Accuphase (and current Luxman) amps all seem to me all be fur coat and no knickers - beautiful and lavishly specified with that legendary build and "feel," but sounding very uninspiring compared to UK home grown amps like a Rega Elicit, LFD or Croft, let alone a Sugden.....
...............but by experience, it's a bit of a mugs eyeful - not a bad product by any means, but certainly aspirational/cachet based rather than a truly high achiever comensurate with the looks, finish, feel and especially price........
I can't be more specific, but there are decent audio items and lavish, luxury audio items and the two aren't always compatible. As much of the pleasure of luxury stuff is the pleasure of owning it and the feeling that you have something few others can afford.
Well, not in reference to amplifiers, but when auditioning many different CD players several years ago I chose the one I thought sounded closest to my idea of real music. My second criteria was how it was built - I tend to keep components for a long time and expect them to work when I switch them on.

Not because of how it felt or looked (I actually dislike gold coloured hi-fi).
And most certainly not because of the price tag or how I felt it would make me feel about myself or how others perceived me.

I preferred the Accuphase for how it sounded, both in a dealers system and on a week long home loan. My wife preferred it for reasons of sound quality too, so we bought it.

Dave, I bow to your great experience and knowledge but sometimes you have an incredibly frustrating way of belittling equipment that just doesn't seem to have worked for you, for whatever reason. If you don't like it, why can't you just say it's not for you? If you were actively in the trade today, would you not suggest that Mr RoboCopper should have a listen for himself to try & decide?