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Accuphase E-202 Restored

Mrppv

Mrppv

Active Member
Recently had my Accuphase E-202 integrated amp restored by Chris Ready of ReadyAudio. (AK member Readytech)

Chris replaced 80 components with upgraded parts, re-soldered joints, cleaned the frame, face, and knobs, and got it back to spec. He did a first-rate job and obviously enjoys what he does.

The amp was in pretty good condition cosmetically when I bought it, and I mistakenly assumed it had been restored since the previous owner said he had a lot of work done to it. (My mistake, not asking more questions.) Turned out he had taken it to his local shop for repairs several times for the same issue... the circuit protection kept kicking in.... and they must have been in over their heads with this one. Chris mentioned that a bunch of caps and transistors that they replaced had been installed wrong. The amp was clearly working way below its potential.

Anyway, it sounds great now; definitely a huge improvement, and looks mighty nice, too.

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Really can't go wrong with Accuphase now can you? That's a beautiful piece right there. I'm glad you got it and it's working at it's full potential. Kudos to Readytech for a splendid job.
 
It´s just a nice thing to look inside a restored unit that has been in the hands of a master. :thmbsp:
 
To be honest I couldn't call this a "first rate job" and have to say it looks a little kludgy to me. I'll admit I have seen much worse though.

The filter cap solution is ok but it's not impossible to find proper fitting lug terminal caps yet. 90% of the caps are axial style electrolytics and from what I see, all radial style were used as replacements. There are only but a couple bipolar axials in the E-202 where there isn't much of a choice. Not a huge deal but it DOES look kludgy where high quality Vishay axials for example could have been used.

Looking at the dc-offset trimmer replacements, I'll be they are a bitch to adjust :D
Why not use a trimmer with the adjustment in the proper orientation?? IMO the bias trimmers should have also been replaced.

Some may say it's nitpicky but IMO I say it's the REAL difference between an OK job to a first rate job.
 
I can't really comment on your observations, since I'm not a tech. But I do know the four large blue caps were installed by the previous owner's repair shop. They were left in since they are pretty new and functioning properly.
 
That thing looks fantastic!

I have never encountered Accuphase gear. Is it uncommon?

I suppose it is among the very top, sound-quality-wise?
 
Ruxman said:
That thing looks fantastic!

I have never encountered Accuphase gear. Is it uncommon?

I suppose it is among the very top, sound-quality-wise?
Click to expand...

FWIW, a common way of referring to Accuphase is to say it is "the Japanese McIntosh". Top-quality, high-end gear.
 
Nice unit. It might be off topic, but anyone know what to change the transistors with in the protection boards ? ( I'm fighting with a p-300 right now, same problem, but those transistors are impossible to find today )

And accuphase DO sound grath, even today ( after the usual dry caps are changed. For the P-300 EchoWara has a nice write-up inhere )
 
Why does that look like some other brand I seen before, man it sure seems like something and not Accuphase.
Solid unit for sure. !
 
qsaudio said:
Why does that look like some other brand I seen before, man it sure seems like something and not Accuphase.
Solid unit for sure. !
Click to expand...

Accuphase was a product of Kensonic Laboratories, founded by the brothers who also founded Trio Electronics, maker of Kenwood.

Not sure if any Kenwood products bear a resemblance or not.
Some Luxman gear has a vaguely similar "feel", appearance-wise.
 
Mrppv said:
Accuphase was a product of Kensonic Laboratories, founded by the brothers who also founded Trio Electronics, maker of Kenwood.

Not sure if any Kenwood products bear a resemblance or not.
Some Luxman gear has a vaguely similar "feel", appearance-wise.
Click to expand...



YES, maan am so glad you confirmed that, I been looking for our old integrated we used, for pics inside and don't know the model number, copper color with balance control around the outside of the volume control, and it has the same tan boards, those brackets on top each side by the boards, same looking heat sinks, even the front panel those angular side edges. Kenwood.

I know because I was the one to dig into it to keep our bench amp going, so it hit me when I seen this. different, but the same. deja-vu all over again


very cool, must be a nice sturdy sounding amp.
 
Mrppv,

Take a look Here

It only escaped getting a 'Recommended' or Best-Buy' because it was thought too expensive :sigh:

Nice amp, well restored :thmbsp:

Enjoy
 
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qsaudio said:
YES, maan am so glad you confirmed that, I been looking for our old integrated we used, for pics inside and don't know the model number, copper color with balance control around the outside of the volume control, and it has the same tan boards, those brackets on top each side by the boards, same looking heat sinks, even the front panel those angular side edges. Kenwood.
Click to expand...

Quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuphase

Accuphase Laboratories, Inc. (originally known as Kensonic Laboratories, Inc.) is a Japanese high-end audio equipment manufacturer founded by former Kenwood engineer Jiro Kasuga in late 1972. Kasuga was not happy with the views of Kenwood relating to the follower of their High-End Supreme 1 unit (1967). He hired some engineers from other prominent brands (Marantz, Luxman) and started Kensonic. However, Kenwood had a share in Kensonic. Also some other connections in the early years of Accuphase exist. If you compare at the parts used by Kenwood and Kensonic throughout the latter's early years, the familiarities show quite easy: knobs, buttons, tuner dials and the general direction of the design. Accuphase's early PCB's are tagged KENSONIC, too, and the early units bore a proud KENSONIC on their frontplates as well. Until the mid-1990s, Kenwood still owned part of Kensonic. It also seems that Accuphase engineers may have had a hand in the engineering of Kenwood's last high-end series (L-A1, LD-1 and LV-Z1).
 
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