Do Bridged Accuphase Amps Sound Better?


Hi,

I have a P-1000 stereo amp, and was wondering whether getting a second one playing both bridged would give me more satisfaction. I have heard that bridging may produce negative effects, but does Accuphase fall into this camp? I hope that anyone with experience in this can shed some light. Thx.

Ronald
g4ronliu
I once took two Accuphase 100-watt per channel stereo amps in trade (lucky me!). The owner used to run them in bridged mono mode for something like 400 watts per channel, as I recall. Anyway, I definitely thought they sounded better in unbridged mode. Sorry!

Accuphase is a very tough act to follow. I'm not all that familiar with their present line - how powerful is the P-1000, and do they offer a more powerful amp? Also just curious, but what speakers are you driving?

Best of luck to you,

Duke
You can`t bridge 99% of amps & drive 4ohm loads. Even with the Big A, there`s no free lunch.
I own the Accuphase MC2000 so I dont have any problems with power. I was going to buy two A50s and bridge them but my friend who heard that set up said they sound terrible when you bridge them.
Nick
Thanks Duke, Porziob & Nick for your feedback.

Duke, P-1000 delivers linear output: 1,000 watts/ ch. into 1 ohm, 500 watts/ch. into 2 ohms, 250 watts/ch. into 4 ohms, 125 watts/ch. into 8 ohms. The next higher and also top model is a mono block that delievers double the power of P-1000. I am using Wilson Sophia right now.

Ronald
G4ronliu, how does your Sophias sound with the Accuphase.
I think the Sophias are not a difficult load for the amp, another important factor is the size of your room, a big room needs more power.
Seurat,

P-1000 sounded a lot better than the VTL MB-450 monos I was using. I hear improvement in all areas but I know it is not optimized, largely due to the fact that I am still using VTL 5.5 as the pre-amp. I am in the process of finding an Accuphase pre-amp right now.

The reason I am switching to Accuphase is becuase an audiopile friend of mine has a Accuphase pre/power with Thiel CS6 setup and it is the most impressive sound I have ever heard. John Atkinson's review of CS6 in Stereophile.com can pretty much sum up what I heard at my friend's. Just glorious. Something that I know tubes will never be able to achieve even with the already high power MB-450s. He is using the older P-800 stereo, btw, but is more powerful than P-1000 at 4 and 8 ohm.

My room is 9x12x20 with the no back wall. Area behind this room is open to the kitchen and breakfast area. A L-shaped setting. I know that a room this size may not need more power than what I have now, but since I am using my friend's setup as reference and if the addition of Accuphase pre-amp still doesn't get close enough, I am guessing that more power could be the solution?

Ronald
G4ronliu you are a lucky guy. The P-1000 is a terrific amp.
It's a powerhouse, it's a beast in terms of current delivery. It can drive, almost, every speaker.
If you want more power try the new P-7000 or the monoblocks M-8000, if the budget can strech this far.
I fell in love with this brand when I heard a Accuphase set up, with this amps, with Avalon speakers and the sound was just...... so good. How does it sound in your set up.
More power ?
For what ?
the P-1000 is great, and powerful.
Well, I've got the P-7000, the recent evolution of the P-1000, which sounds quite the same : wonderful !

I would have two mono Accuphase only with difficult HP to drive, like Magneplanar (and alike) in a big room.
With dynamic speakers, no need.