Is this the ultimate CD/SACD player?

[Accudazed]

Hi

Looking around the net I came across this:

http://www.accuphase.com/model/dc-901.html

Some of the figures are so OTT I can't help but foam at the mouth:

Weight - 112lbs
16 DACs
4 BIG transformers
18 beefy capacitors
10.7kg transport chassis
32 bit

etc, etc.

I MUST hear this player before I die! Does anyone on the forum have one or know someone who does? If so, please get in touch. Pretty please!:) Happy to travel any where in the UK (and possibly abroad).

Thanks!

Right, time for a lie down...

Steve

[MartinT]

But... it's not a player, it's a DAC.

Ah, you meant to include the DP-900?

[Mr. C]

Superbly built, smooth as silk, wide open sound, lovely timbre, also nice trailing note decay.
However not the most involving sound available think of it as a Japanese DCS with more texture.

[jandl100]

"smooth as silk" - the Accuphase players I've heard go a bit too far in that direction, for me.

I've not heard the Big Muthas on this thread, though.

[Spectral Morn]

Not heard one or any Accuphase but Esoteric make some very high end SACD transports and DAC combinations with dual XLR or Firewire data transfer for DSD and the DACS will process DVDA too.

Lovely looking kit that Accuphase, reminds me of the early 80s highend and mid market Jap CD players with lovely brushed metal fascias and wood end cheeks.


Regards Neil

[MartinT]

I'd love to put it up against my Ayre.

[Mr. C]

Jerry

Hits the nail on the head, they head into the real pipe and slippers territory was serious vigor (or should that be sloth like movement)

Mike

Your Ayre would sound as rough as a badgers in comparison very few can approach the Accuphase delicacy and sweetness, however it does possess significantly more life and vitality.

Esoteric's are the other way, slam, dynamics, bass and that polished Phil Spector wall of sound ability, using an atomic clock smooths them out as well as giving superb spatial information and serious bass.

Accuphase is one of those brands that tends to get overlooked in the high end in the UK, spot on for Jazz, light classical and choral music connoisseurs.

Worth an audition if you like your music with a sense of beautiful polish.

[MartinT]

Who's Mike? ;)

The Ayre definitely leans towards the 'big and bold' sound of the Esoterics but without losing delicacy and soundstaging.

[Accudazed]

All the ingredients appear to be there for creating the worlds finest CD/SACD player, well, ever?

The thing is, are there any in the UK?

Judging by the general avoidance of Accuphase by the UK's high end community (does that sound rude? :lol:) I suspect there is not a single example of their flagship two box jobbie in good old blighty.

It's looking like I will never get to hear one. :violin:

For me, that IS a real pisser.

Steve

UNLESS SOMEONE CAN HELP:)

[MartinT]

Well, it does cost $65,000 so how many would you expect there to be in the UK?

[Yomanze]

Well, it does cost $65,000 so how many would you expect there to be in the UK?

And it certainly won't blend.

[MartinT]

And it certainly won't blend.

I reserve blending for Apple products :lol:

[Accudazed]

Well, it does cost $65,000 so how many would you expect there to be in the UK?

I suspect there's rather more people in the UK who can afford $65k than we may think!

If any of those well healed audiophiles are reading this and a Wishbone Ash CD is whirring away in your DP900/DC901s, please send me a PM!!


Steve

[MartinT]

Ooh, Persephone...

[Accudazed]

Ooh, Persephone...

That's such a melancholy song! Written about the departure of Ted Turner.

[Accudazed]

Just checked Accuphase prices. Hoooeeee.

To assemble their top line CD/SACD system would cost 91106 Euros.

My deam listening session with a DP900/DC901 looks very unlikely now.

Oi, Alan Sugar! send me a PM.

