@@cheapaudioman Hey Randy, love your work good sir. One question, do you use speaker switches at all? I have a Yamaha amp in the lounge and 3 sets of speakers with a speaker switch. I'm sure it doesn't sound as good through the switch as opposed to being directly connected to the amp. If you could provide any recommendations that would be awesome. Thanks from New Zealand :)
Yamaha has always been my go-to affordable integrated amplifier when the budget is tight. Reliable, solidly built, and excellent sound for the money. Good looks to boot. The higher end ones with meters are gorgeous and sound amazing.
@@KeithHeinrich That's cause they can't fathom not spending 5K on a 100WPC amplifier, cause it's not expensive enough. God forbid they show off their system and their amp hasn't drained their bank account . Wrap an AS-801 in a McIntosh body and it's the next best thing. Sad.
A loudness button or dial adjusts for the Fletcher Munson curve. This is a phenomenon of the human ear where as volume is decreased, so does perceived bass and treble response. The loudness control is more of a tone control than anything, and the term "loudness" is a misnomer. It doesn't affect overall volume. It affects frequency response, boosting bass and treble by a predetermined amount at low listening levels to make up for deficiencies in the human ear.
I never used the loudness knob the way Randy described it. I would first bring the volume to a "quieter" level, then bring loudness up to make it sound fuller. You do not need the loudness knob if you are actually listening at "louder" levels, right? Have I been wrong all this time? (PIONEER SA-6500 SPEC II / PIONEER TX-6500 SPEC II)
The loudness control on that and many other vintage Yamahas (possibly current, I don't know) actually did change overall volume, proportionally more for certain frequencies like you are saying, but all frequencies were affected.
Yeah the loudness control should probably be called ‘quiet mode’ or ‘night time mode’. It’s so that you can listen to music that sounds good, while not waking everyone else up. That’s my understanding anyway, so I don’t agree with the method of turning the volume up as loud as you can handle then using the loudness knob. It’s more like you set it to a volume that won’t wake everyone up, then use the loudness knob. I have this amp and it’s a great amp BTW
@@oceanaxim Whenever I used the loudness switch,(on-or off, that was it on my stuff back then, no knob to twist) it was just to 'replace' the volume while eating dinner with guests or family. That way we could blab away and still enjoy the fullness of the music we were playing.
@@geoffreyvanhouwaert8677 new tables aren't funny. STURDY tables with expensive hifi gear are the least funny thing I can think of. People that spend fortunes on hifi credenzas... Also the least funny people I can think of
Excellent review Randy! I’ve had my Yamaha 801 for over a year now and I can honestly say it’s amazing. It’s a great performer. I don’t think I’m in need for an upgrade for years to come. The sound is precise and detailed. I’ve got a pair of Klipsch RP 280f’s floor standing speakers and a 12 inch Klipsch sub hooked to it. It’s powerful trust me. Anyone looking to get it, don’t hesitate. Just get it already.
I'm a geezer, and I have been into good stereo since 1968. Having said that there is one thing that shines out to me about the "vintage sound" that everyone likes. I agree wholeheartedly in fact. But no one has mentioned what made that vintage sound compared to this new stuff. " DISCREET OUTPUT DEVICES ", and they used mosfets for the final output amps, and there's your 'vintage' warmth and analog sound. All that went to hell with someone's bright idea to replace the mosfets, (metal oxide semi conductor, field effect transistors), with some damn chip. Mosfets were the semi conductors that came the closet to a vacuum tube, hence the sound everyone seems to crave. And, the A-B switch was for running 4 identical speakers, to my knowledge and fading memory, there was no bi-amping speakers back then that I was aware of. At least not for home use that I can remember. Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth folks so drive fast-take chances- and pass on hills and curves...
First of all, it's DISCRETE, not discreet. Secondly, most vintage amps used bipolar output transistors, not mosfets. Mosfets MAY have been used in higher end models, but didn't become widely used in consumer grade products until later, and then were still only widely used by some brands.
@@DougMen1 Wow, I miss spelled a word. Thank you for the correction. As to the use of mosfets, the amps I bought back in the day were the higher end models, that came with full schematics, that clearly indicated the use of mosfets.
Perhaps this is the reason I use car amplifiers for my home audio set up. Some of the amplifiers I run are BJT and some are Mosfet output, either way all discrete components which is why it sounds better to my ears than your typical set up of today with modern components.
It's probably a better sounding amp but never be like a tube amplifier. It's about harmonics when it comes to tube sound. Only tubes will product the missing harmonics. I heard these so called guitar amps that claim to reproduce the tube sound but close but no cigar. Even tube headphone amps are lacking the sound because it's not just tubes but iron also. Output transformers is part of the tube sound and even the tube rectifier plays a part in the genuine tube sound. One that grew up with tubes it's hard to come close to tube sound using solid state electronics. 73
Operational Amplifiers (opamps) are solid state integrated devices that have extremely high gain (typically greater than x 1,000,000. This high gain is used to cancel out any error in any of the other components. Example: Vout = (Circuit errors/1,000,000) + Vin. Circuit error effectively goes to zero. One of the greatest tricks in modern electrical engineering.
A few things: 1. The AS801 has been measured at 185watts into 4 ohms by Audioholics. 2. The loudness knob controls only one thing - midrange. As you turn it counter-clockwise, it lowers the midrange, to help account for our ears inabulity to hear bass and treble at lower volume levels. 3. The AS801 was designed to be used with the loudness function off at normal listening levels. 4. I find the AS801 to sound bland and a bit dull with CD Direct Amp and Pure Direct off. 5. Pure Direct improves the sound, improving the focus and imaging, but is a bit sterile. 6. I get the best sound by using the CD input and using the CD Direct Amp function. This gives me a warm, focused sound.
Bought a vintage Yamaha CR-420 earlier this year for $150...minty mint without a damn scratch! Excellent buy...very satisfied with this vintage Yamaha! I've paired it with a Marantz 2x 10 band equalizer (EQ20) that set me back $128. Again, the Marantz showed up like new; documents and all...I think this old timer never left its packaging in over 50 years. If you look hard enough (locally), there are some real gems out there...for sure.
Sheesh-- You are making me feel like a vintage person. I graduated high school in 1972. I REALLY loved my CR-1020. What a sweet amp/ receiver. Had this and ESS Heil air motion speakers and wow. Really had the sound I liked.
My high school class was 1974 and I was making 1.35 an hour, the cr800 was too expensive for even my dreams. After a few years Yamaha became the brand I had. Love the AS801, now retired and back to dreaming. Thanks Randy, great review and comparison to vintage.
My HS class was '75. After three years in the Army, I started college at SFA, and got a job in Nacogdoches, TX at a Yamaha reseller named "Component Services". I loved the jewel-like quality of the Yamaha 1980 and '81 receivers, and got to build a Dynaco amplifier (integrated, I think) from a kit. That was cool. David Hogue was the owner, and sometime after I left he sold his shop and relo'd to Austin, TX. He would like this channel. Cheapaudioman, you never said what you needed to do to get your CR800 repaired.
The 701 does have a DAC, it's just not as nice. You get optical and coaxial in, but no USB in. The 801 gets fancy lights on the front, a better DAC, and a more rigid chassis for $100. I matched the 701 with a pair of Denton 85's, and it sounds like Cliff Burton is still alive in my room. Old School!
I don’t think the A B thing is intended for bi-wiring or bi-amping, it’s simply to allow you to run a second pair of speakers in another part of your house, I’ve seen other amps with this. This is exactly how I use my Yamaha, to power ceiling speakers on A and outdoor speakers on B. By the way if you don’t like the flat knobs you can order a few of the round input knobs from Yamaha and swap them over.
I love the vintage silver receivers. That new Yamaha amp has that classic look. Heavy amps have bigger transformers and filter caps. I have two Yamaha receivers with the rotary loudness controls. I do set it up like you did, but I use the volume control after that.
I watch the video from another gentleman who went over a Yamaha amplifier and said that the topology is quite similar to some of the receivers and integrated amps that they made in the 70s. He also stated that some of the resistors and capacitors were made by the Japanese radio corporation and decided the fact that those were some of the best and quietest electronic components that there are. He seem to know what he was doing as he was an electrical engineer. Great video sir
Glad to finally see someone else appreciate the cr800. I remember my Dad picking me up from school (kindergarten) to go test audio equipment at a shop for a week, and finally get approved for a loan for the cr800, a pair of rtr 280dr's, and a jvc turntable. I still have the rtr's. I got rid of the cr800 when I was a teen because I never could find a shop that would fix the buzz you mentioned in one channel. This happened a previous time not long after my dad purchased it but it was repaired under warranty then. I tossed it. I tried many amps over many years and the only setup that comes really close to the old cr800 is the mx830 w/ cx630 behind it (love it). I even tried the mx1000 with no satisfaction. I've eyeballed the as801 many times but never got around to trying it after finally falling in love with the 2 mx830's I now own. The mx830 is a pretty special one too, in my opinion. Thanks for the review!!!
I have a 301 and a 501 Yamaha. The 301 is paired with Klipsch Heresy IV’s and gets plenty loud and sounds amazing. The 501 is paired with Elac Uni-Fi floorstanders and gets plenty loud and sounds amazing. Solid sounding amps and highly recommend. 801 might be my next amp.
@@hypnoz7871 Yep. I have had the A-S701 for a few years and love it. Much better deal than the 801. It performs well enough with its own internal DAC - but I have used it with better stand alone DACs for a better result. It is also built like a tank and looks more expensive than it is.
I own the A-S701 and Modi3, connected to a pair of Kef LS50, what a wonderful combo. Though after I replaced the Modi3 with a Topping D70S, it all started singing ;-)
I don’t think a speaker selector for “A”, “B”, and “A + B” was that uncommon. ‘Certainly not on moderately powered receivers and up. However, I don’t know why you’re referring to this as for biwiring. It simply was for playing two sets of speakers simultaneously.
Thanks for the combination flashback/review, Randy. Long time fan of the Yamaha sound. I bought a new Yamaha CR-640 with ADS 300 speakers back in the late '70s, a great pairing for apartment listening. The CR-640 is long gone, but the re-woofered ADS 300s now hang in my workshop. Today there's a Yamaha R-N500 paired with KEF LS50's and a KEF T-2 sub in my home office. I am continually impressed by the near-field soundstage of the LS50s.
I originally bought the AS301 because I was on a tight budget and I was so pleased with it that when I could afford it, I splashed out on the AS801, which is still not that expensive considering its spec and sound quality. There’s also an AS501 (here in Japan) but the AS701 has recently disappeared. I see the prices have increased a lot since I bought both my amps but I still reckon they’re worth it. I’m glad you mentioned the phono preamp because I couldn’t get a good sound from my turntable, even after upgrading the stylus & cartridge to an Ortofon, so I’ll try a third party external phono preamp. Thanks.
