Yamaha A-S500 reviews ?

[SuperLead100]

Probably similar but not as good. Fitting in more functions and keeping it affordable means lesser quality parts and lesser quality design. Being a Yamaha I'm sure it is a very nice unit (RS-500), but the quality and design of the A-S500 will be superior. You would more than likely hear a significant improvement in sound quality.

 

[Jazzmuso]

Changed speaker leads today and found what I see as a "weak link". This amp needs real binding posts and not the stuff provided. I don't like the binding posts that don't take spades. Its a bit limiting and look and feel cheap. I don't really like using bananna plugs

 

[SuperLead100]

I'll say this. I just swapped out the CA 1010 for the A-S501. The 1010 was powering the NS-500m's; if there is one area the 1010 excels it is in its effortless power. I didn't think the difference between 100wpc and 85wpc would be all that significant; and I suppose it's not terribly, but it feels like the 501 has to work just that much more for the same result.:scratch2:

 

[musichal]

Reviving an old thread. Just bought a used A-S500 because I wanted the tape loops with separate Rec Out selector. Had been using an Emotiva BAS-X PT-100 (no fixed outputs, main only) DAT/Pre/Tuner with an Adcom GFA-535ii which sounded very good driving a pair of Klipsch Forte speakers. Hoped I wasn't giving up much in SQ with the integrated.

Instead, I believe it a sonic upgrade. At chez musichal, integrated amplifiers are in command, with the No. 585 on the main and now the A-S500 on the secondary. SQ of both very nice to my ear. I think of my A-S500 as a bedroom 585.

The A-S500 will win no beauty contests, like some vintage Yammie models might - it's rather Spartan appearance (big black box) and low-key illumination indicators remind me a bit of NAD designs. However, I always liked the look of NAD - that whole rather utilitarian function-over-form approach - so I'm really loving the little monster's performance and demure appearance. May not be the sexiest entry into the Yamaha forum, but becomes so when you really turn it on!

If this were the This Or That game, I'd ask:

Pure Direct or Variable Loudness?

 

[minio]

Another resurrection for the AS-500 thread.

I'd go with Pure Direct. If your speakers remain crisp and fluid sounding at low levels, no need for messing with the loudness control.

On the 801 there is pure direct and a cd direct as well. I should look it up, but does anyone know what the difference is, while I'm here?

 

[sssboa]

Another resurrection for the AS-500 thread.

I'd go with Pure Direct. If your speakers remain crisp and fluid sounding at low levels, no need for messing with the loudness control.

On the 801 there is pure direct and a cd direct as well. I should look it up, but does anyone know what the difference is, while I'm here?

I had AS-501 which is AS-500 with upgraded parts e. g. larger main caps, when I acquired my first vintage amp, stock Yamaha CR-1000. After a few second of listening to CR-1000 I had no doubt that it sounded 2 classes better than AS-501. It's subjective though.

CA-1010 sounded close to SA-501 to me at low volumes.
I read that SA-500 has similar discrete power amp to CA-1010 while the preamp is just one chip.

 

[mbz]

I had AS-501 which is AS-500 with upgraded parts e. g. larger main caps, when I acquired my first vintage amp, stock Yamaha CR-1000. After a few second of listening to CR-1000 I had no doubt that it sounded 2 classes better than AS-501. It's subjective though.

A little off topic but..

Guy up north with a decent hi-fi budget purchased an AS-3000 new. Yeah it sounds good but his "humble" CA-1000 sounded significantly
better. After 6 weeks, the AS-3000 is up for sale. I did some work on his CA-1000, gobsmacked, much better than my refurbished CA-1000's.
Disecting his amp at the moment trying to work out why. The CA/CR-1000's are seriously good integrateds if you can find a good one.

 

[sssboa]

A little off topic but..

Guy up north with a decent hi-fi budget purchased an AS-3000 new. Yeah it sounds good but his "humble" CA-1000 sounded significantly
better. After 6 weeks, the AS-3000 is up for sale. I did some work on his CA-1000, gobsmacked, much better than my refurbished CA-1000's.
Disecting his amp at the moment trying to work out why. The CA/CR-1000's are seriously good integrateds if you can find a good one.

