It should be a very good match, though depending on the model of your MA speakers you may find the combination a bit bright. The concept of ‘natural sound’ is, quite literally, to amplify the sound with as little colouration as possible, remaining faithful to the artists performance. or should I keep the SL-QD3 and maybe replace some parts? Opening the box reveals a neat presentation – clearly a lot of thought has gone into this packaging to give a good first impression. Will it be a problem? Thank you! The ends of the terminals are plugged with small plastic caps – these are extremely annoying for those of us who wish to use Banana plugs. Hi Ashley, Around the back, you’ll find the input for the moving magnet phono stage, as well as an associated ground screw for your turntable. Hi, nice review! This remote controls all functions of the A-S201, as well as Yamaha’s matching CD players and Tuners (such as the CD-S300 or T-D500). Thanks for the interesting article. The sound stage is wide, with decent separation between the instruments. Although not powerful by the standards of the group - only the NAD D 3020 seems less potent - again within its performance envelope it is convincing. I will strip one end of the cables and use bare wire into receiver while plugging the speakers. Will my R-S 201 Yamaha accept banana plugs in the receiver speaker connections? The amp itself comes wrapped in a rectangular felt-like cloth material, neatly taped in a single location. Of course, power isn’t just about going loud; a high power amplifier is able to more easily cope with large dynamic swings in music – such as large orchestras or heavy bass notes. . I never recommend ‘buying blind’ as it were, and I would say not to trust everything you read about the sound of a component, particular with regards to speakers as the room has so much of an impact on how they sound. Regards. Ashley, ty so much for all the help. No cables, as the power cable is permanently attached. With a claimed 100W per channel, the A-S201 packs enough power to drive even the most inefficient loudspeakers to uncomfortable levels. The volume feels smooth to turn, and doesn’t flex. If you enjoy the content on this site and want to help us stay online, please consider making a donation. That said – these are minor complaints. Anyway, i enjoy the site Ashley. Hi! The usual tap test on the top panel results in a metallic thump – hardly surprising, as the top casing is fairly thin. La parte que se puede mejorar son las piezas de plastico de los eq. i play music from my computer, maybe that is the case. Yamaha says the power transformer sits near the power amp circuit to reduce power loss. Indeed. Arguably one of the most prestigious brands in the music and audiovisual industry, to summarise Yamaha’s musical heritage would require a review in itself. The Cambridge speakers are slightly easier to drive than the wharfedales, so they’d probably be my choice with the A-S201. I believe the volume scale of the A-S201 is measured in decibels, so it is likely that you will see a higher number on the display before reasonable levels are reached. The A-S201 sits in a price bracket where first-time buyers or people who simply don’t care buy their amp based purely on the specification and to that end Yamaha market the 201 as a 100W amp, which it can achieve albeit with a lot of distortion. EXCELLENT review – 10/10 ! Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. The speaker terminals are also a little flimsy – and the capped ends are an annoyance for anyone using banana plugs. I don’t know about the amp, but is it compatible? Everything is conected perfectlly. This is a pretty old review now so I’m glad it continues to be of use! For now. Hi. is there any chance of bi-amplifying Tannoys with these two integrated amps? It’s well made though – there’s no flex in its casing – and the buttons, though not as tactile as some, are very responsive. In general I’d say if you can reach the volume you want, and if you’re not hitting maximum volume on the amp, it should be fine. I am looking to purchase this amplifier along with a pair of yamaha nsf51 floor standing speakers. Will it be a good “married”? Some computers and laptops have output amplifiers designed to run headphones and don’t output a full line level signal, which could be another possible cause. As there are relatively few inputs, a small row or even grid of source controls would take up very little space on what is a fairly large front panel. Right now I have a Technics SL-QD3, it is still working 100%, but it is getting old and probably losing quality. The A-S201 doesn’t remember whether pure direct is enabled for each individual input. THD 0.2% @ 50w into 8ohms. Best Hi fi amplifier: Yamaha A-S201 reviews & Prices One of the best manufacturers of Hi – Fi amplifiers is Yamaha and therefore, its product A – S201 has the same level of quality and performance as its other products, so we recommend keeping it in sight. No way is this a 100 watt amp! The simplest solution is to simply cut the banana plugs off of 1 end of the cable, strip about 10MM of the insulation from each cable and insert them directly into the connectors. It’s only been a week, but thus far, the review’s desciption of the sound , output, features etc , all match my experience. Otherwise at least a Yamaha A-S501, if not the A-S701. Marco. Spin Pink Floyd’s ‘money’, and you’re rewarded with a beautifully wide sound stage. Lea reseñas de productos sinceras e imparciales de … But its musical performance has a coherence to it that some others here lack. Keep up the good work. The tone controls offer +/-10DB boost. Interesting, this. To the left, you’ll find the large square power button, a headphone jack, and controls to enable or disable both sets of speakers. The A-S201 isn’t a weighty amp – in fact, the left-mounted transformer is undoubtedly heavier than the rest of the machine. If you’re looking for a simple, smooth-sounding integrated amplifier – the A-S201 should be on your shortlist. Perhaps an IEC or figure of eight cable would’ve been a better choice. It’s sad that the A-S201 can’t be advertised as a 50W amp, but the simple fact is that were that the case they’d never sell any because almost everything at this price level has a seemingly high power rating and many with such a budget walk into a dealer and buy the amp with the biggest numbers. Completely unlistenable! I’d probably be looking at the Marantz PM-5005 instead. The crescendos on the Squeeze song are the same; the amp holds things together and the result is musically convincing unlike some others here. The speakers are rated at 6ohms and the amplifier is rated at 8ohms. I’m surprised you chose the A-S201, as personally I would’ve paired the 714s with at least an A-S501, and probably a 701 or 1100 to get the best from them. Thank you for your review. Look further down the sheet gives a more honest figure Ｈi, Ｔhank you for your review.