Planning to buy Accuphase E-480

[essrand]

MSRP of the Takatsuki power amp is in the range of USD 50000

Takatsuki 300 is not a very reliable tube.

That was the first thing that popped up when I googled this amp. Export price 50k USD!!

More googling resulted in finding out its MSRP in Australia is 17k USD.

Even more googling led to finding out it's sold in (nordic) europe for 33k USD.

Looks like this amp also suffers from the "Accuphase" problem.

 

[prem]

I think you should offer 10 K USD

https://www.akkelisaudio.com/forstarkare/takatsuki/takatsuki-ta-s01-300b-integrerad-forstarkare.html

Here it’s 28000 euros

 

[essrand]

I think you should offer 10 K USD

https://www.akkelisaudio.com/forstarkare/takatsuki/takatsuki-ta-s01-300b-integrerad-forstarkare.html

Here it’s 28000 euros

Yup this was the one I was referring to.

I have bought a preamp from these guys before. They failed to follow instructions and cost me a great deal of pain in customs clearance.

I should offer them 1K

 

[essrand]

That was the first thing that popped up when I googled this amp. Export price 50k USD!!

More googling resulted in finding out its MSRP in Australia is 17k USD.

Even more googling led to finding out it's sold in (nordic) europe for 33k USD.

Looks like this amp also suffers from the "Accuphase" problem.

Okay, more googling = Original Japanese MSRP: 15000USD

TAKATSUKI 高槻電器工業 TA-S01 300B 真空管 ステレオパワーアンプ オーディオ専門店 サウンドハイツ

こだわり抜いた真空管メーカー発のオーディオアンプ　2010年。それまで途絶えていた国産オーディオ真空管を三極真空管「TA-300B」として復活させた高槻電器工業。その製造過程で培われた日本のものづくり技術とオーディオの固定観念に縛られない自由な発想が融合することでここに、TA-300Bのための究極のシングルパワーアンプ「TA-S01」が誕生

www.soundheights.jp

 

[Pancho]

MSRP of the Takatsuki power amp is in the range of USD 50000

Takatsuki 300 is not a very reliable tube.

I disagree with this view ...I have been using their premium 300B tubes - I own more than one pair - as well as the brilliant 274B rectifier tubes - I have several of my friends using these as well. Most of them find these to be even better than the current generation of the WE tubes. They are expensive - and there is waiting period to get them as well.

Okay, more googling = Original Japanese MSRP: 15000USD

TAKATSUKI 高槻電器工業 TA-S01 300B 真空管 ステレオパワーアンプ オーディオ専門店 サウンドハイツ

こだわり抜いた真空管メーカー発のオーディオアンプ　2010年。それまで途絶えていた国産オーディオ真空管を三極真空管「TA-300B」として復活させた高槻電器工業。その製造過程で培われた日本のものづくり技術とオーディオの固定観念に縛られない自由な発想が融合することでここに、TA-300Bのための究極のシングルパワーアンプ「TA-S01」が誕生

www.soundheights.jp

for several of the Japanese Audiophile units - the export prices are very different.

 

[prem]

I disagree with this view ...I have been using their premium 300B tubes - I own more than one pair - as well as the brilliant 274B rectifier tubes - I have several of my friends using these as well. Most of them find these to be even better than the current generation of the WE tubes. They are expensive - and there is waiting period to get them as well.

I was considering them. Told by 2 designers that they are unreliable. So am going basis that.

 

[Pancho]

I am not sure why the designers gave that feedback. I have owned Elrog 300, PSVane 300 and Taka 300. The original WE300 are almost $ 6000/pair and not even available. I found one pair from 1930”s for $ 20,000/- !!
(https://tubedepot.com/products/nos-...ase-300b-black-plate-late-1930-s-matched-pair)

Compared to the new WE, after having compared - I can confidently say - paired with Taka 274B rectifier - you would obtain the best musicality out of good recordings. (again a common feature of all 300B tube amps - you need to feed good well recorded tracks for them to sound heavenly) As for reliability I know of people using the Taka 300B close to 10 years - and still going strong.... considering tube life is around 4 to 5 years if properly used - this is even better. There are value for money Chinese Shuguang 300 available - but you don’t want drive a Ferrari on a Chinese Tire - would you ?

