Review! The Yamaha A-S801 Integrated Amplifier!
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- Опубликовано: 19 сен 2024
- #Yamaha #hifi
Hands on with the Yamaha A-S801 integrated!
Intro Music by: Ocean Jams - 'Lean'
Adorama Camera Yamaha A-S801 Link:
www.adorama.co...
Yamaha A-S801 Product Page:
usa.yamaha.com...
Yamaha A-S801 Review by Audioholics:
www.audioholic...
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Loudspeakers used during the evaluation:
Mistral Audio BOW A-2
Buchardt Audio S400
Buchardt Audio S300
Harbeth P3ESR 40th Anniversary
Klipsch RP-600M
PSB Alpha P5
Paiyon Audio P4
I have the baby A-S301, and it never ceases to amaze me as to how balanced it is. Everything is exactly where it should be - nothing in the frequency spectrum calls attention to itself. It is a ridiculously good amp, considering the cost.
What are some good speakers to pair this amp with? And whats a good size? How big /powerful can the speakers be?
@@cristovalortega1968 Go with Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 V2, for $948/pair. They are extremely neutral and accurate. Layered bamboo cabinets, custom spec SEAS drivers, and designed and tested on the $100K Klippel NFS. Build and performance slaughters anything up to $3000/pair. You can step up your game with the Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX, for $1315/pair. Best bookshelf up to $5000/pair. Also designed and tested on the Klippel NFS.
I have this unit , for few years , Yamaha 801 , brilliant sounding piece, everything is right with it , strongly recommend
you are so right about this yamaha amp is a kick ass love it the sound is so powerful I would recommend it for any one who is looking for a good sound in a amp this is the one.
I bought my A-S801 to pair with my Kef LS-50's. The minute I hooked it up to them I was very happy. I had been using a 50 wpc Rotel integrated that I purchased back in the early 1990's and the sound was ok. But the extra power and smoothness in the treble was a great match for the Kefs. The sound was more relaxed, no strain or hardness. For the LS 50s it's a great match. I also have a Cambridge CXC CD transport hooked up to its digital input. Works great.
Will my Kef q150's be able to handle this Amp?
@@zacharylagler242 yes
@@zacharylagler242 Speakers can handle any Amp as long as you don't push them too far.
But not every Amp can handle any speaker. Such as speakers that run in the 2 Ohm range.
Shawn, as a longtime viewer of your content I want to say that your depth of knowledge is impressive. I've been in and around high-end for decades and you always seem to come up with something that answers a question I've pondered more than once. Very impressive.
I have this and the older RX797... the loudness control is a game changer! Love them
I purchased the 801about 2 months ago. I'm new to the stereo world and thought this would make a good entry point for me. I'm running it with the Cambridge Audio CX series transport and network streamer, some older Polk Audio Monitor 10 speakers and I recently added an SVS sub. I've been happy with how this unit brought life back into my Polks. Adding the sub made a huge improvement in giving me a richer, fuller experience. I watched the Audioholics review prior to purchasing it and I think you both presented accurate descriptions of the unit. Thanks for the review.
Enjoy the 801 Eric! I had a set of Monitor 10's from back in the day. I have no doubt that your system bangs out some sweet sounding tunes!
@@ZeroFidelity Yeah, I'm cool for now but I do intend to upgrade the speakers next.
when you say "new to the stereo world" it almost sounds like you just grew a set of new ears !!! :-)
@@BogdanWeiss lol indeed. My dad was into audio equipment so I grew up appreciating stereos but as an adult, I never purchased any equipment for myself. My source for music has been a Kenwood bookshelf system that I bought in college 20 years ago. This is my first pass at "high end" audio.
@@esk_71 I guess you must have been witness to a fair bit of effort & frustration trying to get the system to sound "decent"... If you're developing an "itch" I have to say that I can't fault any of Troel's designs ( which in itself is a bit of a miracle.. ) www.troelsgravesen.dk/Diy_Loudspeaker_Projects.htm
Pro tip: do NOT press the 'pure direct' button when you've got the loudness control turned way down. Lesson learned from the A-S700. Fortunately no speakers or eardrums blown when it happened. Just a mild heart attack.
That upper midrange "hardness" is how live instruments sound. I've not once heard a live instrument that has the syrupy, buttery smoothness one hears in many amps.
that is why high end stuff is sometimes better than live. Becouse it smoothens some parts which sounds better.
If you go by that logic, then everyone would love horn speakers, but most do not. Horn speakers acoustically amplify the strengths and weaknesses of what comes before meaning the tweeter material and characteristic, cables and interconnects material, amplifier noise floor and sound signature etc. Humans are negative aversive and we are a lot happier with decreasing flaws than we are increasing the good stuff, and the flaws are enhanced with horns and the horn itself is a flaw.
I have its junior sibling, the S701; mine does not have network capabilities. I wanted a quality STEREO system, not a home theater or media hub. The S701 is powering a pair of Wharfedale Jade 5 floor standing speakers. All together, fukkin’ awesome! The amp is clean, powerful, and non-frilly with a classic design. My musical tastes are classical and jazz, so transparent neutral sound was what I was after. I haven’t had any problems with mid-range issues with instruments or voices. Best wishes!
