The Yamaha A-S2100

all nice items, the CD player is the one I lust for and in fact were mine to keel over would likely purchase. Your opinion will be valuable. I'd like to hear the difference between the 2100 and my little 500. Only 10 watts more, but the circuitry is supposed to be spectacularly good, and I'm damned pleased with the cheaper little brother!
 
As promised, my 2 cents:

It sounds simply amazing! Very warm, very natural, great bass. I'm not really that good at describing what I hear but I know what I like... and I like this amp a LOT!
Wasn't expecting this big of a difference compared to my Rotel. Makes me regret the fact that the acosutics in my room are pretty poor even more :sigh:

Had a chance to try out the phono stage as well, same thing... it sounds superb.
Wasn't too impressed with the T-S1000 at first, but after listening to it for a while... I honestly can't remember why.

The only thing that bugs me is that I don't know if the CD-S2100 supports HDCD decoding. But I'm guessing that's not the case, since there is no indication while playing an HDCD.

I have some Mobile Fidelity hybrids and they sound superb on this CD-player.

Oh, and lastly: I know this isn't really the most important thing when it comes to hifi but... this is by far the best looking amp I've ever seen. The VU meters give it that nice vintage look. Goes well with my B&W CDM7 NT's.

I don't see myself changing gear in the next 10 years or so...
 
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^^^ Every time I see and hear that set up I praise Yamaha for doing it right! ^^^
 
As promised, my 2 cents:

It sounds simply amazing! Very warm, very natural, great bass. I'm not really that good at describing what I hear but I know what I like... and I like this amp a LOT!
Wasn't expecting this big of a difference compared to my Rotel. Makes me regret the fact that the acosutics in my room are pretty poor even more :sigh:

Had a chance to try out the phono stage as well, same thing... it sounds superb.
Wasn't too impressed with the T-S1000 at first, but after listening to it for a while... I honestly can't remember why.

The only thing that bugs me is that I don't know if the CD-S2100 supports HDCD decoding. But I'm guessing that's not the case, since there is no indication while playing an HDCD.

I have some Mobile Fidelity hybrids and they sound superb on this CD-player.

Oh, and lastly: I know this isn't really the most important thing when it comes to hifi but... this is by far the best looking amp I've ever seen. The VU meters give it that nice vintage look. Goes well with my B&W CDM7 NT's.

I don't see myself changing gear in the next 10 years or so...
Congratulations, that's a very fine system!
 
I had the pleasure recently of seeing the A-S2100 in the flesh. A beautiful piece of gear. Sadly I could not get to hear the amp. Beautifully finished indeed. As I thought and confirmed when seen, the meters are smallish in the fascia.
Certainly will become a classic...
 
Decisions, decisions

Hi all, new to this forum - anyone interested in restarting this thread?

In the UK the 2100 amp and CD are sometimes hard to get but I've been offered both in black for £3000 (about $4600) - trying to compare with Cambridge Audio Azur 851a and 851c (don't know if these are well known outside UK) but getting an audition on both at the same place looks impossible. The Marantz PM/SA8005 was also on my short list but I'm thinking the Yamaha and CA kit are both a step up and out of those two the Yammy looks better made (from what I've seen on the web).

Any thoughts would be appreciated
 
i would like to hear some updates from the owners. this amp looks so great you could almost live with less than competitive sound.
 
i would like to hear some updates from the owners. this amp looks so great you could almost live with less than competitive sound.

and I haven't heard a reputable opinion of the sound of ANYTHING in the current Yammie line suggesting it to be 'less than competitive"
 
i would like to hear some updates from the owners. this amp looks so great you could almost live with less than competitive sound.

Since I started this thread I figured I could respond with an update...

Well, I've had her for close to 5 months now and my appreciation for the 2100 just grows and grows. I am FINALLY done chasing amplifiers - I have found my keeper amp in the 2100. It betters any other integrated or separates I have had in my room over the past 5 years. I have had amps that were perhaps better in one area but taking the totality of sound quality and value nothing has even come close.

The 2100 is articulate, precise and musical...it is smooth yet capable of magnificent dynamics. It is extremely quiet, beautifully designed and built to last. If I could pick one thing that stands out the most to me in terms of sound quality it would have to be the bass. Best bass reproduction of any amp I have owned or demoed (up to about $7500). Extremely tight and deep bass that you can detect even at very low levels.

The 2100 just ticks all the boxes for me. I am quite confident most will find it a great amp. Hope this helps.
 
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Wow, great descriptions! To me, my A-S500 is transparent ;it does not interfere with the music at all! Smooth as silk with all the power I need. I would love to get the 2100 some day, because I love those meters!
 
Since I started this thread I figured I could respond with an update...

