Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Aug 31, 2018 19:42:43 GMT
I’m starting to notice their amps more and more. Along with Leben, it’s an itch I will have to scratch one day. Anyone had much experience with them? Any stand out models? Anyone want to tell me they are crap and save me the bother?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2018 20:52:42 GMT
Not going to lie I do love their looks.
S.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2018 21:05:21 GMT
Accuphase used to be the prestige offerings from Trio/Kenwood. I don't know if the two brand names are still associated, but the quality is certainly very nice.
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Post by dsjr on Sept 1, 2018 7:58:09 GMT
Lavish products at lavish prices. Recent generations of Accuphase much loved by those wealthy enough to afford them. As for new, maybe the current Luxmans undercut on price but with similar enginering quality?
With this kind of gear, so called sound quality is taken for granted and in fairness, neither brand I mention above is lacking in any way, and with Naim at ifs current price levels, it's not too outragious in comparison I reckon.
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Post by macca on Sept 2, 2018 9:16:31 GMT
Accuphase used to be the prestige offerings from Trio/Kenwood. I don't know if the two brand names are still associated, but the quality is certainly very nice. Not quite, it was started by an ex-Kenwood engineer who had a falling out with them and decided to go his own way. Never heard any myself but they do look great and are supposed to have that clean, sweet sound that the Japanese (and me) prefer. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2018 11:37:23 GMT
I'm bloody sure they were marketed by Trio/Kenwood, at least initially.
The Jap electronics industry is all a bit complex. For instance, who actually made the classic seventies Marantz and Harman Kardon gear? It sure as hell wasn't built by either of those American companies.
I know Nikko, Hitachi and Rotel used to farm out their services. Remember the later Leak and Wharfedale amps etc. that were built by Rotel in the later seventies.
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Post by macca on Sept 2, 2018 11:43:54 GMT
Surprisngly there is a bit about them on Wikipedia:
Accuphase Laboratory, Inc. (originally known as Kensonic Laboratory, Inc.) is a Japanese, Yokohama-based high-end audio equipment manufacturer founded by former Kenwood engineer Jiro Kasuga in late 1972.[1] Kasuga was not happy with the views of Kenwood relating to the follower of their High-End Supreme 1 unit (1967). He hired some engineers from other prominent brands (Marantz, Luxman) and started Kensonic, with Kenwood as a part owner. Some other connections in the early years of Accuphase exist as well. If you compare the parts used by Kenwood and Kensonic throughout the latter's early years, the familiarities show quite easy: knobs, buttons, tuner dials and the general direction of the design. Accuphase's early PCBs are tagged KENSONIC, too, and the early units bore KENSONIC on their frontplates as well. Until the mid-1990s, Kenwood still owned part of Kensonic. It appears that Accuphase engineers may have had a hand in the engineering of Kenwood's last high-end series (L-A1, L-D1 and LVD-Z1). For example, the Accuphase E-405 and Kenwood L-A1 have very similar volume knobs, side panels, and remotes.
So there was a Kenwood connection. As you say, the Japanese hi-fi industry is complex.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 2, 2018 11:46:08 GMT
That’s great info and well above Wiki’s usual standard, it’s now officially on my radar  |
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Post by macca on Sept 2, 2018 11:52:14 GMT
Worth checking out Luxman as Dave says. The stuff of theirs I have heard has impressed me greatly. And it looks good too.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2018 12:14:59 GMT
If you ever spot a Harman Kardon A402 amp, grab it. It's a very nice bit of kit! They are scarce though.  |
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