Siegfried der Held really the only difference between my 801 and your 701 is the DAC, you’ve got the same amp I do in every respect minus the SABBRE DAC, I haven’t even used it yet, you’ve got to download Yamahas dedicated driver to your computer and all I’ve got on my computer is iTunes, I don’t stream Tidal or anything yet, but nice to have the option. Mines paired with KLH Kendalls, and you’re right clean power!!
I have the S701, also. Great little amp! Have it paired with Focal Chorus 706 speakers in a relatively small room. I've been a yamaha fan since the early 70's. Back then, it was an A1000 IA paired with a T1000 tuner.
Finally! A REAL REVIEW ! I have been trying to get an engineers explanation of the Devices ...I wish all reviewers did it this way BIG UPS!!
Let me explain. If we know the components we can assess actual value better. This thing is better than outlaw 1050 it’s gotta be NASTY!
Great review, although I think the Yamaha deserves WAY more credit overall..such a tough review
Thank you for another great review. I had Yamaha A-S2100 about a year ago. It is built like a tank and puts to shame lots of more expensive electronics, making me question what exactly are we paying for. However based on your description here it is also a less warm sounding amp. The sound was smooth and clear but i didn't perceive midrange warmth, at least not with the speakers i had at the time.
Thanks. The 2100 is a very solid integrated. I have no doubt that Yamaha's aim for neutrality shines through on that unit. Still, the 801's deviation from neutrality helps to give it a lot of charm. :)
So which one is better ?
this amp started my hifi adventure
bought the amp and it is playing now for a few weeks and I am very happy with it, honestly very good match with my Klipsch set. Really don't understand some Yamaha haters, it is my first Yamaha but very pleased so far.... thanks for this review... helped me to make this decision
Erik B. I just ordered this amp to pair with Klipsch as well. Which Klipsch do you have?
@@freedomdance7601 i have a pair of rb81's and as a sub the rw12d... sounds great to my taste...
I have a pair of RB81's and for subwoofer I use the RW12D, perfectly happy with this set, which Klipsch do you use ?
Erik B. Just ordered a set of rp8000f!!
I am sure you will also be a happy listener :-)
If you set the bass and treble to minimum, bring the volume control up higher than you normally listen to, then slowly increase bass and treble dials, the sound will be more intense and punchy than with bass/treble maxed out. My preference is to keep the yamaha loudness control set to maximum clockwise (0 dB, flat). I listen only at high volume.
thank god we have channels like you and tharbamar 🙏
You should look at the 701 and 501 as well. There’s a lot of debate online about how the 701 compares to the 801- whether it’s the same amp without the upgraded DAC or whether there are other differences, etc. The 701 seems to get discounted more frequently so it can often be bought for much less than the 801. I’ve seen it for under $600 on Black Friday sales. There’s also the argument that a 701 + an external DAC like a Modi is better than the 801’s internal DAC. And you should look at the 501 because it seems to be the volume leader of the line in terms of sales. It’s the one that Yamaha seems to want most people to buy. It also often gets discounted to $399, etc. so comparing it to similar budget amps might be worthwhile.
I just bought the 801 and I have the Schiit Modi 3 as well. I compared both and I would say that the DAC in the 801 provides superior resolution and detail to the Modi. This is my first serious amp and I love it! My previous amp was an SVS Soundbase and in comparison the SVS somehow seemed slower, (maybe its just that the details seemed muddy), but the Yamaha presents all of the details in the music and then they're gone so that they don't slide over top of the next one. Anyway, I am new to all of this but I am loving the 801
@@McBeakerson huh, I didn’t know that
Thanks Sean, Thanks Adorama, great review. Big help to my as I was just looking to buy the A-S801.
I also don't understand that some manufacturers put a low pass filter on the sub-out when most sub woofers have built-in. It's a waste of resources and potentially causes problem for small speakers.
Excellent review as always!👍
The proper way wold be as follows. The filter on the subwoofer is so the subwoofer don't play ABOVE (LF filter) Certain frequency. The filter on the integrated is so the speakers don't play BELOW (HF filter) those frequencies. This is what actually yields proper benefits on using the subwoofer as you would be reliving the speakers to play the lowest octaves, cuausing less distortion and increasing the headroom of the speakers as the wattage to produce mid-bass is lesser than the one required to play full range, thus heating less the transducer. Also, allowing to play higher volumes.
In the case of the yamaha... Well... It's only LF... So true, pretty useless. Speakers remain full-range.
That's the actual purpose of the filter on the amps. Weird
Yamaha builts exceptional amps. I have the AS-1100 and love it.
yes i had a 801 then jumped up to the as1100 and love that one even more
The Yamaha A-S1100/2100/3000 series of amps are in another league altogether. They start at $2500 and go clear to $7000. Neither the Iota nor the Marantz can compare as they are not in the same class.
You know what’s funny? Every single AB Yamaha stereo amp from $300 up to $7000 is rated at around 80-100 watts per channel. Now, you KNOW that $7000 amp can just destroy every Yamaha amp from $300 to $1000 and yet they are all rated the same! There oughta be a law...