Hi! Could you help me, please, I have searching for few days on that question. I also have as301, and in my country there is discount for as701 (same as as801, but lower grade DAC). Could you tell me if it is worth to go for the 701? I'm using external DAC, so I don't care about it.
Great review, Randy. I have the AS-501 and a vintage CR2020. I can attest to how close they are in terms of sound quality with the CR2020 edging it out slightly. But I wouldn't sleep on the AS-301 either. It's in my den running JBL L82s and it positively cranks!
Love my L82's!! Currently have a 25 watt Sansui au555a powering them. Also have a 12 watt Sansui receiver, and they still sound amazing, won't shatter the windows but sounds great at lower volumes.
I've been researching upgrades for my current setup, and this one popped up in the Googles. Unbelievably good timing to review it. Thanks, and have a great day!
The 801 is a nice sounding amp, good value for the money. I hate the control switches though, they make the amp look completely unbalanced at anything other than the centre setting, much prefer the old type. I also really don't like the remote, it's not as responsive as the previous wider generation, and it's only available in silver, even with the black finish amp, which I have.
I have a CR-400 that's been my main stereo since a cousin gave it to me as a hand me down in the 80s. It included a pair of original Advent loudspeakers, BIC turntable, and Akai tape deck. I added the Krakatoa Erupts subwoofer from the DAK catalog about '91. Love it!
I have a Yamaha AX-770U integrated amplifier (110watts @8ohms)(1990ish) that I picked up for $100, have a Topping DAC and I have been exceptionally happy with the combination. It's built like a tank and has CD direct and loudness options.
I just got one of these and I have to say that it is one of the most musical integrated amps I have ever owned! My list is very long and extremely pricey…I’m using it for my secondary system and it makes me want to stay and play. My 12k integrated doesn’t beat it for musicality. This AS801 sounds like a powerful 300b tube amp! Astounding value 😊
Hi, I bought a CR800 new in 1975- I was 16. it cost £325. enough to buy a 3 year old ford . I still have the Amp in my sitting room. It was used as a power amp for town discos and parties, and as a bass/PA amp for my band- using forced air cooling it drove 2 x 15 inch theatre bins.. It still works but one day i will dive inside it and give it an overhaul. If i get someone to give me a hand lifting it! A Great Product.
There are few brands that are consistently very good. Yamaha is certainly one of them. My Yamaha integrated amp is SO good, and reliably superb with all kinds of music.
It’s curious to me how some are attached to the “vintage” sound, when this amp is about as neutral as an amp can get and that’s why I love it! The AS701 does indeed have a DAC, with same power. But it’s very low THD that compliments my KLH Kendall floorstanders. I rate the AS801 as one of the best IA you can buy. It’s colorless and powerful with 100 clean high current watts. No frills, lights and the plastic that is used is high quality. The only gripe I have is no volume light or marks. But as far as musical…..if it’s in the recording you’ll hear it, if it’s not you won’t.
Funny, I used to adjust my EQ the same way. I had no idea what I was doing, but that's what I went with. Even my boom box EQ was set that way. Stepping out on a limb here...Marantz Model 40n. At $2500 it isn't for everyone, but I think it is going to be my next integrated. It has all the vintage cool stuff plus lets you play new tech and I won't need a bunch of boxes on my stand.
Listen up, people! NEVER use the impedance switch(leave it at 8ohm minimum). It does not benefit you in any way! It robs you of power as it's only on there for UL testing so they could keep temps down while getting the unit certified. Gene from Audioholics has extensively covered this(with his Audio Precision measuring device) since Yamaha is using this on so many different products.
This is one of the Dumbest comments Ive heard. If you try to run 4 ohm speakers on an 8 ohm amp setting.. you can easily cause the amp to quickly degrade, or self-destruct.
@@Jon-nz3dm Before I learned about OHMs, I tried chaining a second pair of speakers to a Phillips boom box. This caused the OHM load to go from like 8 ohms, to 4 ohms... but the amp was not capable of a 4 ohm load. I think it lasted less than 30 min, before it blew the amp. Completely toasted it. Some amps are more robust, and are able to handle a lower ohm level better... but again, if they are not designed to handle that kind of load... eventually it starts to destroy them. Once I fried an Amp, I went and searched about Ohms, and learned about what they meant... and about how amps work. The information is out there, and is easily found.
You crack me up !!!! I had a feeling we were close in age - ( ur usage of tv show & video games for ur reviews ) I'm just afew years older. I have the Yamaha CR - 1020. Absolutely love it !!! I have been window shopping for separate amps. I'm glad to see Yamaha going back in time - so to speak. Great review - keep it up !!!
I have the 801. Your assessment is right on. The phono section is very mediocre at best. The dac is excellent. Overall the amp sounds lovely, I use it with Wharfedale EVO 4.2’s. Great combination. Totally happy with this amplifier.
My dad's a retired electrical engineer, and he spends a lot of his time restoring vintage amplifiers (as well as building new amplifiers from scratch), and his workshop is piled high with classic Dynaco, Fisher, Marantz, Yamaha, JVC, Realistic, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sansui, and now McIntosh. Most of it's from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I have to agree that those Yamahas are special. But he loves restoring that stuff, and with vintage gear that's "broken" going up for super cheap on Craistlist, at swap meets, and so on, he just keeps getting vintage pieces for next to nothing and fixing them, often with minimal effort. So many people have let go of beautiful old pieces of gear that only had a broken solder joint or a single capacitor or fuse that needed replacing. He's actually offered people their gear back a number of times because they basically gave it to him for free, and then it only took a half hour and a $2 part to fix. My first pair of good speakers was a pair of ADS L520s that somebody sold him for $5(!) because they were "broken," and it was just a burnt fuse that cost nothing to replace. My first amp was a JVC JRS-200 that he fixed. I still have those ADS and JVC, even though they're not my main setup anymore, but I still listen to them.
@@alm5693 Yeah, I agree! I did luck out. My mom's just about had it with their house being an audio trading post though. If I start referring even more business his way, she'll leave a horse head in my bed.
Loved your pop story, and that's exactly how I got my CA-1000. I paid $100 for it year's ago and all it needed was a new speaker protection relay. Sounds lovely in class A amplification!
Hey I have a CR1020 from 1975 or 76. Still going strong! Probably could use new caps to keep it clean, but it still has power and dynamic sound! Yammy rules!
Looks lovely and a trip down memory lane. You have certainly packed a lot of life into your relatively few years lived and bring a refreshing take to 'vintage' listeners. Many thanks, Sir.
I have Sansui, Technics and Yamaha vintage amps with ……LOUDNESS! They’re just super easy to live with. This is what makes them great. Still love my Yamaha R-N803D.
The 803 seems to be one of the last great stereo receivers on the market. There's the Outlaw model, but I'm not sure they'll be around for years to come.
Thanks Randy for breathing life into my 4 year old 801! It was my first real amp that I bought in 2018 and had given up on it, purchasing Emotiva A2 and PT1 and an Audiolab 6000a to find a more dynamic punchy sound. I was using it completely flat because audiophiles generally recommend not touching tone controls. I had literally given up on it, it sat unused in my basement. Well $h%+, I tried your method of turning volume up and loudness down with increased bass and treble, and using the loudness to raise ‘volume’ and hold your Budweiser, THIS AMP F’N ROCKS!!!! I feel like a complete idiot and have spent thousands on ‘better sounding’ amps to replace my old 801 the last few years. As of tonight, it’s now my FAVORITE freaking amp. It also has given me a WAY better appreciation for my forgotten Klipsch RP600m. It’s like I woke this amp up after a 4 year nap!!! Thanks for giving me a late night up with my ‘new’ system! Great video!
I have the AS501, and yes it has the top art amp, using the loudness circuit with my Forte I is killer. It balanced out the mids and is hugely dynamic.
User alert: Make sure that the Loudness control is not turned way down when you hit the Pure Direct button. When you hit Pure Direct, you will instantly go to the full setting of your volume control. Been there done that as an otherwise happy (and almost heart-attack free) owner of an A-S700. The A-S701 has a built-in DAC. You have to go back to the A-S700 for a DAC-free amp. I second the suggestion to add an outboard phono preamp.
Randy try this setup, have your listening position the same distance from your front speakers as the front speakers are apart from each other, (equilateral triangle), then place a second pair of speakers either side of your listening position at the same distance as your front speakers are apart from each other (so all speakers are the same distance from each other and the listening position). Choose side speakers equal to or 1 to 2 db sensitivity less than your front speakers, and hook them up to the same amp (like this Yamaha AS801 or any amp with A+B) connect left speakers to left binding posts and right to right A for front speakers and B for side speakers, then listen with amp on A+B. For me this is good for music and movies with a pair of decent subs of course. Sure would like your opinion with this setup.
Good review. I'm a Yamaha 801 fan. Three years ago when I started this circus, I tested and returned several integrateds but bought the Yamaha It just sounded and looked right to me and what I was doing at the time. Hard to go wrong in particular if you find one used. I understand the 701 is also excellent but as Randy said, it is your opportunity to add your own personally chosen DAC. I kept mine until I bought a Schiit Raganok 2 for double the Yamaha price.
The AS line of Yamaha Integrated Amplifier line has four Models. The AS-301 through AS-701 all have DAC’s built in and use the TOP ART architecture. The AS-801 has a better DAC than the AS-301 through AS-701’s. The AS-301 is rated at 60W/ch 8 ohms The AS-501 is rated at 85W/ch 8 ohms The AS-701 is rated at 100W/ch 8 ohms.
@@superd222tube I think those models use a completely different amplifier topology. I am pretty sure they use MOSFETs for the output stage. Prices of those models are north of $2000.
