Differences between Accuphase C-2820 and C-3800?

Thank You Nvp for your positive, polite response. My hope is to keep things civil even though I have a tendency to have an acidic bite from time to time. I'll refrain and keep things polite. Looking at a cutaway of the Attenuator
Potentiometer interior in the C-2820 appears to have a better gear drive and a better Attenuator pot and housing than the one in the C-3800. So it is a slightly improved AVAA design over the C-3800. As I already mentioned, the C-3800 is a slow seller nowadays and word is it will be put out of production within the foreseeable future.

Hey,

I have recently uppgraded from Accuphase C-2410 to C-2820.
I have to say I am very impressed.For example the perspective is rocksteady, the soundstage is wider and there is considerable more depth. Also ther is more ait around the instruments.You can easy follow all instruments for example in a pianoquintett of Schumann.There is a tremendous dynamic in for exampel a record of Bruckners great mass for large orchester and Choir and you can mor easy hear throug and follow the diffrent lines in the Choir.Today the C-2820 have bin runned 275 houres.I also own Accuphas A-45 And Accuphse Sacd-combo DP-800/DC-801- The speakers are 3,5-ways floorstanders from Danish Audiovector, very sensitive 92 dB.

Well, after much deliberation, and careful research, I am slowly coming back to Accuphase, even though it's much more expensive than Pass Labs. Pass Labs is very good, but it looks to me that Accuphase is more musical and accurate. What I really would like to do is have a "shoot out" between the 2 brands. Hopefully I'll make a final decision! The 3 units I'm looking at are the C-2420 preamp, A-46 amp, and C-27 phono stage. I think this would really be a dynamite combo.

Audiozen, sorry for my very late reply. I too am glad the spirits have calmed down. Communication between people (both verbal and in writing) is a difficult thing. Debates like this often happen between passionate individuals. :) Even though sometimes I disagree with you conclusions and/or approach, I certainly respect the fact that your opinions are based on personal research (which sometimes seems to be quite involved, e.g. your thread WHEN DID DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY BEGIN?).

Coming back to the C-2810, C-2820 and C-3800 pre-amps, I still believe that, unlike the C-3800, the C-28XX models do not have a balance AAVA volume control. Since I did not do a direct comparison of these products, and also because of a very recent experience (read my next post), I will refrain to make further speculations.

Labo, congratulation for the new C-2820 pre-amp and thanks for sharing
your experience with us. I should say that what you have reported (i.e. the C-
2820 being much better than the C-2410) is very much in line with my recent
experience.

I have recently bought an A-65 power amp - mostly because it had a very
decent price and also because I was hopping to end the search for a power
amp. Since my A-45 amp has much more power than my 104 dB Avantgarde
speakers need, I did not expected a significant difference. However, I have
quickly realize that my assumptions were incorrect. Compared to
the A-45, the A-65 has: 1) a much more relaxed, controlled and fuller
presentation of the bass, and 2) a more stable and better defined stereo
image and sound stage. The A-65 also retrieves more details than the A-45.

I should also say that I have found the A-45 & C-2410 & DP-600 combo to
sound slightly inferior (but overall comparable) to the A-65 + DP-600 combo,
i.e. the C-2410 pre-amp is bypassed and the signal of the DP-600 cd player
is fed directly into the power amp. On the other hand, I have preferred the A-
65 & C-2410 & DP-600 combo over the A-65 + DP-600 combo.

Dave, it's good to hear you are reconsidering Accuphase.