Steve

[awkwardbydesign]

Weight - 112lbs
16 DACs
4 BIG transformers
18 beefy capacitors
10.7kg transport chassis
32 bit
Steve
My Chameleon DAC uses 16 NOS chips in parallel, and I read a suggestion that parallelling that many chips could cause a blurring or smoothing of detail. I have no idea if it's true, but it might make you feel better about not getting to hear one! :lol:

[Mr. C]

There are one or two of the units in the UK, though I suspect grey import :stalks:

Listen to Wishbone Ash on one will not do you any favors as the boys don't play with a corn cob up their asses as a rule :D

Accuphase equipment is not the sort of gear you can appreciate Cozy Powell performing the 1812 overture half way through Stargazer :lol:

Chopin, Diana Krell and Baroque are more suited to these classy players

[talisman2]

i have 2 of them , i play them through my NAD 3020 and Mission 700s ......... Whoops there goes me nose growing again !!!!!!!!!!!1

[Accudazed]

My Chameleon DAC uses 16 NOS chips in parallel, and I read a suggestion that parallelling that many chips could cause a blurring or smoothing of detail. I have no idea if it's true, but it might make you feel better about not getting to hear one! :lol:

Could well be true.

Only one way to find out tho!

[Yomanze]

The Accuphase isn't using them in parallel they're summing them together in an array. It is an interesting design but looks hugely complicated with inevitable long signal paths and tiny mistakes that add up compared to a minimal design.

Yes chips like the TDA1543 as used in the Chameleon can be paralleled for better resolution, but single TDA1543 is more natural in the mids and top end with the penalty of lower dynamics and 'richness' of the paralleled chips. The TDA1543 is nearer 14 bit resolution in reality, so parallel operation is an easy way to sum out the errors and get closer to 16 bit resolution, definitely more of the source material retrieved, but no free lunch as it won't have the timbre of a single chip.

[Sovereign]

I believe Paul of RFC has one of these.

[The Grand Wazoo]

No Paul has a DP55, I think. Similar to, but an earlier version of the 57 that Steve owns.

[Accudazed]

There are one or two of the units in the UK

Please can you do a 'Jim'll fix it' and send my contact details to the owners.

Steve

[PaulStewart]

Oi, Alan Sugar! send me a PM.

Steve, why Sugar? To my certain knowledge Amstrad never made an SACD player and if they had put the guts from someone else's in an Amstrad case, it would have been a Pioneer, not an Accuphase :rfl:

[Accudazed]

I believe Paul of RFC has one of these.

Excuse my ignorance but who is "Paul of RFC"?

Steve

[Accudazed]

There are one or two of the units in the UK, though I suspect grey import :stalks:

C'mon Mr C how can I contact those owners?!:scratch:

Steve

[The Grand Wazoo]

He's a member here (http://theartofsound.net/forum/member.php?6964-Reffc) Steve.
Here's a thread (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?30687-Attractions-of-a-good-CDP-V-s-Stand-alone-DAC) Paul started that may interest you.

[Accudazed]

Steve, why Sugar? To my certain knowledge Amstrad never made an SACD player and if they had put the guts from someone else's in an Amstrad case, it would have been a Pioneer, not an Accuphase :rfl:

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Amstrad! What was 'big Al' thinking?:lol:

Were there any Amstrad products that made the grade in a hifi sense?

Actually, I've just spotted the obvious:

Accuphase is formed from A (Alan) ccu (accurate) phase. Alan's accurate phase. That's it! Blimey, Amstrad created Accuphase. The company must be the high end side of Amstrad!!!! A sort of Teac/Esoteric set up.

A WORLD SCOOP FOR AoS :eek:

Is there any truth in the rumour that Amstrad invented the CD player and designed Koetsu's cartridges?:eek::lol:

[Accudazed]

He's a member here (http://theartofsound.net/forum/member.php?6964-Reffc) Steve.
Here's a thread (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?30687-Attractions-of-a-good-CDP-V-s-Stand-alone-DAC) Paul started that may interest you.

That's great thanks!!

[PaulStewart]

Were there any Amstrad products that made the grade in a hifi sense?

No :lol: At one point when they ran short of capacity, Amstrad contracted out production of some tuners and one amp to Pioneer, if you can find the Japanese made versions they are OK, but Sugar is alleged to have had a Gerald Ratner moment when he saw their first product, the 8000 amp and described it as "The biggest load of old rubbish I've seen in my life" A mate of mine was their service manager back in the day, a thankless task in my opinion.

Accuphase are very fond of paralleling things, in the 70s the made a MC head amp with loads of transistors IIRC 24 paralleled, lowest noise I'd heard up till then and kick ass dynamics

Cheers