I’d love to see this Yamaha amp battle all the other ones! I have an AS501 and even the very experienced engineer that repairs all my gear says it’s an exceptional amp for its price, he even says he doesn’t know how Yamaha manages to make them with such good built and sound at that price point, even if they re made in Malaysia.
With this speaker, as with every other one we've heard with the Yamaha, I prefer its clearer, more dynamic, and expressive sound. Listen to the guitar on Fields, where it's so much more natural and realistic sounding with the Yamaha, where on the Arcam it's more hollow and nasal sounding. The only thing the Arcam has going for it is that it's more spacious than the Yamaha, but I still prefer the more focused sound of the Yamaha
Yamaha AS 301 with a "warmer" side of neutral speakers as for example wharfendale 320 or diamond 12.2 is the best amp around its price...✌️ I have the AS701 and its unbelievable great sounding amplifier...
As much as I generaly llike the Q350s, and both these amps for each ones individual strengths, I have to admit I may prefer the Arcam a bit with the Q350s. While the Yamaha fills out it's midrange and adds some detail and energy there, it's subtle lack of treble refinement doesn't compliment the KEF's aluminum drivers as well as the Arcam, who's greater refinement does a better job of keeping it's potential for a bit of harshness in check. Bass is a bit deeper and weightier as well. Again, some midrange detail is lost and sounds a bit compressed with the Arcam, and the Yamaha bests it on imaging depth and detail, so It's a tough call.
I bought the Yamaha A-S301 in January 2022. It replaced my failing Luxman R113 Receiver that I've had for more than 30 years. I think the Luxman had a slightly cleaner sound overall, but the Yamaha was half of the price of the Luxman R113 back in 1990, and the difference between the two is negligible. This is an amazing budget Integrated Amp.
Great insights from this. My opinion on the preferred synergy jumped with the style/genre of music for sure. Sometimes the Arcam won with Yamaha/KefQ350 highs giving me the vibe it'd quickly get fatiguing for me. I thought the Yamaha won with the organic instruments of jazz, classical and acoustic guitar though. I have the A-S501 and my feeling is that I can get some of that Arcam sound (when desired) by switching off the Yamaha Pure-Direct mode which definitely knocks down the sparkle from the highs. I'm speaker hunting at the moment and the Q350s were already on the short list, so this is very helpful. Thanks for the vid!
There’s more information coming out with the Yamaha but the Arkam sounds very well rounded. Tight bass and probably a very fun listen for bass heavy music; dance, rock etc. jazz , swing, blues the 301 sounded more pleasing
There is something about the Arcam that just tips it to me, with it’s warm but not fuzzy sound maybe choosing some bright speakers like Dali Oberons will make for a great budget system, also perfect for late night listening, well done Arcam!
Yamaha sound more in depth. I have this receiver and man I can only say wow. I got it powered to my Klipsch Forte that was built in 1985 and it blows me away to the fact that the receiver itself pushed the Forte upfront with more power.
Mike, havn't you noticed before that the Arcam has always been a bit recessed and understated in the midrange, compared to nearly every other amp? If not I'm surprised. The S-A301 seems to me to lean the other way a bit, so the contrast here wasn't much of a surprise to me.
@@williammiebach1798 You are most likely correct, just didn't expect it to be this much of a contrast. Based on this, you would expect the 310 to be very forward with other speakers, which I didn't experience. Lot's of demo's recently, I better catch up. 😄
@@DougMen1 Thank you DM! Some technical issues with my i-connection 🙄 and I'm catching on now. It felt like sobering up 😄 Cheers to E for this wealth of demo's 🙏
I have a Yamaha AX-1070 ( 2 X 145 watts ). Recently purchased an Arcam Delta 290P power amp ( 2 X 75 watts ). Both amps similarly priced when new back in mid '90s. Arcam outperforms Yamaha in every field. Not that AX-1070 is bad, on the contrary, stereo image is really good, can dig deep, open sounding...but Delta 290P is a soundstage King. With such instrument separation and pinpointing, full-bodied sound, its just better. And sounds more powerful. One tip for Yammy owners: Pair it with Wireword cables ( Oasis model and above ), it improves the sound quality significantly.
Fantastic comparison - thank you! Both amps sound great with subtle differences that may be preferred or not, subjectively, but for the price, Yamaha's performance is amazing! 😀
Its a good comparision - but you all forget, that Yamaha has the absolutely only best Sound adjustment with a variable loudness!!! If you have smaller speakers or many diffrent speakers you can adjust the sound exactly to high end - even with all smaller and not s good speakers!! Then you can throw away all other amplifiers with no sound adjustment!!!!
@@sccanj Yes!!! Normally in every recording studio they have a 30 band equalizer to adjust the sound. At home they use room correction computer, because they have no idea of high end sound. Without it the sound is always very bad. Every speaker has to be adjusted to sound high end!!!!!!!!
