General:
Accuphase makes some of the finest audio equipment to come out of Japan. Their products are known for exceptional build quality, thoughtful engineering, and outstanding sound, and the E-530 is absolutely no exception. $9000 MSRP

The E-530 is an impressive and distinctive pure Class A integrated amplifier. It delivers 30 watts per channel into an 8-ohm load and 60 watts into 4 ohms. While those power ratings may seem modest on paper, Class A amplifiers are prized for their smooth, effortless presentation and ability to deliver current with remarkable refinement. Pure Class A integrated amplifiers of this caliber are becoming increasingly rare, making the E-530 an excellent choice for anyone looking to experience true Class A amplification without moving to separate components.

Another highlight is Accuphase's AAVA (Accuphase Analog Vari-gain Amplifier) volume control, which maintains excellent channel balance and signal purity throughout the entire volume range. Combined with the amplifier's robust power supply and high-quality internal construction, it delivers a remarkably clean, transparent, and natural sound.

Other standout features include the beautiful backlit power meters on the front panel, which look fantastic in a dimly lit listening room. The amplifier also features balanced XLR inputs for compatible source components, as well as a high damping factor of 200, providing excellent speaker control and tight, articulate bass.

Installed in one of the E-530's two optional rear expansion slots is an original Accuphase phono equalizer board. It is currently configured for 100-ohm moving coil (MC) operation but can easily be reconfigured to suit your cartridge, including moving magnet (MM) cartridges or different MC loading requirements.

Included with the amplifier are the original box, remote control, and power cord.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Overall condition is very good. There are light marks visible on the top and side panels. The backside of the remote shows wear. There is also a tiny defect in the bottom of the glass plate below the meters. This amplifier came from a costal environment. It has a very light sent of the ocean. We thoroughly inspected it internally and externally for salt damage and it looks really clean. Overall condition is great

SkyFi Technical Notes:
The phono stage card has been configured for MC operation. It is currently set to 100 ohm input impedance with the subsonic filter OFF.

Brand Background:
The name ACCUPHASE was adapted by taking the prefix ACCU from the word "accurate", and combining it with PHASE which is a most important factor in audio technology. We feel it is a very fitting brand name to describe our products that fully portray this and other important characteristics, which penetrate the innermost depth of audio technology. Our endless pursuit of quality requires a very high degree of processing which persuades us to avoid the use of mass production systems. Consequently, production volume is limited and Accuphase products are available only at a restricted number of specialized stores.

Accuphase equipment is not subject to the whims of market fashion since they are made, above all, to achieve true high fidelity sound reproduction. This is the foremost reason why our products have enjoyed long-run production.

Ownership:
Second Owner

Connections:
RCA, XLR, IEC Power,

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Included:
Unit, remote, and power cord.

Packing:
Original Manufacturers Packing

Original MSRP:
$9,000.00

Specs:
- Type: Pure Class A Integrated Stereo Amplifier
- Power Output:30 W/ch into 8 Ω
- 60 W/ch into 4 Ω
- 120 W/ch into 2 Ω
- Output Stage: Triple parallel push-pull Power MOS-FETs
- Amplifier Topology: Current Feedback
- Frequency Response:20 Hz–20 kHz, +0/−0.2 dB (rated output)
- 2 Hz–150 kHz, +0/−3.0 dB (1 W output)
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD):0.02% (4–16 Ω)
- 0.05% (2 Ω)
- Intermodulation Distortion: 0.01%
- Damping Factor: 120
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio:118 dB (Main Input)
- 106 dB (High Level Input)
- Input Sensitivity:High Level: 61.7 mV
- Main In: 617 mV
- Input Impedance:High Level: 20 kΩ
- Main In: 20 kΩ
- Pre-Out Voltage: 617 mV
- Speaker Impedance: 2–16 Ω
- Inputs:Balanced XLR ×1
- RCA Line Inputs
- Main In
- Expansion slots for optional DAC or Phono boards
- Outputs:Pre Out
- Two pairs of speaker terminals (A/B)
- Headphone output
- Controls & Features:AAVA (Accuphase Analog Vari-gain Amplifier) volume control
- Tone controls (Bass/Treble)
- Loudness compensator
- Analog illuminated power meters
- Remote control
- Preamp/Power amp separation
- Power Supply: Large toroidal transformer with oversized filter capacitors

Dimensions:
475 × 196 × 422 mm (18.7 × 7.7 × 16.6 in)

Weight:
55 lbs.

Approximate Age:
2002

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - Phono Interconnects

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Better

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Best

Kimber Kable - Speaker Cables - Better

Kimber Summit Series Monocle XL Speaker Cables (PAIR) - Best

Kimber Summit Series BiFocal XL Bi-Wire Speaker Cables (PAIR) - Best If Applicable

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Better

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Best

Testing Process:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

If the device has the ability to decouple the preamplifier from the power amplifier, we remove the jumpers and independently test each section. If the device cannot be decoupled, we assess the electronic condition of the piece by analyzing the speaker level output only.

We start by connecting the "Pre-Out" jacks of the integrated to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates real world loading conditions and gives us an oscilloscope interface. The first order of business is checking that the volume control works smoothly throughout its entire range with acceptable channel balance. This is accomplished by feeding a 1 KHz sine wave into one of the preamp’s line level inputs while monitoring the preamp’s output on an oscilloscope.

We then switch to a 1 KHz square wave to test the tone controls, loudness function, and filters where applicable. During this step we are watching for equal alteration of the test signal by both channels. This also helps us identify dirty controls that will need treatment.

Once the basic line stage functions are verified, we test each input individually. This is especially important for devices that use relays to select their sources.

If the preamp section is equipped with a phono stage we test that as well. We use an inverse RIAA filter which allows us to feed a reference test signal into the phono input with the proper RIAA equalization and level. A square wave or sine sweep is used to verify that the device’s phono stage is faithfully reproducing the RIAA curve.

Next we test the power amplifier section by connecting the integrated amplifier speaker outputs to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which acts as a dummy load, DC offset monitor, and oscilloscope interface. We start with a low level 1 KHz test signal at the "Main In” jacks and slowly increase its amplitude while monitoring the output on an oscilloscope for signs of noise, clipping, distortion, or improper channel balance. We continue increasing the signal level until the amplifier reaches clipping.

At this point we take an output power measurement and compare it to the spec sheet of the amplifier to verify proper performance. We finish off the bench evaluation with a 1 KHz square wave check and a 20 Hz to 20 KHz sine sweep to assess the amplifier’s frequency response characteristics.

This battery of tests will usually reveal if the amplifier has any issues that need further attention.

If the preamp and power amp both pass these tests, we reconnect the sections and verify that the preamp section can drive the power amp to rated power with a 1KHz tone on one of the line level inputs.

Before the device leaves the bench, we perform a listening test with actual music using a variety of preferred test tracks. Our benches are outfitted with familiar monitor speakers which help us identify inconsistencies that will not always show up on our test gear. The main things that we are listening for are hum or noise with no signal present, proper center image, clicks, pops, or any other obvious undesirable audio characteristics.

If the unit passes all of these tests it moves to our long term testing rig where we simulate real word operating conditions for 6-8 hours minimum. This allows us to monitor the unit for signs of thermal runaway or intermittent issues that only crop up when the unit has fully come up to temperature.