You caught my ears and eyes immediately when I happened to be just checking out Marantz rec. Thanks for having this platform on old /new home stereo equipment. I just may be a new subscriber, good info , interesting Keep me thinking. Thank you, got a system (s). With me at 18 in early80’s. It was loud music, party’s,work(Construction,HD) and money. Or better yet. Work, marriage, no mo party’s , Headphones. After purchasing Marantz -150 I think first digital kick-a** A/V. Receiving back in 85ish of course need speakers, oh ya I worked a job by coast guard/navy area-Boston a nice job building Rose Wharf, I had too say that , well across the street was the Electronics store with a very small but powerhouse stereotype in corner of shop, it was really a fridge,washing machine,etc. place ,so I meet a good sales man and I start saving - building and finally one day purchased the Whole system. MARANTZ tuner:Nakamichi:cassette recorder? (Still had cassettes- lol) Oh ya - C.D. Cause it was In no more scratching of album’s of our choices. So, Pioneer’s (single /6pk.”) Compact Disks Deck/Player Sorry no albums. But I did inquire 198C.D.s of great music. However too get to the Best part of my experience in Hi-Fi (Sound-Loudness
Tape loops are important. God bless Yamaha for doing this. My father bought a Yamaha CR1020 (I think) back in the late 70’s. It spoiled him (and me) for how good a receiver should sound, that he passed away without “upgrading” it, a few years ago. I wish I’d had the heads up to alert my mother not to give it to the lawnmower boy as a tip.
Great review Randy. Always enjoy your content. I have this amp. I’ve actually had it for almost two years now. I use the a+b setup with two pairs of speakers. A set of Klipsch Kg 5.5’s and a set of Kg 4.5’s. I have to say, I love the sound, love the power. I haven’t tried the usb dac. I have an old Mac that I use to store my music on and the operating system doesn’t support the download off of the Yamaha site. This Amp looks wonderful and performs flawlessly for my taste. I was stationed in Okinawa in the 80s and this thing just takes me back to those days of going to Camp Butler, or Hansen for the big sales, when all of the manufacturers would bring in all of the newest and greatest tech. For those of the younger generation. These sales were like a mini axpona. This amp sounds wonderful at low level listening. Turn it on, select the tune, sit back, get lost in the music. I had a sub hooked up in the beginning, but it didn’t add anything to my listening experience. From The Man in Black, to the Black album it serves its purpose…allows me to enjoy music and it sounds great! If you get a chance to do a review with the usb hookup, I’d be interested in seeing the how to and hearing your thoughts. Thanks again Randy for the fine content. Keep up the excellent job! Hope you the family are well.
I listen a lot the A-S1000 with Wharfedale Linton, B&W, Monitor Audio... and is a Beast. Very big Power supply, weight 48.5 lbs, clear and punchy. I believe, one of the best amps I listen under 2K. Not cheap, but it will retain a lot of value.
Got the 501 as my back up amp,and the 701 as my main amp,got the 701 running through a benchmark DAC,through some vintage tannoy 611,s, sweet sweet sound.
Hi Randy, I just spent the past month checking out this AS 801 in hopes that it would be comparable to a ' 80 / '81 Pioneer A-8 integrated that I was most recently infatuated with, but , alas, could not get it repaired. After weeks of research I opted for this Yamaha. In MY experience it could not hold a candle to my A-8. Even at 100wpc ( which my A-8 was 90wpc) it sounded feeble in comparison. I am driving a pair of Jamo s809 towers and they wanted/ needed more power. It's going back to Crutchfield tomorrow. The only thing I ended up liking about it was the Loudness dial ...that was interesting and made alot of sense and with two small kids, I relied alot on it. But It just couldn't take the place of vintage. I think to get something that's brand new and have it be comparable to my Pioneer I would have to spend upwards of 4K . Which I guess makes sense when you take into account the value of the dollar some 40+ years ago and how much these amp retailed for. BTW, I ended up going for a JVC A- X900 from about'83. This thing is a beast!!! 120 WPC ...the volume control is a 3 in 1 sort of thing!?( you should look it up). It's got great tactility, looks great and the POWER. Highly recommend for anyone wanting something vintage that's dynamic, clear , great top, mid AND plenty of bottom and can drive anything you throw at it.
I have the lower end Yamaha A-S301, which has A and B speaker outputs as well as A +B to drive both sets at the same time. I suppose you could use the B output to bi-amp a set of speakers but I don't see why you would do so. My setup is a 4.1 system and it sounds great even at high volumes. I'm driving the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 and the Klipsch RP-8000F speakers together with no problems whatsoever. I occasionally opt to listen to music on each set so I can compare the speakers by just choosing the A or B settings.
I paired my A-S801 with a Parasound Zphono phono amp. The Zphono sounds much better than the A-S801’s internal phono amp, however I’ve struggled with fully eliminating ground noise on it, so I’ll often simply resort to using just the A-S801. The Zphono does add a stereo/mono switch, a rumble filter, and MC capability (all lacking on the A-S801)…I do use the Zphono for mono LP playback, easier than swapping out cartridges or having a second tonearm/turntable. Speaker pairings: GoldenEar Aon 2s, Klipsch RP-600Ms. The Aon 2s sound amazing (I’ve read many reviews that recommend them over the larger Aon 3s), but picked up the RP-600Ms as a cheap (I paid $400 total, tax included) party speaker that I can just blast. Looking forward to your BRX review, Randy.
Excellent review Randy. Great amp, I've had one for about a year. It's been driving Klipsch RP-600M's now Klipsch RP-8000Fs. You're right the phono stage is very poor (dull, closed off). I threw in an iFi zen phono external and it was a huge improvement. DAC is excellent. I use a USB A to USB B cable going into an Apple Camera USB 3 adapter (cheap) that converts it to lightening so you can plug it into an iPhone (for Apple Music). It doesn't charge like this but the camera adapter has a second plug where you can plug a charger into it. I'm keen on moving up the Yamaha integrated range soon (A-S1200, A-S2200).
I just wanted to clarify that the 801 like all of the newer Yamaha integrated amps does NOT have an actual tape 'loop' let alone two of them like you keep mentioning. First off, notice that there is no 'monitor' switch for such a feature! On page 10 of the manual it states regarding the REC jacks: 'the audio signals are not output via the LINE 2 REC or LINE 3 REC output jacks when LINE 2 or LINE 3 is selected with the INPUT selector.' What this means is that you cannot hook up an equalizer because it will not work at all for one thing. Also you cannot utilize the monitor function of a three head tape deck. I don't know about other people, but this was a huge dealbreaker for me, and I just wanted to put it out there for anyone that might get disappointed when they find out the hard way with their new purchase that they've suddenly lost functionality or compatibility with certain older vintage equipment that they may want to hook up to it.
I have always liked the Yamaha product line, and the silver design is vintage it looks much better,and easier to use than black faced equipment. Thanks fo the video.
Was really stoked to see this video as I just sold off my vintage Yamaha CA-810 and picked up an AS-801. I made the move primarily out of paranoia of the eventual cost of ownership that was likely to come when the 810 finally shits the bed. I like having a remote again, which is a bonus, but I think the 801 sounds a bit thin compared to the 810. Not enough to be completely disappointed, but still just not quite as good. I will maybe try turning off the 'pure direct' and try spending more time with messing with the loudness knob. Thanks for the vid..
Thanks Randy for this concise review. One remark though, having two sets of speaker outputs doesn't make the amp capable of biamping as this is still a stereo device with only two channels of output stages and biamping would require four separate stages for both channels' high and low regions. This would make bicabling somehow easier as you don't need two connect the high/low cables on the amplifier side.
I missed this video until now. Great vid Randy. I have a CR-620 which is rated at 35W/ch. These Yamahas were under rated, or rated at 20hz-20KHz. I ditched my Kenwood AV receiver after I got the CR-620. I love it. I have a Pioneer SX-3900 that I need to restore. I’ve been watching for a reasonable CR-1000 or CR-1020 to come along, but I’d keep the CR-620. However, I’ll have to check out these new integrated amps too.
I have a 1 owner CR-620 as well. Getting the as701 in silver someday. Got some vintage mint condition Speakerlab (made in Seattle) tower speakers but looking for smaller and very efficient speakers to add.
@@blackbeansmatter1280 I have a set of early ‘90s Polk S4 bookshelf speakers hooked up to our CR620. Still love those speakers. I did add a little more stuffing to the cabinets. I do plan to build a pair of Fonken GRs in the future. They’re a full range Golden Ratio speaker design so they look more like traditional box speakers than most full range designs.
Had a Yamaha A700 amp that I bought in '82 and used until 2021. This one seems like it's spiritual descendant. The old girl finally quit so I donated it to a local vintage audio repairer and bought a Yamaha A-S1200 to replace it. The new amp has retro VU meters. So cool! While not more powerful than the old amp (they are close, if anything the old amp had more raw power for stupid volume levels) the new amp has soundstage and clarity for days. I didn't know my speakers could sound so good. The 801 model has been around for awhile now, it certainly is a great value for the money.
I won something on your telegram...until I reported it and got the comment removed. :) The bi-amp feature you talk about I think is actually what I saw on 90s receivers. It was very common to have that, but it wasn't a bi-amp feature. It was to connect a 2nd set of speakers. So, you can connect 4 speakers and have them all play at the same time! You can have semi-surround sound in stereo. The main reason receivers had that in the 90s is so you can install speakers in different rooms. But all my friends who were fortunate enough to have a receiver like that put all 4 speakers in the same room on all 4 corners.
Its a little expensive and difficult to do it this way, but I use the pre-outs, I used tube preamps(I use multiple fosi audio p1 they have base and treble which is very handy, also play with the volume a bit to hone in the limits really good to keep from distortion and overdriving your speakers) , and a separate amp for every channel except my subs which have a built in amp (I use ice power asp200's but you can use whatever you want). If you want an extremely lively and highly controllable multi channel stereo it's definitely a solution to get that wave of goodness hitting you from all sides, and also get the added new age bonus of separation making it easier to clearly hear all that's going on in the music!
Greaf review of my favorite integrated amp/receiver family. My Yamaha CR2020 from 1979 still sounds great. The AS701 driving my 1979 Shahinian Obelisks (Richard Shahinian - speaker pioneer, check him out) is something special. Vinyl, CD, MD (my favorite obsolete but still works medium) all sound big and musical. Don't ignore the AS500/501 as the core architecture and features are essentially the same. Yeah, nice remote that runs Yamaha CD as well. Love your work. Thanks!
Love the comparison. I have a hybrid system comprised of a new Marantz NR1510 receiver (that replaced a 20yr old Marantz receiver) and then pre-out to a vintage Adcom GFA-2 amp that powers my main speakers for stereo playback and HT. The Adcom adds a bit more warmth than the Marantz. I find the combination makes my vinyl and CDs sound really great, especially after taking the time to use Marantz's room correction to dial in. I think for audiophiles who don't have a ton of cash, or kids to raise, or a wife that doesn't get the hobby, or a combination of all three, it's great to have reviews like this. I invest in the best that I can, knowing that I'll have it for a long while. That Adcom has been w/ me since I bought it used in 1990! The other great thing about looking at vintage and mid-range audio equipment is being able to experiment without breaking the bank.
