Accuphase Laboratory, Inc. (originally known as Kensonic Laboratory, Inc.) is a Japanese,

Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of T ...

-based

high-end audio High-end audio is a class of consumer home audio equipment marketed to audiophiles on the basis of high price or quality, and esoteric or novel sound reproduction technologies. The term can refer simply to the price, to the build quality of the ...

equipment manufacturer founded by former Kenwood

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

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, with Kenwood as a part owner. Some other connections in the early years of Accuphase exist as well. If you compare 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 PCB may refer to: Science and technology * Polychlorinated biphenyl, an organic chlorine compound, now recognized as an environmental toxin and classified as a persistent organic pollutant * Printed circuit board, a board used in electronics * ...

s are tagged KENSONIC, too, and the early units bore KENSONIC on their frontplates as well. Until the mid-1990s, Kenwood still owned part of Kensonic. It appears that Accuphase engineers may have had a hand in the engineering of Kenwood's last high-end series (L-A1, L-D1 and LVD-Z1). For example, the Accuphase E-405 and Kenwood L-A1 have very similar volume knobs, side panels, and remotes. Kensonic's first products were the P-300 amp(lifier), the C-200 preamp, and the T-100 tuner. The E-202 integrated amp and an up-versioned tuner (the T-101) were added soon after. All received very positive reviews in 1973 and 1974. While Kenwood has now abandoned all high-end audio activities, Kensonic carries on with the Accuphase series. Accuphase products are well regarded by high-end audio enthusiasts, but the brand is uncommon in the USA. Accuphase products are readily identified by their large Champagne-colored faceplates and large dual analog power meters – which are similar to the respected

McIntosh Laboratory McIntosh Laboratory is an American manufacturer of handcrafted high-end audio equipment based in Binghamton, New York. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh. The company designs and produces audio amplifiers, stereo tuners and other ...

brand (McIntosh is famous for its unique faceplates, which are made of silk-screened glass and use large blue analog power meters). Accuphase explains the brand name as follows: Accuphase has a good reputation for quality, with units from the first series still in use. Models remain available at least for several years, and sometimes up to a decade. The Accuphase website explains the background and development of each of their products.

References

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External links

Accuphase website

The Accuphase section on Hifishark.com, maybe the most complete model list in the world.
Electronics companies established in 1972 Audio amplifier manufacturers Audio equipment manufacturers of Japan Compact Disc player manufacturers Manufacturing companies based in Yokohama 1972 establishments in Japan Japanese brands