However, your thought process and evaluations are very down to earth and relate-able, which I appreciate very much. Just for the record, I think that vintage amp is a 1070. High-end hi-fi manufactured in china is usually of comparable quality and far better value for money than anything we make in Britain. Originally several years ago it would start slipping towards the end of a CD it originally started doing it and I had it fixed under warranty. What should I look for in a CD transport? I just recieved my A-S501 and I use it with my old crappy speakers fot now. I’m lost with this stuff. The A-S501 is a brighter sounding amp, whereas the A-S701 is more neutral and more powerful. Never discount Chinese equipment. Also take a listen to some of the Cambridge kit in Richer, they’ll probably suggest you do so anyway as they’re owned by the same parent company and they do like to sell Cambridge equipment for obvious reasons. I own a Yamaha NP-S303 Streamer and an AS1100 Amplifier which by and large I am pleased with. YBA-11 is not a hifi product Specs wise the A-S501 is a great match and more than capable of driving the NS-B951s. Pioneer A-40AE. I primarily bought this amp for powering my Elac Debut B6 speakers and Klipsch R-115SW sub, but I also use it with my headphone (Shure SRH1540 / Shure SE846). No AV receiver at a similarly price will be as good for 2 channel music, as a lot of the build cost goes into the extra circuitry required for their multi-channel capability. What Hi-Fi? trying to make my mind up between the A-S501 and the cambridge audio topaz SR20 – any thoughts?? Greetings from India. Great write up. I was recommended to a new Cambridge CXA60 or a used Simaudio Celeste I-5080. 2. Its good for the money and very clear and loud! Basically I’ll listen to electronic music such as dubstep, trance and house. Basically all that feature does is bypass a couple of the circuits of the preamplifier stage of the amp for a shorter signal path between the CD input and the output. It is of course possible that the speakers were overdriven and damaged, but in all likelihood were that the case the speakers would sound distorted. My A-S801 volume only need to be set at 1/4 of max turn and it’s already very loud and plenty of clarity. If you’re not keen on the Arcam’s aesthetics, there are plenty of cheap bluetooth adapters on the market which will do the job such as this one http://amzn.to/1VQNUId. It looks from comments above like you’ve already purchased the amp and are enjoying it with your speakers, so I guess that answers that question. I belong to an AV forum and they all reckon my amp is excellent but their thoughts on the Streamer are very mixed. That extra bit of power would be worth it. So the s303 ends up being a bit wasted. Do you think this is a reasonable upgrade to the built in DAC in the Yamaha? Any suggestions which amp would be best match for the Focal 905. The Marantz PM-6005 and 6006 are the exception, their headphone outputs are excellent. They add materials cost to the amp which takes the budget away from parts of the amp where it could be better spent. Would it be an issue with overheating and etc? I would be very pleased with some advise form you. This method, also used in Yamaha’s top of the range A-S3000, results in far greater accuracy at low volumes, better channel balance, and less crosstalk between the left and right channels. I must add that the amp gets hot, but I assume it’s normal. If you only need 2 channel audio, stick with a 2 channel amp. Price engine. Mike. I have chosen the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 as my speakers. What a pleasant surprise to chance upon your website while researching for a new integrated amp. The Burr Brown’s sister, the PCM5102 is what’s in the 701. 5. As a bonus, I found out that using the Spotify Remote feature in the premium version of Spotify, I can control the Spotify app on the Mac via my Android phone or tablet. Are there going to be any losses in sound? Certainly with a 4 ohm minimum speaker the amp should be running in the low impedance setting. I heard it side-by-side with the 685V Yamaha A/V Home Theater Receiver, the latter of which puts out 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms (this puts out 85W per channel into 8 ohms), with the same music, and the same Infinity floorstanding speakers (no idea which models). You can use the input selector to select the source. There aren’t many CD transports around at those prices, most budget CD players are exactly that – players, with their own DACs which are mostly equivalent to, or slightly better than that of the A-S501. While I certainly don’t discourage the acquisition of knowledge, and always encourage digging in and having a go (that’s how I learned after all), I’ve seen some amps on the second hand market which claimed to have been ‘overhauled’ and were done so to an extremely poor and sometimes unsafe standard. The driver is a low loss, high throughput ASIO 2.3 Yamaha Steinberg USB driver. Hi Ashley, thanx for your helpful review. No idea if it’s any good though, don’t have it myself. Yes. Thank you very much for the reply KM and Ashley. As with most power amplifiers the headphone out is an afterthought. Another question: Is it worth buying a used amp like this to save $200 or just buy a new one? There is still an I guess somewhat general question on my mind though. . Or should i say, is it a safe pairing? Yamaha A-S501. Have hooked up the Marantz nr 1506 as pre Amp and use it for Bluetooth, internet radio and USB. Model: A-S501SL. D. Thanks Daniel, glad you like the site and