Look (Part II)
Here is a close up of the power button, with the central input selector buttons in the middle. Notice the different button sizes, the sizes force your brain to logically associate them by function and importance.
The power button, being the button that is likely to be the most frequently used, is the most beefed up button on the Accuphase front fascia. The input panels, the secondly most used controls are sized smaller, but now wider so that they are still easy to select.
Notice how the most common used inputs of the modern day (USB and HS-Link) are placed at both the right and left end, while the less common ones remain in the middle. This is by design as this allows you to intuitively select the two most popular input straightaway without barely a thought.
Here is the view of the volume control, notice the difference in dimensions again. Because we are now used to the left to right approach, we naturally placed more importance to things to the left hand side, and this my friends is why the Down button is before the Up button.
And here’s the middle of the DC-37. Again applying the left to right philosophy, the sample rate and bit depth comes first, followed by the beautifully lit Accuphase logo in the middle with the signal lock underneath, and the volume meter on the right (0 dB means no attenuation).
This LCD is simple with no fancy OLED or graphical gimmicks. It is not pretty hifi but it redeem itself straightaway by it’s functionality. The picture is exposed a tad too long, but this LCD is very legible, unlike some of the cheaper LCDs out there, you will never misread 8 as 0 (or vice versa). Below the LCDs you’d see the unit for each measure - kHz, bit and dB respectively. Accuphase used the correct SI notation on all 3 counts. I have seen so many self styled experts on the Internet who did not even realise they have showed their hands by using terms like KHz, DB, or db. Worse to see wrongly labelled units appear on Hi fi gear!
Now here’s the game changer!
Imagine placing your finger and press any of the button? Yes, the button labels are not hidden from view. Do you have hifi components with text text labelled below the buttons? Or the text has poor contrast (and even un-labelled)?
Be annoyed, be very annoyed indeed why other brands did not put the same emphasis on the user interface like Accuphase has!
The little things count, and user interface design detailed to such a level really speaks volumes about Accuphase’s philosophy and approach to audio - simplicity brings excellence.
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