New Accuphase Amplifier Experience

I've just completed my months long replacement of my system with the addition of the Accuphase P-4600 Amplifier. This is their new A/AB Amp.

For context my previous systems was:

Macbook Server/Streamer

Benchmark DAC3 HGC

Benchmark ABH2

ATC SCM11 Speakers

 

New System:

Aurender N20 Streamer

MSB Discrete DAC

Accuphase P-4600 Amplifier

Harbeth 7ES-XD Speakers

Each new component added was a significant upgrade to performance and SQ. The Accuphase was the last and a conflicting one for me as the ABH2 is an excellent amp and IMHO the best you can get under 5K. It is very neutral yet has an impactful bass, plenty of detail and smooth highs. However I did find the upper mid and lower treble a little too neutral and what some might call clinical or thin. That was really the only fault. The soundstage while not expansive has a nice width and decent depth. Its really a pleasant listen and not at all fatiguing. But I felt I could do better now that I had a more revealing system. After auditioning several amps on my list (Bryston 4b3 and Maciintosh 462) I found the Accupahse to have the sound I enjoyed the most. It was also the most expensive. But I decided that since this was probably my last system I would get what I wanted. So after getting a good deal at BEK HiFi in Allentown PA I ordered it the end of March and unfortunately missed the April shipment from Japan so I didnt get it until June 3. It comes well packed with a shipping weight of 80 pounds with the unit at 66 pounds. I felt getting the heavy box home would be an issue but Eric at BEK HiFi offered to deliver it with his dad and set it up for me even though he is a 90 minute drive from my house in southern NJ. While we listened Eric and his father Barry and I had a good hours conversation about music and audio equipment. I can highly recommend BEK Hi Fi. Very easy to do business and very accommodating.

Once out of the box and on the floor I surprised myself. I was able to pick it up the amp and place on the shelf. My upper arm weight exercise is paying off. 

I connected the amp and powered it with my audiophile power cable and started listening. It sounded really good for a new component and continued to do so for the next day as well. Then, as most of us do, I decided to read the Manual. In it Accupahse has very specific statements about use. Once that stood out was:

"Using a power cord other than the one provided is PROHIBITED. If you use a different cord it must meet the specifications defined by Accuphase"

. Which means essentially one that is exactly the same as the supplied cord.

This was actually listed as a WARNING. Very odd. So I decided to swap the power cable and use the one supplied by Accuphase. Well at least in my experience the sound improved significantly. It wasn't subtle. So I guess Accuphase knows what they're doing concerning power cords.The stock cord will stay.

The power cord I had I purchased to address those issues I mentioned about the ABH2 and it worked well adding some warmth to the mids  and lower treble as well as adding depth to the soundstage. Good synergy. But It was missing the target with the Accuphase. I think because the Accupahse did not have the issues the ABH2 did so the cable was warming it too much and making those areas too prominent. Power cable/Amp matching can be challenging.

The Accupahse SQ is somewhere between a very good SS amp with open smooth highs, plenty of detail, and a solid impactful bass and a very good tube amp with a slightly warm rich midrange and lower treble. The soundstage is very wide with ample depth and instrument separation. Its a beautiful presentation that can be listened to for hours without fatigue. From Large scale classical to jazz, pop it just sounds smooth and relaxed. Vocals in particular are really life like and full. 

Accuphase support tells me the amp will not deliver its best and really open up until 200-300 hours of break-in. So hopefully some additional improvements yet to come.

While waiting those two months for the amp to be delivered I had moments of buyer's remorse as the Benchmark ABH2 sounded really good in the new system. I had to keep reminding myself of what I experienced while demoing the Accuphase. Was it worth a price more than 3x the Benchmark? Well I can tell you now I would not want to go back to the Benchmark. So yes I guess it was. .