Very cool. Glad you're diggin on the 1100!
Does the AS-1100 also have an amber power light? Is yours black or silver?
@@michaelphillippi4676 From what I can tell, the power light is the same as the 801s. Mine is black. I'll upload a video in the next few days.
It’s up to the buyer. What do you want? Someone will buy, some won’t. I’ll be happy in what I have and keep watching and listening for new options. You go Sean
Smooth treble is truly important. Nothing drives the off button faster than a nasty high freq treble. But the 801 has a built-in DAC. Maybe the next lower integrated from Yamaha (I forget the model) has the same features but no dac, which is better because external dacs can be upgraded. A very interesting review would be the IOTA VS the Onkyo A-9110, 'cuz I read the 9110 is fantastic. Old school, but a real gem.
A-S 1100 has no DAC.
"nearly half a decade"... so about 4 years
Thanks for the review. Your spot on with the mention of low level listening, I’ve got an 801, and at night I find myself turning it up just slightly to have some life to the music. I run all flat, pure direct on vinyl (excellent phono stage) & CD direct amp on CD, it provides a very detailed sound to my KLH Kendall’s.
Have you tried loudness control?
No, I’ve never used it.
@@nathanjones4039 that's the purpose. To give more bass and treble, more sparkle on low listening levels. Rise the volume until it gets exciting/loudish, turn the loudness until it gets comfortable at night. Listen to couple songs, you ear would adjust. It would not be exciting because dynamics are reduced, but it would be more enjoyable for sure.
With compressed music that sounds awful at higher volumes... Use it too. You would be surprised.
Though my experience is with pre - 90s yamaha gear. No idea if it has changed through the decades.
@@BastianUllr At last someone who knows how to use the loudness control on these amps!
I have a 1992 AX-550 and a 2001 AX-596 the loudness still works how you describe, great amps.
Definately get a phono stage, rega mk3 or schiit mani. And wow yourself!
Sean, you have been killing it lately with the number of reviews. I appreciate your work ethic.
Thanks man.
What else does he have to do ?
There is nothing wrong having a product hang around for 5 years plus if it is something special, and fits allot of listener's requirements. I think I would go with the IOTA myself. But that is me. My friends, the Yamaha hands down. Why? No headaches. It is smooth on the top. Gets along fine with many speakers. Build is good. One box, one great solution, not a ton of money. Kind of the upper top my buddies would ever spend, or family would spend. I think the lower line Yamahas would be nice too in smaller rooms and more modest budgets. I also think that the dark horse not mentioned though technically riding the separates train is Emotiva Audio's PT-100 Preamplifier and A-300 power amplifier for about $700.00! Better value than the Yamaha, with more power, better isolation since it is a preamplifier and amplifier. Lower costs. And a 3 year warranty to prove it is the real deal. The BAS-X is the sleeper of the Emotiva Audio family, but they sound amazingly good. The A-300 is my go too 2 channel amplifier if power but budget is important and used market is not an option. Getting it done smartly is what I do. So when I can get you more and make you spend less, but you are happy. Job One is Done!
I have to disagree with your assessment of the sound staging, as I have this paired with the KLH Kendall Towers where the music stage extends far beyond the speakers. In fact I would say with the KLH Kendall's, the A-S801 is a perfect match!! Why because the Kendall's get low, very low and clean at 25hz. Thus you get the weight you may have been missing in your set-up. And by the way have you auditioned the KLH Kendall's yet?? At 50lbs a piece, for $1300 a pair, are a steal...seriously...a freaking steal!!! 4 Driver, 3 Way, these speakers are crossed over with the precision of a Samurai!! Get a pair and give a listen, would live to see what you think!!
Can you please review the Yamaha R N803? I'm wondering how it compares to the 801.
Thanks for the review, Sean.
It's nice to see someone skip past the hyperbole and actually talk what a component does and doesn't do well.
I've got an A-S701 (the 801 minus the internal DAC), SVS Ultra Bookshelves, and an SVS SB-2000, so this has been my month with your recent reviews hitting pretty close to my setup. I've got my albums converted to flac on a NAS, and am playing them through a Chromecast audio via the mini toslink connector using the HI-FI Cast app. I was able to use the low pass filter on the sub to get it blended with my Ultras, and I get compliments from everyone that hears the system.
I think the Yamaha does seem to blend well with any speakers I've connected to it and the system is nimble and non-fatiguing. I am very happy with it as good mid-fi. To be honest, you got my curiosity up about the IOTA VX, but for the moment, I'm happy with what I'm hearing.
All the best, and thanks for your time and effort on this channel.
Get your biases about prices out of your head. I have this amp and a A-S2100 amp as well. This is not a mid-fi amp. It IS HI-FI! It walks all over Cambridges and NADs that are twice the price. The DAC implementation on it alone keeps up with 500 to 1k standalone DACs. If they actually gave you a good deal, it is mid-fi eh? typical audiophlawed idiot thinking.