I have the A-S2200. And it has those meters that you like! Definitely not cheap/inexpensive. Go ask your buddy Ron about it! I bought mine mostly because of his Yamaha vs Yamaha review and the his single review of the upper end Yamaha integrated amps. (And it weighs about 60lbs). I truly believe that this is a hidden sleeper gem of an amp when you get to the $3000+ level.
I have cr-820 great receiver has the vertical knobs love it . I also have 701 also same specs as 801 without the usb part of dac picked it up refurbished 499 couldn’t be happier have it with Polk R200 any many others all sound great ! Thanks for mixing in the vintage .
Thank you Randy for this nice and entertaining video! I love the Yamaha amps; they deliver the best reproduction of good live recordings... I have the AS501, Elac Debut Reference, Velodyne SPL sub (second hand), and this sounds FANTASTIC....
I've been using Yamaha Natural Sound Series amps since I bought my first one around 1977 or so... it was the 610II(?) amp (no tuner). It was stolen in the early 90's. :( I then got a CR620 receiver for $3 at a good will shop which I'm still using. Also had another amp which was higher in the line and more powerful given to me... which I don't have anymore. I really like the extra speaker outputs, 2 tape deck connections and the variable loudness keeps the sound fuller at low volumes.
I have the Yamaha S501 Amplifier paired with the Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf 607’s. The 607’s are on metal speaker stands and bi-wired. Really enjoy the Pure Direct Mode on the amplifier. This is a great little two channel affordable system for my moderate size great room.
Hi Randy! I’m looking at getting the Yamaha A-S701 because the 801 isn’t available in Australia for some reason. Been doing a lot of research on amplifiers, and was originally going to go for the Cambridge Audio AXR100, because it was the only amplifier I knew at the time in my price range that had a record rca out. I then saw the A-S701 and that has 2 record rca outs, and decided that’s the amplifier for me. Just so you know, the 701 does have an inbuilt DAC, it just doesn’t have the USB that the 801 has. Not sure if the DAC’s between the 701 and 801 are the same. The power rating is the same, 100W into 8 ohms and 160W into 4 ohms with a damping factor of 240, which is really good. That’s another thing that attracted me to this amplifier! Think the 701 will drive my power thirsty Dynaudio Emit M20 bookshelf speakers very well! Hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on one soon! Thanks for your videos, I really enjoy watching them! Keep rocking on with rocktapus! 🎸🦑
Hey important note YAMAHA A-S701 A-S501 A-S301 all do have DAC inside but a completely other chip. It's Texas Instruments PCM5101 chip with support for PCM up to 192/24 (corect me if im wrong). And A-S801 uses ESS Saber DAC with DSD support and USB async. When it comes to sound 301, and 501 sound similarly, 701 is in a middle and 801 is closer to reference A-S1000 that has successor in model A-S1200. Also those are able to drive loads up to 2ohm. High Dynamic Power/Channel 8/6/4/2 ohms gives output 100/120/ 140/150 W Also all integrated YAMAHA amps from A-S line are made with TOP-ART tech, there are many other differences!
I love this review of the S801 compared to your vintage CR-800 receiver. I also love my 1983, 1985 vintage units: The Yamaha A-1000 (BJT), A-1020 (MOSFET)---both have similar specs aside from the damping factor; the A-1000 is 120 per channel w/ damping factor of 90 while the A-1020 is 125 per channel w/ damping factor is 45. Both are vintage Class A/AB amps. I also acquired a 1993 AX-930 a few years ago.. it's around 130 per channel 8 ohms w/ damping factor of 500---crazy bass control, but i love the others too.. very clean, variable phono cartridge capacitence on those models. It's probable time to consider re-caping but currently only needed deoxit on the controls.. I haven't put a lot of hours on them, but the two are 40 years old now.
Listen to an early Sherwood. 7100, 7200, etc. Terrific sound on a basic low power receiver. Personally I do think the vintage Yamaha receivers are the cleanest uncolored sound. I have Kenwood Model 11G, 6600, MCS 3233, HK 330B and 730, etc. etc. Sherwood equals them in sound in my opinion.
I appreciate you taking the time to acknowledge the scams going on in the comments. I have "Won" a few things lately, and have asked presenters to mention it, but they don't.
That Yamaha receiver looks a lot like my Nikko 719 I bought when I was in high school at Tech-Hifi in the late seventies. Philips 677 turntable and Ohm E speakers. Ah….the memories. Sold speakers to my brother and upgraded to the Ohm L’s. Loved them Ohm’s.
For anyone reading this. The tech and parts change a lot in the vintage ss. It got pretty good around 1968 most would have been cap coupled or even no speaker protection. Over time they ditched the cap coupling and have a more modern protection circuit. Sometime in the late 70's specs and power went way up. Each generation the sound signature changed. So sansui 5000 is going to sound dramatically different then a g9700. Can't just clump all vintage together!
That's a fact. Too many variations to generalise. Plus the specs of audio output transistors and capacitors has changed through the years. Sources have changed from vinyl to cassettes to cds etc. Our memories are sugar coated when it comes to vintage hifi to a degree.
I own a Yamaha CR-840 and it is hooked up to four speakers. Use it with my old Technics SL-1700. Everything is old and still works great. But now I might have to consider the new one.
The purpose of a "loudness" button/knob is to boost bass and treble signals, creating the exact "V" shaped curve you describe. When listening at low level, those frequency ranges have a tendency to disappear, and this will boost those ranges to make up for it.
My best Frend recently bought that amplifier only in black fascia he is ecstatic with it he is running four acoustic 3050 i speakers on it and it can blow the windows out I’m glad he is because I recommended it to him. as always veery good vlog
I owned that Yamaha integrated amp. Bought it new in 75. It was a sweet sounding amp. I was doing some spring cleaning a couple of decades ago and threw it away.. LOL
My gem at home is a JVC JR-S201 manufactured around 1978. The one I have I bought on eBay for 99 dollars, picked it up locally. It's rated at 35 watts per channel 20 to 40k hertz with built-in SEA 5 band equalizer. The monster in this line would be the JR-S801 I believe at a whopping 125 watts per channel. Mine is about 23 pounds so you know it has good hardware and iron in it. I think it has Darlington outputs in the amp section? I originally was supposed to get the 201 at Independence Audio in my home town, had this a pair of Marantz Model 900's and a Philip's turntable in layaway, when I went in to make my last payment, they had sold them all, didn't have one in the store, I was pissed. Ended up with the S55 first ever digital tuner. It looked so blah, but 40 watts per channel, I still think that previous models looked a lot better with the blue tuner face. Store is still in business, but I wouldn't want to ever go in there again, except to tell my story and chew them out again!!! My 1978 model is still doing fine!!!
I chose the 801 to replace my previous Yamaha A500, because I have gone completly digital. I feed it using a Sony BD player with CD's and my small, but expanding, collection of SACD's. I thought the cost of most dedicated SACD players ludicrous and they would not play my DVD-A's either. The Sony is also used to transfer my FLAC collection from a solid state hard drive. The Yamaha drives my Revox M16s beautifully and the speakers disappear into a seemingly wider sound stage. I use the pure button all the time, just because I think it will deliver the mix that the engineer thought correct and surely that is what "HiFi" is all about. If I wasn't happy with the sound I would try another component in the system, but I have no current temptation to tinker yet.
Thanks for the review Randy! I own this exact amp and have it paired with Klipsch RP-280 tower speakers which have plenty of bass. The loudness control is my favorite feature as it helps with my lo-fi records. Have a Cambridge duo phono pre amp with a Nagaoka mp110 cartridge for my turntable. Absolutely happy with this set up but also don’t consider myself a true audiophile.
I have the AS501 it is rated @ 85watts. They power my Cerwin Vega HED U-351 with no problem. Would have bought the 701 or the 801 but I figure 85 watts is plenty of power for my hearing and my age. Very informative video I learned a little more about my AS501.
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You can see the digital inputs right there on the rear panel in the link you gave.
@@mdzacharias yeah. I made a mistake, man.
@@cheapaudioman Not to worry. I never made a video as good as yours on my best day.
What sort of fogducking cvnt edits like this? It used to be a watchable channel.
@@cheapaudioman Hey Randy, love your work good sir. One question, do you use speaker switches at all? I have a Yamaha amp in the lounge and 3 sets of speakers with a speaker switch. I'm sure it doesn't sound as good through the switch as opposed to being directly connected to the amp. If you could provide any recommendations that would be awesome. Thanks from New Zealand :)
Yamaha has always been my go-to affordable integrated amplifier when the budget is tight. Reliable, solidly built, and excellent sound for the money. Good looks to boot. The higher end ones with meters are gorgeous and sound amazing.
Agreed. Sadly overlooked by reviewers for some reason.
@@KeithHeinrich That's cause they can't fathom not spending 5K on a 100WPC amplifier, cause it's not expensive enough. God forbid they show off their system and their amp hasn't drained their bank account . Wrap an AS-801 in a McIntosh body and it's the next best thing. Sad.
they measure extremely well
A loudness button or dial adjusts for the Fletcher Munson curve. This is a phenomenon of the human ear where as volume is decreased, so does perceived bass and treble response. The loudness control is more of a tone control than anything, and the term "loudness" is a misnomer. It doesn't affect overall volume. It affects frequency response, boosting bass and treble by a predetermined amount at low listening levels to make up for deficiencies in the human ear.
Yeah, that's the funniest description of a loudness button I ever came across
I never used the loudness knob the way Randy described it. I would first bring the volume to a "quieter" level, then bring loudness up to make it sound fuller. You do not need the loudness knob if you are actually listening at "louder" levels, right? Have I been wrong all this time?
(PIONEER SA-6500 SPEC II / PIONEER TX-6500 SPEC II)
The loudness control on that and many other vintage Yamahas (possibly current, I don't know) actually did change overall volume, proportionally more for certain frequencies like you are saying, but all frequencies were affected.
Yeah the loudness control should probably be called ‘quiet mode’ or ‘night time mode’.
It’s so that you can listen to music that sounds good, while not waking everyone else up.
That’s my understanding anyway, so I don’t agree with the method of turning the volume up as loud as you can handle then using the loudness knob.
It’s more like you set it to a volume that won’t wake everyone up, then use the loudness knob.
I have this amp and it’s a great amp BTW
@@oceanaxim Whenever I used the loudness switch,(on-or off, that was it on my stuff back then, no knob to twist) it was just to 'replace' the volume while eating dinner with guests or family. That way we could blab away and still enjoy the fullness of the music we were playing.
We need to get you a new, more sturdy, folding table.
Negative! That shaking table made randy and it is an audiophile vibration isolator you fool!! Hahaha
You crazy, that's a Sith Audio genuine audiophile table!
