Accuphase Class A or A/B speaker match Dynaudio C1

To dig up an old post, does anyone know and have personal experience with the E-560 and the C1? 30w into 8ohms do not sound like much. Would a E-460 be more suitable?

I have experience with the E-550 (also 30 watts into 8 ohms) and the C1s mk1. The E-550 had absolutely no problem to drive the C1s (see also my previous comments about the E-550 amp). The E-560 has more drive than the E-550, i.e. it sounds louder for a given volume settings.

The E-550 and the C1s made a wonderful combo that bested my current combo ( E-550 & Focal MicroBes) in almost all areas.

Thanks, have you had the chance to listen to the e460 as well?

Hi Kalibur,

First, regarding my previous post, I should add that I listen to rather low listen levels, i.e. 70-80 dBs. At these levels my E-550 still had at least 20 dBs of headroom before clipping. Whether or not this will be enough for you it will depends on the type of music you are listening. That is, it will most probably not be enough to reproduce the dynamics of large orchestras and big bands music, but it will be plenty for most other stiles (including rock and metal). Of course, I am assuming that you do not attempt to fill a large rooms with monitors and an integrated amp that delivers 30 watt into 8 ohms.

Secondly, the E-560 is very underrated. As the nominal impedance of the C1s is 4 ohms the E-550/E-560 will provide 60 watts which in reality will probably be something like 80 watts (maybe even 90 watts). When I bought my Accuphase combo, the E-550 literally kneeled a Bryston 4Bsst (300 watts into 8 ohms) and a Musical Fidelity A5 (250 Watts into 8 ohms) when driving the B&W 802D speakers.

I have listen only briefly to the new E-460 driving the B&W 805 diamonds and I did not compare it directly with its pure class A siblings. However, the 400 serie Accuphase integrated amps are very powerful (much more powerful the ones in the 500 serie).

As I have wrote in my first post in this thread (not to you though), in order to decide whether or not you need the more powerful A/B design you really need to listen both amps driving the C1s.

Good luck and let us know your findings!
Paul

I have a C2 Signature and i had the chance of listening the Accuphase E 460 in my room and, frankly
speaking, I had not a good impression. At first I thought it could beat in every aspects my current
Rega Osiris. On the contrary, it could not match the Osiris in any aspect..power, transparence,
details, soundstage..in everything the E 460 could not be my choice.
Actually, a friend of mine who brought the E 460 to my house in order to compare it to the
Osiris ( he was almost closing the purchase of the E 460 since it was much better than his BAT
integrated amplifier ) At the end, He bought the Rega Osiris.
I know that it can be really difficult to think that the Osiris sounds better in all aspects
compared to Accuphase E 460 which is considered by most one of the best integrated amplifiers
already made and , please, I hope the Accuphase´s owners do not understand me wrong.....but it is a fact..at least in my room with the Dynaudios C2 Signature the Osiris sounded much better.