@@wa2368 I agree with you on the AS801. I bought the iota stack as well and returned it. It was the exact opposite of what this reviewer mentioned. The iota to me was worse in every aspect than the 801. He also fails to mention anything about the super nice DAC with full DSD and PCM you get on top of everything. After i got to make the comparison myself, this sounds like a super biased review. Can you please tell me if the S1100 or the S2100 is worth a future upgrade?
@@deepmystic333 Hello mystic, when a reviewer gets kickbacks from a certain manufacturer.....they will tend to rate that product higher on comparisons (it's human nature). So, it is best to skip the comparison part in reviews like these and not go down a rabbit hole. What is your budget? Do you have a 1k+ stand alone dac? what kinda music do you listen to? I assume you have a budget constraint. Otherwise, i think you would have gone with the A-S1100 or A-S2100 in the first place. You would not need a A-S2100 unless you have a very highly resolving system with 10k+ non-snake oil speakers, etc, etc. In such a system, the A-S2100 has a advantage at loud volumes with big swings and hence it works better for my very large listening room. The A-S2100 goes head to toe with certain 8k+ amps out there....In smaller rooms, you really didn't miss anything with the A-S801 and it really is a killer deal. I think Yamaha felt bad for folks with smaller budgets and gave them a lot more than they charged. You simply could not get sound like this at these prices 15 years ago. I still very much enjoy the A-S801 in my mid-sized bedroom and i tend to be a very unforgiving audiophile. I would suggest that you forget about amp upgrades and get a 2nd DAC. Get a R2R dac like the Denafrips ares 2 instead for 750 bucks. You can enjoy 2 very different types of sound with the 801's dac and the denafrips dac. It would add more variety to your listening experience for different music genres and would be money that's well spent. Get more music, find new artists, etc...instead of thinking about 3k more for another amp.
@@wa2368 Thanks much for your suggestion. Yes, my budget is tight and i do not have a stand alone DAC. My speakers are Elac Uni-fi Uf5 from the thanksgiving sale. I would need to save for a long time to afford the higher end Yamaha amplifier. I will look into a second DAC instead. I never thought of it that way. It was very good advice.
Like alot of previous comments. I have the Yamaha A-S1100 Integrated. It's a serious amplifier! But I recently upgraded to the Modwright KWI 200. Now this amp is on another level! My A-S1100 needs a new home.
Grats on the KWI 200. Dan makes some good stuff. Of course, I'd fully expect it to kick the A-S1100 in the pants given the gigantic differences in price. :D Enjoy the music!
In the comparisons sections you forgot to mention that Yamaha offers computer connection while the presented competitors simply omitted. And that alone is going to earn many buyers with not too fat wallets (including me). Especially when the sound differences are not that dramatic and those people looking amps in such price range arent definitely purists, audiophiles but everyday ordinary people looking for some affordable but above average good sound enjoyment to fill their places with. The A-S801 targets well its intended customers and with more power sounds like the winner here in that sense simply by offering more :)
I'd love to see a review of the A-S3000, those big VU look so good, not twice as good as the ones on my A-S2100. Ron at NRD helped sell me on the 2100 over the HINT (after I tried finding a vintage 2010 for $30 at Savers). Fully discrete, symmetrical, floating and balanced with MOSFETs. They're all around 100w, will drive a 2 Ohm load and mine has 88,000uf, for some pretty nice dynamics.
I would love to bring in the A-S3000. Gratz on the 2100!
You should check out the Yamaha A-S1100 definitely a few steps up from this Yamaha amp, beautiful piece of audio. Love the old school needle VU meters and the sound quality is amazing!
If Yamaha or Adorama Camera is willing to send me the A-S1100, I'd be down to try it. Heck, I may even go for the 3000. The topology that Yammy uses for that one is outstandingly good. :D
@@ZeroFidelity please do! I wonder actually if the 3000 actually stands its own against Luxman. That'd be very interesting!
I could not agree more, the 1100 is such a great amp. And the phono is awesome!
Andreas Nielsen oh yeah it’s a freaking awesome amp. It’s not the best amp in the world by any means, and there’s a few models above the A-S1100, but still it’s definitely high end. For me it would be the “end game” to own one and I’d be happy for a very long time if I did. There’s a video on RUclips of a guy who owns one and running a pair of Klipsch Fortè lll floor standing speakers, which would be a really great combo. I think he upgraded to another high end floor standing Klipsch speaker but I can’t remember which one.
Ron over at New Record Day did a review of the mid-level A-S2100 and was seriously impressed with it. I guess it’s mainly due to the MOS-FET topology. Yamaha has been tinkering with VFETs and MOS-FETs for as long as I remember, and I’m OLD lol
ruclips.net/video/7jjAZz7NOK0/видео.html
Thanks for the comparisons at the end :)
Good, honest review. Keep 'em comin'...👍👍
I have A-S1100, great amp, powerfull sound, tight bass, I love it.
Faisal Kadal
Much better than this one
Did you ever have the A-S801? Thinking of upgrading
Very good amigo!
Thanks to Adorama for sending you that one to be review, now I think we are getting close to one of the top line of Yamaha AS family: A-S1100, A-S2100
I wish they could send you those too, peace!
