ACCUPHASE E-700 INTEGRATED - REVIEW

ACCUPHASE E-700 INTEGRATED

Last time I was in conversation with James DaRosa, proprietor of Choice Audio who is an Accuphase dealer here in Minnesota, he mentioned a well-regarded Norwegian brand he used to carry. Given an opportunity to compare an amplifier from that company with an Accuphase equivalent, he enthused about how the Accuphase smoked the Nordic contender. Since my sonic tastes generally align with James’, his statement made an impression. Fast forward several months to the subject of this installment, the E-700 integrated amplifier. It arrived via Kermit’s house, and proved to be challenging to transport and to situate in my listening space, given its almost 55-pound weight. This is no flimsy air–filled piece of consumer electronics, folks!

Of the two Class A integrated amplifiers made by Accuphase, the E–700 is the less expensive model, though at $16,975, it’s more aspirational than affordable for most. At 7.5 inches tall, it’s also rather large and imposing. However, its cosmetics harken back to an earlier time, to the company’s founding in the early 1970s. My first stereo component was a Fisher receiver with very high FM sensitivity, which allowed me to pull in clean signal from all around Boston’s Route 128 loop. Like that Fisher, the E-700 has a champagne finish. Along with dual LED power meters on the front panel, a gain readout, and the iconic aqua–illuminated company logo, the overall look is both classy and classic. It received enthusiastic praise from my better half, who declared, “I like that one!”

Why the size? One reason is so that all of its I/O fits on the rear panel. With a total of 10 mostly unbalanced inputs, all selectable from the included large half-pound aluminum infrared remote, the E-700 would certainly embrace almost any selection of separates. If you’re a vinyl lover, an optional AD-60 phono expansion card can slot into the back. With four choices of MC input impedance and a fixed 66dB of gain, the AD-60 also accommodates moving magnet cartridges via 40dB of gain. Another additional-cost option is the DAC-60 board, which enables the E-700 to accept AES3 unbalanced or optical, as well as a USB computer connection via a Standard-B socket. The DAC-60 accepts up to 384k PCM sample rates in addition to DSD4 (DSD256). The E-700 has two expansion slots, so both options can be fitted simultaneously. When the DAC-60 is in play, the front panel gain indicator instead shows sample rate.

The Accuphase marketing folks state that the “evolutionary (E-700)… incorporates numerous technologies from our 50th anniversary flagship model, the E-800.” It is the successor to the sixth-generation E-650, with lower noise and a 25% higher damping factor. The low noise claim is no humble brag…with gain set to max and an unterminated input selected, I heard only the faintest pink spectrum noise with my ear right at the tweeter. Considering that the indicated gain for my listening sessions averaged -36dB, I couldn’t even begin to approach that amount of amplification in actual use, at least in a room the size of mine.

My review example was not a new unit, so no burn–in was needed. According to TJ Goldsby, VP of Sales and Dealer Relations at AXISS Audio, the distributor for Accuphase, my review unit played non-stop at AXPONA 2024. I noticed that the unit sounded best after a reasonable warm-up, not unusual for a Class A. Give it half an hour or so to come up to temperature and stabilize. This beast is built to drive scary loads: loudspeakers that cause most amplifiers to fold and bow out. From a modest 35W into an 8Ω load to a generous 140W into 2Ω, it will even drive 1 Ohm, which very few amplifiers can boast about.

There is something wholly satisfying about the Accuphase: its ability to sound as though it’s a separate when it actually is a fully integrated hub for a round robin of input devices. I have to stress that those inputs are all analog. Indeed, the seven-segment gain display is the only obvious aspect of the E-700 that is even vaguely digital. I asked AXISS Audio VP of Brands & Business Development Steve Huntley about this. He replied via e–mail that there is one microprocessor in the unit. The micro works purely as a controller, with the chip performing housekeeping duties, “…input/output relay control, display drive, AAVA volume control operations, fault detection, et cetera.” He stressed that the audio does not pass directly through the microprocessor. “At no time do the audio signals become digital.” For amplification, we are talking high-current pure Class A via MOSFET output devices. In place of fuses, the load is also protected by MOSFETs. I didn’t attempt any woofer welding, so I can’t tell how well the microcontroller’s protection role works.

There are many aspects of the E-700 I love: the headphone jack on the front, the Dim function for when a call comes in, the perfectly weighted and solid feel of the controls, the soft–open door on the face that hides all the tweaky shite. There’s even a switch to disable the display, leaving only the logo illuminated. Oh, and let’s not forget the delicious performance. The folks at Accuphase are particularly proud of that nice big volume knob. Huntley told me that “…(their) ‘Volume Sensor Mechanism’ refers to the physical volume knob assembly which in turn (sorry for the bad pun) controls precise switching of the fully balanced analog audio signals in the AAVA (Accuphase Analog Vari-gain Amplifier) volume control system. This physical assembly is milled from a single aluminum block to give a very smooth feel and highly accurate detection of the volume control position…The combination of that great feeling physical volume control assembly coupled with the highly sophisticated AAVA circuitry is something that we think is quite unique and special at any price point, let alone the price of the E-700.” I should note that “silky” is not the word I would use, as this is not that viscous thick–grease feeling of a Blue Velvet ALPS pot. It’s something different, a high-friction heaviness that’s quite gratifying.