I liked CR-1000 much better than my CA-1000 II, difference comes mainly from different preamp.

I sold one recapped CR-1000 to an owner of Arcam A9. Arcam went into a closet.

Those new expensive Yamaha amps are always compared to CA-2010 and such. I had CA-1000 II and CA-1010. To me in comparison with receivers (CR-800/1000) they (CA-1000/1010) had something off at the lowest and highest registers.

 

[SoundOfSound]

Another resurrection for the AS-500 thread.

I'd go with Pure Direct. If your speakers remain crisp and fluid sounding at low levels, no need for messing with the loudness control.

On the 801 there is pure direct and a cd direct as well. I should look it up, but does anyone know what the difference is, while I'm here?

The CD direct switch lets the CD signal bypass the input selector IC switch and the tone control input buffer amp.

 

[SuperLead100]

Reviving an old thread. Just bought a used A-S500 because I wanted the tape loops with separate Rec Out selector. Had been using an Emotiva BAS-X PT-100 (no fixed outputs, main only) DAT/Pre/Tuner with an Adcom GFA-535ii which sounded very good driving a pair of Klipsch Forte speakers. Hoped I wasn't giving up much in SQ with the integrated.

Instead, I believe it a sonic upgrade. At chez musichal, integrated amplifiers are in command, with the No. 585 on the main and now the A-S500 on the secondary. SQ of both very nice to my ear. I think of my A-S500 as a bedroom 585.

The A-S500 will win no beauty contests, like some vintage Yammie models might - it's rather Spartan appearance (big black box) and low-key illumination indicators remind me a bit of NAD designs. However, I always liked the look of NAD - that whole rather utilitarian function-over-form approach - so I'm really loving the little monster's performance and demure appearance. May not be the sexiest entry into the Yamaha forum, but becomes so when you really turn it on!

If this were the This Or That game, I'd ask;


Pure Direct or Variable Loudness?

I traded my A-S500 for a pair of NS-690's; not because of sound quality, but because I still have an A-S501 and wanted a pair of 690's! I agree with your assessment and use my 501 frequently, and more than my CA-800 and 1010. Truth be told the 1010 is really the bomb but not as convenient lacking a remote, DAC, and bluetooth capability. The class A on the 800 is really sweet though.
As far as This or That game I say Pure Direct...I don't use the loudness control.

 

[SuperLead100]

I had AS-501 which is AS-500 with upgraded parts e. g. larger main caps, when I acquired my first vintage amp, stock Yamaha CR-1000. After a few second of listening to CR-1000 I had no doubt that it sounded 2 classes better than AS-501. It's subjective though.

CA-1010 sounded close to SA-501 to me at low volumes.
I read that SA-500 has similar discrete power amp to CA-1010 while the preamp is just one chip.

I find the 501 sounds very close in it's sound quality and overall natural sound compared to the CA series of amps; however, when it comes to power output the CA-10xx and up are difficult for the A-S's to match. I'd love to compare an A-S 1000, 2000, 1100, 2100, 3000...I suspect they'd fare better.

 

[SuperLead100]

I found this to be very interesting related to this subject...

 

[musichal]

I find the 501 sounds very close in it's sound quality and overall natural sound compared to the CA series of amps; however, when it comes to power output the CA-10xx and up are difficult for the A-S's to match. I'd love to compare an A-S 1000, 2000, 1100, 2100, 3000...I suspect they'd fare better.

I agree as to power. I haven't tried it, and honestly don't think I need to given my experience with amplifiers, but feel certain that my A-S500 would impress me less if I swapped speakers between my two main rigs. The No. 585 amp's prodigious power capability enables driving the less-efficient, lower-impedance Bryston speakers with authority; the friendlier load of my Monitor Audio speakers matches well with the Yamaha. It's a matter of choosing the right tool for the job.

I did drive the MAs with the Levinson for months before acquiring the Brystons. One reason I chose the amp was that I was not yet settled on the speaker front, thus wanted an amp that would drive virtually any speaker I would ultimately choose with ease, and finesse. The Yamaha requires more consideration of speaker choice, and will mate well with fewer speakers than the much pricier amp. However, there are many speakers for which it is entirely adequate, and the Yamaha/MA SQ comes very close to that of the Levinson/MA combo, within its power range. At higher SPLs the Yamaha can become strident/stressed, but at higher levels than I listen.

