Accuphase Power Amps

Thanks for agreeing Bvdiman...I value your opinion as you and Nvp are very knowledgeable about Accuphase as you guys actually own the stuff.

I too have the Bryston 4BSST (not SST2) It's a good, solid amp with good bass, but the highest level of realism is not really there. To be fair, you could do worse than the Bryston. However, Accuphase smokes it in the realism and soundstaging dept. Even the P-4200 does, imo. I would like to ask Beat496575 how the Accuphase preamp plays with the Bryston amp. Good, bad, otherwise?

Bvdiman, sorry for any misunderstanding or if I was not clear, as I don't disagree, but absolutely agree with your comments. In the calculations, I did consider a 3db headroom for the amp, which would be 180w for the P-4200. For a 4db headroom, that would be ~225w, and for 5db headroom, ~280w, so just add 1db or 2db to the numbers cited in my previous post.

Also, I have experience with both Class A and A/B Accuphase and Bryston. Again, I recommend getting the P-4200, as I do agree with Dave_72 that it will smoke the Bryston in overall sound quality.

Thanks Tls49. I call it as I see it. Accuphase is really special stuff. I didn't really like what they were putting out in the 80s (that could have been bad system matching,) but now it's really worth a serious audition and eventually purchase.

Dave,
There was a big lift in audio quality once the C2420 went in the system, substituting the Bryston BP26 Pre-amp. It felt like the 4BSST2 was all along the strongest component in my entire Bryston chain. If it wasn't for the colour match bothering me with the champagne image then I could easily live with it. Depth, realism, surreal black silence, control, better dynamics and less grain were all immediately apparent after burn in, suggesting we are talking a very competent Bryston Power but more to the point possibly the best Pre-amp I've ever heard!
Simon

Hi Simon,

Thanks for your reply. I figured that, but to be fair, the Accuphase is more expensive, but with good reason. So what would you say; replace the Bryston BP6P preamp first with the C-2420 or replace the Bryston 4BSST with an Accuphase A-70 amp first?

I ask this because unfortunately I'm unable to buy all 3 pieces (C-27 phono pre, C-2420, and A-70 amp) that I'm after all at once. I can only buy piece by piece.

Your thoughts, please. Thanks.