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Irrational Accuphase Lust

Ilkless

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Late 90s / early 2000s was the last time I owned a Sony ES set up, an SACD player and an AVR.

But these days....?

There are flickers of life in the headphone and earphone market, the occasional flagship that is built to a quality and attention to detail far above boutique brands can muster, with highly vertically-integrated production kept in Japan (one of the few to not use Knowles balanced armatures and develop BAs in-house). That's the closest thing to a continuation of ES I can think. Nothing with a reputation like the MDR-R10, but MDR-Z1R, IER-Z1R and their JDM custom in-ear monitor are all worthy of ES I'd say. The custom looks especially gorgeous. I would trust Sony over any cottage industry CIEM for fit and finish, as well as QC for fit. They even developed a custom resin for it.

Unfortunately their audio electronics seem a shadow of the past, tacky and mediocre.
 

Pernas

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Welcome!

I applaud your courage.

Brave to admit you prefer Sony ES to Accuphase.

Thank you!
I've heard that (most) Accuphase owners are open to other (good) brands or models :)
But as stated above, its kind of the past with ES these days, unless, which is my case, you like to find and fix things!
 

restorer-john

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Unfortunately their audio electronics seem a shadow of the past, tacky and mediocre.

Yes, sad but true.

I wish some of the "last hurrah" Japanese home market products from the mid and late 90s had made it out in numbers to the wider world- there were some spectacular Sony efforts.

Think TAN-R1 monoblocks etc

http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-TA-NR1.html
 
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Just joined this forum. I recently purchased a pristine Accuphase E-202 amp. It went up for sale, and although I didn't need it, I couldn't pass it up. And it had been recapped a few years back.

Up until then I used a Sansui 9090 that was fully recapped and it sounded monstrously amazing. After a few weeks of playing I find the E-202 smoother. CDs (Copland) sound a touch smoother, the tuner (Kenwood) is smooth.

My issue is my ears still seem to like the Sansui for my turntable. With the Loudness switch on, the Sansui just had so much punch, especially drums, ripping bass guitar and double bass. I'm not quite getting that with the E-202. The Sansui works fine but needs the tuner fixed. Once that's done I'll A/B both with the same gear.
Accuphase.jpg
Stereo.jpg
 

restorer-john

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Just joined this forum. I recently purchased a pristine Accuphase E-202 amp. It went up for sale, and although I didn't need it, I couldn't pass it up. And it had been recapped a few years back.

Up until then I used a Sansui 9090 that was fully recapped and it sounded monstrously amazing. After a few weeks of playing I find the E-202 smoother. CDs (Copland) sound a touch smoother, the tuner (Kenwood) is smooth.

My issue is my ears still seem to like the Sansui for my turntable. With the Loudness switch on, the Sansui just had so much punch, especially drums, ripping bass guitar and double bass. I'm not quite getting that with the E-202. The Sansui works fine but needs the tuner fixed. Once that's done I'll A/B both with the same gear. View attachment 121192View attachment 121193

The Accuphase is better in every respect than the 9090. Don't forget there are impedance (cart loading) and level controls for the phono 1 inputs on the rear panel. What cartridge are you using on the Lenco? Stock arm?

Welcome to the forum.
 
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The Accuphase is better in every respect than the 9090. Don't forget there are impedance (cart loading) and level controls for the phono 1 inputs on the rear panel. What cartridge are you using on the Lenco? Stock arm?

Welcome to the forum.

The arm and cart came from a friend who's into modding Lenco's. The arm is a NOS Esoter Track Ten (same as the Jelco SA-250ST arm). Cart is an Ortofon Red. Arm was in improvement over the stock arm and dropped right into place.

I'm open to understanding how I can tweak the amp so the phono sounds it's best.
 

DonH56

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Haven't really looked at this thread so have a dumb question: What is irrational about Accuphase lust? :)
 

DSJR

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The Accuphase is better in every respect than the 9090. Don't forget there are impedance (cart loading) and level controls for the phono 1 inputs on the rear panel. What cartridge are you using on the Lenco? Stock arm?

Welcome to the forum.

I have a period HiFi Choice review of the 202 and it came out well, although it didn't like 2 ohm loads and the hf filter was severe in the extreme as it removed everything much over 6kHz according to the measurements.