Bottom line. The Yamaha amp represents great value for the SQ dollar with many, if not most, traditional, dynamic, cone speakers.

 

[Alobar]

I'm running a pair of the 60wpc as301's, little sister to the 500/501 on the mid and HF drivers of a triamped system with a 170 wpc Kenwood 700M poweramp on the woofers. Running them with all tonal controls bypassed I can't say enough good about the super clean natural sounding little Yammies! They are a great match up with the big Kenwood in tonal qualities (neutral) and for $300 a pop I couldn't go wrong here.

As for only 60wpc, in my setup, one 301 is driving JBL Horn compression drivers (between 1150hz and 8.5khz) and the other 301 on JBL 077 tweeters there is really ample power. In fact they typically are not putting out enough power to even register as playing with the auto power down function and after so many hours playing they have on occasion gone to sleep!

When I bought the yamaha's I figured I would upgrade someday but I can think of many better ways to spend money than that! I'm keeping my Yamahas, plastic knobs and all!

 

[SuperLead100]

I agree as to power. I haven't tried it, but honestly don't think I need to given my experience with amplifiers, but feel certain that my A-S500 would impress me less if I swapped speakers between my two main rigs. The No. 585 amp's prodigious power capability enables driving the less-efficient, lower-impedance Bryston speakers with authority; the friendlier load of my Monitor Audio speakers matches well with the Yamaha. It's a matter of choosing the right tool for the job.

I did drive the MAs with the Levinson for months before acquiring the Brystons. One reason I chose the amp was that I was not yet settled on the speaker front, thus wanted an amp that would drive virtually any speaker I would ultimately choose with ease, and finesse. The Yamaha requires more consideration of speaker choice, and will mate well with fewer speakers than the much pricier amp. However, there are many speakers for which it is entirely adequate, and the Yamaha/MA SQ comes very close to that of the Levinson/MA combo, within its power range. At higher SPLs the Yamaha can become strident/stressed, but at higher levels than I listen.

Bottom line. The Yamaha amp represents great value for the SQ dollar with many, if not most, traditional, dynamic, cone speakers.

Well said!

 

[SuperLead100]

I'm running a pair of the 60wpc as301, little sister to the 500/501 on the mid and HF drivers of a triamped system with a 170 wpc Kenwood 700M poweramp on the woofers. Running them with all tonal controls bypassed I can't say enough good about the super clean natural sounding little Yammies! They are a great match up with the big Kenwood in tonal qualities (neutral) and for $300 a pop I couldn't go wrong here.

As for only 60wpc, in my setup, one 301 is driving JBL Horn compression drivers (between 1150hz and 85khz) and the other 301 on a JBL 077 tweeters there is really ample power. In fact they typically are not putting out enough power to even register as playing with the auto power down function and after so many hours playing they have on occasion gone to sleep!

When I bought the yamaha's I figured I would upgrade someday but I can think of many better ways to spend money than that! I'm keeping my Yamahas, plastic knobs and all!

If I'm not mistaken, and I could well be, I think the new A-S amplifiers come with aluminum knobs now...I'll have to double check the Yamaha website

 

[Alobar]

If I'm not mistaken, and I could well be, I think the new A-S amplifiers come with aluminum knobs now...I'll have to double check the Yamaha website

Mine are plastic I'm pretty sure but looking at them I'd be hard pressed to know for sure. Just by tapping it with a fingernail you can kinda tell. Since these are in a active crossovered system the knobs are never touched once dialed in so really doesn't matter to me the material they are made with!

 

[Alobar]

My yamaha's with a minidsp.

 

[Alobar]

Here is a test done in a lab on the AS/500's down in Australia. Of special interest is the distortion figures being even better than Yamaha publishes, a LOT BETTER!

PDF link.. great review!
http://i.nextmedia.com.au/avhub/aus...aha_as500_amplifier_review_and_test_lores.pdf