Thanks! I hope they can as well.
You did not mention that the front sides of the marantz are plastic while yamaha from aluminium !! Also the marantz has one heat sink for both channels, while the yamaha has one heat sink per channel!I have A-S701 with wharfedale 225 and iam very happy.Very nice analytic review.
I have had mine since 2016, thank you for the 4ohm spec, 185 watts is very impressive. I am powering Cerwin Vega RE-38's with 15' Inch subwoofers
Nailed it. I bought this unit a last Xmas and you described it to a tea. I play mine thorough 20 year old 620 Bowers and Wilken speakers. Sounds great.
Judging by my experience with the Marantz PM-8004, if the 8006 sounds anything like it, it would actually be paired WELL with bright sounding speakers, as the Marantz is a darker sounding unit and will help counter-act the brightness of those speakers.
subscribed. nice content on this channel. as a word of advice, maybe you should give more details about aesthetics, feel of the knobs, build quality, materials etc. content on the audio end is perfect !
Half a decade ??!!
Jeez in another year that will almost be 6 years !!
Wow CD direct 😱 That's very old school.
Thank you for the review!
Thank you for the review. I noticed that you mentioned a total of 12000 microfarads. I noticed on the Audioholics website they mentioned 2x12000 microfarads. I thought I'd point it out as I was concerned about buying this amp if the capacitance was so low. I will probably purchase this amp soon.
Also, I'd like to say that I like the way you do your reviews because you do each category in the same order each time which makes it easier to compare notes between different reviews.
Picked one up today. Awesome amplifier!
This Yamaha compared to the denon pma-800ne you reviewed earlier this year?
Thanks Sean... another great and fair review... I watch most of the reviewer vids (I.e. Steve G, Zeos, NRD, Thomas & Stereo) and you’re the best
Thanks! The others you mention offer up great content. Steve has experience and a strong shirt game. Zeos brings the entertainment. NRD vids are pretty. And Thomas is like the soft-spoken enthusiast next door.
I have it and love it.... 100% agree with your opinion. Thank you
Good review! Love the look
This amp is on sale for $650 on Amazon! Can’t wait till it comes in.
Thanks for doing these reviews I really do enjoy them.
I like the traditional look of the Yamaha more than the marantz, still nice looking though. too bad Yamaha didn't redesign their AVR's to look like their 2 channel receivers and amps.
I too prefer the vintage Yammy aesthetic. It's a clean look. Especially in silver.
Becouse it is very different market and they wouldn't sell.
@@awdadwadwad1723 I do like the look of the Sony and onkyo AVR's better though, cambridge makes nice looking stuff , I did like the look of the mid 90's and early 2000's Yamaha that had a japanese look, onkyo tried to copy that look at the same time but they failed lol.
I have as301, yes it's laid back ,better than harsh listening fatigue. Oh ,if you connect your cd player to it with qed reference optical ...it springs into life..sounds like an upgrade.
Can't wait for my IOTAVX SA3 to get here Monday. Then I hope I can get the PA3 before the end of the month. I was hoping for it to be here Friday so I could break it in over the weekend but it sat at Customs for 24 hours. I asked the guys at Audioholics if they've tried any of the IOTAVX products and Theo Nicolakis said he hasn't had a sampling of their products yet. I said if he reached out to them, they would most likely send him a review unit. I want to see IOTAVX succeed in a tough market for smaller companies. Audioholics do mostly AVRs so it would be nice to see how their home theater system does. It may be another one of my purchases in the future.
The hold up sucks, but I'm nonetheless excited for ya. Give it a bit of time to break-in, and enjoy!
Yeah, I reckon you'll love your SA3 - I'd say 24 hours of use will get it where it needs to be performance wise.
Not sure I really agree with your characterization of the "old Yamaha sound" as treble-forward. A lot of those old amps have dried out electrolytics and as such don't sound great. I can hear the difference in the two CA-810s I own, the one that has been recapped and restored has that laid-back sound you're talking about and not even the slightest hint of harshness. The other one (all original components intact) has a definite harsh, grainy vibe on the top end, so much so that I use the high filter on it at all times. The RX-V850 and CX/MX combo (early 90s gear) I also use regularly are even smoother on the top end and a slightly darker sound overall.
Good review though! I kinda want to try out one of these now - I really wish the A-S1100 had the variable loudness but that's another discussion I guess.
It shows how naive the reviewer is to be honest. I wouldn’t recommend this channel to anyone. I have a restored Yamaha power amp myself and what it offers is a lot of clean headroom. However the power section in my R-S700 is already good enough for the speakers I use and I never regretted simplifying myself and omitting the power amp.
You're right. They didn't call them "Natural Sound" receivers for nothing. Yamaha makes tons of musical instruments; they know what music is supposed to sound like. But if you weren't listening to the late '70s/early '80s Yamahas when they were new, you wouldn't know that.
Always my go to amp in the 70s when I couldn’t afford Marantz
Comparison is dam good. If I am in the market, right way I buy Marantz without second thought. You made that easy. Thank you.
