Accuphase C280L Pre-amp (pre-owned)

Regular price $3,975.99

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in perfect working condition, just serviced

Accuphase C280L Pre-amp

One of the finest pre-amps ever built

The model C-280 which was introduced in 1982 has not only received the three main audio awards in Japan but has also been acclaimed the world over as one of the finest preamplifiers ever built.

Part of the "absolute" preamplifiers then - and still today.

Here are the distinguishing features;

Fully Balanced

Most amplifiers with balanced inputs convert to non-balanced operation inside. This pre-amp has fully balanced line pre-amps from input to output. Even the volume control is controlled by a precision 4-channel volume (linked to LR channel) which is completely divided into hot and cold for balanced operation.

Class A, low feedback

All circuits are biased in push-pull Class A and rely on cascode connections for low NFB amounts and high-frequency linearity. A FET is used in the load side of the cascode-connected amplifier, so that there is no need to worry about base current leakage when using a bipolar transistor.

The phono sections is a three-stage cascode (first stage in p-p differential, the other two in p-p), DC-Servo is applied in all stages

Hi-end Power Supply

The power supply section has a dedicated power transformer for the left and right channels, making it a completely independent electrical and structural mono-construction. Six constant-voltage power-supplies coming out of each transformer and feeding each of the six modules - that's 36 separate power-supplies !
The bank of caps holds six 16V/22,000µF ELNA For Audio -per channel- for an astounding total of 264,000µF.

Hi-end switching by sealed nitrogen gas relays

Switching by sealed nitrogen gas relays, which were developed especially for audio and communication equipment are used. The contact is a crossbar twin system of gold and silver-palladium alloy. This is the purest from of switching and has ten times less distortion than commonly used solid-state switching. It also has the highest durability.
In order to improve reliability, four circuits are used in parallel for the low-level signal path for completeness.

Inside

Specifications

full specification brochure pdf

Frequency response: 1Hz to 350kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.005%

Gain: 86dB (MC), 54dB (MM), 18dB (line)

Input sensitivity: 0.05mV (MC), 2mV (MM), 126mV (line)

Signal to noise ratio: 72dB (MC), 90dB (MM), 115dB (line)

Output: 126mV (line), 2V (Pre out), 10V (Pre out Max)

Semiconductors: 219 x transistors, 58 x FET, 26 x IC, 174 x diodes

Dimensions: 468 x 171 x 396mm

Weight: 18.1kg