ACCUPHASE A-80

MJ10.06.2024

Power amplifiers

Before any critical listening, let the amplifier warm up for an hour, as it does not do its best when cold. When I owned A-70, I never switched it off, although I acknowledge it was quite an expensive for the Class A drew over 200 watts without playing. The Stand-by mode takes 0.3W, so if you let the amp play loud for 20 minutes, it should be ready for a listening session.

100% reference

Funkce a forma

100%
Ergonomie
81%
Zvuk
100%
Zpracování

The A-80 builds on usual Accuphase’s standards, so there is nothing radically different from its predecessor. The small improvements are many, however, and all add up to a better sounding amplifier. This time, the engineers focused especially on the values of harmonic and intermodulation distortion. This is where Accuphase uses global negative feedback, that actively monitors signal on the output. As Accuphase puts it, “Remote sensing is the technique to lower the amplifier's output impedance by the negative feedback with the signal sensing from nearby the speaker terminals. Balanced remote sensing is also the technique to lower the output impedance by both the signal sensing and the GND sensing, that is, the negative feedback of the GND level.” One of the positive side effects: the damping factor has grown into 1000 (declared), 2000 (real). Interestingly, the A-80 has the installed capacity of 120,000 uF, which even exceeds the one of A-300 flagship monoblocks. Alike its predecessors, the A-80 keeps using MOS-FETs, fluorocarbon resin print boards, gold-plated signal paths and the bus bar, and rectangular wire coils. The output stage delivers the stereo power of 65W into 8 ohms, 130W into 4 ohms, and 260W into 2 ohms. In Class A. The 28dB gain is switchable (MAX/-3dB/-6dB/-12dB) and signal-to-noise ratio scores amazing 129dB in its lowest setting.

The rear panel is ´as we know it´. I love oversized speaker binding nuts, the possibility to choose polarity of XLR input, or the possibility to switch to mono/bridged operation via a knob. The A-80’s front panel is unmistakably Accuphase too, yet the design team introduced some subtle changes to make the A-80 fit for new generation. Thus, handles and power button have grown up, the trim of the display has been changed, and the display has been rearranged. Please check the picture in the gallery to see for yourself. The metal flap below the display hides controls for display modes and input and gain options.

Nízké frekvence

Váha
90
Výbušnost
89
Artikulace
88

Track My Treasure (Sinne Eeg) is a beautifully recorded but otherwise quite generic “female vocal plus double bass”. I liked the way the Accuphase played it, there was a wonderful contrast of the deep dark mass and the ethereal voice. The bass was on the more rounded and elegant side of spectrum, analog-like if you want, not unlike the thick and blooming bass from the recordings of 60s and 70s. This indicates its mid-bass balance and lends the bass fullness and punch. In years, there is clearly the trend of Accuphase amps being crisper and cleaner in the low ocatves, and the A-80 is not an exception.

Čistota rozlišení

Detail
89
Vzduch
90
Transparentnost
90

Symphonic music material was excellent through the A-80. The Accuphase provided very organic, smooth, and resolving sound, with wide and deep soundstage. If you wonder what the A-80 can do with heavy metal, then my verdict is a bit bittersweet. Virginian pack Enforced (Kill Grid album) is not a dynamic showpiece, but I would expect a tad more ‘bite’ from the Accuphase. The A-80 tamed the aggression slightly more then I wanted. Also, it preferred certain volume levels and when pushed to loud, it started to crumble. In this case the A-300 monos are a better choice. On the other hand, the material like Kill Grid is usually compromised from the studio already, so the smoothening of edges may be beneficial for some ears. I lived with A-60 and A-70 for years, and I always appreciated that they let me listen to music for hours.

Tonální věrnost

Témbr
87
Dynamika
91
Časování
90

Let me bring up the subject of “crisper and cleaner” again. For Accuphase, this is not exactly new. They made an excursion to un-accuphase sound in 2001, when after successful DP-78 SACD player they launched DP-85 flagship SACD player. At that time, digital was young and people loved listening to saturated tapes and forgiving vinyl, so the player was perceived as too clinical for back then taste. In fact, it was not clinical, just less editorializing. Another take Accuphase took with the launch of their E-5000 integrated amplifier, which reacted on the cleaner sounding Luxman amps at the time. For Accuphase it was like moving from red wine to champagne. The A-80 continues the champagne way and is the most contoured and controlled Class A amplifier ever made by Accuphase.

Prostorovost

Trojrozměrnost
92
Šířka scény
91
Hloubka scény
92

If you prefer acoustic genres, the A-80 will be at home with them. This may include brass bands that are just amazing through this amplifier. Especially classical music connoisseurs will be very happy with colours and harmonies that the Accuphase can conjure up. It does not provide coloured sound though – read it as full of colours. The key is to find suitable speakers. From my past experience, I found good synergy with Bowers & Wilkins, KEF, Avantgarde Acoustic, TAD, Fyne Audio, and Harbeth. Also, the size of your room and the listening levels will play major roles, although the A-80 can be bridged to deliver 520 watts into 4 ohms, if necessary. However, buying another unit gets quite expensive and at the total cost of the two other (and better) alternatives are out there. To sum up, the Accuphase A-80 is impeccably made and great sounding amplifier, designed to bring joy to homes.

Cena v době recenze:480 000,- Kč

Doporučení prodejci

Perfect Sound Group, Praha, tel. +420 722 960 690

Nisel SK, Bratislava, tel. +421 905 203 078

Připojené komponenty

  • Sources: Accuphase DP-450
  • Loudspeakers: KEF R-11 Meta
  • Interconnects and speaker cables: Nordost Heimdall, Nordost Tyr V2
  • Power conditioning: IsoTek GII Optimum, IsoTek V5 Sigmas, Nordost Qb8, Nordost Tyr V2

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Nisel SK, Bratislava, tel. +421 905 203 078

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