Discover thePossibilities!
Nothing’s changed? As if! With every new amplifier Accuphase exhausts its
possibilities further. We went on a discovery tour with the recently launched E480.
Groundhog Day! Another shibboleth, but on a serious note: whoever recalls thegenerations of Accuphase components – no matter what category – in one’s mind’seye, may indeed get the impression that we see, at best, tiny variations of the verysame all the time. Undisputedly, the Japanese noble brand has always relied on
evolution instead of revolution, yet has also succeeded each time to advance theperformance of their products step by step.
And so it comes hardly as a surprise that we had once more a feeling of deja vu withthe presentation of the new E-480 integrated amplifier. We know this one, right? Yesand no, because the well-known concept was modified in many places. And, pleasetake a good look, it now has a LED bar which indicates a lot of functions: no longer inthe dark contrasting field of the switchable VU meters, but below them in thechampagne front panel which makes it appear even more noble than the previous
model, the price of which it even undercuts by 250 euros. Apart from such cosmetic
retouches, the developers have refined and optimized the basic design in many
places and put virtually every part to the test by checking out alternatives. The quality
fanatics from Yokohama have documented the quintessence of their futile efforts in aphotograph (see page 36) in which they placed all checked, but discarded parts
neatly packed in little plastic bags before and around the finished amp. Those who
see it may have a better understanding why in particular Accuphase devices
regularly leave the impression of masterpieces elaborately arranged by fine fingers
and perfectly balanced in all of their properties. Among the most striking differences
are the new MOS-FET power transistors, which allegedly have an even faster risetime and are also more potent than the previously used types. Six of them perchannel sit in groups of three in a parallel push-pull layout on each of the two power
amp blocks, which are arranged as usual on either side of the central power supply.
Lush & thrilling even at low volume
Earlier than the lab check where the E-480 – a true-blue Accuphase here as well –easily surpassed the already generous power specs given by the manufacturer, welearned that the new Accuphase (the perfectly crafted exterior of which would rather
point to the dandy who prefers a gentle sound to a punchy one) has plenty of powerand can dish out mercilessly, too. Thus it was huge fun, for instance, to connect
Burmester’s new super turntable 175 to one of the two XLR inputs of the Japaneseand let Kari Bremnes’ ridiculously short and dry bass transients on her song
“Spor“ fire with a mighty volume level from the B&W 800D3s where it seemed indeed1

as if the amp was holding the Brit’s large woofers in a vise grasp. The announcement
fits in the picture that the damping factor of the E-480 could be increased once more,which is why particularly the woofers of the connected loudspeakers should follow
the amp’s transients as precisely and vehemently as possible. At the same time thelooming synthesizer clouds on this track could be heard floating lightly and lucid andalso fully undisturbed by the superficial turmoil in the background, while the singer’shigh, clear voice appeared energetically dense and like pinned down between thespeakers. The best and for everyday listening decisive fact is that even at low volume
the amp didn’t lose a bit of its thrilling fine and coarse dynamics and of its virile
vividness. Discover the possibilities? Okay, we’ve understood. So for the moment wedidn’t do any more listening checks and explored instead the generous list of features.
Unlike some other amplifiers with an emphatically puristic appoach, those fromAccuphase have always been oases of comfort. While a colleague recently
complained about the frequent absence of formerly self-evident little helpers – notleast disparaged often enough by our guild as dispensable sound killers, by the way–, the E-480 has them aplenty. Whether EQ and balance controls, loudness, muting,phase reversal or mono: it’s all there! Nowadays even rarer to find is a, once
common, switchable record out with a tape monitor function for triple-head machines,
but the Accuphase has it. And on top also an excellent sounding headphone output,
which can easily drive even models with a lower sensitivity such as the bigSennheisers. Furthermore, the two individually selectable loudspeaker pairs canturned off completely. Despite the wealth of features one never loses track. For themajority of knobs and controls hide behind a large flap which gently swings down at
the touch of a little pin. And no matter where you turn or press, the amp will often
confirm your commands with a soft clicking noise from its long-term stable relays,
which emphasizes the E-480’s aura of delicate noblesse a little more. With the flap
closed only the basic functions like the input selector and volume control remain
accessible: the numerous sockets will accomodate even a larger equipment park,and if that still isn’t enough, the E-480 also offers two slots for a D/A converter and/ora phono module (see box) or another high-level input respectively.
Precision as credo
Talking of volume: although the large volume control to the right turns so smoothly,
there is no classical potentiometer inside, but only a magnetic pickup. The E-480 hasnone. The level is rather adjusted in fine increments by the different wiring of 16
differently weighted current/voltage converters, whereby orange luminescent digits
between the meters indicate the respective value. The complex “Accuphase Analog
Vari-gain Amplifier“, briefly AAVA, is said to play with greater accuracy and betterchannel separation, less noise and fewer distortions than conventional solutions; andthis reliably for many years to boot. Just as you can feed the power amp section ofthe E-480 from outside via XLR or RCA connectors, which simplifies its integration
into AV chains controlled by a central multi-channel pre, the volume controlled
preamp signal can be fed out e.g. in bi-amping configurations of both kinds. This, too,belongs to the multiple possibilities of the ultra flexible Japanese. A first taste of its
sonic merits had already been given when, after an extended warm-up period, wewere putting it through its paces now and again with little music appetizers. Honestly
speaking, after 35 years of experience with Accuphase amplifiers I find it less alluring
to trace its fundamental bias – which I do know –, but to see if and to what extent themanufacturer succeeded in moving the limits of what’s possible a little bit once more.
The credo for this can be seen in the brand name: “Accuphase stands for “accuratephase“, thus the precise, time correct transmission of all tones from the deepest to
the topmost pitch so that there be a realistic copy of the incoming signal. Sounds2

simple, but it isn’t by any means, and I keep wondering each time whether the explicit
clarity, stringency and breathing vividness, with which also an E-480 captivates thelistener, springs from its faithfulness to the original or rather from an immanent soundphilosophy drawing attention to tiny details.
Vibrant liveliness
Anyway, the performances of the new Accuphase are so genuine and right to thepoint that it can take your breath away every now and then. I’ve heard the concise
vibraphone beats in “Saturday Night“ for instance by Red Norvo, who really loves
dropping the vulcanite beaters of his mallets onto the metal bars, a thousand times
already, but rarely ever so “naked“, clear and out of nowhere like this time. Onewould even deem possible to perceive the texture of the materials. The amp also
followed the steep bass transients on Monty Alexander’s “Moanin’“ with verve, giving
them a tremendous drive. With gossamer-fine delicacy and fascinatingly “nontechnical“ came Beat Kaestli’s “Day In Day Out“, while the spectrum became fully
detached from the speaker enclosures, and the stuffed trumpet in the interlude could
clearly be heard outside to the left of the stereo base. The phase-accurate
Accuphase can master such artistic tricks hands down. Although the E-480 isperfectly suitable for sound level orgies, it will as mentioned above train you for soft
listening, because it can already then unfold its full dynamic, spatial and tone color
spectrum. You’re welcome to turn it up. But you don’t have to, for it delivers excitingly
lively performances even at low levels. An important point, because one can’t or
doesn’t want to pump up the volume often. Hence for that reason, too, the E-480
qualifies as a full member of the family which represents the Accuphase concept as
state-of-art and offers manifold possibilities in every respect. And if you should now
plan your own discovery tour: thumbs up, it’s guaranteed to be a pleasure trip.
Matthias Böde3