Well, I've had her for close to 5 months now and my appreciation for the 2100 just grows and grows. I am FINALLY done chasing amplifiers - I have found my keeper amp in the 2100. It betters any other integrated or separates I have had in my room over the past 5 years. I have had amps that were perhaps better in one area but taking the totality of sound quality and value nothing has even come close.

The 2100 is articulate, precise and musical...it is smooth yet capable of magnificent dynamics. It is extremely quiet, beautifully designed and built to last. If I could pick one thing that stands out the most to me in terms of sound quality it would have to be the bass. Best bass reproduction of any amp I have owned or demoed (up to about $7500). Extremely tight and deep bass that you can detect even at very low levels.

The 2100 just ticks all the boxes for me. I am quite confident most will find it a great amp. Hope this helps.

thanks for the update. this one is solidly on my list although the Hegel H160 sounds tempting (just reviewed in Stereophile- likely a class A rating).
 
Hmmm...never heard the Hegel but I definitely think the Yamaha looks better but to each his own.

I'm sure Hegel sounds great - but I like the fact the 2100 has tone controls should you need them (I have never used them). The tone controls are disengaged and out of the circuit when not in use which is a plus for sound quality. The built-in phono stage is quite good also.

On the other hand, it appears the Hegel has digital inputs so seems like a good value there. Good luck and enjoy the search!

What is the retail price of the Hegel?


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heard a Hegel amp(can't remember which model) when demoing speakers, and it had a very fine sound. In some ways, similar to the Yamaha. They are a bit pricey,but given this discussion is around the 2100, likely competetive.
 
Hmmm...never heard the Hegel but I definitely think the Yamaha looks better but to each his own.

I'm sure Hegel sounds great - but I like the fact the 2100 has tone controls should you need them (I have never used them). The tone controls are disengaged and out of the circuit when not in use which is a plus for sound quality. The built-in phono stage is quite good also.

On the other hand, it appears the Hegel has digital inputs so seems like a good value there. Good luck and enjoy the search!

What is the retail price of the Hegel?


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the Hegel H160 is 3.5, just like the yamaha although the yamaha can be found at a good discount.
the yamaha is the best looking amp out of all the ones I am looking at.
the hegel has been under the radar for a while but with vocal support from those that have heard it- basically it sounds like a true class A amp. the latest stereophile review upped t a few notches, i trust them.
i'm taking my time putting together a list of amps / speakers and i want them to be my last.
the yamaha a-s1000 is on the list as are the hegel h160, T + A power plant (german solid state amp, stereophile class A), creek 100a, marantz pm14s1, parasound p5/ a21, parasound integrated, yamaha a-s2100, luxman 505ux, 505ax.
i would also be interested in the new sony ES integrated class A amp if it had a balance control (which it doesn't).
 
the Hegel H160 is 3.5, just like the yamaha although the yamaha can be found at a good discount.
the yamaha is the best looking amp out of all the ones I am looking at.
the hegel has been under the radar for a while but with vocal support from those that have heard it- basically it sounds like a true class A amp. the latest stereophile review upped t a few notches, i trust them.
i'm taking my time putting together a list of amps / speakers and i want them to be my last.
the yamaha a-s1000 is on the list as are the hegel h160, T + A power plant (german solid state amp, stereophile class A), creek 100a, marantz pm14s1, parasound p5/ a21, parasound integrated, yamaha a-s2100, luxman 505ux, 505ax.
i would also be interested in the new sony ES integrated class A amp if it had a balance control (which it doesn't).

Good list of integrateds, buy I'm curious why you are not considering any of the Integrated Amps from Musical Fidelity. The M3i and M6i look very solid. While the M6500i is around the same price as the Yamaha A-S3000.
 
Good list of integrateds, buy I'm curious why you are not considering any of the Integrated Amps from Musical Fidelity. The M3i and M6i look very solid. While the M6500i is around the same price as the Yamaha A-S3000.

good question! the reason is that where my speakers are placed, I need a balance control to adjust the image to the right a little bit.
MF amps do not come with balance controls. if they did, i would consider them.
 
Hmmm...never heard the Hegel but I definitely think the Yamaha looks better but to each his own.

I'm sure Hegel sounds great - but I like the fact the 2100 has tone controls should you need them (I have never used them). The tone controls are disengaged and out of the circuit when not in use which is a plus for sound quality. The built-in phono stage is quite good also.

On the other hand, it appears the Hegel has digital inputs so seems like a good value there. Good luck and enjoy the search!

What is the retail price of the Hegel?


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I have your speakers; do you find the 2100 does a good job powering them? The Viennas, according to Stereophile, can be demanding speakers to drive.
Jeff
 
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The 2100 doesn't even break a sweat. Don't know exactly how to put it to words but deafening levels of sound are achieved at about 11:00 on the volume control. I know that's not very scientific but running out of juice is never a problem for me.


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