Accuphase C-47 Test / image hifi 2/2021

Champagne Mood
On special occasions we treat ourselves to a glass of champagne. Its uniquequality lies in the carefulness with which it is produced, and also in the limited
growing region of the grapes used for this purpose. It’s no coincidence that thefront panels of the Accuphase devices have shimmered in champagne gold forquite a long time. But to get into a champagne mood while listening, it takes
much more than just a noble appearance.

In 1972 I was in Munich for the first time to visit some friends and the Olympic Games
together with my mother. I can’t recall the sports events. But I remember the large,
almost intimidating hi-fi system of my friend’s dad, although I didn’t know any brandnames back then. In the same year the two brothers Nakaichi and Jiro Kasuga, ex TrioKenwood engineers, founded a new company named “Kensonic“. They wanted todistinguish themselves from the upcoming mass production and develop, produce andmarket super high-grade high-end devices. The start took still place in the privaterooms of Jiro Kasuga in Tokyo’s Ota district. In 1973 the company moved then to anew building in the Aoba district of Yokohama where it’s still headquartered. In thesame year the first products were launched, among others the T-100 analog tuner
under the brand name Accuphase.
In 1979 I visited my first hi-fi tradeshow, the IFA in Berlin, which took place alternately
with the Dusseldorf “hifi“ back then as the most important industry get-together. In themeantime I knew all sorts of brand names and for a long time I was standing still inawe before the noble big amplifiers from the USA and Japan. At that time the European
hi-fi industry was rightly trembling in fear of “the Japanese“, for one had ignored anumber of trends. Under the headline “Fear of Japanese“ of its 34/1978 issue, theSpiegel magazine also wrote about the boycott of the 1978 hifi Dusseldorf by some1German large-scale producers. They had been complaining about exhibition areas
being too small and seemed to be happy with the expansive IFA in the two-year rhythm.
During that time a specialization away from the mass products already becameapparent. Four years later the HIGH END came into existence, while the“hifi“ disappeared from the scene. The Spiegel aptly wrote: “Whereas consumer hi-fi
keeps getting cheaper and cheaper, the avantgarde nabs a pretty penny for theirtechnological edge.“Kensonic knew that, but always laid focus on a reasonable, transparent priceperformance ratio and durable products. This has paid off, for the company is still
independent, incurs no debts and needs no investors, either. From the very beginningthey took their time for developments, and it was not before 1979 that the AC-1 wasintroduced as their first pickup manfactured in-house, which was then succeeded byfour other models through the decades. After the introduction of the T-100 tuner evena dozen further tuner models followed. In 1982 both the company and brand names
were merged; “Kensonic“ vanished, leaving only “Accuphase Laboratory, Inc.“ Though
Accuphase may be known for their great amplifiers or CD players in the first place, thecompany has a long analog tradition. At Accuphase the clocks were ticking differently
right from the start, and the makers have admirably remained true to themselves. Sofor decades they had relied on the phono sections built into the preamps and saw noneed to develop an external phono stage. Although with the C-7 (1979) and the C-17(1984) so-called head amps or pre-preamps for MC pickups had been designed, but
only with the C-27 from 2008 a separate phono stage was presented – 46 years after
the company foundation. Its follow-up model C-37 (2014) was the predecessor of thecurrent C-47.
The most important design criterion of the C-47 is a fully balanced dual-mono circuitry
together with a discrete mains transformer for each channel which results in a once
again lowered noisefloor. The values of the C-37 were already outstanding, now they
are exorbitantly good. Like in the C-37, the MM stage was not just given a level boost
for low-output MC pickups, yet constructed separately in keeping with the solution for
the C-27. Take a look at the pictures, I have almost no words to describe this wonderful
layout adequately. By the way, in case you think the indeed essential mono key might
have been forgotten – forget it. It sits in the preamps where it truly belongs to. The2circuit of the C-47 was developed by Takahiro Koyano, a 34-year old engineer whose
previous job at Yamaha High Tech Design Co. Ltd. was to design high-end specificICs. He’s specialized in line and phono preamps as well as D/A converters. Surprisingly
I received very personal information about Koyano-san which I certainly don’t want towithhold from you. This guy is an audio nerd who buys old, worn out hi-fi equipment,
refurbishes them completely and spruces up their circuitry in his leisure time. In addition,
he loves music and plays the violin. If I was to create the profile for an ideal designer,
it would exactly look like this. Another interesting fact to know is how the typicaldevelopment phase of an Accuphase device passes off: the majority of the circa 30
design engineers, an amazing number of experts – which sheds a light on the depth ofdevelopment –, is involved in all new products. This also explains why Accuphasedevices seem to be made by one single person, and their company ID is clearly visible
at any time. Over a period of two to three years ideas are being developed anddiscarded again and circuits tested until the concrete design phase begins. During thistime the engineers are in close contact with various parts manufacturers for devicespecific developments. This makes it easier to understand why Accuphase works
together only with Japanese makers. After the completion of the first prototype a
specially trained team carries out soundchecks for at least three months, in the courseof which parts are swapped until finally everybody is happy. On average after a coupleof years the devices embark on their journey from Yokohama around the world,
whereby only about 30 per cent are exported.