the reviews. No need to spend a fortune on cables, any thick gauge speaker cable will do. Given the price difference, would you opt for the Startech + 801 or the iOne + 501? I just got the stylus replacement which attaches to the prior cartridge. Alternatively, if you don’t mind putting it together yourself (very easy with no experience required), This is brilliant. It’s been 2 years (!) If I put a finger on top of it, it is barely room temperature. Its presentation is clean and clear with plenty of weight to the hard charging bassline. Thanks for the reply Ashley. The A-S501 features separate power supplies for the analogue and digital sections. There is one small but:The build is a bit messy inside,but nevertheless the sound is great and it can drive up to and including 4 Ohm speakers.That's what a decent amp … Room size is 4m x 3m. Dealer assures the 6006 will be much better. Would either of these be okay to drive the Polk speakers? 600 cassette deck and a beautiful pair of Klipsch Heresy speakers. Appreciate the input! However there are many DIY forums online now encouraging many enthusiasts to take a soldering iron to their own equipment. Anybody try the bluetooth adapter on this? I plan on using a google audio to do most of my streaming, so wireless connectivity is taken care of, but it would be nice to have a decent DAC. I would say the Marantz sounded a little grander so I’m probably leaning towards the PM6006. i had one about 30 years ago i loved it . Have a nice day. well, this is what I aim for. But while on paper the A-S501 is better than your Marantz in every way, such may not be true depending on your personal taste. The A-S501 also offers an automatic standby feature which will power off the amplifier after a period of inactivity. Thanks in advance! I tend to agree with you though I haven’t auditioned the A-S201 but on the A-S301 paired to their own Yamaha sovar hifi 3 directional speakers, I found that the sound is very lay back and lack details unless you up those BASS / TREBLE buttons to the Max ( + ) and only then will the music details comes out. I really appreciate it. Specs wise, certainly. if you want stereo only, your best bet would either be a 501 with an external DAC or USB interface for the laptop, or an amp with an integrated USB DAC. Whilst I’m eventually planning to connect a good turntable, my initial use will be via 320 Spotifiy streaming and/or CD. I then set the volume to a minimum and back to 12 o’clock and the sound was normal again. Hello, i really like your reviews. The only real difference between the 501 and 701 is that the 701 has a little bit more power and a little bit more headroom, and also has the CD direct input. That said whether a piece of modern budget hi-fi is a match for your Marantz (properly restored of course) is another matter altogether. I have the A-S501. Now I have to change my NAD 541i CD player. I’m a singer and want to hear a true reflection of my recordings. My speakers are Q Acoustics Concept 20s on dedicated stands, I guess I could get better but I am very happy with the sound I get from them in my smallish study. What would I need to stream high quality digital files from my tablet or laptop? Your money would be far better spent on a good CD player or streamer like the CD-S300 and / or NP-S303, both of which are designed to be aesthetic and sonic matches to your amp. It’s been a while since I heard either. The bass is very clean and controlled. And that is a great service to your readers. I’d probably go with something like a Qed uPlay. Viraf. Would you be so kind to offer me a bit of advice. It has received an award for best stereo amplifier in it's class and I certainly agree. Thanks for your response Ashley. I’m trying to figure out whether should I purchase one or not. I don’t see why that wouldn’t be a good combination, though I haven’t heard the SX60s. Personally, I’d stick with the built-in DAC, unless you were looking at something in the price range of the Rega DAC-R which would be a great match. the DAC (digital to analogue converter) in a laptop isn’t particularly good either. Best of luck with the repair. Can you figure out what causes this? Thank you so very much for your quick response! So I would probably say the amp and speaker combo should be rich and clear when it comes to instruments and bass. 2. Along with the amp, you’ll find the remote, some batteries and some documentation. The internal dac is good and I have connected my Squeezebox Touch to the optical in. Depending at what price they were offered, they may be worth a look. I think the A-S701 has a CD direct feature, so using the CD input will give you the best sound. I listen to all kinds of music and enjoy watching live concerts with a growing preference for acoustic music. It sounds a lot like the digital section found in the CD-N301 streamer – and that’s certainly no bad thing. However, the A-S501 aims to bring the previously all-analogue A-S500 into the modern digital age, incorporating a built-ing DAC in place of the previous iPod dock connection. Ashley: What a great, unbiased, and clear review. I have a wide vocal range and often speakers can’t reproduce it properly. Yamaha A-S501. are not harsh at all. I just purchased the S501 and a set of ELAC B5’s and the new Pro-Ject “The Classic” turntable for my office at work. Which brings me on to my final point; budget. Hi Ashley But I found the improvement in sound interesting enough to share. Great Job Ashley! Yamaha A-S501. I’d be tempted to audition the Marantz 6006 amp and CD player along with some Tannoys, either the Mercury 7.4s or ideally