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Thoughts on vintage Accuphase

I have an opportunity to buy some vintage Accuphase gear -- C200 preamp and P300 power amp. Just wondering if anyone has opinions on this combo. More specifically, how do you think it compares and competes with modern equipment, and what should be a reasonable price. If I end up buying, I will either be driving P3esr speakers in a smaller room (12x13), or Sonus Faber Olympica II in a midsized room (20x15). Should I walk away and look for more modern equipment or do you guys think it competes favorably with new’ish stuff? I prefer a warm sound but not at the expense of details, transparency or tighter, fuller bass.
128x128arafiq
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,665 posts
 
Appreciate the responses. The buyer is asking for $3000 for the combo. As much as I would like to explore vintage, this doesn't make sense. It's so much out of the ballpark that I don't know how to even begin negotiating. Lol!

What I'd like to know is how much of the sound characteristics are common between the newer Accuphase vs the really old ones.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,661 posts
 
@ arafiq
 Many moons ago I owned both the C200 and the P300. Not my cup of tea. Don’t forget that those are close to 50 years old. I think you are better off spending your greenbacks on something brand new! BTW, I own those Harbeths!
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94968
14 posts
 
I owned an E202 and T101 for 35 plus years.  Still have the T101, Great Tuner but doesn't get a lot of use these days.  Never had any problems with the E202.  While it was an integrated amp, you could also use it either as an amp only or pre-amp only.  Paired with double Advents, then Ohms and finally Polk RTA12's.  Can't speak to the equipment you are looking at but I never had any issues with mine over all those years.  Was pleased with the sound and found that changing the cabling had the biggest impact.
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,665 posts
 
I've been perusing local ads for vintage equipment, but my god, either the sellers are deluded or there really is a market where people are willing to pay more money for a 30 years-old unit compared to an equivalent new (or new'ish) one. I'm not trying to suggest that vintage does not measure up, but they have to perform significantly better to warrant such high asking prices. I'm pretty much done considering vintage :(
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,794 posts
 
We serviced out a C-200 several weeks ago. It is extremely well built and the design is top notch. Any electronics this old though needs all the filter capacitors replaced in the power supplies.

But seriously there are many better sounding preamps. While this preamp was quiet, it was only capable of MM cartridges. The tone controls employed switches so set to flat it was truly flat. But it has a bright character that is de rigor for solid state preamps in the 70s and 80s. I think you could do better with a Dynaco PAS-3, properly refurbished.


I could entertain getting something like this for the novelty, but not more than maybe $200 and certainly not for my main system.
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