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Luxman/Accuphase/Yamaha - Quality?

Cereal Killer said:
have a look at the new Accuphase E-800 and E-650 both have high DF and both double from 8 > 4 > 2 > 1 Ohm.
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Yes, but is doubling really that important in typical domestic listening environments? There was a detailed discussion about this a few months back and the advice I took from it was that an amp that did well at doubling into low impedances was important if you have speakers that dip to low impedances and you listen at high SPLs, but not so important if you were only using a fraction of the amp's power output. i.e. an amp that outputs a maximum 100wpc into 8Ω but only 150wpc into 4Ω will still be able to supply twice the current into the 4Ω load at lower listening levels.
 
S-Man said:
You have fallen for the marketing CK.

Have a look at P5 of the technical info and you will see that they have downgraded the "rated" power at higher impedances:
http://www.accuphase.com/model/e-800.html
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Good point, I forgot to mention that in my previous post, apparently it's quite a common tactic in the industry. At least Accuphase has been honest in admitting this in the technical pdf, many others wouldn't I suspect!
 
Both Accuphase and Luxman provide for a tape loop, which is important for those holding onto their Nakamichis. The Yamaha does not.
 
Cereal Killer said:
E-800 DF=1000, RMS output states: 50w@8ohm, 100w@4ohm, 200w@2ohm ratio drops to 300w@1ohm. Still a very stiff, high power, high current Class A amp.
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90W RMS into 8R is 26.8V RMS
272W RMS into 2R is 23.3V RMS

Certainly this is "more than adequate", but it is far from the perfect voltage source the marketing figures would have you believe.
 
I don't have experience with Accuphase or Yamaha but recently purchased a Luxman 590AX II. This is replacing valve pre amp and mono blocks (75W).

So far very happy with the purchase (but only been 4 weeks). Really well built.

Heaps of power - but I am running 91dB efficient, nominal 4 ohm speakers. So getting 60W class A and about 150W A/B. However have not pushed VU's to 0dB yet (very loud) - hence still likely well within my 60W class A.

Midrange is as sweet as (or sweeter than) my old EL34 valve amps with airier treble and punchier, more controlled bass.

Also replaced a Dynavector P75 mkIII phono stage. Running a Dynavector XX-2 the inbuilt phono in the Luxman is big step up.

I still run a Cayin valve headphone unit - and it sounds much better than the inbuilt one.

This has basically the same preamp section as the 509x - which is slightly more expensive, but maybe needed in large rooms with innefficient speakers (or if you prefer the AB sound).

Still getting my head around replacing 4 boxes with 1 (would be 5 if you use the inbuilt headphone). But it sounds better.
 
Lowgroove said:
I don't have experience with Accuphase or Yamaha but recently purchased a Luxman 590AX II. This is replacing valve pre amp and mono blocks (75W).

So far very happy with the purchase (but only been 4 weeks). Really well built.

Heaps of power - but I am running 91dB efficient, nominal 4 ohm speakers. So getting 60W class A and about 150W A/B. However have not pushed VU's to 0dB yet (very loud) - hence still likely well within my 60W class A.

Midrange is as sweet as (or sweeter than) my old EL34 valve amps with airier treble and punchier, more controlled bass.

Also replaced a Dynavector P75 mkIII phono stage. Running a Dynavector XX-2 the inbuilt phono in the Luxman is big step up.

I still run a Cayin valve headphone unit - and it sounds much better than the inbuilt one.

This has basically the same preamp section as the 509x - which is slightly more expensive, but maybe needed in large rooms with innefficient speakers (or if you prefer the AB sound).

Still getting my head around replacing 4 boxes with 1 (would be 5 if you use the inbuilt headphone). But it sounds better.
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This is an interesting point. A friend has just bought a Denon PMA850. He is selling a £700 headphone amp as the Denon's headphone stage is superior. He is also selling his amplifier and separate phono stage for the same reason; the Rega Elicit and Arcam iPhono (I think). We were told and sold so many hifi myths about separating components but why would a hifi company not remove a component that was included in the price and sell it separately, in a different box, for many times the price, if the market accepts it?
 
I am very interested in side by side comparisons between Yamaha, Accuphase and Luxman, as well as my vintage Denon. The latter has seen off a lot of amps but I am interested in how they all compare, as Luxman and Accuphase have the brand kudos but I have heard wonderful things from the larger Japanese companies in their statement pieces.
 
This is what I am finding in the more modest Yammy 803D. The inbuilt Dac and phono stage led to my selling the external phono stage and Dac I had almost instantly. The quality of these inbuilt processes were just so good.
 
I never understood the need for so many separate boxes. Their is mininal technical reason why separate boxes would sound better (tradeoff between proximity to large power transformer9s) and reduction in interconnection loop areas).
 
S-Man said:
I never understood the need for so many separate boxes. Their is mininal technical reason why separate boxes would sound better (tradeoff between proximity to large power transformer9s) and reduction in interconnection loop areas).
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Box count matters, if you're serious about hifi. How can anyone take you seriously if you have a one box system? Might as well buy a boombox and be done with it. :D

P/S: I once had 6 boxes for amplification alone.

P/S2: A valid reason for separate pre-power amps is the use of active crossovers for multiway loudspeakers, where you need as many stereo amps as you have ways.
 
James said:
Box count matters, if you're serious about hifi. How can anyone take you seriously if you have a one box system? Might as well buy a boombox and be done with it. :D

P/S: I once had 6 boxes for amplification alone.
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I once had 5 (well, sort of...SUT>Phono Stage> Preamp> monoblock power amps), but who needs all that mucking about?
Ok I have a new theory...the more boxes you own, the sadder a person you are. I mean us real men, with busy lives, loved socially, doing our 3rd doctorate, parties and all just don't have time for more than one on switch.
?
:rolleyes:
 
James said:
Box count matters, if you're serious about hifi. How can anyone take you seriously if you have a one box system? Might as well buy a boombox and be done with it. :D

P/S: I once had 6 boxes for amplification alone.

P/S2: A valid reason for separate pre-power amps is the use of active crossovers for multiway loudspeakers, where you need as many stereo amps as you have ways.
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Agree on all counts!

My system does need a (customised) electronic crossover and another stereo power amp for the bass drivers, so 4 boxes in the minimum for me including 1 source box.
 
James said:
Both Accuphase and Luxman provide for a tape loop, which is important for those holding onto their Nakamichis. The Yamaha does not.
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The Line 2 input of the A-S3200 has a corresponding pair of output sockets which are suitable for use as a recording output to a Nakamichi. Or other cassette deck, come to that.
 
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