something from the XT range. That said positioning is a matter of experimentation, the above will be good enough to get you started. However if your’e connecting via S/PDIF you should be fine with the DAC in either amp. In edition, the chassis incorporates ART (Anti-Resonance and tough) technology, including a solid base and supporting central bar to minimise the effect of vibration on the sensitive electronic components. it’s not 3020 and as501 though ,but I’m guessing it will share similar characteristics. AV receivers are great for multi-channel surround sound, but they compromise on sound quality. . Do you have experience with the NAD? If properly refurbished, those receivers will go on for ever, they are extraordinarily reliable and they sound fantastic. Thanks again. In terms of the amp, what source components will you be using? Personally I think an Arcam MiniBlink would be a better option as it’s one of the best (reasonably priced) bluetooth receivers out there. Take care. EN PL DE. Yamaha R-N602 all in one step. It’s a hard power switch – shutting off the power supplies completely when the amp is powered off. But for vocals, mids, and tight bass, this setup works extremely well. Have you also checked out the Marantz PM-6005 or the newer PM-6006? Great! I considered the new Marantz 6006, but all Marantz amps are more expensive in the States for some reason. Thanks a lot for you fast reply. And, I’d like to get an amp under $1000. What sort of sound do you like, what are your source components, what kind of music do you listen to, and what is your room size? to confirm even with Yamaha support. Unlike many rivals, the A-S501 gives the impression of a product that will last for years. Add to Cart. The A-S501 benefits from Yamaha’s ToP-ART (Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology) – a symmetrical input to output design, with both left and right amplifiers organised symmetrically resulting in a pure signal whilst minimising distortion and crosstalk between channels. Power handling is 100 watts, and two pairs of binding posts are provided if you want to bi-wire the Altea. Can I establish e good connection to my laptop in order to play FLAC music at a satisfying quality? It really helps! You just helped me narrow down my search for a new amp. thanks for sharing your experience with the amp. After years of enjoyment the Revox was needing more and more service and the only repairman was in Nashville, so my friend John said I had to hear an amp by Integra – the DTM 5.3 for 400.00. It’s like being in a concert hall. The Yamaha was tested using Tannoys for this review, a pair of Precision 6.2s if I remember correctly. Great thankyou again already,i like the sound of the yamaha a s701,being around the same price what would be your choice the yamaha a s701 or the marantz pm 6005 and if i go the marantz way is the pm 6005 worth the extra money compared to the pm5005. My question: In case the RX-397 doesn’t sound good, do you think the Yamaha A-S501 would be a good match with the Def Tech/NAD combo, or would a Marantz PM 6006 be better? The law of diminishing returns kicks in very quickly indeed where cables are concerned. After months of indecision, I bought the AS 501on my recent visit to Dubai and have been thoroughly enjoying it with the Q acoustics 2050i. The Cambridge SR-20 is undoubtedly a great receiver, but it’s designed to perform the function of both a tuner and an amplifier, and thus the build cost is divided between the 2 resulting in a performance compromise. plenty of nice bargains to be had. Either that or simply connect your sources to the A-S501. As good as they are with a bit of work, I’d probably give them a miss. The cheapest integrated amplifier I can think of which has a home theatre bypass input is the Arcam A19 priced at around £600. I’d like speakers that can reproduce vocals well. I’m never likely to use the DAC in the 501 with the irDAC-II so in theory would I get even better sound from a Yamaha a-s 500 / a-s 700 as neither has an inbuilt DAC’s so therefore more simple circuitry? hi i am thinking of getting this but i do almost all of my listing though high end headphones will this be ok or should i go for a headphone amp. As far as audio outputs go, my laptop is only equipped with the standard headphone jack output. Yes, any of those ports are suitable. The Altea EX is a 100W speaker that mean, the speaker will react to voltage upper than 20V during more than few seconds. In general the interconnects supplied in the box are low quality ‘get you going’ type things and should be replaced. It keeps the cover firmly in place and reduces resonance – the enclosure emitting only dull thuds when tapped. I’m a vinyl guy almost exclusively. Thanks in advance There is no need to spend a fortune on cable, a decent quality cable with solid connectors will be fine. How does the 501 stack up against the early 80s separates? I went and auditioned them both today and found the difference in sound character relatively small, it’s tough to say I preferred one over the other….they were just a little different. The Topaz series is also at the very bottom of the Cambridge range (with the SR-20 being the top model in that series), whereas the A-S501 and the other amps I mention are all slightly higher up in the product line and therefore can be expected to offer better performance. Runs Yamaha ’ s worth considering but is something you can help decide! The touch even when pushed hard these be okay to drive it properly problem here enough and the A-S501 more... 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