I was waiting for it to collapse on him!
No really get a new table already
@@geoffreyvanhouwaert8677 new tables aren't funny. STURDY tables with expensive hifi gear are the least funny thing I can think of. People that spend fortunes on hifi credenzas... Also the least funny people I can think of
Excellent review Randy! I’ve had my Yamaha 801 for over a year now and I can honestly say it’s amazing. It’s a great performer. I don’t think I’m in need for an upgrade for years to come. The sound is precise and detailed. I’ve got a pair of Klipsch RP 280f’s floor standing speakers and a 12 inch Klipsch sub hooked to it. It’s powerful trust me. Anyone looking to get it, don’t hesitate. Just get it already.
I'm a geezer, and I have been into good stereo since 1968. Having said that there is one thing that shines out to me about the "vintage sound" that everyone likes. I agree wholeheartedly in fact. But no one has mentioned what made that vintage sound compared to this new stuff. " DISCREET OUTPUT DEVICES ", and they used mosfets for the final output amps, and there's your 'vintage' warmth and analog sound. All that went to hell with someone's bright idea to replace the mosfets, (metal oxide semi conductor, field effect transistors), with some damn chip. Mosfets were the semi conductors that came the closet to a vacuum tube, hence the sound everyone seems to crave. And, the A-B switch was for running 4 identical speakers, to my knowledge and fading memory, there was no bi-amping speakers back then that I was aware of. At least not for home use that I can remember. Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth folks so drive fast-take chances- and pass on hills and curves...
First of all, it's DISCRETE, not discreet. Secondly, most vintage amps used bipolar output transistors, not mosfets. Mosfets MAY have been used in higher end models, but didn't become widely used in consumer grade products until later, and then were still only widely used by some brands.
@@DougMen1 Wow, I miss spelled a word. Thank you for the correction. As to the use of mosfets, the amps I bought back in the day were the higher end models, that came with full schematics, that clearly indicated the use of mosfets.
Perhaps this is the reason I use car amplifiers for my home audio set up. Some of the amplifiers I run are BJT and some are Mosfet output, either way all discrete components which is why it sounds better to my ears than your typical set up of today with modern components.
It's probably a better sounding amp but never be like a tube amplifier. It's about harmonics when it comes to tube sound. Only tubes will product the missing harmonics. I heard these so called guitar amps that claim to reproduce the tube sound but close but no cigar. Even tube headphone amps are lacking the sound because it's not just tubes but iron also. Output transformers is part of the tube sound and even the tube rectifier plays a part in the genuine tube sound. One that grew up with tubes it's hard to come close to tube sound using solid state electronics. 73
Operational Amplifiers (opamps) are solid state integrated devices that have extremely high gain (typically greater than x 1,000,000. This high gain is used to cancel out any error in any of the other components. Example: Vout = (Circuit errors/1,000,000) + Vin. Circuit error effectively goes to zero. One of the greatest tricks in modern electrical engineering.
A few things:
1. The AS801 has been measured at 185watts into 4 ohms by Audioholics.
2. The loudness knob controls only one thing - midrange. As you turn it counter-clockwise, it lowers the midrange, to help account for our ears inabulity to hear bass and treble at lower volume levels.
3. The AS801 was designed to be used with the loudness function off at normal listening levels.
4. I find the AS801 to sound bland and a bit dull with CD Direct Amp and Pure Direct off.
5. Pure Direct improves the sound, improving the focus and imaging, but is a bit sterile.
6. I get the best sound by using the CD input and using the CD Direct Amp function. This gives me a warm, focused sound.
To me most of these sound absolutely exciting!
I wish I could afford one.
Bought a vintage Yamaha CR-420 earlier this year for $150...minty mint without a damn scratch! Excellent buy...very satisfied with this vintage Yamaha! I've paired it with a Marantz 2x 10 band equalizer (EQ20) that set me back $128. Again, the Marantz showed up like new; documents and all...I think this old timer never left its packaging in over 50 years. If you look hard enough (locally), there are some real gems out there...for sure.
Love my CR 2020 46 years old. Given it's age the tuner string is a little worn, but that's it. A true gem.
meh, lucky to find a single radio station worth listening to today..
Sheesh-- You are making me feel like a vintage person. I graduated high school in 1972. I REALLY loved my CR-1020. What a sweet amp/ receiver. Had this and ESS Heil air motion speakers and wow. Really had the sound I liked.
My high school class was 1974 and I was making 1.35 an hour, the cr800 was too expensive for even my dreams. After a few years Yamaha became the brand I had. Love the AS801, now retired and back to dreaming. Thanks Randy, great review and comparison to vintage.
My HS class was '75. After three years in the Army, I started college at SFA, and got a job in Nacogdoches, TX at a Yamaha reseller named "Component Services". I loved the jewel-like quality of the Yamaha 1980 and '81 receivers, and got to build a Dynaco amplifier (integrated, I think) from a kit. That was cool. David Hogue was the owner, and sometime after I left he sold his shop and relo'd to Austin, TX. He would like this channel. Cheapaudioman, you never said what you needed to do to get your CR800 repaired.
@@JerryWDaviscom From what he described the power supply caps are at the end of their lifespan. It really shouldn't cost $600 to replace them.
I started working part time in 1963 for $1.10/hour
@@1mctous maybe used caps from a newer model sold for parts would solve your problem.
The 701 does have a DAC, it's just not as nice. You get optical and coaxial in, but no USB in. The 801 gets fancy lights on the front, a better DAC, and a more rigid chassis for $100. I matched the 701 with a pair of Denton 85's, and it sounds like Cliff Burton is still alive in my room.
Old School!
I don’t think the A B thing is intended for bi-wiring or bi-amping, it’s simply to allow you to run a second pair of speakers in another part of your house, I’ve seen other amps with this. This is exactly how I use my Yamaha, to power ceiling speakers on A and outdoor speakers on B. By the way if you don’t like the flat knobs you can order a few of the round input knobs from Yamaha and swap them over.
I love the vintage silver receivers. That new Yamaha amp has that classic look. Heavy amps have bigger transformers and filter caps. I have two Yamaha receivers with the rotary loudness controls. I do set it up like you did, but I use the volume control after that.
I watch the video from another gentleman who went over a Yamaha amplifier and said that the topology is quite similar to some of the receivers and integrated amps that they made in the 70s. He also stated that some of the resistors and capacitors were made by the Japanese radio corporation and decided the fact that those were some of the best and quietest electronic components that there are. He seem to know what he was doing as he was an electrical engineer. Great video sir
That was Stereo Police. That was a very good review, although he broke it down in a lengthy 3 part video. That was the A-S301, the one I purchased.
@@thomaswachter7782 thank you sir! That was definitely it
You’re referring to stereopolice here in you tube. He dissected these Yamaha amps
@@ThecrosseyedTexan that's what makes these Yamahas gems to me
Glad to finally see someone else appreciate the cr800. I remember my Dad picking me up from school (kindergarten) to go test audio equipment at a shop for a week, and finally get approved for a loan for the cr800, a pair of rtr 280dr's, and a jvc turntable. I still have the rtr's. I got rid of the cr800 when I was a teen because I never could find a shop that would fix the buzz you mentioned in one channel. This happened a previous time not long after my dad purchased it but it was repaired under warranty then. I tossed it. I tried many amps over many years and the only setup that comes really close to the old cr800 is the mx830 w/ cx630 behind it (love it). I even tried the mx1000 with no satisfaction. I've eyeballed the as801 many times but never got around to trying it after finally falling in love with the 2 mx830's I now own. The mx830 is a pretty special one too, in my opinion. Thanks for the review!!!
I have a 301 and a 501 Yamaha. The 301 is paired with Klipsch Heresy IV’s and gets plenty loud and sounds amazing. The 501 is paired with Elac Uni-Fi floorstanders and gets plenty loud and sounds amazing. Solid sounding amps and highly recommend. 801 might be my next amp.
as far as I can tell the A-701 is the 801 minus the fancier DAC, and it occasionally gets a steeper discount (I've seen it go for
I agree A-S701 is the best deal.
Some get as low as 350€ here, second hand of course.
@@hypnoz7871 Yep. I have had the A-S701 for a few years and love it. Much better deal than the 801. It performs well enough with its own internal DAC - but I have used it with better stand alone DACs for a better result. It is also built like a tank and looks more expensive than it is.
I own the A-S701 and Modi3, connected to a pair of Kef LS50, what a wonderful combo.
Though after I replaced the Modi3 with a Topping D70S, it all started singing ;-)
I have a recapped CR800 (and various other vintage /diy amps). Always go back to it, its just great. The take home for me is - save money, buy vintage
I don’t think a speaker selector for “A”, “B”, and “A + B” was that uncommon. ‘Certainly not on moderately powered receivers and up. However, I don’t know why you’re referring to this as for biwiring. It simply was for playing two sets of speakers simultaneously.
Quite common even on budget units
Cambridge AXR100 has this feature also. The user manual states it is for bi-wiring speakers, or for A/Bing 2 sets.
The Harman Kardon 620 integrated amp I bought when I was in school has it as well.
Rotel A11 Tribute you reviewed has the same feature.
Thanks for the combination flashback/review, Randy. Long time fan of the Yamaha sound. I bought a new Yamaha CR-640 with ADS 300 speakers back in the late '70s, a great pairing for apartment listening. The CR-640 is long gone, but the re-woofered ADS 300s now hang in my workshop. Today there's a Yamaha R-N500 paired with KEF LS50's and a KEF T-2 sub in my home office. I am continually impressed by the near-field soundstage of the LS50s.
I originally bought the AS301 because I was on a tight budget and I was so pleased with it that when I could afford it, I splashed out on the AS801, which is still not that expensive considering its spec and sound quality.
There’s also an AS501 (here in Japan) but the AS701 has recently disappeared. I see the prices have increased a lot since I bought both my amps but I still reckon they’re worth it.
I’m glad you mentioned the phono preamp because I couldn’t get a good sound from my turntable, even after upgrading the stylus & cartridge to an Ortofon, so I’ll try a third party external phono preamp. Thanks.
Hi! Could you help me, please, I have searching for few days on that question. I also have as301, and in my country there is discount for as701 (same as as801, but lower grade DAC). Could you tell me if it is worth to go for the 701? I'm using external DAC, so I don't care about it.
Great review, Randy. I have the AS-501 and a vintage CR2020. I can attest to how close they are in terms of sound quality with the CR2020 edging it out slightly. But I wouldn't sleep on the AS-301 either. It's in my den running JBL L82s and it positively cranks!