We took Accuphase on and I know the 202 subjectively rather well. I felt back then the brand had a kind of 'double cream' sound to it, but maybe that was a lack of high order or crossover distortion :D The 202 sounded more 'normal to everything else' though and memories are very old now and the double creram effect may well have been more the pre and power amp they once did in the mid 70's. A pal still has one 'on show' but as with another I knew of long term, all the controls have gone noisy and this one hasn't been serviced so no idea on the state of long term disuse on the caps.

Long deceased reviewer Angus McKenzie loved the 9090 receiver I remember for the amp performance as well as the tuner.
 
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Does anyone have recommendations on how to best setup the phono (disc 1)? At the back of the E-202 for Low Level Inputs > disc 1, R and L are both at Max, and Impedance is at 47k. I'm running a MM cart. Speaker Damping is set to Normal.

On the front, for disc and filter (6 buttons), I've found only the comp gives me some kick, but it sounds very boomy. All the other settings, whether alone or combined, seem to do nothing.

It's about the only thing from this amp I can't seem to enjoy. CDs sound amazing, as does the tuner.
 

Gorgonzola

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Heck yeah, it's irrational BUT ... I love to have an Accuphase system.

I'd settle for something relatively "modest" say:
  • T-1200 Tuner
  • DG-68 digital equalizer
  • DC-37 DAC
  • C-2450 preamp
  • A-75 class A stereo power amp
Maybe top it off with a pair of Wilson Audio SabrinaX floorstander speakers ... Like I say, modest.

Accuphase.jpg
 
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suavek

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Whispering won't get your learning nowhere. Owe it.
 

DimitryZ

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I have heard the new Technics speakers at AXPONA multiple times in different rooms (the bookshelf Ls50 knockoffs and the high priced towers) and was incredibly disappointed. Their brand resurrection has produced some very nice looking components, though.

I know that Accuphase makes nice stuff, it's just irrational because I'm so sold on their brand that would probably spend an unwise amount on them with very little persuasion
I advise buying a small thing they make used, at a substantial discount.

Once you live with it, and appreciate it, you will either want more or remain satisfied.

I have had many such obsessions, which resolved with exposure and time. Magnum-Dynalab tuners, Canary Audio amplifiers, high-end Ortofon cartridges, etc. Some are gone, a few were keepers.
 

Balle Clorin

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First i got an A36, and thanks to an exceptional good trade in I now have an A48. With 90db speakers and 45 Watt in class A and AB until clipping at 114watt I am forever happy.
The AB versions gives more watt per dollar
6FECF2F1-3AB3-4221-8A4F-098842DEBBC3.jpeg
 
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Sal1950

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Very nice, enjoy!
 

Wes

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I advise buying a small thing they make used, at a substantial discount.

Once you live with it, and appreciate it, you will either want more or remain satisfied.

I have had many such obsessions, which resolved with exposure and time. Magnum-Dynalab tuners, Canary Audio amplifiers, high-end Ortofon cartridges, etc. Some are gone, a few were keepers.


I have searched for two years but have not been able to find any of the lowest power integrated amps for sale used in USA compatible form.
 

GDK

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My RME ADI-2 DAC developed a small fault so I had to send it in for repairs. As a result, I was without a dedicated headphone amp for a few weeks and had to make do with the jack on my E-480 integrated amp. I was shocked by the power that it had available. So much so that when the RME came back, I sold it.
 

Balle Clorin

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I have searched for two years but have not been able to find any of the lowest power integrated amps for sale used in USA compatible form.
The international prices are doubled compared to Japan domestic price. Why the USA distributor multiplies the Japanese price by 3.4 I do not know. Maybe to limit sales to what the 80 staff in Japan can build ? they produce 5000 units per year and have no intentions of growing.
The only way I could afford an Accuphase was second hand and a shop demo unit for sale . Where
I live the Hifi second hand prices are generally maximum 50 % of the recommended new sales price, but Accuphase are sold at 60-70% second hand . Exceptionally high secondhand value. I was happy to get mine at 60%. I was searching for a year or two when I saw my units advertised, sold after 10 minutes online. Somtimes I get lucky :)

Such high USA prices surely makes the secondhand market limited too
 
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suavek

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I got my first two Accuphase amps myself also 2nd hand here in US for half price. This was one in a million opportunity to get like new gear from local chap who owned 120Vac (not japanese) version. I am 20+ yrs active eBayer and I can say these domestic versions are rare find here in US. Goodluck.
 
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