Yamaha A-S3000 Integrated Amplifier Home Trial Notes

In fact the SU-V series of amps are interesting. One of the many attempts at playing around with Class A designs back in the day. Pioneer and Victor (JVC) were also playing around and building their own versions of Class A. Yamaha sort of had a go with their HCA circuit (that is very good BTW). All marketed under various marketing names such as - New Class A, Super A etc. Certainly these amplifiers may well sound nice. but are very different to a Yamaha A-S3000.
 
bump for the new year....

I am about a week or two away from ordering a silver Yamaha A-S3000 integrated.

So, show of hands, who still has theirs and who loves it?

Thank you and Happy New Year!
 
I still have mine, still love it and won't give it away. The hunt for low THD was a just a Japanese marketing strategy in the 80's and those super low values do not correlate with sound quality.
 
bump for the new year....

I am about a week or two away from ordering a silver Yamaha A-S3000 integrated.

So, show of hands, who still has theirs and who loves it?

Thank you and Happy New Year!

I still have mine and love it. Despite the doubting Thomas's contributing to this thread. I have used the A-S3000 with Polk Audio Monitor 7's 2 way speakers with bass radiator, Sony SS-G7a 3 way speakers, Yamaha NS-2000 speakers and Diatone DS-5000 4 way speakers. The amp was wonderful will all of those speakers (complete overkill for the Polks lol). I have also the legendary Sony TA-N7 power amplifier and the Leben CS300XS with nos tubes. The A-S3000 is IMO the better amplifier out of all 3 with all those speakers. The TA-N7 & Leben were not embarrassed however they are both excellent amps. I also had the Yamaha M-60 (now sold) the A-S3000 bettered that amp too with the NS-2000s. I think the A-S3000 is a killer amp for the price I got it for. I bought it with the CD-3000 SACD/DAC (half price) with 10 year warranty. Unless you have really demanding speakers this amp can drive most speakers without breaking a sweat. It's that good I'm almost tempted to buy another one as a backup! The thing with this particular amp it needs a very long break-in time to sound it's best - around 400 hours. I have owned mine for almost a year now. I would also add I have the excellent Oppo BD105 and I think the CD-3000 sounds less fatiguing and is more musical with SACDs, CDs and hi-res flac files. Interestingly they both use the same sabre dacs and I have used both in balance configuration. The Oppo is certainly worth the money and is not embarrassed either. At the end of the day have a listen to a run in one and then make your mind up.
 
Sorry to resurrect an older thread, but I feel that this may the best thread for this question:

I am seriously considering picking up a Yamaha A-S3000, I have the CDS-2100 that has made me a huge fan of the high end Yamaha line (Also considering upgrading it to the 3000 down the line, but unsure if there will be a large enough difference to warrant the difference in cost, but I digress)

So, the crux of my question is that I currently have a tube integrated amplifier (Rogue Cronus Magnum II) that I have been thoroughly enjoying. I am considering moving to the Yamaha, partially for synergy and partially for the balanced inputs for, I am wondering if I would lose the detail of the midrange or a comparison of the sound from the unit.

Unfortunately none of the places around me have the unit, so doing a true A/B comparison is not truly possible.

Those who did a test, especially against other amplifiers, and tube amplifiers in particular, is there anything gained or lost with one versus the other.

I do find the midrange important, especially instrument placement and vocal definition and detail, but I did hear this unit sounds much like a tube amplifier.

For reference, this equipment I am using is listed below:

Clearaudio Performance DC with Satisfy CF tonearm and Dynavector 10X5 cartridge
Yamaha CDS2100 SACD Player
Sony HAP Z1ES (With ModWright Truth Modification)& PS9.0 External Powersupply
Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Usher Mini 1 Dancers Floorstander Speakers

(Current Amp) - Rogue Cronus Magnum II with 1960s 12AU7 & 12AX7 Tubes + KT120s Power tubes


Thanks in advance.
 
I have the A-S2100 and the A-S2000. I love both of them, but the 2100 is definitely better. So I now bi-amp my system , using the 2000 to drive the bass and the 2100 to drive the Mid-Bass, mids and highs.

