AUDIO/VIDEO - SOFTWARE - HIFI - HIGH-END - SURROUND – HOME THEATRE

MAY 2013 NL € 5,45 BE € 5,95

TEST BP ACCUPHASE DP-550

CD-PLAYER

A S DP-550 DP-550

The first thing that I experience when experience I that thing The first and weighty substantial the unpacking player, DP-550 sa (CD) the of box (25 kg) which in impact serious extremely the is always company this Japanese course, products. Of its manufactures there are still more manufacturersthat and carefully finished offer beautifully am as I As far now. constructed products as as far few go very concerned, detail every has Accuphase does. Not only also the thoroughly,thought of been but are the techniques and materials used the to Even and durable. solid particularly function still will devices the that extent ACCUPHASE with functionality

year the Kasuga left C A D kaichi. In the same hifi components the highest of caliber to go ght direction the oil crisisby in 1973. one. Was the Japanese offer in those years

hat even today continues unabated high- extended extended The The player Disc end

2 brothers namely Trio-Kenwood, the idea of with manufacture. Unlike abroad where brands like McIntosh, Audio Research, Mark Levinson and Revox set the t actually mainly to medium-priced low products at best mediocre quality. The ambitious plan an extra push in the was ri tested The Japanese noble brand Accuphase founded was in June 1972 the by Trio- former Kenwood co-founder Jiro Kasuga and his older brother Na Investing in sustainability and high quality products that easily could go long, with becamemotto. An ideology the new t Accuphase in all its products continue will and the tested herewhere DP-550 Super Audio CD player is a wonderful example of

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in the same hassle-free positive sense, that wonderful flexibility subcutaneously, it seems, according to fashion in 20 years from and stability that were still the Accuphase, the newly developed now, or even longer. Just go and commonplace with so many brands in drive is capable to read 100% (!) of the visit another manufacturer, and this way of the eighties and partly in the nineties. A recorded data. One of the reasons that production is exceptionally environmentally CD was still a medium of which you Accuphase dares to say this is the friendly in the long term! When I lift the could really be proud. Fancily presented enormous attention to detail that has 3 in the record stores and still neatly been paid to this mechanism. Thus, not player from the double box and remove the soft fabric cover, I am deeply impressed by packaged in the famous uniform ‘jewel only have the vibrations that may occur the appearance of sheer quality and the cases’. Besides the incredibly beautiful during the moving parts been eliminated completeness of the delivery package. The and almost silent running disc tray of as much as possible, but the insensitivity first thing that comes to mind, in addition to the DP-550, the player initially looks to external vibrations have also been words like respect and awe - especially the like a ‘simple’ sa(CD) player, or, in further improved. The extremely view that a product is actually always other words, only suitable for playing accurate readings have subsequently CD and SACD recordings. However, occurred, together with the totally newly supposed to look like that and that it should function; I also realize immediately that this looks can be deceiving. Because, in designed single lens with dual laser quality in daily practice is unfortunately addition to the known analogue RCA diode and fast access time. The digital achieved by very few companies. With its and XLR (with adjustable phase!) signal processing proceeds, as it has outputs, this Accuphase offspring is also been doing for many years at typical champagne gold colour, Accuphase is, just products like by, for equipped with a true arsenal of Accuphase, by means of the so-called example, McIntosh, Audio Research and selectable digital inputs and outputs. MDS+ (Multiple Delta Sigma +) Spectral, recognizable as such from a Inputs and outputs that are provided: system. A principle in which the DSD kilometre distance. The DP-550 thereby USB 2.0, optical, coaxial and an HS- converted signal is converted directly to breathes ‘pride of ownership’ from every link. This latter connection is meant to the various D/A pore. And because this fortunately once be an ultra-high, high-speed digital connection. This also allows processing again, pertains to a real high-end disc player, makes the party complete for me. 2.8224 MHz/1-bit DSD signals in Besides the champagne colour, it is addition to a maximum of a 24 bit/192 kHz signal. In addition to playing CDs impressive, especially the massive solidity of the housing, controls, and Super Audio records in this DP-550, NEXT connections and remote control that are it is also possible to play DSD discs immediately striking in a positive way. with files that are recorded in the DSF And then; the CD tray! Here is, again in a file format. When I view the player