I don't what is about the Arcam that draws me to the music more, I have a fairly recent Yamaha receiver so I'm familiar to its sound, but the Arcam you just listen to the music and you forget it's there
So… Should I be able to make an evaluation using a computer or iPhone? I’m sure frequency / playback losses are great. I’m listening via TOZO ear buds. Yes, i hear some differences but it would be helpful to know what you hear (yes, we all hear differently) but trying to judge ‘better’ is tough. How good is the mic you used? Does it color the sound at all? Is it’s frequency response flat? Just don’t know how to evaluate. Thanks for your efforts.
I like how the arkam widens the sound stage and has a smooth midrange that helps the voice of the speaker shine through. Yamaha did a great job too. But next to the Sa10 felt a bit empty, although great textured highs to draw your ears. Maybe if you had a mids rich speaker, that you wanted to tame,the Yamaha might compliment them well. Very different amps. Yamaha may catch up quickly with a mid boost in the equalizer.
The Yamaha with the KEF Q350 got a little aggressive and went overboard in some songs. Mainly in Crash and Burn and Magic Show. The internal DAC must be making a difference here. Making the Yamaha sound richer, clearer, brighter, with more life. Arcam's internal DAC is more refined, smooth, balanced and without hearing fatigue. No fatigue. For me this Yamaha A-S301 was better with the MA Bronze 100 and Whafedale Diamond than with the KEF Q350. Arcam is better with Polk R200. Just like the KEF LS50 Meta are better with the NAD C388. The Wharfedale Diamond and Evo also look great with the NAD C388.
The arcam sounds warmer and feels like it comes from acoustic gears. Yammi is more balance and brighter. Idk but the bass of Arcam is totally different with Yam’s
Muchos se enfocan a escuchar la claridad en altas frecuencias, pero escucharlos en vivo no se comparan,arcam se escucha en 3D,cosa que los yamaha ni denon ni onkyo ni sansui y todas las marcas japonesas logran en equipos entry level,escuche un arcam a39 con unas kef ls50 y el sonido es increíble,nada que ver con yamaha
AS301 is quite energetic to excite the metallic sounding tweeter. I would never want this type of amp whether it sounds good with another speakers or not. Arcam is OK, safe buy.......
@@higobatman Agree somewhat but I would add that Arcam and Audiolab are more on the neutral warm side, where Cambridge and Marantz are warmer..... The Japanese brands including Rotel are bright.
@@thomasward00 I agree with that. The 6000a is quite neutral, however, top-end is a bit less pronounced, still very detailed, never harsh. Perhaps thats why it's sometimes concieved as 'warmer'. If you use the internal DAC, there are 3 filters, which give the amp a different sound, although subtle. One of those creates a more analoque (warmer) sound.
@@34332 The Arcam also has 3 DAC settings with the ESS, my SA10 is much more detailed than my Cambridge AXA35, you can hear things in the music that are masked with cheaper units.
![[Blind Test Result] R3 with 4 different Amplifiers -Yamaha A-S301/Arcam SA10/Audiolab 6000A/NAD C388](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3hwBVAHDd7k/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Blind Test Result] R3 with 4 different Amplifiers -Yamaha A-S301/Arcam SA10/Audiolab 6000A/NAD C388](/img/tr.png)
![[Sound Battle] Yamaha A-S301 Integrated Amplifier vs R-S202 Stereo Receiver / KEF LS50 Meta](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MLUvy_HhDcs/mqdefault.jpg)
I’d love to see this Yamaha amp battle all the other ones! I have an AS501 and even the very experienced engineer that repairs all my gear says it’s an exceptional amp for its price, he even says he doesn’t know how Yamaha manages to make them with such good built and sound at that price point, even if they re made in Malaysia.
With this speaker, as with every other one we've heard with the Yamaha, I prefer its clearer, more dynamic, and expressive sound. Listen to the guitar on Fields, where it's so much more natural and realistic sounding with the Yamaha, where on the Arcam it's more hollow and nasal sounding. The only thing the Arcam has going for it is that it's more spacious than the Yamaha, but I still prefer the more focused sound of the Yamaha
DM, check out Crash and Burn from halfway to the end.... Huge difference in favor of the Arcam
@@thomasward00 for my opinion, yamaha, on Crash and Burn had more detailed
Yamaha AS 301 with a "warmer" side of neutral speakers as for example wharfendale 320 or diamond 12.2 is the best amp around its price...✌️
I have the AS701 and its unbelievable great sounding amplifier...
Yamaha and it ain’t close. I’m getting the A-S801. It’s a beast
Yamaha rules. Producing incredible amps at often budget prices. Sound is debatable but not the cost.
Thank you Yamaha for giving us affordable quality. These are tough economic times and we appreciate the human effort.