If you’ve followed my writing over the years, you know I’m a fan of Aimee Mann. Her Queens of the Summer Hotel [Qobuz 96k 2021 Super Ego Records] is a chamber rock gem I never get tired of. Engineered by five-time Grammy award winner Ryan Freeland, who also crafted Mann’s 2018 Mental Illness, the album has a cut titled At the Frick Museum, with which I also have a special connection as The Frick made a lasting impression on the brain of a young and jejune OMas. While the two–way stand-mounted Haydn SE Signatures I was lucky enough to have in-house offered an eminently pleasing experience, the more price-appropriate Scansonic MB2.5 B floor standers certainly spotlighted the low-end capability of the E-700. Anna Butterss’ bass provided a solid foundation while Jay Bellerose’s ambiently captured kick drum slam at the end was big and bold. Mann’s chesty resonance nicely balanced her slightly reedy head voice. All told, the E-700 drove the mini towers with strength and authority. For those keeping score, the playback chain was my daily driver DAC, the e22 Mk. II from exaSound, connected to my primeval Mac mini running Amara Luxe via Wireworld Starlight 8 USB. The converter drove the Accuphase directly via my new reference, a pair of Audio Art Cables Statement balanced interconnects.

Lara Downes’ Rhapsody in Blue Reimagined from this year’s This Land [Qobuz 96/24 PENTATONE] is a jazzy reimagining of what’s already a Jazz Age classic. Backed by the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra and Great Wall Chinese Orchestra, with guest percussion artists John Santos and Jeriel Sanjurjo, there’s a little bit of everything packed into this track, and it was all rendered in a clean and excellent acoustic space thanks to the Accuphase. Downes’ piano was scaled appropriately in the soundstage, not portrayed as a school bus–sized instrument, as in many other jazz recordings. The insanely wide bandwidth of the E-700 perfectly portrayed the zing of the Harmon–muted brass and the tinkle of the metal percussive instruments in the truly high-resolution double-speed stream, which has recoverable signal well past 40kHz.

Henri Dutilleux’s award–winning Symphony No. 2 "Le double" : III. Allegro fuocoso from Métaboles, L'arbre des songes & Symphony No. 2 “Le double” [Qobuz 96k Seattle Symphony Media 2015] is another jazzy modern riot. Ludovic Morlot’s elastic approach leading the orchestra generates a thrilling and pleasantly realistic perspective. As you would expect, the Accuphase lays out the soundstage as a deep and detailed vista, with the booming low end and clear unblemished highs supporting an enchanting overall panoramic image of Seattle’s Benaroya Hall. Comparing the E-700 to my Parasound JC5, I heard only the slightest difference, and that was in the upper bass. The Accuphase was a teensy bit leaner, with about a decibel of dip around 150Hz. Given its rare inbuilt equalizer, I could subjectively match the two with just a slight tweak.


A moment, please, to discuss those tone controls. With a massive 10dB of boost or cut, they offer an aurally unquestionable enhancement. The low shelf is set to 300Hz while the high shelf is ±3dB at 3000Hz, a bit lower and higher than traditional 500/2k Baxandall–style tone controls. While not as granular and tweakable as an external parametric equalizer, they are nonetheless smooth and musical. Everything from Laurie Anderson’s Amelia and RZA’s A Ballet Through Mud to GloRilla’s Ehhthang Ehhthang and Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey’s Mavericks benefitted from a touch of sonic shaping. Most audiophiles recoil at the mere mention of equalization but fail to realize that pretty much all the music they listen to has passed through one or many filters on its way to their ears. If done well, EQ is nothing to shun, and the Accuphase engineers have done a fine job with theirs.

Accuphase Laboratories manufactures all manner of stereo componentry, from amplifiers and SACD transports to tuners and phono cartridges. That attention to hi–fi’s past as well as its future makes for a compelling brand, and visually, their products possess period charm and a classic appeal that echoes their operating philosophy: Enrich Life through Technology. The E-700 is built to a standard of excellence not seen in most brands, Japanese or other. I consider it a cost–no–object work at an affordable price (for some). Not for me, certainly, but if you’re looking for the multipurpose heart of a traditional higher-end two-channel system, this brawny beast from a time–honored marque might just be your ticket to a better-quality listen. I recommend that you seek out a dealer and sit down for a spell, even if your budget can’t stretch that far. In the spirit of many a political message, I enthusiastically endorse this product.

THE COMPANY

Accuphase Laboratories Inc.
Yokohama City, Japan
www.accuphase.com

E-700 $16,975 (as tested)
AD-60 $1,275 optional
DAC-60 $1,475 optional

DISTRIBUTOR

AXISS Audio USA, LLC
17800 South Main Street, Suite 109 Gardena, CA 90248
(866) 295-4133 toll-free

2190 Nolensville Pike, Suite C Nashville, TN 37211
(866) 295-4133 toll-free
sales@axissaudio.com