The C-47 allows to use three pickups simultaneously, for us testers this is sensible
luxury. On the back we have a separate ground connection for each input which is also
worthy of the name. On the front, left below the center display, is a rotary switch for
MC/MM, next to it are the keys for the level adjustment (gain) and the subsonic filter,
and to the far right is another control for the impedance selection (6 for MC and 3 forMM) with, in my view, absolutely practice-oriented values. The C-47 memorizes thesettings for all inputs and shows them clearly readable on the beautiful display. Mytonearms are all wired through in one piece, so I can’t connect an XLR cable for a fullybalanced operation. Maybe the C-47 would notch up its acoustic performance a bit
more in fully balanced mode, but it sounds phantastic also in unbalanced mode. You
can read it out from my lines, it’s not only an immense enjoyment working with such adevice, but also do music listening with it. I was using three different pickup systems:3the Lyra Delos, the Mutech Hayabusa, and the Hana Umami Red. To my ears, eachof them feels the best at 100 ohms of terminating impedance and the standard gain
setting.
As you now, we are not a comparing magazine. However, after the German Accuphase
distributor P.I.A. Hi-Fi had been singing the highest praises about the new C-47, I
simply had to accept their offer to compare it to the C-37. I know and appreciate the C37, which is why I was wondering about the statements of the otherwise so reservedP.I.A. staff. Viewed from the front the two devices look very similar, only thechampagne front of the older model shimmers in a more silvery hue. Now, what canhappen in terms of sound here? Well, there’s a lot happening, and it’s nothing subtle,
something that really amazed me because of the basic quality of Accuphase devices.
Thus over the C-37 the Hana Umami sounds almost as if, figuatively, it didn’t wear asilk kimono, but a sou’wester. When the C-37 is connected, something like a heavy
acoustic curtain descends over the music, as if musicians were rehearsing behind it on
the stage and I was waiting in the audience for this curtain finally being pulled up. But
this is simply not happening. I check the settings – normal gain and 100 ohms,
everything’s identical. The difference between the two devices is so significant that I
don’t need to trouble my audiophile sensitivity any more. My Air Tight ATE 2005 phono
preamp also flashes its tube-equipped finger at the Japanese sister. By comparison
the C-37 sounds slightly compressed, somewhat musty, sluggish, almost dull, while itssuccessor not only plays hands down in a higher league at identical gain, but even abit louder. Why this is so and whether that huge sonic advance is primarily due to thepurely balanced circuitry, as colleague Holger Barske supposes? I don’t know, I’drather listen to the music.
The smooth transparency presented by the Lyra Delos in combination with theSchröder No.2 SQ tonearm and the C- 47 is something that certainly not many of those
who could never hear the system that way will give it credit for. From this experience
originates a good bit of advice: you own a Delos, would like to allow yourself the C-47
and are now wondering if this makes sense? And how! Because I can promise you thatyou will not want to upgrade at first, but listen to music. And when the Delos needs tobe renewed one day, you can still deal with the topic of upgrading. The C-47 will be
there and also take the next step. How do I know this? I installed the Mutech Hayabusa
4for almost triple the price tag and put on a dream record: John Lewis & Sacha Distel:
Afternoon in Paris (Versailles MEDX 12005 / Sam Records SR12/1, Re Frankreich
2015, LP). I was surprised to discover the very young French tenor saxophonist Barney
Wilen as a frantic young musician. Later his lip became much softer, but here he’s
blowing so passionately that at first I didn’t recognize him at all. He’s playing deep, very
deep in the room as if he had leaned on the rear studio wall. In the club of the mostinfluential 20th century pianists, John Lewis tends to be overlooked easily, his role asa composer and his capacity as the head of the Modern Jazz Quartet are too sublime.