converters in a parallel configuration. take the remote control for a moment, it Listening 1st round After the conversion, the signals of the seems that even a conservative brand like Because of the many digital inputs and converters are added joint, causing Accuphase is effecting small outputs, I decide to start immediately with conversion errors to be greatly reduced. improvements constantly. Not only are streaming audio applications in a first The DACs in the DP-550 contain the the look and the layout of this gem a lot round. Still a relatively new product where latest Hyperstream™ ES9008 type of ESS more modern and rigid than I’m used to I, seemingly in contrast to the necessary Technology, where no less than four of in this brand, but it also seems that the other colleagues, still have trouble with the these chips are connected in parallel. If I two tilt switches, for example the track sound quality regularly. I often experience look at the player without the top panel, it and volume selection (a Accuphase the presented sound image as rather can clearly be seen that the device is amplifier can also be operated with it), artificial and synthetic, not to speak of the strictly separated, sub-divided into four work tremendously well in practice. It striking discomposure in the sound. I am compartments. Thus, the power, drive and seems a simple thing, but finally one or obviously very curious how this the digital and analogue sections are built numerous tracks can be skipped backward Accuphase will handle this, and I am entirely separately. When I, lastly, or forward now without having to search actually for pushbuttons. Ideal!

already being served immediately after unpacking and connection. Importer Paul Hattink is, in addition to his Benelux distribution for the Accuphase, Leben and Verity brands, also a respectable musician who already has many international ted productions to his name. Albums that, in addition to their spontaneous musical message, also know how to convince in an tes audiophile sense. Music lovers who by a congener on the other side of the but once again, we both suddenly fall already have one or more albums of Paul valley. The cry echoes a few times at the completely silent. The physical presence do not always know that many regular, forest edges and walls of the valley, after of musicians who are projected subtly processed acoustic sounds have which Paul then stops the recording. completely loose and especially focused often been recorded by himself! To Very special. Another fragment contains in my listening space is once again an illustrate this, he quickly opens his a Costa Rican singer/guitarist in the style impressive piece of illusion. And it’s laptop after connecting and turning on of Ry Cooders Buena Vista Social Club. especially the version, which sounds the champagne-coloured Japanese. And Then recorded completely pure and only much better than I have ever heard before after having installed the correct driver, with his own guitar as accompaniment. with this channel , that is curious. communication is then quickly The special thing about this recording is established. Paul suddenly pulls a that Paul has recorded it consciously in the Listening 2nd round seemingly serious face. ‘Werner, you’re outdoors and you hear only the vocals and Also in the beginning of the second hereby really the first one, apart from guitar without any reflective environment. round I continue to principally stay me, who is going to listen next to the Once again, a chilling realistic occurrence with the streaming audio happenings. following sound clips. These are unfolds before me. The pitch of the voice, Paul’s Windows laptop has made room recordings that I’ve made earlier this guitar, huge dynamic contrasts and again here for my Apple McBook Pro with year during a visit to Costa Rica in the that huge precise placement. You will Pure Music software. Also with my tropical rainforest and they are never be able to hear this music and own music and my own source absolutely spectacular in their purity and sounds in this capacity. However, Paul has configuration, the qualities identified realism.’ When the first recording is started via devised a plan earlier of this Accuphase DP-550 disc the laptop, the greatness of the circulating player/dac are continued to be fully air in a large forest is the first thing that maintained. One of the strikes us both.

We have all read once in a book about a to process them soon in a few albums that main features that keep on standing out is 5 deafening silence, but, with this recording are coming out in the future. In fact, he the extremely precise 3D focusing and it has really become reality! Yet, this made more recordings of this local positioning of voices, sounds and silence does not last long and suddenly guitarist and a completely separate album instruments in the stereo image. Also the it’s torn apart like a vicious dagger by the, will probably be devoted to this. After this lack of ‘hifi’ graininess and other very loud call of a howler monkey. My very successful own recording, Paul let me annoying artificial qualities are a great neck hair then also immediately stands up have a listen to his own high-end internet thing. In addition to the USB connection and a shudder goes through my whole channel Hi-On-Line. A true successful still used until now used, I also tried the body involuntarily. Not long after that project that has already even been on the coaxial connection and the HS-link. other animals react all around us to the air for 24 hours for some time now! I have Where coaxial is already one step better loud cries of this monkey. and at a certain now already listened to this particular than USB, in the sense of timbre and a moment, it is a real cacophony of other station in his studio as well as from home, more natural sound, the HS-link has my sounds that are precisely localizable. Just absolute preference and I hear as quickly as the sounds came, they disappeared again and that overwhelming, brooding silence descends on us again.