I uploaded both the 2100 and 3000 service manuals to the digital docs site. Circuit wise the 2100 and 3000 are identical. The 3000 has a toroidal transformer, larger meters and extra set of balanced inputs, plus some additional copper shielding inside. Sound wise......well they are neck and neck. Both are great! I wish I had the larger meters though...

My review of the 2100
 
@On the Blitz, Thanks for the input. I ended up ordering the A-S3000. I was able to get it for about the same price as the AS2100, from an Authorized seller, so seemed like a no-brainier to me.

Now the question is, do I upgrade my CDS2100 to the 3000.
 
@On the Blitz, Thanks for the input. I ended up ordering the A-S3000. I was able to get it for about the same price as the AS2100, from an Authorized seller, so seemed like a no-brainier to me.

Now the question is, do I upgrade my CDS2100 to the 3000.
I would keep the CD-S2100. I had the CD-S3000, Returned it for full refund. When it came to Redbook Audio CD'S, My custom built Sony DAS-R1 DAC put the CD-S3000 to shame. I was so disappointed, as I'm a big Yamaha fan! Again I bought the schematics for both SACD's,they are on the Digital Docs site. They are identical, except the 3000 uses the Saber 9018 DAC and the 2100 use the Saber 9016 DAC.
 
I'm quite happy with the 2100 to be honest, is there any sonic difference between the 9016S and 9018S?
Not that you're going to hear. Keep your money. Invest it into a voltage Regulator /Power Conditioner. I recommend the Furman P1800AR. This will protect your gear and provide stable voltage when you're cranking that awesome A-S3000. I found that my system sounds better when cranked.More info to follow.
 
Last update from me on the A-S3000

Just sold the Silver A-S3000. We had a baby and my listening time has suffered severely--down to 4 hours a week at very low volumes. Moving to more basic "fun" setup that doesn't compare in terms of the resolution of the A-S3000 but sounds good enough. Also, I don't have a deditated listening room and I know that one day that beautiful amplifier would have been too much to resist.

A shame you took that path. My buddy just had a kid and the very first thing he did after the kid was born was completely upgrade his stereo system and living room sound conditioning. He plays it non-stop when he's home, plays it loud, has company over, compares audio gear, and the kid (about 3 months old) now seems to like Jethro Tull. The music never stopped just because a kid came along, and I hope to travel that same path.
 
A shame you took that path. My buddy just had a kid and the very first thing he did after the kid was born was completely upgrade his stereo system and living room sound conditioning. He plays it non-stop when he's home, plays it loud, has company over, compares audio gear, and the kid (about 3 months old) now seems to like Jethro Tull. The music never stopped just because a kid came along, and I hope to travel that same path.

Yeah, well, it's not the 3-month-old stage you have to worry about. They're not even mobile at that point.

I spent a few hundred bucks more than I really should've on the KEF Q300s I had coveted for so long, only to find out it takes about 5 seconds with an unaccompanied two-year-old (judge if you must, but we all gotta poop sometime) to turn them into nothing more than stylish rosewood paperweights.

I hope your friend has a lockable cabinet for his gear and that the speakers are out of reach. Make sure the remote is out of reach too. The volume button is the first one they learn. ;)
 
Yeah, well, it's not the 3-month-old stage you have to worry about. They're not even mobile at that point.

I spent a few hundred bucks more than I really should've on the KEF Q300s I had coveted for so long, only to find out it takes about 5 seconds with an unaccompanied two-year-old (judge if you must, but we all gotta poop sometime) to turn them into nothing more than stylish rosewood paperweights.

I hope your friend has a lockable cabinet for his gear and that the speakers are out of reach. Make sure the remote is out of reach too. The volume button is the first one they learn. ;)

I think he's more worried about the dog who has suddenly started to urinate on everything standing upright so he can mark his territory for the other dog's reference.
 
I'd be interested in reading more on the comparison with the Sony TA -1ES.

I have one but now have it as backup for a McIntosh MA6200 driving Spendors A6rs

The equalizer controls just goosed the high treble and low bass enough to fill out the Spendors. That's something I couldn't do with the minimalist Sony.
 
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