Love my L82's!! Currently have a 25 watt Sansui au555a powering them. Also have a 12 watt Sansui receiver, and they still sound amazing, won't shatter the windows but sounds great at lower volumes.
I've been researching upgrades for my current setup, and this one popped up in the Googles. Unbelievably good timing to review it. Thanks, and have a great day!
The 801 is a nice sounding amp, good value for the money. I hate the control switches though, they make the amp look completely unbalanced at anything other than the centre setting, much prefer the old type. I also really don't like the remote, it's not as responsive as the previous wider generation, and it's only available in silver, even with the black finish amp, which I have.
I have a CR-400 that's been my main stereo since a cousin gave it to me as a hand me down in the 80s. It included a pair of original Advent loudspeakers, BIC turntable, and Akai tape deck. I added the Krakatoa Erupts subwoofer from the DAK catalog about '91. Love it!
I have a Yamaha AX-770U integrated amplifier (110watts @8ohms)(1990ish) that I picked up for $100, have a Topping DAC and I have been exceptionally happy with the combination. It's built like a tank and has CD direct and loudness options.
I just got one of these and I have to say that it is one of the most musical integrated amps I have ever owned! My list is very long and extremely pricey…I’m using it for my secondary system and it makes me want to stay and play. My 12k integrated doesn’t beat it for musicality. This AS801 sounds like a powerful 300b tube amp! Astounding value 😊
Hi, I bought a CR800 new in 1975- I was 16. it cost £325. enough to buy a 3 year old ford . I still have the Amp in my sitting room. It was used as a power amp for town discos and parties, and as a bass/PA amp for my band- using forced air cooling it drove 2 x 15 inch theatre bins..
It still works but one day i will dive inside it and give it an overhaul. If i get someone to give me a hand lifting it! A Great Product.
There are few brands that are consistently very good. Yamaha is certainly one of them. My Yamaha integrated amp is SO good, and reliably superb with all kinds of music.
It’s curious to me how some are attached to the “vintage” sound, when this amp is about as neutral as an amp can get and that’s why I love it! The AS701 does indeed have a DAC, with same power. But it’s very low THD that compliments my KLH Kendall floorstanders. I rate the AS801 as one of the best IA you can buy. It’s colorless and powerful with 100 clean high current watts. No frills, lights and the plastic that is used is high quality. The only gripe I have is no volume light or marks. But as far as musical…..if it’s in the recording you’ll hear it, if it’s not you won’t.
Funny, I used to adjust my EQ the same way. I had no idea what I was doing, but that's what I went with. Even my boom box EQ was set that way. Stepping out on a limb here...Marantz Model 40n. At $2500 it isn't for everyone, but I think it is going to be my next integrated. It has all the vintage cool stuff plus lets you play new tech and I won't need a bunch of boxes on my stand.
Listen up, people! NEVER use the impedance switch(leave it at 8ohm minimum). It does not benefit you in any way! It robs you of power as it's only on there for UL testing so they could keep temps down while getting the unit certified. Gene from Audioholics has extensively covered this(with his Audio Precision measuring device) since Yamaha is using this on so many different products.
Hey, Biff. I’m a little disappointed you’re in my comments.
Thanks Jon, good advise.
This is one of the Dumbest comments Ive heard. If you try to run 4 ohm speakers on an 8 ohm amp setting.. you can easily cause the amp to quickly degrade, or self-destruct.
@@johndough8115 Interesting, please elaborate. Would love to hear how to make an amp self-destruct.
@@Jon-nz3dm Before I learned about OHMs, I tried chaining a second pair of speakers to a Phillips boom box.
This caused the OHM load to go from like 8 ohms, to 4 ohms... but the amp was not capable of a 4 ohm load.
I think it lasted less than 30 min, before it blew the amp. Completely toasted it.
Some amps are more robust, and are able to handle a lower ohm level better... but again, if they are not designed to handle that kind of load... eventually it starts to destroy them.
Once I fried an Amp, I went and searched about Ohms, and learned about what they meant... and about how amps work.
The information is out there, and is easily found.
You crack me up !!!!
I had a feeling we were close in age - ( ur usage of tv show & video games for ur reviews )
I'm just afew years older.
I have the Yamaha CR - 1020. Absolutely love it !!! I have been window shopping for separate amps. I'm glad to see Yamaha going back in time - so to speak.
Great review - keep it up !!!
I have the 801. Your assessment is right on. The phono section is very mediocre at best. The dac is excellent. Overall the amp sounds lovely, I use it with Wharfedale EVO 4.2’s. Great combination. Totally happy with this amplifier.
My dad's a retired electrical engineer, and he spends a lot of his time restoring vintage amplifiers (as well as building new amplifiers from scratch), and his workshop is piled high with classic Dynaco, Fisher, Marantz, Yamaha, JVC, Realistic, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sansui, and now McIntosh. Most of it's from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I have to agree that those Yamahas are special. But he loves restoring that stuff, and with vintage gear that's "broken" going up for super cheap on Craistlist, at swap meets, and so on, he just keeps getting vintage pieces for next to nothing and fixing them, often with minimal effort. So many people have let go of beautiful old pieces of gear that only had a broken solder joint or a single capacitor or fuse that needed replacing. He's actually offered people their gear back a number of times because they basically gave it to him for free, and then it only took a half hour and a $2 part to fix. My first pair of good speakers was a pair of ADS L520s that somebody sold him for $5(!) because they were "broken," and it was just a burnt fuse that cost nothing to replace. My first amp was a JVC JRS-200 that he fixed. I still have those ADS and JVC, even though they're not my main setup anymore, but I still listen to them.
Sounds like you're a winner in the great dad lottery. Does he want a Nakamichi TA-3A for his collection?
@@alm5693 Yeah, I agree! I did luck out. My mom's just about had it with their house being an audio trading post though. If I start referring even more business his way, she'll leave a horse head in my bed.
Loved your pop story, and that's exactly how I got my CA-1000. I paid $100 for it year's ago and all it needed was a new speaker protection relay. Sounds lovely in class A amplification!
Hey I have a CR1020 from 1975 or 76. Still going strong! Probably could use new caps to keep it clean, but it still has power and dynamic sound! Yammy rules!
Looks lovely and a trip down memory lane. You have certainly packed a lot of life into your relatively few years lived and bring a refreshing take to 'vintage' listeners. Many thanks, Sir.
I don't care anymore WHAT you review; you're entertaining and informative.
I have Sansui, Technics and Yamaha vintage amps with ……LOUDNESS! They’re just super easy to live with. This is what makes them great. Still love my Yamaha R-N803D.
The 803 seems to be one of the last great stereo receivers on the market. There's the Outlaw model, but I'm not sure they'll be around for years to come.
Loudness is great until you crank the damn thing, and distortion goes through the roof.
Thanks Randy for breathing life into my 4 year old 801! It was my first real amp that I bought in 2018 and had given up on it, purchasing Emotiva A2 and PT1 and an Audiolab 6000a to find a more dynamic punchy sound. I was using it completely flat because audiophiles generally recommend not touching tone controls. I had literally given up on it, it sat unused in my basement.
Well $h%+, I tried your method of turning volume up and loudness down with increased bass and treble, and using the loudness to raise ‘volume’ and hold your Budweiser, THIS AMP F’N ROCKS!!!!
I feel like a complete idiot and have spent thousands on ‘better sounding’ amps to replace my old 801 the last few years. As of tonight, it’s now my FAVORITE freaking amp. It also has given me a WAY better appreciation for my forgotten Klipsch RP600m. It’s like I woke this amp up after a 4 year nap!!! Thanks for giving me a late night up with my ‘new’ system! Great video!
Awesome that you tried it and discovered a new appreciation for it
Oldies are the best…
The Audiolab is an awesome unit
All the old Yamaha stuff had the loudness knob, it was brilliant.
So you wouldn't recommend the audiolab over the 801 I guess...so hard to choose...
I have the AS501, and yes it has the top art amp, using the loudness circuit with my Forte I is killer. It balanced out the mids and is hugely dynamic.
Good to know. I need to check that one out too
I have the 501 also and I love it with the elac ub52s.
Also have the 501 paired with Debut 6.2s and it sounds great. I did buy a separate phone pre-amp.
@@cheapaudioman Check out the A-S301 as well. It's a very good, very affordable amp.
@@pbaker7160 yesss! That’s mine. Super affordable
User alert: Make sure that the Loudness control is not turned way down when you hit the Pure Direct button. When you hit Pure Direct, you will instantly go to the full setting of your volume control. Been there done that as an otherwise happy (and almost heart-attack free) owner of an A-S700.
The A-S701 has a built-in DAC. You have to go back to the A-S700 for a DAC-free amp. I second the suggestion to add an outboard phono preamp.
Thanks for thorough review. Audioholics also does a great review of the AS 801 and came away with a similar impression.
Randy try this setup, have your listening position the same distance from your front speakers as the front speakers are apart from each other, (equilateral triangle), then place a second pair of speakers either side of your listening position at the same distance as your front speakers are apart from each other (so all speakers are the same distance from each other and the listening position). Choose side speakers equal to or 1 to 2 db sensitivity less than your front speakers, and hook them up to the same amp (like this Yamaha AS801 or any amp with A+B) connect left speakers to left binding posts and right to right A for front speakers and B for side speakers, then listen with amp on A+B. For me this is good for music and movies with a pair of decent subs of course. Sure would like your opinion with this setup.
Good review. I'm a Yamaha 801 fan. Three years ago when I started this circus, I tested and returned several integrateds but bought the Yamaha It just sounded and looked right to me and what I was doing at the time. Hard to go wrong in particular if you find one used. I understand the 701 is also excellent but as Randy said, it is your opportunity to add your own personally chosen DAC. I kept mine until I bought a Schiit Raganok 2 for double the Yamaha price.
The AS line of Yamaha Integrated Amplifier line has four Models. The AS-301 through AS-701 all have DAC’s built in and use the TOP ART architecture. The AS-801 has a better DAC than the AS-301 through AS-701’s.
The AS-301 is rated at 60W/ch 8 ohms
The AS-501 is rated at 85W/ch 8 ohms
The AS-701 is rated at 100W/ch 8 ohms.
What about the A-S1200, A-S2200 and A-S3200?
@@superd222tube I think those models use a completely different amplifier topology. I am pretty sure they use MOSFETs for the output stage. Prices of those models are north of $2000.
Pricey, but amazing build and sound.
the funny thing with the 801 is that it has two dac's. the better dac is just for the usb input. the rest is the same
@@ttownscott that is weird.
I picked up a YAMAHA R-N303BL recently and I love it. The sound quality is very good for the money, in my opinion.