Thanks to Audioholics I bought this as 801. Is combined with ps audio nuwave and T+A speakers. I think this Yamaha is a good mix for the money. The inside DAC can compete with nuwave. Using the remote and motorized volume knob make a really nice experience
T+A speakers and a Yammy 801? You're crazy, but I like that. I'm sure the system sounds great. :)
Long story... I get t+a tb100 doing a switch with a guy for Grundig a5000nand preamp svx 6000. I start this passion with vintage equipment but my old amps crash allot so from frustration I tried to find some balanced amp. I can't afford to buy t+a new amp. Is not worth it for my home and the place for the speaker.
i have this yamaha amp a-801 i just love it the way it sounds'
On the subject of vintage, I've just bought some absolutely pristine Mission 754 freedom 5 speakers for a snip 😎 I've got an old Yamaha AX400 amp and playing Heart80s radio through a Raspberry Pi and Dac combo sounds pretty bloody amazing.
But I know a bigger more powerful amp is a good idea and I wanted one anyway. Loudness control is a must for me. What would be you guys thoughts on the match for the A-S801?
I've been into audio for over 35 years, and I fully agree; for some reason, Yamaha has that kind of mid-range presentation you describe (which is exactly why I wasn't too fond of it in the late 80s/ early 90s, and which means I would most likely not really love this one, either). Thanks for this, and all your other vids @Zero Fidelity.
i dont know how anyone could not love beryllium midranges!!! The yamaha NS-1000's were the best speakers ever made!!! You would have to spend $10,000+ per speaker now days to get beryllium drivers and the sound you could from the old school NS-1000s
@@AaronR-p2r I wasn't referring to the NS1000 speakers at all. I was referring to their electronics, as per the video.
Can you get an A-S1100 in?! That be sweet cheers from UK
As for the power supply caps they are 12000 microfards each, nice touch for modern systems
and - it's readily avail in the far superior silver > PS Yamaha sells a stereo receiver line , looks like the exact same style with the bass /treble controls etc. RN 602 = 80 w / ch. ( no connection to company )
Love the silver look. Cannot comment on the RN602.
I've seen some equipment with great specs sound bad, but I've never seen something with bad specs sound good - ever. This is why I always start with the specs and work my way towards listening tests.
The audiohaulics review shows some fantastic specs.
Its flatness into a purely resistive load is most impressive. Vintage IC amps use integrated circuits to achieve high fidelity. Which means they usually cannot deliver a lot of current. Audioholics, however, found that this is not the case with this amp - which means this is not your classic IC amp design - it's quite modern. And it means this is audiophile ready.
The only problem is that it's a bit underpowered for some speaker systems. This would need to be coupled to a set of mid to high efficiency speakers, nothing under 90db@1w@1m, or keep it out of very large rooms.
Can I suggest that you light the front of the equipment your reviewing. All that black does not reveal the buttons, dials, etc.
It would have been interesting to know what kind of “Break In” period you gave this Amp before reviewing it?? Cause it takes about two weeks (of continuous play) before it really starts to perform optimally.
Hi Sean!
Any thoughts on the Yamaha a s1100?
Would you recommend over the schiit aegir in monoblock config?
Great looking machine! I am a little bit of a Yamaha freak. As I am watching this video, I have my Yamaha CD-S300 playing Rush Moving Pictures. Powered by my Yamaha RX-V685 receiver. Love that front panel, nice clean look. Great rear panel layout, plenty of inputs. Thanks for the under the hood look. Awesome review as usual, Thank You man!
Nice! Enjoy the tunes and the Yammy gear!
Hi-Fi Haven glad to know I’m not the only Yamaha fan boy here!! I’ve got the A-S801, CD-S300 as well, excellent player, love the usb jack on the front, I’ve got an R-N500 stereo receiver and I’ve had a couple Yamaha AVR’s in the past. Great Rush album, what speakers you running?
@@nathanjones4039 Yamaha NS-777 speakers with two Yamaha YST-SW215 subs. Sewell Direct 12AWG speaker cables.
@@hi-fihaven2257 I have the Yamaha A-S801, A-S2100, WXA-50 amp, Yamaha NS-F901 Soavo speakers, Yamaha AV10sg violin, 1978 FG-300 acoustic, RSP20CR electric guitar and a 2010 Yamaha VMAX motorcycle. The wife has a Yamaha U3 Piano and a 2015 X-Max 400 she uses to get to work. I am on the look for a Yamaha keyboard for one of the kids. You think you're a fan boy?
@@wa2368 Sounds Awesome! For my main music system I have an A-S3000 stereo amplifier, CD-S3000 CD player, an a pair of NS-5000 speakers.
I have wanted the IOTA since your first review.
