Accuphase E-280 Review

Entry level. Its a phrase I have always associated with a job you can get with no experience. In hi-fi, we usually think of entry-level gear as a small taste of what a brand can really offer. Like a sample at Costco, just a morsel that wets your appetite enough to go big, and buy the whole box.

In the case of the Accuphase E-280, there is nothing about this that will make you want more. That is, when paired with the right speaker. Owners of big, multi-driver speakers look elsewhere. There are large aluminum boxes with infinite power, warming the room like a small campfire that can offer that experience. No, with the E-280 Integrated - you get a strong foundation of Japanese craftsmanship, that exudes top notch build quality, meticulous attention to detail on the inside, and on the outside, an elegant look and feel that combines vintage looks and modern amplifier design.

We are audio dealers. But, we only deal in the things we love and appreciate, and the type of gear we are proud to recommend to our friends and customers. So, we decided to bring in the line, based on the strength of the Accuphase E-280 alone. $6,995 is a lot of money, to be sure. However, its also a case in hi-fi in which you can really say that you are getting value for your money. Recently at Axpona, I had time to talk to the chief engineer of Accuphase. Despite the language differences, I was able to ask about the failure rate of their products, and from the Cheshire-Cat grin I could tell it was low, but when they told me 0.03%, I was astounded. It made me feel even better about selling their products. He even told me “if anything come in for repair, I will be the one who does it”.

If you know the history of Accuphase, you might know they were founded in 1972 by a former Kenwood engineer, and collaborating with other engineers from companies such as Marantz and Luxman, started “Kensonic” that is still in business today, manufacturing the Accuphase amplifiers we have grown to love so well. (Accurate Phase = Accuphase). Many Audio brands have consolidated, been acquired, etc. but Accuphase remains the same, a small, private company from Japan, with a high level of dedication to detail and the purity of accurate sound reproduction.

All of that preamble aside, what does the E-280 sound like? This amp is a crossroads where refinement meets smoothness. The highs are crisp and detailed, and are very revealing. But, the midrange is the star of the show. Think lush with a slight warmth (almost tube like), while still maintaining a somewhat neutral sound signature. Bass is tight and controlled due to the high damping factor. All of this offered long listening sessions with no fatigue, and, even after hours of listening, the amp will still feel cool to the touch. Partnered with our beloved QLN Prestige 3, 2-way speakers (87db) efficient, we never left Volume level 2, playing up into the 80db levels.

We are excited to continue to explore what the E-280’s bigger brothers have to offer. However, if you are in the market for a sub $10k integrated, you will be hard pressed to find anything better sounding, looking and reliable as this. We highly recommend this amplifier, and suggest you take a spin with one of our in-home demos.

If you want to learn more contact us at Sales@ChoiceAudio.com, or call us at (651)-217-2083.