Pass....Accuphase....or......

Has someone compared the A-48 and the P-4600? A and AB? Sound? Heat?

-Hi, Yes I did. But I compared the P-4600 and A-80, not the A-48. My speakers are Sonus Faber Il Cremonese Ex3me and also compare the with McIntosh MC611 and McIntosh 1502. Of all those amplifiers, the winner for me is the A-80. Excellent and clean bass, Mids are just so beautiful with lots of detail and body and the highs are very clean, airy and I can hear detail on the music that I was not aware of with the 611 and the 1502. The P-4600 is a very good amplifier that I will probably said that is more similar with the 611, with nice Mids and a little more extension on the high frequencies but not to the point to be bright. Bass is excellent as well but with the A-80 my speakers reach the bottom of the frequency with more authority and you can not only hear the Mids but fill it as well. My recommendation, A-48. Same character of sound as the A-80. Slightly less power but this Accuphase class A seems like they have much more power than their claimed watts. Good luck on your selection.

@miguelderivero Thanks! The A-48 in on top of the list....

@southofdallas "How much class-A power does the A-48 deliver before drifting into AB?"

Theoretically A48s always will be in class A mode for full power range, using resistive 8 Ohms load.. BUT, :-), speakers are not resistors, loading applied to the amp is complex / resonating load, at some frequencies much lower effective impedance than rated! For sure A48s becomes high-bias AB class amp with 4 / 2 Ohm rated speakers..

“How much class-A power does the A-48 deliver before drifting into AB”
@southofdallas 
This is why it is crucial to properly match an amp to your speakers and vice-versa. If your speakers dip well below 8 ohms in certain frequency ranges, the P-4600 might be a better choice since it’s designed to handle lower impedances more efficiently while still maintaining excellent sonic 

While the A48s is designed as a Class A amplifier under an 8-ohm resistive load, real-world speakers present a much more complex and dynamic impedance profile. As the impedance dips below 8 ohms, especially with reactive loads from crossovers, voice coils, and cabinet resonances. the amplifier is forced to supply significantly more current.

@westcoastaudiophile @lalitk If I look at the specs it seems to me that the A-48 is the more stable of the two. Doubling the output power down to 1 ohm.  On paper, it does not have a problem with low impedance. Right?