I have an Arcam Alpha 7 amp(warm),Ruark Talisman II speakers(warm and forgiving),Audioquest Ruby 1 interconnects(warm copper),Audioquest Midnight cables(warm copper)and a Marantz 63Ki MkII Signature cd player(warm and smooth)My first cd player was a Marantz 67se which was very detailed and a little bright.I built my system around it and it sounded very good to my ears.Thinking that the Ki would be a step up I sold the 67 and bought it.This was a mistake as I altered the dynamics and synergy that I had built up from the 67.The sound became too warm and the mids became flooded with the heavy prodigious base of the Ki.The tech is old I know but all it needs is a bright and slightly edgy cd player put back into the mix to create,for me anyway,audio heaven.I was looking at the Marantz CD6006.I can get a very good deal but cannot try before I buy.Do you have any takes on this particular cd player?I enjoy your videos,thank you :-)
Marantz makes some real good cdp's. The sound is a bit on the forward/enthusiastic side of things - which seems to be exactly what you're going for. I'd say it's worth a shot - especially if you have the option of returning the unit should it not work with your system.
Please review cambridge cxa 60 and rega brio if you get a chance.
Got an as801 last week,sounds great but no switched 110 outlet on back,no LED in volume knob for night vision of volume level ,buttons on remote neither illuminate or glow,
But still a nice unit
Hi, I was consdering this amplifier for KEF R5 and saw you'd recommend the IOTAVX more. I was Looking at the IOTAVX and would get the SA3 and PA3. If I get the IOTAVX stack, how would I connect my computer to the IOTA? Thank you
You’d need a separate DAC, there is no USB input on the IOTAVX SA3.
I ended up replacing my old 201 with a 501 hooked the elac 6.2 it was a good match up for what I listen to
What do you have the impedance switch set for 8 or 4 ohms?
Have you tried the yamaha R-N803 integrated amp with built-in streamer?
I got the Yamaha R-N803 and paired it with my B&W CM6 S2 bookshelves + Martin Logan Dynamo 300 subwoofer. Great sound all around. Tried all genres, many recordings and they all sound beautiful. No complaints. How do you find out which frequencies the Bass and Treble affect? Thanks! The Yamaha 2 channel receivers get my thumbs up.
Sean, Thanks for the great review. I appreciate your hard work and dedication. Do you think the s801 would pair well with the Polk RTi a7.
Another great review! It’s really good that you do the comparison at the end. That really gives us a better perspective of things.
It sounds like a great value for money amplifier. I got the RN303 for my bedroom. It’s kinda thin sounding. Sound stage is not that holographic. But heck ... the RN series is wonderful for lazy users like me. You get Bluetooth! Hehehe ...
R-N does not compare to A-S
@@BastianUllr I second that. I was A/B testing the AS801 to an RN and the RN sounds like a cheap radio compared to the AS801.
The new Yamaha S series integrateds are out----maybe you can review one??
Hello, if you connect this Yamaha to the TV by toslink and you play Tidal on your TV will you use this DAC that is used when you connect your computer with usb cable ? Will Tidal played from your TV same quality as played from computer? Thanks
same question for me
Thanks for the review. Will the AS801 pair will with the Linton Heritage ? And if there is a more recent Yamaha that is a better match, which would that be.
Hi Zero Fidelity, I absolutely loved this review of AS801. Can you please please please review Onkyo TX-8270 as well? Is has HDMI switching and almost all connectivity options and serves as a genuine replacement of a HT 5.1 setup if one doesn't like too much clutter!
Any thoughts on the phono stage performance on this amp? Is it good right out of the amp or would you opt to use a pre-amp? The DAC is great, but I was wondering your thoughts on the phono feature.
Update
I answered my own question.
I discovered that it is "okay"...not that great compared to the performance of the other elements of the amp. I use a pro ject pre amp to bring it up to snuff. Some needle to vinyl contact noise is apparent as it comes, and as it comes...not so special.
Good review. I’ve been looking at the Yamaha AS 1100 stereo amp not sure of the model number it has VU meters. This is a couple hundred less. I wish the AS1100 was available in silver. My stereo listening room is typically very low lighting. I can barely see the controls. The silver would be far better.
The AS1100 is where Yamaha starts to get serious. You get a big transformer. The filter cap bank is more than doubled in size. The input stage is a lot beefier. And of course, you get those VU meters.. :D I have no doubt that the A1100 is an objectively better performer. The question is if it can offer the better performance without losing the easy-going charm of the AS801.
Zero Fidelity
Thanks for your opinion on the Yamaha AS1100. Pretty sure that will be my choice. I am in process of moving, and plan to wait till that big job is complete before getting the unit. It is fun learning though.
The A-S1100 is indeed available in silver:
www.amazon.com/Yamaha-S1100SL-Channel-Integrated-Amplifier/dp/B0105JWDPU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=A-s1100&qid=1560161559&s=gateway&sr=8-1
I watched Ron over at New Record Day comparing the vintage Yamaha amp and the new Yamaha AS series amp. I bought both the Yamaha CR-1020 and the Yamaha AS-1100, and did the AB comparison for a year. The vintage Yamaha CR-1020 was way better than the Yamaha AS-1100. I liked the vintage Yamaha so much that I bought another CR-1020 on eBay and sold the AS-1100. The Yamaha vintage receivers are going to go up in price for sure. Grab them while you can!!!
Enjoy it! I haven't heard the CR-1020, but I've heard some sa-weeeeet gear from Sansui and Fischer.
