Hello to everyone,
I am quite new in the field of DIY audio! Like a technical draughtsman is not an architect, I am not an engineer either. I have quite good soldering skills and I can handle with (most) technical specifications but I am far from being able to develop or improve anything by myself. But as it is, like most men I am always looking for a new project! Besides my studies (25 years ago) I earned my pocket money in a high-end studio and fell in love with an e-something (maybe E-305?) Accuphase at the time. Now I have discovered the following DIY kit on Alibaba: Accuphase E405
My search on this wonderful forum has unfortunately yielded no results, has anyone already made experience with this clone - Try it or is that a no go?
best regards
Henning
I am quite new in the field of DIY audio! Like a technical draughtsman is not an architect, I am not an engineer either. I have quite good soldering skills and I can handle with (most) technical specifications but I am far from being able to develop or improve anything by myself. But as it is, like most men I am always looking for a new project! Besides my studies (25 years ago) I earned my pocket money in a high-end studio and fell in love with an e-something (maybe E-305?) Accuphase at the time. Now I have discovered the following DIY kit on Alibaba: Accuphase E405
My search on this wonderful forum has unfortunately yielded no results, has anyone already made experience with this clone - Try it or is that a no go?
best regards
Henning
This looks like your first post, so welcome to diyAudio 
I like the Accusound product too but with Chinese clones and components generally, there is a high risk - almost a certainty of either off-spec, fake or poorly copied off-brand semiconductors. Also, we can't predict that a seller always supplies the same substitute or copied parts when many are obsolete and stocks often need replacing. For DIYs, the cost of replacing just the semis in the clones with genuine parts (if available) would likely be more than the total cost of the kits.
For many home users, this may not be realised or even a problem as they have no way to properly compare parts quality or compare the finished product with the original in new condition.
Having said that, its a fair price but don't dismiss the significant total contribution to performance of the power supply, heatsinks, terminals, connectors and wiring. Including the case, their cost also far outweighs the significance of the electronics. So the answer to whether the kit (or any kit) is good also rests in your hands.
The kit suppliers also have to face public scrutiny and ratings for their products so it is unlikely that they won't work as claimed. If you are careful with layout and wiring, opt for the On-semi output transistors and use a generous power supply and heatsinks, you should be rewarded with really nice and reliable sound. It won't be exactly like the original but given the advances in semis, it may be even better.
I like the Accusound product too but with Chinese clones and components generally, there is a high risk - almost a certainty of either off-spec, fake or poorly copied off-brand semiconductors. Also, we can't predict that a seller always supplies the same substitute or copied parts when many are obsolete and stocks often need replacing. For DIYs, the cost of replacing just the semis in the clones with genuine parts (if available) would likely be more than the total cost of the kits.
For many home users, this may not be realised or even a problem as they have no way to properly compare parts quality or compare the finished product with the original in new condition.
Having said that, its a fair price but don't dismiss the significant total contribution to performance of the power supply, heatsinks, terminals, connectors and wiring. Including the case, their cost also far outweighs the significance of the electronics. So the answer to whether the kit (or any kit) is good also rests in your hands.
The kit suppliers also have to face public scrutiny and ratings for their products so it is unlikely that they won't work as claimed. If you are careful with layout and wiring, opt for the On-semi output transistors and use a generous power supply and heatsinks, you should be rewarded with really nice and reliable sound. It won't be exactly like the original but given the advances in semis, it may be even better.
This appears to be an extremely loose interpretation of the E-405 circuit. It is even questionable if it is based on an actual circuit or just on inspiration from the publicly available brochure.
Which does not mean it is bad. Or poor value. It only means the Accuphase name has been blatantly misused.
Which does not mean it is bad. Or poor value. It only means the Accuphase name has been blatantly misused.
Yeah from memory I think the main difference is that the OPS driver is a cascaded fet. The clone is a transistor, not cascaded. I expect that would make a considerable difference to the sound signature. I think there was a polish clone of an Accuphase which claimed to be exact down to the pcb, can't remember the model.
check out post #4 under
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...cuphase-clone-and-music-fax-power-amp.336281/
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...cuphase-clone-and-music-fax-power-amp.336281/