CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Accuphase DP-450

The DP-450 is an MDS compact disc player from Accuphase, introduced in 2021 as the successor to the DP-430 at a European price of EUR 5,600. It plays CD only, without SA-CD support, and it also works as a digital to analogue converter for external sources through USB, optical and coaxial inputs. Accuphase notes that the model draws on 35 years of its own CD player development.

Key specs that matter

Conversion uses the 4MDS+ system built around one ESS ES9026PRO converter chip. The USB Type B input accepts PCM up to 384 kHz and 32 bit and DSD at 2.8, 5.6 and 11.2 MHz, the last only through ASIO. The optical input handles up to 96 kHz and 24 bit and the coaxial input up to 192 kHz and 24 bit. Analogue outputs are balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA, both at 2.5 V with 50 ohm output impedance, and optical and coaxial transport outputs are also fitted. Frequency response runs from 0.7 Hz to 50 kHz (+0/-3 dB). THD+N is 0.0008%, signal to noise ratio 119 dB, dynamic range 116 dB and channel separation 113 dB. Power consumption is 11 W. The player measures 465 x 151 x 393 mm and weighs 13.7 kg.

Engineering and use context

In the 4MDS+ circuit the outputs of the single ES9026PRO are driven through four parallel circuits and summed as currents before current to voltage conversion. According to Accuphase, running four paths in parallel improves distortion, noise and linearity by a factor of about two, the square root of four. The Direct Balanced Filter keeps separate circuits for the line and balanced outputs, and the power transformer has separate windings for the analogue and digital sections, backed by a low-noise supply built with amplifier techniques. The CD drive is mounted low in a recessed slot in the bottom plate, with elastic dampers protecting the lens actuator, an 8-pole bonded neodymium chucking magnet and a three-layer bridge for acoustic insulation. The tray is machined from a solid aluminium block and hard anodised, and the drive reads discs with a 790 nm laser. The chassis uses 1.6 mm steel plate on high-carbon cast-iron insulators. An output level control in 1 dB steps, a balanced phase selector, programmable playlists, a sampling frequency display and a voicing equalizer loop are provided, together with the RC-140 remote control. The 230 V version includes an Eco Mode that switches the unit off after 120 minutes.

Pairing

With the level control, the DP-450 can drive a power amplifier directly, while the balanced output connects to any Accuphase preamplifier or integrated amplifier with XLR inputs.

Alternatives

The Accuphase DP-570 adds SA-CD playback, HS-LINK and an ES9028PRO-based 4MDS+ converter.