Accuphase DP-70 Review (CD Player)

[JeffS7444]

Thank you for a very interesting vintage teardown + test report! For what it's worth here's a video of a 2025 factory visit, with disc player internals shown at around the 30 minute mark. Newer models rely on what appears to be an inexpensive, commodity type transport, and that's exactly the sort of detail I'd want to see in a player designed to last for a lifetime.

 

[Bland_username42069]

I was hoping we’d have someone rocking a full Accuphase stack

It was great to read this review. And the ensuing comments.

I'd wanted Accuphase gear since 1977 when I heard a system comprising a Linn Sondek TT, C-200 pre, 2xP-300 power amps and Gale 401 speakers. I was totally blown away.

When I retired 8 years ago I bought myself a retirement present of a medium level Accuphase system. It cost AU$50k but I haven't for a moment thought it was overpriced. My only regret is not buying the top of the line models which would have cost twice as much. All the Accuphase owners I know feel the same way.

If I'm honest I can't hear a difference between the Accuphase CD player and my Matrix Audio Element X streamer but If I had to get rid of one or the other it would be the Element X that would go.

View attachment 491423

class A power amp and a SACD player is peak Japanese Hi-Fi.

 

[dualazmak]

OK, another Accuphase tour spoken in English!

 

[dualazmak]

Another Accuphase tour:

 

[dualazmak]

In my post here, I wrote;
Accuphase provides repair and maintenance services for any of their past and present products sold in the past 50 years. Just one phone call to Accuphase, and they collect the amps (by the specially contracted transfer company having huge Accuphase boxes) at your home and they send it back to you afterwards; usually within one week quick and perfect service (in Japan) in reasonable cost after the warranty period. Of course the service is completely free within the warranty period.

I did it three times on my E-460; Accuphase's own decision to replace one capacitor (after the warranty period but of course free; a kind of gentle/generous preventive recall?), one repair for my mistake (short-circuit at SP terminals while operation) and one full overhaul maintenance.

They have several large storage rooms keeping huge amount of amp parts, including rather old capacitors, resistors, inductors and so on, used in their old products. In case if they cannot find the same parts, sometimes they even handmade it (by themselves or by contract-out) for perfect repair and maintenance, still in reasonable cost for us.

Their comparably high price list includes the cost covering such repair/maintenance policy, operation, human resources and services, I believe.

In my post here, I wrote;
Accuphase is intentionally restricting their export sales less than 30 % of their total business revenue in order to keep existing as an pure Japanese independent sustainable company;
http://www.accuphase.com/company_profile/a2_management_policies_2.pdf

In my post here, I wrote;
All the Accuphase registered users (including myself, of course!) receive "New Year's Greeting Card" every year (at least in Japan).

 

[dualazmak]

In my post here, I wrote;
Accuphase is intentionally restricting their export sales less than 30 % of their total business revenue in order to keep existing as an pure Japanese independent sustainable company;
http://www.accuphase.com/company_profile/a2_management_policies_2.pdf

 

[dualazmak]

This thread would be also of your interest and reference, I assume;
Mark Levinson or Accuphase
Especially @amirm's comment in his post #29.

Spoiler

Accuphase. 20 years ago ML would be the answer but not anymore.

 

[a.dent]

In my post here, I wrote;
All the Accuphase registered users (including myself, of course!) receive "New Year's Greeting Card" every year (at least in Japan).

I'm still waiting for my first New Year's greeting card. I don't think we will be getting them in Australia. But my Japanese is a bit rusty anyway.

An interesting typo in this card above. SACO instead of SACD.

 

[dualazmak]

An interesting typo in this card above. SACO instead of SACD.

Oh, that was my typo error! I will soon correct it and replace the jpeg image. Thank you for finding and letting me know the typo.

The typo was corrected and jpeg image replaced in my above post #125 and in the original post here.

