Accuphase Integrated Amp - E600 or E470


I am building a second system around Harbeth or ATC speaker and decided on Accuphase for integrated amp. Between the Accuphase E600 (class A 30 watts) and E470 (class A/B 180 watts) integrated amps I am hoping someone here has compared. I heard the E470 driving ATC speakers and liked it but have no chance to audition an E600. If the E600 sonics is only mildly superior to the E470 I would rather get the latter to avoid class A heat plus it is significantly less $$. I am in Jakarta Indonesia where it is always hot and I prefer not have a heater in the small 1BR apartment I live. But if the sonics gap is huge enough I am prepared to step up. Music I listen is varied - pop, jazz, light rock, R&B and occasionally classical orchestra.
noelpastor
Interesting question noelpastor.  I am wondering the same thing.  The E600 will definitely sound sweeter due to the Class A configuration.  I have been toying with the idea of looking in to an E470 due to the increased output over my Luxman L-590AX (which is a direct competitor of the E600).  From what I have been told by others who have owned both the E600 and E470, there is a slight difference in sound quality in favor of the E600 with the major difference being more power and less heat with the E470.

There is no getting away from heat generation with Class A amps and while Accuphase and Luxman generate less heat than some other Class A amps, the heat is still there.  In a one bedroom apartment in Jakarta, that could provide for some "toasty" listening if the ambient temperatures are already hot. 
Thanks that helps. If the difference in sound quality between the two is indeed slight I will likely pick the E470 due to its less heat and price. I have heard good things of the L590AX if I am not mistaken this is Class A so you may be making more of a sideways move with the E470. In a week or two I may be able to directly compare the E600 and E470 using ATC SCM19 speakers at the dealer this would be interesting.
You are correct, the Luxman is a Class A amp with 30 Watt output. I will soon see if its a sideways move.  I just ordered an E-470 to see if they make an appreciable difference with my B&W 803 speakers.
I would be interested to hear your thoughts after you compare the two. The Accuphase has a sonic character of silky highs so it may  synergize w/ the B&W revealing tweater. 
I,too, am interested in Accuphase- possibly an integrated. I look forward in reading about your thoughts/impressions.  Happy Listening!

I got accuphase e-470 new a week ago. Terrific amplifier with my Sonus Faber Guarneri Evo. I keep it for sure. If anybody need a really great Accuphase dealer, pm me for info -great advise and prices.

I'm very happy accuphase converter from many other brands such as Plinius, Jeff Rowland, Mark Levinson. I wish I would done it years ago.


Hi denon1, I also have Rowland and Plinius integrated amps on other systems. How do you feel the E470 betters these and what model of Rowland and Plinius did you have?

Noelpastor, I had all pliniuses models of integrated, latest that I recently sold was Hiato. Jeff Rowland I had was first continuum 500- not S2. Accuphase sounds more analog than both without losing any details. Great bass, silky highs, very quiet, just one step closer to life music.  I can listen to it without any fatigue forever. And of course build quality (even so both plinius and hiato build like a tank) on a higher level.

Denon1 one thing I noticed with Plinius is while the integrateds (still have a 9200) are excellent mid-level stuff you really need to go to their class A separates for a  jump in sonics. I remember comparing the 9200 with the M8-SA103 on same system and the difference was revelatory. I did not have rack space for a bulky amp like the SA103 so I never went that route. I look forward to getting an Accuphase integrated I have wanted to do so for a while but everytime I was ready to do something else comes up. 

noelpastor

   - You live in a "smal 1BR apartment"

   - You are building a second system with E600 or E470

I apologize for being curious but what is your first system en where do you place both systems  :-) ?

I can

The second system is for my apartment in Indonesia where I work. The main system is at home in Philippines where I have several setups. 
Update - I again visited the shop yesterday and listened to the E470 driving ATC SCM19, source DP550, this was much much better than before with the SCM11. Hell Freezes Over and DK Live at Paris sounded big and convincing, but with Eva Cassidy Live at Blues Alley I felt her voice just a tiny bit thin. Male vocals is some of the best I heard. Overall I really liked it except I felt there was still something missing. E600 is still sealed and vendor won't open unless I give assurance I will buy. Anyone heard the E600 driving SCM19 8 ohms 85DB sealed box, I worry there may not be enough power.
Just a quick update.  I received the E-470 today.  Right out of the box, it sounds as good as the Luxman L-590AX. The Accuphase has slightly more authority on bass and it seems to feed the B&W 803s as much as they need. The difference has been subtle thus far. 

More details to come later as things settle in but there is at least no perceived loss in the warmth of the Class A sound that I love. 

I am extremely pleased with the E470.  We used the amp to power the first North American unveiling of the Paradigm Persona 9H last month.  The Rep from Paradigm was floored with how good the amp made the speakers sound compared to two other amps they had been using.

The E470 is a keeper.
I have an E-470 AND a pair of ATC SCM 19s. I haven't heard the E-600, but I just can't imagine a better match. ATC's do like a lot of juice and the E-470 sure delivers.

That's nice to hear. I bought the E-600 earlier this summer as a demo from a shop a close friend owns. Had it been an E-470 I'm sure I would have still pulled the trigger. My wife and I are still blown away at how beautiful it sounds, and you can play it at extremely low volume and hear every detail. The background is completely silent.

Happy listening!
Well, I did it again.   Just pulled the trigger on an E-600.  It should be here next week.   I  am looking forward to getting back into the Class A "groove"!
Post removed 
arturgoniak - US List Price is $16,000.  Expect to get a discount from dealers though. 
jafant - I now have an Esoteric K-01X with Tellurium Q Black Diamond XLR cables.

Very nice! greginnh


it is good to read that you are still using Tellurium Q cabling.

This brand is still on my must-demo list.

Jafant - there really isn't any other brand I have tried that has come close to TQ.
Hi guys, interesting discussion, I am looking for an integrated amp to be used with my soon to arrive Graham Audio LS 5/9, could stretch my budget to the E-370 or maybe the E-470.
Can you guys tell me how these amps sound on low volume?
are they quiet in operation? And also how is the headphone quality?

thanks.
E-470 is dead quiet and has a very good headphone stage.

It does very well at low volume.
greginnh, I just read through this and noticed you ended up pulling the trigger on the E-600. Are you glad you did? 
Donjr, it was quite a journey but well worth it.  It's a great integrated amp.  I love it!
Greetings from Canada.
I am considering replacing my all ARC tube separates with a SS integrated that can easily drive my Verity Audio Parsifal Encore (89db eff.) and the E470 is on my short list.

Are you guys using a phono and DAC cards with your E470/E600?
Are those cards adding to the cost of the unit very much. I heard that they cost $2000.00 each. Anyone using them and can comment on their sonic attributes?

Would it be best to use an E470 "naked" and keep my separate phono stage ARC REF Phono 2 and Weiss DAC2. 
Thank You


smoffatt,

The Accuphase phono card is quite good.  I suspect that your separate phono stage would sound better though.
Greetings from Canada as well :)

The AD30 phono card is indeed excellent. I would say it competes well with a lot of external and much more expensive phono stages.

A DC37 is of course better, but I could leave with the AD30 as well for a much simpler integrated solution.

Having owned the Weiss DAC 2 years ago and now using the DAC-40 card I would say the DAC-40 is very close as well.