Do Bridged Accuphase Amps Sound Better?

I once took two Accuphase 100-watt per channel stereo amps in trade (lucky me!). The owner used to run them in bridged mono mode for something like 400 watts per channel, as I recall. Anyway, I definitely thought they sounded better in unbridged mode. Sorry!

Accuphase is a very tough act to follow. I'm not all that familiar with their present line - how powerful is the P-1000, and do they offer a more powerful amp? Also just curious, but what speakers are you driving?

Best of luck to you,

Duke

You can`t bridge 99% of amps & drive 4ohm loads. Even with the Big A, there`s no free lunch.

I own the Accuphase MC2000 so I dont have any problems with power. I was going to buy two A50s and bridge them but my friend who heard that set up said they sound terrible when you bridge them.
Nick

Thanks Duke, Porziob & Nick for your feedback.

Duke, P-1000 delivers linear output: 1,000 watts/ ch. into 1 ohm, 500 watts/ch. into 2 ohms, 250 watts/ch. into 4 ohms, 125 watts/ch. into 8 ohms. The next higher and also top model is a mono block that delievers double the power of P-1000. I am using Wilson Sophia right now.

Ronald

G4ronliu, how does your Sophias sound with the Accuphase.
I think the Sophias are not a difficult load for the amp, another important factor is the size of your room, a big room needs more power.

Seurat,

P-1000 sounded a lot better than the VTL MB-450 monos I was using. I hear improvement in all areas but I know it is not optimized, largely due to the fact that I am still using VTL 5.5 as the pre-amp. I am in the process of finding an Accuphase pre-amp right now.

The reason I am switching to Accuphase is becuase an audiopile friend of mine has a Accuphase pre/power with Thiel CS6 setup and it is the most impressive sound I have ever heard. John Atkinson's review of CS6 in Stereophile.com can pretty much sum up what I heard at my friend's. Just glorious. Something that I know tubes will never be able to achieve even with the already high power MB-450s. He is using the older P-800 stereo, btw, but is more powerful than P-1000 at 4 and 8 ohm.

My room is 9x12x20 with the no back wall. Area behind this room is open to the kitchen and breakfast area. A L-shaped setting. I know that a room this size may not need more power than what I have now, but since I am using my friend's setup as reference and if the addition of Accuphase pre-amp still doesn't get close enough, I am guessing that more power could be the solution?

Ronald

G4ronliu you are a lucky guy. The P-1000 is a terrific amp.
It's a powerhouse, it's a beast in terms of current delivery. It can drive, almost, every speaker.
If you want more power try the new P-7000 or the monoblocks M-8000, if the budget can strech this far.
I fell in love with this brand when I heard a Accuphase set up, with this amps, with Avalon speakers and the sound was just...... so good. How does it sound in your set up.

no bridging is summing the two outputs and adding twice the amount of noise

More power ?
For what ?
the P-1000 is great, and powerful.
Well, I've got the P-7000, the recent evolution of the P-1000, which sounds quite the same : wonderful !

I would have two mono Accuphase only with difficult HP to drive, like Magneplanar (and alike) in a big room.
With dynamic speakers, no need.