Any chance of reviewing and compairing the Outlaw RR 2160 integrated amp @ $850 its in the price range? Regards
Thanks for another great review. One question I have is related to the pairing you would propose for Yamaha, knowing its pros and cons. Or from the other side, what speaker pairings would you avoid?
I have no problem with my pioneer elite floor standers. I trust the amp to power much more expensive speakers.
I agree, the Marantz are not a good couple for bright speakers. Nice review!
How much of your evaluation occurred with the “pure direct” button on? Takes this thing to a totally different level.
If you have the time, I'd be interested to read your impressions in pure direct.
@@al201103 My impressions with Pure Direct on are that it's super clean, clear, powerful and exciting. Almost night and day from the laid-back sound without it. It's like 2 different amps. Check out this review for more in depth description: www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/yamaha/1.html
@@leemazur870 I wasn't even looking for stereo gear when I visited a friend who owns a stereo shop. During that visit Zeppelin started playing.....Roy asked you like what your hearing? The sound quality reminded me of Counterpoint gear I still have today. He demonstrated the set up A-S801 with RP8000F Klipsch speakers the source was thru the DAC and Yamaha CD Player. I purchased both the AS801 as well as the Klipsch speakers. I use this system in my guest house and find myself spending a lot of time enjoying this system. The pure direct is always depressed and while a CD is in use the CD direct is on. Btw there is a weeks long break in period on this Amp. Once past this the Yamaha is smooth and accurate.
Good review. I really am looking hard at that Iota VX stack.
I really want that amp, it's built so nicely. But the iotavx is only a bit more expensive and is 'better' sounding and has full pre outs.
On an integrated receiver with a sub out such as this (not an LFE out), even though they have set an internal Crossover at 90 Hz, can you still manually adjust the knob on an external subwoofer's built-in crossover at 90 hz and down? (Just not above 90 hz)
yes you can go lower than 90 but not higher not ideal but should be fine
@@treblarefils Thank you :-) I received the answer from a representative from Yamaha but it's really good to hear it from a second person as well.
@@treblarefils I didn't plan on setting it that high anyhow, but was just curious about being able to adjust it at the subwoofer in general.
Great review alot of good information.
great video I have a question what do you think would be a suitable upgrade in sound quality from this receiver if I wanted something a little bit more fun dynamic and hear every bit of detail maybe slightly forward but not too far off from the sound of Yamaha what would you recommend? How about the s 2100 I know that has a bit lower watts per Channel
I want to build a HiFi system mostly for music with an integrated amplifier..but I also want a Home Theater... will I still have to get an A/V receiver so I can connect TV and the other speakers or is there another way around this? And when it comes to Integrated Amps.... Marantz or Yamaha?
patrick edouard you cant still connect to tv without hdmi, you would likely just be using optical audio which means you will need to switch input on the tv and amp
Kinda lost me at "no pre outs". Why not? Nice dac and good power. Like it basically
A lot of manufacturers feel like pre-outs are unnecessary with integrated amps. I don't agree, but it is what it is.
Thanks for nice video? How can you compare this amp
With emotiva a-300 with emotiva P-100 combo?
Thanks for the excellent review, your input helped me to purchase the 801, one of the main reasons I chose it was to run my 4 ohm speakers, but the info on Impedance Selector switch in the manual has me really confused, I would like to run two pairs of speakers, can I run two pairs of 4 ohm speakers with this amp?
People either seem to love or hate the Yamaha A-Sx01 series. Personally, I'm on the 'dislike' side. The phono stage is hot garbage--it's shrill and lacks bass. The loudness adjustment is a gimmick and I never could get it to do what I wanted/expected. Also, the bass seems like more of a plus/minus 4 db or so, yet the treble would absolutely scream if you so wished. I also found that the soundstage was somewhat flat and regardless of what bench tests said about the power, the amp would struggle with demanding speakers.
It seems that the cheaper versions of this amp would be the way to go as you're not giving up a lot of anything and you'd expect less from it. If you're spending upwards of $900 or so, there are better amps available. You'd really have to like the Yamaha "house" sound in order to buy this.
The one thing I do like is the "classic" look of it, but if you set the bass/treble/loudness controls anywhere but straight up (and have OCD), it will bug you to no end. Come on Yamaha...there's a reason why round knobs are used. Fortunately, at least knobs (of any kind) are still provided on this unit.
Will this Yamaha A-S801 be a good match for my Klipsch set (RB81 + RW12D subwoofer) ???
Yup.
thanks, I am now using a nearly 30 year old Rotel, with an amazing sound but I wanted to upgrade and because being satisfied bought a Rotel RA12 new generation and sold it fast, because it was not musical at all, clear but very analytical, not to my taste at all, for me Rotel is not what it used to be, so after checking out your review and your reply that it will match my lovely Klipsch set, I think soon I will go and buy this Yamaha :-)
I had the s1000 and s2000 amp and cd players I find they sound big but boring uninvoling but well built the Caspian m2 amp for a bit more money over the s2000 amp sounds. a lot better and I still have it .
My r1000 Yamaha was a big boring piece back in the day too L.OL.