You caught my ears and eyes immediately when I happened to be just checking out Marantz rec. Thanks for having this platform on old /new home stereo equipment. I just may be a new subscriber, good info , interesting Keep me thinking. Thank you, got a system (s). With me at 18 in early80’s. It was loud music, party’s,work(Construction,HD) and money. Or better yet. Work, marriage, no mo party’s , Headphones. After purchasing Marantz -150 I think first digital kick-a** A/V. Receiving back in 85ish of course need speakers, oh ya I worked a job by coast guard/navy area-Boston a nice job building Rose Wharf, I had too say that , well across the street was the Electronics store with a very small but powerhouse stereotype in corner of shop, it was really a fridge,washing machine,etc. place ,so I meet a good sales man and I start saving - building and finally one day purchased the Whole system. MARANTZ tuner:Nakamichi:cassette recorder? (Still had cassettes- lol) Oh ya - C.D. Cause it was In no more scratching of album’s of our choices. So, Pioneer’s (single /6pk.”) Compact Disks Deck/Player Sorry no albums. But I did inquire 198C.D.s of great music. However too get to the Best part of my experience in Hi-Fi (Sound-Loudness
Tape loops are important. God bless Yamaha for doing this.
My father bought a Yamaha CR1020 (I think) back in the late 70’s. It spoiled him (and me) for how good a receiver should sound, that he passed away without “upgrading” it, a few years ago. I wish I’d had the heads up to alert my mother not to give it to the lawnmower boy as a tip.
What a gorgeous Yamaha integrated amp. I will start saving for one of these. Add this to my silver face vintage audio. Thanks for your video.
Great review Randy. Always enjoy your content. I have this amp. I’ve actually had it for almost two years now. I use the a+b setup with two pairs of speakers. A set of Klipsch Kg 5.5’s and a set of Kg 4.5’s. I have to say, I love the sound, love the power. I haven’t tried the usb dac. I have an old Mac that I use to store my music on and the operating system doesn’t support the download off of the Yamaha site. This Amp looks wonderful and performs flawlessly for my taste. I was stationed in Okinawa in the 80s and this thing just takes me back to those days of going to Camp Butler, or Hansen for the big sales, when all of the manufacturers would bring in all of the newest and greatest tech. For those of the younger generation. These sales were like a mini axpona. This amp sounds wonderful at low level listening. Turn it on, select the tune, sit back, get lost in the music. I had a sub hooked up in the beginning, but it didn’t add anything to my listening experience. From The Man in Black, to the Black album it serves its purpose…allows me to enjoy music and it sounds great! If you get a chance to do a review with the usb hookup, I’d be interested in seeing the how to and hearing your thoughts. Thanks again Randy for the fine content. Keep up the excellent job! Hope you the family are well.
I listen a lot the A-S1000 with Wharfedale Linton, B&W, Monitor Audio... and is a Beast. Very big Power supply, weight 48.5 lbs, clear and punchy. I believe, one of the best amps I listen under 2K. Not cheap, but it will retain a lot of value.
Got the 501 as my back up amp,and the 701 as my main amp,got the 701 running through a benchmark DAC,through some vintage tannoy 611,s, sweet sweet sound.
Hi Randy, I just spent the past month checking out this AS 801 in hopes that it would be comparable to a ' 80 / '81 Pioneer A-8 integrated that I was most recently infatuated with, but , alas, could not get it repaired. After weeks of research I opted for this Yamaha. In MY experience it could not hold a candle to my A-8. Even at 100wpc ( which my A-8 was 90wpc) it sounded feeble in comparison. I am driving a pair of Jamo s809 towers and they wanted/ needed more power. It's going back to Crutchfield tomorrow. The only thing I ended up liking about it was the Loudness dial ...that was interesting and made alot of sense and with two small kids, I relied alot on it. But It just couldn't take the place of vintage. I think to get something that's brand new and have it be comparable to my Pioneer I would have to spend upwards of 4K . Which I guess makes sense when you take into account the value of the dollar some 40+ years ago and how much these amp retailed for. BTW, I ended up going for a JVC A- X900 from about'83. This thing is a beast!!! 120 WPC ...the volume control is a 3 in 1 sort of thing!?( you should look it up). It's got great tactility, looks great and the POWER. Highly recommend for anyone wanting something vintage that's dynamic, clear , great top, mid AND plenty of bottom and can drive anything you throw at it.
I have the lower end Yamaha A-S301, which has A and B speaker outputs as well as A +B to drive both sets at the same time. I suppose you could use the B output to bi-amp a set of speakers but I don't see why you would do so. My setup is a 4.1 system and it sounds great even at high volumes.
I'm driving the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 and the Klipsch RP-8000F speakers together with no problems whatsoever. I occasionally opt to listen to music on each set so I can compare the speakers by just choosing the A or B settings.
I paired my A-S801 with a Parasound Zphono phono amp. The Zphono sounds much better than the A-S801’s internal phono amp, however I’ve struggled with fully eliminating ground noise on it, so I’ll often simply resort to using just the A-S801. The Zphono does add a stereo/mono switch, a rumble filter, and MC capability (all lacking on the A-S801)…I do use the Zphono for mono LP playback, easier than swapping out cartridges or having a second tonearm/turntable. Speaker pairings: GoldenEar Aon 2s, Klipsch RP-600Ms. The Aon 2s sound amazing (I’ve read many reviews that recommend them over the larger Aon 3s), but picked up the RP-600Ms as a cheap (I paid $400 total, tax included) party speaker that I can just blast. Looking forward to your BRX review, Randy.
Excellent review Randy. Great amp, I've had one for about a year. It's been driving Klipsch RP-600M's now Klipsch RP-8000Fs. You're right the phono stage is very poor (dull, closed off). I threw in an iFi zen phono external and it was a huge improvement. DAC is excellent. I use a USB A to USB B cable going into an Apple Camera USB 3 adapter (cheap) that converts it to lightening so you can plug it into an iPhone (for Apple Music). It doesn't charge like this but the camera adapter has a second plug where you can plug a charger into it.
I'm keen on moving up the Yamaha integrated range soon (A-S1200, A-S2200).
I just wanted to clarify that the 801 like all of the newer Yamaha integrated amps does NOT have an actual tape 'loop' let alone two of them like you keep mentioning. First off, notice that there is no 'monitor' switch for such a feature! On page 10 of the manual it states regarding the REC jacks: 'the audio signals are not output via the LINE 2 REC or LINE 3 REC output jacks when LINE 2 or LINE 3 is selected with the INPUT selector.' What this means is that you cannot hook up an equalizer because it will not work at all for one thing. Also you cannot utilize the monitor function of a three head tape deck. I don't know about other people, but this was a huge dealbreaker for me, and I just wanted to put it out there for anyone that might get disappointed when they find out the hard way with their new purchase that they've suddenly lost functionality or compatibility with certain older vintage equipment that they may want to hook up to it.
I have always liked the Yamaha product line, and the silver design is vintage it looks much better,and easier to use than black faced equipment. Thanks fo the video.
Was really stoked to see this video as I just sold off my vintage Yamaha CA-810 and picked up an AS-801. I made the move primarily out of paranoia of the eventual cost of ownership that was likely to come when the 810 finally shits the bed. I like having a remote again, which is a bonus, but I think the 801 sounds a bit thin compared to the 810. Not enough to be completely disappointed, but still just not quite as good. I will maybe try turning off the 'pure direct' and try spending more time with messing with the loudness knob. Thanks for the vid..
It is funny to see this. I was in the audio industry in the late 70s and the 80s. Back then, we wanted your vintage Yamaha to sound like a tube amp!
Thanks Randy for this concise review. One remark though, having two sets of speaker outputs doesn't make the amp capable of biamping as this is still a stereo device with only two channels of output stages and biamping would require four separate stages for both channels' high and low regions. This would make bicabling somehow easier as you don't need two connect the high/low cables on the amplifier side.
I missed this video until now. Great vid Randy. I have a CR-620 which is rated at 35W/ch. These Yamahas were under rated, or rated at 20hz-20KHz. I ditched my Kenwood AV receiver after I got the CR-620. I love it. I have a Pioneer SX-3900 that I need to restore. I’ve been watching for a reasonable CR-1000 or CR-1020 to come along, but I’d keep the CR-620.
However, I’ll have to check out these new integrated amps too.
I have a 1 owner CR-620 as well. Getting the as701 in silver someday. Got some vintage mint condition Speakerlab (made in Seattle) tower speakers but looking for smaller and very efficient speakers to add.
@@blackbeansmatter1280 I have a set of early ‘90s Polk S4 bookshelf speakers hooked up to our CR620. Still love those speakers. I did add a little more stuffing to the cabinets.
I do plan to build a pair of Fonken GRs in the future. They’re a full range Golden Ratio speaker design so they look more like traditional box speakers than most full range designs.
Yamaha is one of my favorite brands, Learned lots from you here, Liked the vid Ty
Had a Yamaha A700 amp that I bought in '82 and used until 2021. This one seems like it's spiritual descendant. The old girl finally quit so I donated it to a local vintage audio repairer and bought a Yamaha A-S1200 to replace it. The new amp has retro VU meters. So cool! While not more powerful than the old amp (they are close, if anything the old amp had more raw power for stupid volume levels) the new amp has soundstage and clarity for days. I didn't know my speakers could sound so good.
The 801 model has been around for awhile now, it certainly is a great value for the money.
Perfect. Have as 801 Yamaha.
And me.
I won something on your telegram...until I reported it and got the comment removed. :) The bi-amp feature you talk about I think is actually what I saw on 90s receivers. It was very common to have that, but it wasn't a bi-amp feature. It was to connect a 2nd set of speakers. So, you can connect 4 speakers and have them all play at the same time! You can have semi-surround sound in stereo. The main reason receivers had that in the 90s is so you can install speakers in different rooms. But all my friends who were fortunate enough to have a receiver like that put all 4 speakers in the same room on all 4 corners.
Its a little expensive and difficult to do it this way, but I use the pre-outs, I used tube preamps(I use multiple fosi audio p1 they have base and treble which is very handy, also play with the volume a bit to hone in the limits really good to keep from distortion and overdriving your speakers) , and a separate amp for every channel except my subs which have a built in amp (I use ice power asp200's but you can use whatever you want).
If you want an extremely lively and highly controllable multi channel stereo it's definitely a solution to get that wave of goodness hitting you from all sides, and also get the added new age bonus of separation making it easier to clearly hear all that's going on in the music!
