visit some Hifi places.

 

[Hipocrates]

I still have some vintage gear, more into diy on these day and age, my main rig is modern, I think I enjoy everything I put into rotation.
lately I have the idea that I'll get rid of everything and get a nice Accuphase Integrated, been kind of obsessed about it.

 

[AdrianusG]

At that time, power consumption was less an issue than now, nobody felt concerned with this for audio gear ; looking back, it's a pity of course.
It's an area in which great progress has been made since the 80ies.
Performance wise, analog audio electronics were as good as it can be, with built quality and easy maintenance second to none.
But it's for efficiency, weight and miniaturization that everything has changed for the better since.

Anyway, i admit that these old very good and beautiful audio gear have a huge appeal on me until now.
It's their long lasting qualities, and the nostalgia of my first years of passion for music and audio, FOR SURE (as our french President should say )

"At that time, power consumption was less an issue than now, nobody felt concerned with this for audio gear ; looking back, it's a pity of course."

To be honest, i still wouldn't be concerned, as long as the world keeps building insane large Data Centers that consume as much electricity as up to 2000 households, let alone the water they "drink" to keep everything cool enough.
As long as governments have no problem with allowing the built of these power hungry monsters,
with the excuse of "progress" or the "need for AI" , i think they shouldn't lecture me or anyone else for that matter.