 

[dualazmak]

As written in the Accuphase 2025 New Year Greeting Card, they are operating even second users (third, fourth, and so on...) registration system who acquired the Accuphase gear(s) in used market for strict traceability and repair/maintenance services.

 

[dualazmak]

Accuphase 2025 New Year Greeting Card; I will soon receive new one for 2026 in January.

 

[NTTY]

Thank you for a very interesting vintage teardown + test report! For what it's worth here's a video of a 2025 factory visit, with disc player internals shown at around the 30 minute mark. Newer models rely on what appears to be an inexpensive, commodity type transport, and that's exactly the sort of detail I'd want to see in a player designed to last for a lifetime.

Nice video confirming every single device is tested in full, including electrical and mechanical stress tests + touching, watching, listening, nearly tasting them too

 

[NTTY]

It was great to read this review. And the ensuing comments.

I'd wanted Accuphase gear since 1977 when I heard a system comprising a Linn Sondek TT, C-200 pre, 2xP-300 power amps and Gale 401 speakers. I was totally blown away.

C-200 review soon, stay tuned
The P-600 will require more equipment from me before going to the test bench!

When I retired 8 years ago I bought myself a retirement present of a medium level Accuphase system.

That is a very good idea! And super nice stack that you have.

 

[Scytales]

I miss Accuphase multichannel preamplifiers and regret that they never made a multichannel universal disc player with digital inputs.

 

[Frank Dernie]

One must be an idiot to spend money on gear like Accuphase these days in a world where topping and SMSL rule.

In a world where people are obsessed with money, money, money, money you mean?
On that basis you are probably correct but the consideration of money as a commodity worth having rather than the bargaining token it started as is a cornerstone of most of what is wrong with the modern world. IMO, anyway

 

[NTTY]

OK, another Accuphase tour spoken in English!

I LOVED IT!
Thank you!!!

So he said now the split between domestic and international is 50/50, but still 6000 units per year max.

And the 75 years old guy we see, Accuphase employee for 50+ years, if I see any unwanted issues from the C-200 that I’ll test soon, I’ll happily send to him for fixing!!!

 

[BeeKay]

One must be an idiot to spend money on gear like Accuphase these days in a world where topping and SMSL rule.

I get your point. But why this needs to be taken to a personal level as you are well aware there are some aficionados around?

 

[dualazmak]

And, e-mail and phone communication with Accuphase is always really smooth, timely and enjoyable, especially after you would have one of their products and the serial number!

As I have my treasure E-460, about 5 years ago I had very nice intensive e-mail/phone communication and discussion with the Accuphase designers and engineers regarding my way forward towards PC-DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active approach. They always sincerely responded to my naive and/or in-depth inquiries, and finally they strongly encouraged me going into my "royal road", with saying that "only if you have full capabilities of utilizing excellent DSP software within PC, and if you can get excellent multichannel USB-DAC like OKTO DAC8PRO", even though they have their product lineup of highly rewarded (expensive!) Digital Voicing Equalizer and Digital Frequency Dividing Network; it was quite a fair and productive discussion which I fully appreciated and enjoyed.

Of course, you can do these, e-mail and phone talk, in English!

 

[Scytales]

I LOVED IT!
Thank you!!!

So he said now the split between domestic and international is 50/50, but still 6000 units per year max.

And the 75 years old guy we see, Accuphase employee for 50+ years, if I see any unwanted issues from the C-200 that I’ll test soon, I’ll happily send to him for fixing!!!

6'37'' in the video, top left corner: a box (full of?) Sony KHM-230AAA laser optical pick-up mechanisms.

The optical pick-up used in Sony SCD-555ES, SCD-XA777ES and SCD-XA9000ES amongst others and unfortunately known to loose its ability to read the SACD layer of hybrid discs over time (although this very mechanism in one of my disc players still works flawlessly after 25 years of operation).

 

[NTTY]

I can’t resist to share:

Measurements in progress