As much as I generaly llike the Q350s, and both these amps for each ones individual strengths, I have to admit I may prefer the Arcam a bit with the Q350s. While the Yamaha fills out it's midrange and adds some detail and energy there, it's subtle lack of treble refinement doesn't compliment the KEF's aluminum drivers as well as the Arcam, who's greater refinement does a better job of keeping it's potential for a bit of harshness in check. Bass is a bit deeper and weightier as well. Again, some midrange detail is lost and sounds a bit compressed with the Arcam, and the Yamaha bests it on imaging depth and detail, so It's a tough call.
I bought the Yamaha A-S301 in January 2022. It replaced my failing Luxman R113 Receiver that I've had for more than 30 years. I think the Luxman had a slightly cleaner sound overall, but the Yamaha was half of the price of the Luxman R113 back in 1990, and the difference between the two is negligible. This is an amazing budget Integrated Amp.
Great insights from this. My opinion on the preferred synergy jumped with the style/genre of music for sure. Sometimes the Arcam won with Yamaha/KefQ350 highs giving me the vibe it'd quickly get fatiguing for me. I thought the Yamaha won with the organic instruments of jazz, classical and acoustic guitar though. I have the A-S501 and my feeling is that I can get some of that Arcam sound (when desired) by switching off the Yamaha Pure-Direct mode which definitely knocks down the sparkle from the highs. I'm speaker hunting at the moment and the Q350s were already on the short list, so this is very helpful. Thanks for the vid!
There’s more information coming out with the Yamaha but the Arkam sounds very well rounded. Tight bass and probably a very fun listen for bass heavy music; dance, rock etc. jazz , swing, blues the 301 sounded more pleasing
Another great comparison, E Project.
Your hot! Thank's again.
There is something about the Arcam that just tips it to me, with it’s warm but not fuzzy sound maybe choosing some bright speakers like Dali Oberons will make for a great budget system, also perfect for late night listening, well done Arcam!
I have mine paired with Triangles
Yamaha sound more in depth. I have this receiver and man I can only say wow. I got it powered to my Klipsch Forte that was built in 1985 and it blows me away to the fact that the receiver itself pushed the Forte upfront with more power.
I prefer the 310 here, as it 'opens up' the 350's mids and top-end nicely. Why the SA10 sounds a bit recessed here seems to be the question 🤔
Mike, havn't you noticed before that the Arcam has always been a bit recessed and understated in the midrange, compared to nearly every other amp?
If not I'm surprised. The S-A301 seems to me to lean the other way a bit, so the contrast here wasn't much of a surprise to me.
@@williammiebach1798
You are most likely correct, just didn't expect it to be this much of a contrast. Based on this, you would expect the 310 to be very forward with other speakers, which I didn't experience. Lot's of demo's recently, I better catch up. 😄
@@34332 We haven't seen you for a couple of days, and E has been a busy beaver, posting several new videos every day. Welcome back the the E community
@@DougMen1
Thank you DM!
Some technical issues with my i-connection 🙄 and I'm catching on now. It felt like sobering up 😄
Cheers to E for this wealth of demo's 🙏
Best of all, you can pick the Yamaha for around 300€, while the SA10 is well over 600 (900€ msrp).
I have a Yamaha AX-1070 ( 2 X 145 watts ). Recently purchased an Arcam Delta 290P power amp ( 2 X 75 watts ). Both amps similarly priced when new back in mid '90s. Arcam outperforms Yamaha in every field. Not that AX-1070 is bad, on the contrary, stereo image is really good, can dig deep, open sounding...but Delta 290P is a soundstage King. With such instrument separation and pinpointing, full-bodied sound, its just better. And sounds more powerful.
One tip for Yammy owners: Pair it with Wireword cables ( Oasis model and above ), it improves the sound quality significantly.
Yamaha is the winner, here !
Fantastic comparison - thank you!
Both amps sound great with subtle differences that may be preferred or not, subjectively, but for the price, Yamaha's performance is amazing! 😀
Its a good comparision - but you all forget, that Yamaha has the absolutely only best Sound adjustment with a variable loudness!!! If you have smaller speakers or many diffrent speakers you can adjust the sound exactly to high end - even with all smaller and not s good speakers!! Then you can throw away all other amplifiers with no sound adjustment!!!!
Loudness makes any speaker sound like high end? Is that what you are saying? What a load of BS
@@sccanj Yes!!! Normally in every recording studio they have a 30 band equalizer to adjust the sound. At home they use room correction computer, because they have no idea of high end sound. Without it the sound is always very bad. Every speaker has to be adjusted to sound high end!!!!!!!!
Thank you so mucho for this, amazing music choice
I'd say that the Arcam may be a little warm but the KEFs are quite neutral and it's a combo that works for me.
