accuphase compare to mcintosh

The high price of Accuphase in the US is mostly due to distributor markup. You will see this if you try to get a unit from Japan. The shipping, duty, and what have you does not cost as much as you think. I don't think Audiozen is a dealer. He's just stating the facts of which manufacturer uses better parts and has better build quality. And that would be Accuphase. Accuphase is also better in sound quality; much more transparent and dynamic. However, McIntosh is not bad at all, and they certainly are in the top 10 of hi fi companies. But their stuff is a bit slow and colored compared to Accuphase. Anyway, that's my take.

I have always wanted to audition Accuphase gear- no local dealer/retailer. And yes, blame our government for the relative 'low' value of the dollar.

Yeah, you'll have to make a trip to audition. I know I have to as well. The list of dealers nationwide is on the distributors site. Again, the low value of the dollar only tells part of the story as I explained in my last post. The dist. does not import hundreds of these units into the US. What is the case most often is an Accuphase component is a special order. This is what I've been told by an authorized dealer.

Both are higher priced because of the brand name, but really, Accuphase is going to be the better one, in most cases.

It depends on your preference for sound, as Esoteric is very good and a bit more dynamic, as is ARC, which still make only stereo CD players, and Ayre is very good, a bit more breath-openness than Esoteric, yet Esoteric has a huge sound stage. Then I find my old McCormack UDP-1 to be more warm and palpable, but less dynamic, while Accuphase is near as dynamic, more air, more lush and one might say warm, then how you define warm? If it means to shadow some detail, the McIntosh may sound better to one so disposed. Personally, I am happy with Esoteric, the two I have and I like the Ayre V-5xe for being a bit more smooth, or a air like presence in the upper mid-range, then both are very good and you would need the best preamplifier and a dam good power amplifier to tell much difference.

I am not with audiozen... But they are not in the the same league. Accuphase is better. Its power conditioner, channel divider and equilizer are the best around the world. I think you will get the same answer if you ask any dealer.