Accuphase P4500 Stereo Power Amp - Realism Refined

Over the past few years, more and more audiophiles in Malaysia were bitten by the Accuphase craze through its high quality performance and of course, the mesmerizing VU meters. Readers can read various reviews from official local hifi blogs such as audiofi.net. I also had the chance to contribute a review to novohighend.com on the Accuphase E370 integrated amp a few years ago. Thanks to Victor Pheh of HiFi Creations Trading, I was given the opportunity to listen to the Accuphase P4500 power amp and pen down a few opinions about the amp.

THE SPECIFICATIONS

The designer of this amp has put in quite a remarkable architecture internally and externally. It features an instrumentation amplifier configuration realized with discrete semiconductors in the signal path, triple Darlington 4 parallel complementary push-pull architecture. Big words, big buzz ey? What does it really mean? It gives out S/N ratio of 121 dB, damping factor of 700, 90W/8 ohms and doubled at 180W/4 ohms. And again, what does this means to musical delivery? Read on folks.

One can identify an Accuphase from far with its trademark gold chassis. Simple front fascia featuring the famous large and well lit VU meter. It provides 4 different gain selector to match your pre amp (MAX, -3, -6, -12 db), meter selector, speaker selector and input selector. Besides the power meters, there is also the function indicators to see whether the amp is in BRIDGE, DUAL MONO LINE/BALANCED.

At the rear of the amp, it offers either RCA or XLR balanced input from your pre amp. There is also the operation mode selector which I prefer it to be in the front actually, 2 pairs of speaker terminals and also balanced input polarity selector.

All these to give you a whopping 29.2 kg amplifier.

THE ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

• SPL Audio Director Mk2 pre amp
• Kronos Sparta TT with SPL Audio Phonos
• SONY HAP Z1ES
• McIntosh MCD 350 SACD player
• PMC Twenty5.24 speakers
• Cables - mix of Siltech and Vermouth Audio

All samplers recorded using SONY PCM D100 Hi Res recorder.

 THE SESSION

I played through different sources and each source gave me quite a different experience. Music range from jazz to heavy metal, vocal heavy, Hi Res audio, RBCD and LP.

• Where Did The Children Play by Cat Stevens - WAV 44.1
• Temptation by Diana Krall - DSD
• Tak Seindah Wajah by Dato SM Salim - WAV 44.1
• Take Five by Dave Brubeck - SACD
• Whiskey In The Jar by Metallica - LP
• Tuesday's Gone by Metallica - LP
• Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton - LP
• Just The Way You Are by Diana Krall - LP

By the time I was reviewing this amp, the amp has been run in for approximately 150 hours.

Where Did The Children Play from HAP Z1 ES

The string works on this track was assuring enough that each strumming sent out a a huge amount of energy to the music. Blends in to the unique vocal of Cat Stevens that goes quite deep at moments. The hollow toms and sharp ride and crash on the drums really gave an authentic 70s vibe for this track. High clarity is one character that the P4500 can offer.  

Temptation from HAP Z1 ES

This one was a hard track to crack. The bass for this track will usually sent me some kind heavy low frequency waves through my PMC. While there is no thud thumping action, the bass that came out was refined and digs deep into my listening area. The big soundstage that the P4500 creates makes up to slightly lower slam that I am used to. Again, when it comes to vocal clarity and sweetness, this amp can really melt my heart down especially listening at night with a dimmed light.

   

Tak Seindah Wajah from HAP Z1 ES

A classic song like this deserves to be played with an amp with stature like Accuphase. There is something about old classics Malay songs that can really touch my soul. Maybe because I grew up listening to such songs played on my late dad's hifi. A simple song that the P4500 presented it in a more emotional and engaging musicality. The vocal sounded melodious, representing such an emotional lyrics. The violin sounded lively and huge in this track.

Take Five from McIntosh MCD350

No review is complete without testing my favourite song. Now, playing this SACD brings me to another level with the P4500. Slamming percussion with very airy saxophone presentation. The P4500 digs really deep into the low frequency of this song while maintaining a huge sound stage. One of those moments that got my feet and hands moving to the beat of the drums. The sound of the ride cymbal was also crisp and with refined high frequency. No tendency of ear pinching at all. Musically lively and refined presentation.

Whiskey In The Jar from Kronos Sparta

Moving to something heavier, I put on Metallica's version of Whiskey In The Jar LP and start spinning it on my Kronos Sparta TT. Now this is when I started a listening to a different side of the P4500. While clarity, huge sound stage and lively delivery are the main highlights, it struggled a little bit to create that head banging, metal experience. While the ferocious guitars of Kirk and James were full of energy flowing through my listening room, the drums sounded a little laid back. Vocal was good with a clear presentation of James's husky voice. 

Tuesday's Gone from Kronos Sparta

I kept playing the same LP and moved on to the next song just to ensure it was not my LP. Tuesday's Gone was a completely different story. All that liveliness I experience from other tracks is back and the glorious rich sound from the P4500 was evident again. A true testament of what this amp can do. Just listen to the string works, drums and and vocal. A perfect blend reproduced through the P4500. Solid tom tom sound from Lars, emotional vocal from James and heavy guitar works from James and Kirk. I personally cannot find anything missing listening though the P4500. Everything just flows naturally and with no restriction nor choking sound.

Tears in Heaven from Kronos Sparta 

I literally shed a tear listening to this through the P4500. For me personally, a good piece of equipment is when it can make me connect emotionally to the music being played through it. A situation where I go blind and ignore the equipment and just let the music engage me really deep. The guitar plucking by Eric can be heard note by note and coupled with his vocal, this was indeed the main highlight for me with the P4500. Effortless to create that ambient that reaches one's emotion. 

Just The Way You Are from Kronos Sparta

Back to Diana Krall, this live LP is a different experience. The sound of the saxophone sounded deep and airy at the same time. Of course the clarity of the vocal remains the main character of P4500. It is not just about clarity with regards to volume but also the details are refined that it gives out a dynamic range on the vocal. Sometimes, given a different set up, the vocal can be of high clarity but it sounds monotonous. Not here. Dynamic melodic vocal is what I hear.

THE CONCLUSION

The legendary Accuphase amplifier is in a league of its own. This P4500 stereo power amp lives up to its name by providing listeners a high level of clarity, refined musicality, huge overall sound and the right level of 'chi' across your listening room. Is it for all musical genre? Maybe not but this amplifier provides you much more than what it is retailed for. Those who enjoy realism to your sound, this is one amp that is very truthful to its listener. In my experience here, there was a clear difference between analogue and digital. Playing analogue, the P4500 will bring out the shine of music realism. Yes, it did not really power through metal music but it definitely will bring a smile to jazz, vocal, ballad and I bet, even orchestral music.

I too believe the P4500 will give even more satisfaction when it is paired with a full Accuphase system.  If you are ready to be mesmerized, contact Victor Pheh for a demo or to purchase Accuphase equipment. This P4500 particularly, its selling price is RM35K but I can assure you, if it matches your existing system, it will give endless pleasure.