 

[prem]

I was exploring an amp with Takatsuki but dropped it. Couldn’t afford the original WE. So went another route. The designer I was talking to had a bad experience.

Also there are a few posts in various forums where people have experienced a failure of the tube in less than 1000 hrs. That’s completely unacceptable.

 

[Pancho]

Well I hope you’ll be able to hear the magic it would provide someday

 

[prem]

I have heard the tube. It’s nice. Though I prefer the original WE.

I am not a fan of the 300 amp. I am more of a 45 or a 2a3 guy. I also like 6c33. The only 300 amp I was kind of interested in is the Airtight 300R. But now I have moved to more inefficient speakers. So the lower watt amps are out.

 

[Pancho]

I haven’t had the chance of listening to the 1930”s original tubes..... new WE 300 tubes are available again - and I have heard them ....priced about $1600/- a pair while the Taka is priced slightly higher.

the 300B as you say may not be for everyone and certainly not to be paired with speakers say 90 or 92db. But it’s musicality, warmth a midrange to die for - is undeniable. A lot depends on the genre of music you listen to as well.

 

[prem]

Very true Pancho. The 300 amp is not everyone’s cup of tea

 

[Pancho]

I was in the similar school of thought - until I started auditioning the tube amps. I suppose the age is also another factor - as one moves onto their senior years - there’s always a swaying towards tubes! IMHO - I can confidently say that other than for probably heavy metallic tracks where speed and dynamism matters paramount - a well made 300B tube amp gets you the nirvana!

845 is another powerful tube I have some inclination - have you tried that ?

 

[prem]

Yes. I have owned the Dehavilland 845 monoblocs. Didn’t like them.

 

[terrible]

The speakers and the wires are here, now waiting for the Boulders

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

I was in the similar school of thought - until I started auditioning the tube amps. I suppose the age is also another factor - as one moves onto their senior years - there’s always a swaying towards tubes! IMHO - I can confidently say that other than for probably heavy metallic tracks where speed and dynamism matters paramount - a well made 300B tube amp gets you the nirvana!

845 is another powerful tube I have some inclination - have you tried that ?

I have little experience with tubes but I can say that I primarily listen to faster paced music (including metal) yet for me smoothness,musicality,warmth and above all, tone are the most important. I'd even go so far as to say (after analyzing my digital music collection) that I dislike music that is highly dynamic and prefer a more compressed version.

 

[Pancho]

unfortunately the thread is getting hijacked .... sorry we got into tubes somewhere along the route....the OP was about buying E480 !

 

[shyamv]

I apologise for the digression in advance. I am an Accuphase noob but have heard E-280 and E-480 for extended periods of time.

Can those of you who have experienced Accuphase products comment on the legacy E-206 amp? Does this amp have a sound similar to current E-280 amp? While the reliability of Accuphase is legendary, would you recommend buying a well-maintained E-206?

 

[Ramanuj]

I apologise for the digression in advance. I am an Accuphase noob but have heard E-280 and E-480 for extended periods of time.

Can those of you who have experienced Accuphase products comment on the legacy E-206 amp? Does this amp have a sound similar to current E-280 amp? While the reliability of Accuphase is legendary, would you recommend buying a well-maintained E-206?

The E206 is a vintage integrated amplifier from 1989/1990 and it sounds exactly how vintage Amps sounded those days when details transparency accuracy soundstatimg were not the most important of things since technology wasnt as advanced as it is now. It's at best an ok amplifier and it sounds absolutely nothing like a new generation E250 let alone a E280. If you are buying one now be ready for an expensive restoration. My personal opinion.

 

[essrand]

Back to the main topic

Has the Boulder 866 arrived yet ........