I have had the dp500 3 full days at home for trial.
It has been running uninterruptedly for 70 hours. It is very well built, has a very good sound but it does not sound any better than my old McIntosh MCD205.
So I will keep my Mac and the dp500 goes back to the dealer.
IMHO the MCD205 is VERY GOOD and the improvement in digital playback quality is becomming minimal and not justifying its cost. |
thanks Eljaro for your input but I never really liked Mcintosh cd players.
Anyone else tryied the Accuphase dp500? or compared it? |
I owned a late MCD 7009 which is the same as the 7010 and it is consider better than the MCD 205. Now I own an Accuphase DP-500 and I like it considerably better. Here are the difference, the bass is extended with body, the mids full weigh and vey warm, and the highs are very alive with a silky sound to it. In my opinion the Mac mid is leaner and the base lacks the weigh, also the highs are not as good. In my opinion is all better, and built like a tank. If you want Mac go for the their top player but cost a ton. I consider the DP-500 a good Value. I own MAC pre and Amp.
I hope this help you.
iamhifi |
i heard this at dealer showroom, the only player to compare was the giant killer rega saturn.
It was no comparison! the Dp500 has a different manifest, it makes the music sound real, alive. Its not a question of details, soundstage, etc, its more of the fact that this player can make the music come alive in a very unique way that no other player can do. At least not yet in my experience.
Switching back to the Rega saturn was a huge set-back. it wasnt as muscal, its like listening to a hi fi system rather than a live event.
hard to explain in words but that accuphase can leave you wanting for it. |
I would second Nolitan´s findings.
The DP-500 made a 5-days test appearance in my system. Directly driving my active Avantgarde Acoustic Solo speakers, it was an absolutely compelling experience.
Detail, space, body and colours were wonderful AND made in total an extremely coherent musical experience!
The DP-500 was continuously giving credit to the listener; with almost all other digital sources I´ve heard, good as they were (AA Cap II, MacIntosh 201, Musical Fidelity..)rather the opposite was the case; the listener somehow has to fit in the sonic puzzle´s last pieces, be it mentally or emotionally. To me the Accuphase seemed just more generous, if that makes any sense.
However, being a new unit, the DP-500 opened up ONLY after 70-80 hours of continuous playing. Auditioners be really patient.
Regards |
To add what abetz is also stating, i notice that on not so "audiophile" recordings, the DP500 made those cd's sound very listenable. I brought some cd's that were early 90s recording. On other cd players, it sounded bright and tizzy. But with the DP500 i felt it smoothen those bright recordings and made in listenable.
Really impressive... The build quality is also tank like.
Good job on this accuphase. |
To make the DP500-song complete: one should definitely also use it´s DAC section.
I connected my squeezebox via TOSlink to the digital input, and Pandora sounded suddenly nearly as impressive as the CD section..
regards |
well is is very very good, but after comparing to the Emm labs cdsa se and Lindemann 820 is quite inferior to them and the price difference is accepted. Of course in Europe the euro currency balance favors the Emm labs very much and is a bargain to the japanese Accuphase and it's a lot lot better. Only lindemann 820 is strong contestant. |
Kops,
Check Accuphase Dp-78 out! |
I did is inferior to Emm cdsa and Lindemann 820 and Esoteric p03/d03.
Emm cdsa se is awesome and best value for money from all the above, which are reference class. |
Kops,
In Europe the price for Emm labs cdsa is 12000 EUR (US $16500) while the Accuphase is 5600 EUR (US $7700). Obviously they are not in the same price category. Or are you going to import a 115V model Emm labs from the US? ;-) |
Kops
Are you sure Dp-78 is inferior?
Lindemann is a german made gear and even couldn't score better than Accuphase Dp-78.(Audio, Stereo, Image Hi-fi...) |
Norwegian,
In my "town" Accuphase has 7200 euros and EmmLabs 9500 euros. So it's a no-brainer. The performance and class difference is very huge between Emmlabs cdsa se and all the Accuphase "single boxes" out there. Maybe the new twin-box of accuphase (which came with the same technology as Emm labs -twice sacd upsampling- and after it) is better but is twice the price.
Mert,
as for the german magazines please note that the Lindemann model is 820S, also there is a new model 822 with most of 820S performance and without the digital inputs and preamp in 6.800 euro.
Finally if someone really can import the Emm from US it will cost him around 6200euros but he must "deal" import taxes and shipping costs. (the unit is voltage selectable) |
So, if I understand EMM Labs is way better than Accuphase. Kops, why are you curious about the DP-500 if you already know that it is inferior to EMM Labs?
Chris |
Dazzdax, I was searching the market for a good digital source, after I sold my Audiomeca Mephisot II and having Sony999es in the interim and just could not beared it.
This process is started the last summer and I hope finishes this summer.
Then I found a good deal in Japan for the dp500 and liked the idea. In the meantime I heard many good digital sources like: Emmlabs cdsa se, Consonance droplet, Hegel 4amkII, Lindemann 820, 822, Accuphase dp78, Meridian g08, Esoteric X03se, Esoteric ux03se, Esoteric po3-d03, Cary 306sacd, Theta VIII dac, Esoteric x01, AccusticArts Drive1&dac mkIII....
The best impression of all the above had from the Esoteric p03/d03, Lindemann and Emmlabs cdsa se. For financial reasons the esoteric p03/d03 is out of the question. Then I decided I can think a better choice from the 5000euros category and after hearing the emmlabs & lindemann the road turned with no return.
Also the good deal in Japan (it was really tempting)included 100v version and I don't want to mess with the conversion. In my region the dp500 costs more than 7200euros so that making it unattractive choice.
IMHO the Emmlabs cdsa sa (for my ears) has the most right instrument timbre and an analogue sound never met in other digital sources so far. Maybe is the shape of things to come, already Accupahse with dp800 & dc-801 adapted the same path and I think dCs also.
Lindemann is a fantastic choice as well, but being in Europe with 10.300 retail for lindeman and 9500 Emmlabs retail (due to currency balance) is obvious for me my future digital choice and if I can finally afford it. |
Kops,
I'm sure the Emmlabs cdsa SE is a very good player. However, I think the voltage is preset from the factory and not selectable for the user. You should check this if you consider importing from the US. (I think many of the other models from Emm labs have selctable voltage). |