His intro on “Willow Weep For Me“ is so enchantingly beautiful and his quotation of“Mona Lisa“ nothing short of amazing. And those who know Sacha Distel only as achansonnier, must listen to his guitar playing on this record: in a sparkling, exquisite
and lithe manner the C-47 is releasing the notes into my listening room – what a delight.
Is Jorja Smith the singer Mariah Carey always wanted to be? She’s by all means asinger who leaves me extremely impressed. Her album lost & found(FAMM JSLAFLP01, UK 2018, LP) was mixed down in a modern way and thus
optimized for less than high-resolution playback situations. Which is why “Teenage
Fantasy“ bugged me because of its compression effects. Owing to the C-47’s
integration capability the piece now develops magical traits; this is now the record I had
wanted after watching Smith live on arte. What subtle effects I am now suddenly awareof! How she seems to vanish behind the speakers in the haze of noises and then again,
mixed up front very straight, almost appears to be sitting on my lap … well, I’ve got tostop here but if you can, listen to this for once, and exactly with this combination.
Salute To The Sun (Gondwana Records GONDLP039, UK 2020, 2-LP), the newrecording by English neo-jazzer Matthew Halsall, guides the listener on an unusual
sound trip. Maybe to Borneo? Into a jungle anyway. – And Halsall comments on thisjourney with his trumpet like pianists once did when backing silent movies. I feelstrongly reminded of the unforgettable radio plays of my childhood. Besides the infinite
wealth of noises and permissive effects I hear a double bass with a full and gnarly
wooden sound while the piece is picking up speed, saxophone and piano are finding
their places and the drummer is setting first accents. The stupendous resolution of theC-47 is so entirely integrated into the overall event that I’m holding my breath, and evenlong after the record has ended I’m still keeping my listening seat in awe. Finally I put5

on one of my favorite albums by Miles Davis: Seven Steps To Heaven (Columbia CS
8851, USA 1963, LP). It was aptly described as a transitory album, for the old quintet
line-up no longer existed and the new one hadn’t got together yet. Only bassist Ron
Carter as a future member of the legendary second quintet is already holding thestrings tightly in his fingers. But the record is far more than just a “transition“. Withpianist Victor Feldman Miles gets along noticeably well, and tenor sax player GeorgeColeman was a giant who earned way too little fame. Thus Miles celebrates the “BasinStreet Blues“ with his stuffed trumpet as a near-duet with the so exquisitely playing
Feldman, far away from the ongoing, self-imposed innovation pressure. Through thewonderful acoustic timbres, the spotlighting of the room and the explosive dynamics ofthe cymbal hits the C-47 makes the transition from bop and cool to modal jazz withfreer elements easy to grasp.
Last but not least I had to listen to some Bill Evans. No musician has accompanied mylife longer, no one has influenced it more. For a long time Edition One and Two of The
Paris Concert (Elektra Musician 96.0164-1 / 960 311-1, Germany 1983, LP) had been
the last available recordings by the final Bill Evans Trio. When we realize how badly
Evans’ health was already afflicted back then, it’s hard to believe with how much energy
and beauty he’s playing here. Evans really seems to have been kept alive enegeticallyby the love of his audience as Laurie Verchomin, his last life companion, narrates in along interview: “His vigor … came from the audience, his bandmates and the endlessuniverse of love which exists for all of us.“Yes, all of our lives are finite, but in such moments – thanks to Bill Evans and a phono
preamp like the Accuphase C-47 – it expands far into infinity for an almost endlesschampagne moment. If you ask Eckart Witzigmann, the “chef of the century“, about his
favorite beverage, he needn’t think long: “Champagne is always perfect.“ How right heis. Making the exceptional your standard is a wise choice, a decision for more musicalenjoyment and life quality. That the C-47 is one of the finest phono preamps available
these days, and in the sum of its qualities something like the gold standard, issomething I won’t need to mention again, will I?
Christian Bayer6