Amp advice request: What Yamaha(s) to go for next?

[plavatar]

1)

I started this past year with an RX-396. I paired it with an Onkyo EQ. I liked the sound. It was good with my Luxman turntable, too.

I upgraded to an RX-596, and found a nice, simple Yamaha CD player for the CD Amp Direct mode. I didn't know how I'd live without an EQ, but I'm a Pure Direct diehard fan now.

I have custom 2-way speakers I built with Eton drivers (1-inch fabric domes and 8-inch Kevlar woofers (with heat pipe)). They love power enough to drive them. The 596 brings out a lot from them.

2)

But what should I look at as my next amp/receiver upgrade?

I'm just interested in the stereo side for this setup. Maybe with a subwoofer out? Just to go overboard on the bass if I need it? Sometimes I do miss the ability to crank up some extra bass in Pure Direct mode, but I can't bear to pollute the sound I get from it.

Also, I have a an old pair of Polk M12 (the ones with the single tweeter, four 6.5 woofers, and the big passive radiator), and I thought they might be nice to power in another room that's not set up for critical listening (more a party area than a private one).

3)

And is there a specific CD player I should look for that is better than the CDX-530 I have now? Will another model make an audible difference to me?

4)

Thanks for any and all advice! I appreciate your time and input!

-Steve(n)

 

[SuperLead100]

The new Yamaha A-S series integrated amps, 301, 501, 701, 801, and previous 300, 500, 700, have a subwoofer out jack. They have pure direct mode, plenty of power, and are built well. They are not terribly expensive either.

As for a cd player, I found the Yamaha cd-s300 and cd-c600 sound great and have a USB input. I replaced a 90's carousel cd player with the Yamaha cd-c600 and was surprised by what I had been missing in sound quality; more clarity and detail.

 

[Johnno_Oz]

Old flagship receivers RX-VXXXX (with 4 digit numbers) are good value especially those with no HDMI out. I've an old RX-V2090 driving a big pair of 4 Ohm 90's JBLs and like you, direct power out with fiddling with levels as it sounds great.

 

[spoofer]

I'm awaiting a new A-S 801. I'll give a short review after we settle in.

 

[SuperLead100]

I'm awaiting a new A-S 801. I'll give a short review after we settle in.

Yes, let us know!

 

[plavatar]

I'm awaiting a new A-S 801. I'll give a short review after we settle in.

How did it turn out?

 

[r_deming]

I have been eyeballing the A-S1100! But it doesn't look like a bad lineup anywhere from top to bottom on the S series at all.

 

[spoofer]

Love it! Lots of power, clean sound and many functions...

 

[plavatar]

As for a cd player, I found the Yamaha cd-s300 and cd-c600 sound great and have a USB input. I replaced a 90's carousel cd player with the Yamaha cd-c600 and was surprised by what I had been missing in sound quality; more clarity and detail.

Got a solid carousel. Sounds better than the single. Ordered it so I could give the single to my childhood stereo friend.

Still prowling for models you listed. We moved since my original post, and I've got a media room in the works. Cheap diy is tough, so I've got a year+ to find a better player before the room is done =)

Thank you for the advice!

 

[plavatar]

Old flagship receivers RX-VXXXX (with 4 digit numbers) are good value especially those with no HDMI out.

Eyes peeled for one!

I've got a 5960 I snagged for $30 (not long after I posted this last year) in the family room driving a pair of Polk rti10 mains (a $64 find at the local Salvation Army last summer). Overkill for tv in stereo, but the family enjoys it.

After looking in to your suggestion, I want a good RX-Vxxxx for the big setup in the as-of-yet-made media room =)

I've got an HDMI/optical splitter hooked to the 5960. 5.1 is all I need. I've scraped together a Klipsch 10" sub ($30, local Goodwill), huge Paradigm center w/ kevlar woofers/mids that matches my kevlar homebrews tonally (even though I'll likely use the Polk Monitor 12's as my theater mains) $20, local thrift store), and a pair of nice Energy RVSS dipoles ($20, same thrift store).

 

[plavatar]

Grabbed an RX-497 for my Dad, used it for a couple of months while I looked for an upgrade on my end.

Got an AX-596, gave RX-497 to my Dad.

AX-596 sounds good. Without a real room to listen in, final judgement is deferred indefinitely...

Still going to fix my poor RX-596 one day... cause I can't stand having something useable not getting fixed!

I do like how the AX feels.