Just as we are musing about this, a rooster suddenly crows from approximately 30 meters away. A call that is answered quickly

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the same kind of purity, fluency and Insides has a completely unique identity everything is still there, just to disappear naturalness in the version, as I always hear in by mixing instruments such as the violin, quickly from sight the next moment to. the i2S connection that connects my North viola and piano with organic keyboard All of this subsequently finally ends up in Star Design CD drive and dac. In this sounds. When I start with ‘The Wider a highly rhythmic, dynamic and especially listening session, the in-house Accuphase E- sun’, I hear direct, dry, as well as realistic electronically created apotheosis. The DP- 560 Class A integrated amplifier provides the sounding acoustic stringed instruments. 550 knows how to retain the full overview necessary strengthening so far and, as After some time the audio, panorama even at these types of eruptions and expected, it matches really well with the DP- disperses widely and the atmosphere in renders almost stoically the data that the 550 player. As far as I am concerned the the music changes altogether. It is a kind file contains. sound is consciously natural to some extent of atmosphere that you think you and even tuned somewhat unspectacularly experience when you jump from a cliff Listening 3rd round with these two Accuphase roommates. with a paraglider or when a parachutist In this last listening block, I listen to the Because of this, it is possible for the takes a jump from an airplane. The one qualities of the familiar media, like a CD listener(s) to focus all attention moment and SACD and especially the latter came, on the music as much as Used components p o s s i b l e . Music that tunes in totally to this is the album Insides by the English producer and musician Jon Hopkins. LOUD SPEAKERS Raidho D1, Master Contemporary C, Hopkins has worked on albums of, Wilson Benesch Arc amongst others, Coldplay, Brian Eno and (Sa)cd-PLAYErs Ayre DX-5, North Star Design T192 + North Star David Holmes. Inside is his third studio Design Extremo DAC album, which came out in 2009, and that OTHER SOURCES Apple MacBook Pro WITH Pure Music contains the necessary electronic dance INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS Accuphase E-560, Ayre AX-5, influences. For people who do not often Unison Research Performance listen to this musical style, a first Audio rack Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference HD12 acquaintance might perhaps have and Interlinks Siltech Royal Signature Empress, Sonore Reference alienating effect. But, those who are (RCA AND looking for music that only surrenders its XLR) beauty after repeated listening are at the Digital CABLES North Star Design White Gold I2S, Nirvana Digital, right address here. Even though there are Sonore Digital Reference, Audioquest Carbon USB influences of the Danish multi- LOUD SPEAKER CABLES Nirvana SX, Sonore Reference, Sign Audio instrumentalist Trentemøller audible here Technology Pass series, JK-Acoustics Type III Net and there, Cables Nirvana PC, Kemp Reference, Essential Audio Tools Current Conductor,

of Modern Cool and also a whole series of ‘normal’ CDs have also been played. As is often the case with SACD players, the SACD option simply sounds better than the CD layer with this DP-550. The sound is thus a bit smoother, more open, it contains less graininess and is dynamically less compressed. The CD indeed still sounds very good on this player. It is balanced, flexible and completely in equilibrium. In other words, it is a great all-rounder.

Conclusion

What seems to be an ordinary SACD saw and conquered as far as I’m I play the same number via streaming player from a conservative Japanese concerned. After the fully digitally audio. The SACD version simply has high-end brand at first glance, seems to recorded studio album Café Blue by more colour, more tranquillity, natural deviate quite from its others brothers at Patricia Barber in 1994, sound and tones and a smoother playback. Besides closer examination. Not only is this DP- balance engineer Jim Anderson wanted to that, Modern Cool also has a very 550 really packed with possibilities, but follow a different route with the next recognizable sound balance. Indeed this device also knows how to get a lot album, Modern Cool. Not that Cafe Blue considerably fuller, more direct and more of qualities from every medium, even if did not sound good or sold badly; on the powerful than that of Café Blue, although the player cannot quite free streaming contrary. However, he and Patricia unfortunately, through this directness the audio from that unwanted, somewhat wanted to create a more intimate and often accentuated ‘s’ sounds with Patricia corroded sound signature. However, the fuller sound for Modern Cool. To achieve come through more explicitly. Let It Rain player does offer enormous stability and this, the digital resolution was increased is also a nice understated and very focus here and the hi-res files allow one for this album and, depending on the atmospheric song with space for each to hear their added value very clearly. desired sound, recorded both analogue soloist and the DP-550 certainly does But, this player fortunately allows one to and digitally. In addition to this, other justice to this music. In my experience, hear the omnipotent benefit when (vocals) microphones with a fuller this player has thereby a more nimble and playing ‘old-fashioned’ disc media. midrange were used for this other album. more drawn out tonal balance than I can Finally thus; something for everyone Because I find this the most beautiful remember from the older Accuphase and for Accuphase, especially in this sounding version of the album myself, I models. In addition, that’s something that price range; a big step forward. So, for make use of the MFSL SACD version further enhances the universality and those who want to buy a multiplayer that (UDSACD 2003) for this test. And when interchange ability, also with other brands will function in 20 years as it did when it I start with ‘Let It Rain’, I immediately and components. In a final comparison, was purchased will make a regal hear the difference within a few seconds the CD layer purchase with this DP-550. when Text: Werner Ero Photography: Accuphase

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