Differences between Accuphase C-2820 and C-3800?

Hi Bvdiman,

Imo, $100k USD is silly money to pay for a preamp. I appreciate the fixed price policy and the resale value. I got $20k for the 611 too back in '05, unreconditioned as well.

Anyway, Accuphase is silly money here in the US. I appreciate the build quality and technology (Accuphase just might be the most high tech brand)but this distributor here is a bit off his rocker, so to speak. But, if he's selling at these inflated prices, then there's no chance they will be lowered anytime soon!

So, for me, Pass Labs is the ticket at this time. It's not really cheap per se, but when you're dealing in pure Class A for both amps and preamps, it's never cheap. Nelson Pass is a competent and humble designer. The people that run the company are pretty nice guys too. No, it's not the best, but it's affordable to me, and it sounds and is built damn good.

Hi Dave,
Agree.. That I come to think of it, yes the 268 is definitely silly money and cost wise
not in proportion with the rest of my system.. ;P But I just can't seem able to rid it yet
for what they do so well (linearizing). Rendering all my precious older nostalgic CDs
(hundreds of which are rather poorly recorded) pretty much 'very' listenable, and that's
what matters most to me ~ the musical content. Hardly ever listen to perfect audiophile
pressings anymore nowadays, most of which I found boring ~ of course when so, with
linearizer setting off / bypassed mode would be best.

Pass is yet another highly reputable and well regarded marque in the 'A' turf. Bet they
could sound just as wonderful, or probably even better.. It's all in the synergy. Follow
your heart.

On a slightly different note, I see you are currently using JBL S4700? Might be better to
have them on stands, no..? Stumbled upon this on YouTube, hence visualized how your
system would be with Accuphase, here's the link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eplKGurrnc

Great looking and sounding speakers for sure.. Enjoy!

Hi Bvdiman,

Well, it was just my opinion. I'm sure it's an excellent unit that runs rings around the competition. I know that FM is excellent stuff, but again, the price! lol.

Yes, I agree about Pass. I don't think it's as good as FM overall, but I only can afford so much, and the Pass Labs is in my price range for Class A amps.

Yes, I am using those JBLs. I really don't need stands at the moment, because the tweeters are ear level when I sit down on my listening sofa. Thanks for the video and for the suggestion!

Thanks and take care.

Classact..I have heard the C-2810 but not the C-2820. The C-2820 is a far superior design to the 2810 and is definitely in the same league as the C-3800. The whole idea behind the C-2820 was to make a Preamp that comes within inches of the C-3800. Arturo with Axiss
in CA. is the Accuphase Distributor in the States and listened to the C-2820 at a show in Tokyo in late 2011 and told me its 90% of the performance of the C-3800. Jonathan with Perfect Note Audio in Mass. who is one of the top two Accuphase retailers in the country says the same thing. The C-3800 does not sell well for Accuphase so they decided to dump all their C-3800 tech stuff into the C-2820. The C-2820 has a newer and better designed volume gain control that is superior to the one in the C-3800. If you can afford it, the C-2820 is a steal compared to the C-3800.

Audiozen, I do not agree with what you are saying. Firstly, with Accuphase (and any serious manufactures for that matter) there are no quantum leaps in performance from one generation to the other. The new generation is most often "only" a fine tuned version of the previous one. Sometimes this is for the better other times is not. In my experience, to talk about significant advancements in Accuphase products one has to compare products that are at least two generations apart. Secondly, in the hope of selling a C-2820 any dealer will tell you any kind of crap, e.g. last time we talk about Accuphase preamps you said that Arturo from Axiss told you that the C-2820 puts out 98% of the performance of C-3800. Now he things it is only 90% there…