I don't what is about the Arcam that draws me to the music more, I have a fairly recent Yamaha receiver so I'm familiar to its sound, but the Arcam you just listen to the music and you forget it's there
So… Should I be able to make an evaluation using a computer or iPhone? I’m sure frequency / playback losses are great. I’m listening via TOZO ear buds. Yes, i hear some differences but it would be helpful to know what you hear (yes, we all hear differently) but trying to judge ‘better’ is tough. How good is the mic you used? Does it color the sound at all? Is it’s frequency response flat? Just don’t know how to evaluate.
Thanks for your efforts.
Acho que a alternância entre um equipamento e outro deve acontecer em um Intervalo menor de tempo, comparando um intervalo mais parecido da musica
I like how the arkam widens the sound stage and has a smooth midrange that helps the voice of the speaker shine through. Yamaha did a great job too. But next to the Sa10 felt a bit empty, although great textured highs to draw your ears. Maybe if you had a mids rich speaker, that you wanted to tame,the Yamaha might compliment them well. Very different amps. Yamaha may catch up quickly with a mid boost in the equalizer.
I definitely prefer ARCAM to YAMAHA and also think ARCAM and CA AXR85 are almost close.
Arcam more controlled sound
The Yamaha with the KEF Q350 got a little aggressive and went overboard in some songs. Mainly in Crash and Burn and Magic Show.
The internal DAC must be making a difference here. Making the Yamaha sound richer, clearer, brighter, with more life.
Arcam's internal DAC is more refined, smooth, balanced and without hearing fatigue. No fatigue.
For me this Yamaha A-S301 was better with the MA Bronze 100 and Whafedale Diamond than with the KEF Q350.
Arcam is better with Polk R200.
Just like the KEF LS50 Meta are better with the NAD C388.
The Wharfedale Diamond and Evo also look great with the NAD C388.
If you look at the display he is using the analogue input, with a CD player. This is purely the amplifier section.
Arcam best
Bass goes to Arcam, Yama sounds a little thin, also the Yama is a little bright in the top end for me. i listen for long hours.
The Arcam sounds recessed. The 301 has a more open sound. Not the best choice of songs to test sound equipment though.
The arcam sounds warmer and feels like it comes from acoustic gears. Yammi is more balance and brighter. Idk but the bass of Arcam is totally different with Yam’s
ยามาฮา เสียงสดใสจัดจ้าน แนวเสียงไม่แตกต่างกันมาก
Muchos se enfocan a escuchar la claridad en altas frecuencias, pero escucharlos en vivo no se comparan,arcam se escucha en 3D,cosa que los yamaha ni denon ni onkyo ni sansui y todas las marcas japonesas logran en equipos entry level,escuche un arcam a39 con unas kef ls50 y el sonido es increíble,nada que ver con yamaha
AS301 is quite energetic to excite the metallic sounding tweeter. I would never want this type of amp whether it sounds good with another speakers or not. Arcam is OK, safe buy.......
I totally agree with you.
I have the yamaha. Its so close to perfect im just going to treat it to a mains cable and not upgrade.
How to listen music digitally on this Yamaha amp
Você tinha que ter testado os dois amplificadores com as mesmas caixas, esse teste não serviu pra nada ….
I'm actually surprised the Yamaha sounds crispy while the Arcam sounds warmer ?
Yamaha A-S301, NAD C388 = Subscription more to the neutral side, cold.
Arcam, Audiolab, Cambridge, Marantz = Subscription more on the warm side.
@@higobatman Agree somewhat but I would add that Arcam and Audiolab are more on the neutral warm side, where Cambridge and Marantz are warmer.....
The Japanese brands including Rotel are bright.
@@higobatman thank u. 😊
@@thomasward00
I agree with that. The 6000a is quite neutral, however, top-end is a bit less pronounced, still very detailed, never harsh. Perhaps thats why it's sometimes concieved as 'warmer'.
If you use the internal DAC, there are 3 filters, which give the amp a different sound, although subtle. One of those creates a more analoque (warmer) sound.
@@34332 The Arcam also has 3 DAC settings with the ESS, my SA10 is much more detailed than my Cambridge AXA35, you can hear things in the music that are masked with cheaper units.
Яма рулит!
Слишком кричащий на высоких
Me, sitting here, listening to your speakers, through your microphone, through TH-cam compression, into my speakers, tells me nothing.
Yamaha 301 is better
They are quite different aren't they? From what my system is reproducing, I'll go with the Yamaha.
both sound the same cheap and thin
What happened to Arcam the last decade??……class f ? So sad……muddy veiled distant…….sad
Yamaha is top
these examples ... that you hear via your own random speakers are a scam ... but serve as a usefull proof of dumb
yamaha dumping factory very low...210..
Yamaha sounds much better with pure direct mode OFF 🎉