Greaf review of my favorite integrated amp/receiver family. My Yamaha CR2020 from 1979 still sounds great. The AS701 driving my 1979 Shahinian Obelisks (Richard Shahinian - speaker pioneer, check him out) is something special. Vinyl, CD, MD (my favorite obsolete but still works medium) all sound big and musical. Don't ignore the AS500/501 as the core architecture and features are essentially the same. Yeah, nice remote that runs Yamaha CD as well. Love your work. Thanks!
Love the comparison. I have a hybrid system comprised of a new Marantz NR1510 receiver (that replaced a 20yr old Marantz receiver) and then pre-out to a vintage Adcom GFA-2 amp that powers my main speakers for stereo playback and HT. The Adcom adds a bit more warmth than the Marantz. I find the combination makes my vinyl and CDs sound really great, especially after taking the time to use Marantz's room correction to dial in.
I think for audiophiles who don't have a ton of cash, or kids to raise, or a wife that doesn't get the hobby, or a combination of all three, it's great to have reviews like this. I invest in the best that I can, knowing that I'll have it for a long while. That Adcom has been w/ me since I bought it used in 1990! The other great thing about looking at vintage and mid-range audio equipment is being able to experiment without breaking the bank.
My Mint Yamaha CR 800 was bought for #$35.00 about 19m years ago. I love it
10 yrs ago
@@tfm362 The one I had I traded it for two packs of cigarettes, worth about six dollars at the time, around 25 years ago.
I have the A-S2200. And it has those meters that you like! Definitely not cheap/inexpensive. Go ask your buddy Ron about it! I bought mine mostly because of his Yamaha vs Yamaha review and the his single review of the upper end Yamaha integrated amps. (And it weighs about 60lbs). I truly believe that this is a hidden sleeper gem of an amp when you get to the $3000+ level.
How much did it cost. I plan to get it when budget allows
The new RN2000 is based of the 1200/2200. It looks fantastic! I’m going to get one!
I have a Yamaha CR800 that drove Infinity Column IIs for about 30 years. The sound was awesome. I wish I could afford to have the CR800 repaired.
I have cr-820 great receiver has the vertical knobs love it . I also have 701 also same specs as 801 without the usb part of dac picked it up refurbished 499 couldn’t be happier have it with Polk R200 any many others all sound great ! Thanks for mixing in the vintage .
Cant wait to watch this one after work. Right up my alley
I have a CR-640 a AS-801 as well. Both sound great. Waiting for the day when I have a larger house so they can each have their own room.
Thank you Randy for this nice and entertaining video!
I love the Yamaha amps; they deliver the best reproduction of good live recordings...
I have the AS501, Elac Debut Reference, Velodyne SPL sub (second hand), and this sounds FANTASTIC....
Great audio repair guy here in central ohio, Wickham Audio and Technical Consultants. Ive have 3 units repaired here with great results.
I've been using Yamaha Natural Sound Series amps since I bought my first one around 1977 or so... it was the 610II(?) amp (no tuner). It was stolen in the early 90's. :( I then got a CR620 receiver for $3 at a good will shop which I'm still using. Also had another amp which was higher in the line and more powerful given to me... which I don't have anymore. I really like the extra speaker outputs, 2 tape deck connections and the variable loudness keeps the sound fuller at low volumes.
I have the Yamaha S501 Amplifier paired with the Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf 607’s. The 607’s are on metal speaker stands and bi-wired. Really enjoy the Pure Direct Mode on the amplifier. This is a great little two channel affordable system for my moderate size great room.
Hi Randy! I’m looking at getting the Yamaha A-S701 because the 801 isn’t available in Australia for some reason. Been doing a lot of research on amplifiers, and was originally going to go for the Cambridge Audio AXR100, because it was the only amplifier I knew at the time in my price range that had a record rca out. I then saw the A-S701 and that has 2 record rca outs, and decided that’s the amplifier for me. Just so you know, the 701 does have an inbuilt DAC, it just doesn’t have the USB that the 801 has. Not sure if the DAC’s between the 701 and 801 are the same. The power rating is the same, 100W into 8 ohms and 160W into 4 ohms with a damping factor of 240, which is really good. That’s another thing that attracted me to this amplifier! Think the 701 will drive my power thirsty Dynaudio Emit M20 bookshelf speakers very well! Hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on one soon!
Thanks for your videos, I really enjoy watching them! Keep rocking on with rocktapus! 🎸🦑
Let’s not forget, Yamaha is the parent company of Bosendorfer - says alot about the premium they place on musicality and tonality.
Hey important note YAMAHA A-S701 A-S501 A-S301 all do have DAC inside but a completely other chip. It's Texas Instruments PCM5101 chip with support for PCM up to 192/24 (corect me if im wrong). And A-S801 uses ESS Saber DAC with DSD support and USB async. When it comes to sound 301, and 501 sound similarly, 701 is in a middle and 801 is closer to reference A-S1000 that has successor in model A-S1200. Also those are able to drive loads up to 2ohm. High Dynamic Power/Channel 8/6/4/2 ohms gives output 100/120/ 140/150 W Also all integrated YAMAHA amps from A-S line are made with TOP-ART tech, there are many other differences!
I love this review of the S801 compared to your vintage CR-800 receiver. I also love my 1983, 1985 vintage units: The Yamaha A-1000 (BJT), A-1020 (MOSFET)---both have similar specs aside from the damping factor; the A-1000 is 120 per channel w/ damping factor of 90 while the A-1020 is 125 per channel w/ damping factor is 45. Both are vintage Class A/AB amps. I also acquired a 1993 AX-930 a few years ago.. it's around 130 per channel 8 ohms w/ damping factor of 500---crazy bass control, but i love the others too.. very clean, variable phono cartridge capacitence on those models. It's probable time to consider re-caping but currently only needed deoxit on the controls.. I haven't put a lot of hours on them, but the two are 40 years old now.
Listen to an early Sherwood. 7100, 7200, etc. Terrific sound on a basic low power receiver.
Personally I do think the vintage Yamaha receivers are the cleanest uncolored sound.
I have Kenwood Model 11G, 6600, MCS 3233, HK 330B and 730, etc. etc. Sherwood equals them in sound in my opinion.
First receiver I bought , 149 dollars , was a Sherwood 7100a. Excellent power and sound
Have the AS701 for the past 7 years, love it! Intentionally did not get the 801 so I could keep the DAC separate, given the many options available.
I had a Yamaha CA-510 I bought new at age 15 in 1978. It was an very good amp.
I use to own a as-801, its a great amplifier, built well & sounded fantastic, my friend has it now, great video👍
I appreciate you taking the time to acknowledge the scams going on in the comments. I have "Won" a few things lately, and have asked presenters to mention it, but they don't.
That Yamaha receiver looks a lot like my Nikko 719 I bought when I was in high school at Tech-Hifi in the late seventies. Philips 677 turntable and Ohm E speakers. Ah….the memories. Sold speakers to my brother and upgraded to the Ohm L’s. Loved them Ohm’s.
Its rated down to 2 ohms, its listed on the manual under dynamic power and website
Dynamic power:
140w 8ohms
170w 6ohms
220w 4ohms
290w 2ohms
For anyone reading this. The tech and parts change a lot in the vintage ss. It got pretty good around 1968 most would have been cap coupled or even no speaker protection. Over time they ditched the cap coupling and have a more modern protection circuit. Sometime in the late 70's specs and power went way up. Each generation the sound signature changed. So sansui 5000 is going to sound dramatically different then a g9700. Can't just clump all vintage together!
That's a fact. Too many variations to generalise. Plus the specs of audio output transistors and capacitors has changed through the years. Sources have changed from vinyl to cassettes to cds etc. Our memories are sugar coated when it comes to vintage hifi to a degree.
I own a Yamaha CR-840 and it is hooked up to four speakers. Use it with my old Technics SL-1700. Everything is old and still works great. But now I might have to consider the new one.
The purpose of a "loudness" button/knob is to boost bass and treble signals, creating the exact "V" shaped curve you describe. When listening at low level, those frequency ranges have a tendency to disappear, and this will boost those ranges to make up for it.
My best Frend recently bought that amplifier only in black fascia he is ecstatic with it he is running four acoustic 3050 i speakers on it and it can blow the windows out I’m glad he is because I recommended it to him. as always veery good vlog
I owned that Yamaha integrated amp. Bought it new in 75. It was a sweet sounding amp.
I was doing some spring cleaning a couple of decades ago and threw it away.. LOL
My gem at home is a JVC JR-S201 manufactured around 1978. The one I have I bought on eBay for 99 dollars, picked it up locally. It's rated at 35 watts per channel 20 to 40k hertz with built-in SEA 5 band equalizer. The monster in this line would be the JR-S801 I believe at a whopping 125 watts per channel. Mine is about 23 pounds so you know it has good hardware and iron in it. I think it has Darlington outputs in the amp section? I originally was supposed to get the 201 at Independence Audio in my home town, had this a pair of Marantz Model 900's and a Philip's turntable in layaway, when I went in to make my last payment, they had sold them all, didn't have one in the store, I was pissed. Ended up with the S55 first ever digital tuner. It looked so blah, but 40 watts per channel, I still think that previous models looked a lot better with the blue tuner face. Store is still in business, but I wouldn't want to ever go in there again, except to tell my story and chew them out again!!! My 1978 model is still doing fine!!!
I owned the flagship Yamaha 3020 receiver in 1978 followed by 3 B2 amps, C2 preamp, and YPD 8 and 10 turntables.
I chose the 801 to replace my previous Yamaha A500, because I have gone completly digital. I feed it using a Sony BD player with CD's and my small, but expanding, collection of SACD's. I thought the cost of most dedicated SACD players ludicrous and they would not play my DVD-A's either. The Sony is also used to transfer my FLAC collection from a solid state hard drive. The Yamaha drives my Revox M16s beautifully and the speakers disappear into a seemingly wider sound stage.
I use the pure button all the time, just because I think it will deliver the mix that the engineer thought correct and surely that is what "HiFi" is all about. If I wasn't happy with the sound I would try another component in the system, but I have no current temptation to tinker yet.
Thanks for the review Randy! I own this exact amp and have it paired with Klipsch RP-280 tower speakers which have plenty of bass. The loudness control is my favorite feature as it helps with my lo-fi records. Have a Cambridge duo phono pre amp with a Nagaoka mp110 cartridge for my turntable. Absolutely happy with this set up but also don’t consider myself a true audiophile.
I have the AS501 it is rated @ 85watts. They power my Cerwin Vega HED U-351 with no problem. Would have bought the 701 or the 801 but I figure 85 watts is plenty of power for my hearing and my age. Very informative video I learned a little more about my AS501.