Ｉ am thinking of pairing Ｙamaha Ａ-Ｓ201 with Scandyna Bigpod speakers and Ｏnkyo 7030 ＣＤ player, is it a good idea? I would like to pair this AS-201 to dali zensor 1 . The aforementioned speaker terminals allow you to connect 2 pairs of speakers or bi-wire your speakers if supported. I’m thing of pairing my A-S201 with Yamaha NS-F51 speakers, but I’m only worried about the fact that the A-S201 has impedance 8 and the speakers have 6. Because you’re not splitting the crossover of the speaker. Thanks again. I bought A-S201 few months ago together with CD-S300 CD player and Focal Chorus 714 speakers. It has been a major player since the early sixties, and has always invested heavily in new technology to give its products the edge. Only the speaker terminals show slight signs of cheapness – they’re thin plastic, and have a tendency to flex when inserting banana plugs. It will require a preamplififer and cannot be used as a standard integrated amp. First Impressions & Build Quality. Overall, I am happy with my purchase but I feel a bit lack of bass, so I started to look for a subwoofer. I’d go for something like a CA CXA80, Yamaha A-S701, marantz PM-8005. Best wishes to you. It comes back on temporarily when required, for example after a volume change or when entering the options menu. Whereas some remotes are very unidirectional (I.E, they must pointed straight on at the IR receiver), the Yamaha’s works fine as long as it’s aimed in the amps general direction. https://www.asus.com/Sound-Cards/Xonar_U7/overview/. It’s sensitive, too, meaning it’ll work well with the majority of cartridges on the market, even high output moving coil designs. inputs are audio output on the back side of computer connected with good cabel to input 1 on Cambridge. I have very nice set of cables…can i do something with other pair? Any help would be appreciated! Instrument placement is spot-on – arguably better than using the amp with a line level component. I would consider the 301 or an alternative given the quality of your other equipment. A musician, occasional producer and sound engineer, other hobbies include software programming, web development, long walks and occasional DIY. What do you think and you suggestion. Once the music gets going you won’t notice it – but it’s worth noting if your speakers are particularly efficient. It’s an enjoyable performance – if you’re a vinyl fan on a budget, this amp should be on your shortlist. Would it be safe to use this amplifier and speakers together? This requires the remote – which is disappointing. That said if your’e happy with the sound, you have the right system for you and that’s all that matters. As has been pointed out below in the comments, the A-S201 delivers 100W at 10%THD which is rather high. No, you can’t use these 2 amps to bi-amp. They certainly are a good match Ashley. I am definitely challenged in this area. The Technics is a fine turntable indeed and an AT-LP60 will be significantly worse in just about every way. Thanks for your advice. You’d have to step up to at least the A-S301 for a worthwhile improvement. Both speakers would offer good sound quality. Im thinking on buying the Yamaha A-S201 to connect with my Monitor Audio Bronze speakers and with my Audio Tecnica turntable.. Those speakers are worthy of a much better amp and would only show up the flaws in the A-S201. Thank you very much in advance and keep up the good job! I certainly haven’t, and wouldn’t. I’m just trying to choose a pair of speakers to purchase now. That said it’s well built – there’s no flex in the casing and the aluminium front panel feels solid. Remember that it’s not all about watts per channel, current and power supply headroom are also important. They do a hyperelliptical too which is even better. Alternatively you can still buy the replacement EPS-30ES stylus for the original Technics cartridge, which has an elliptical stylus and will I’m sure give you improved audio quality over the standard conical stylus. But in an average environment with suitable speakers, you’re unlikely to need anywhere near 50W, let alone 100W. Some subs do have speaker level inputs. I got two new speakers and they require banana type plugs, so I am at an impasse. But the Yamaha doesn’t mind – in fact, unlike some more revealing systems, it’s a very pleasant listen. Along the bottom, you’ll find the tone and source controls – these are push buttons, with a thin style designed to match those on Yamaha’s other components, and somewhat reminiscent of the vertical dials found on classic equipment. It might not sound like much – but it sure makes repackaging the amp easier should you ever need to do so. You’re right of course. Pure direct bypasses the tone and balance controls as well as the back buffer amp, shortening signal paths and offering better sound quality. Thanks for your reply! You are right Yamaha was too weak i sold it and pair Tannoy’s with Cambridge Audio Azur 840A. Thks for your comments. Positioning in the room will help too, as will the furniture the speakers are placed on, the distance from walls etc. The A-s201 is a solidly built, well-specified amplifier for very little cash. Vea reseñas y calificaciones de reseñas que otros clientes han escrito de Yamaha A-S201 - Amplificador Hi-Fi estéreo black en Amazon.com. Thanks. Yamaha YSP-2200 review. Yamaha have optimised the … Natural sound is a term Yamaha use to describe many of their hi-fi products. Usage is simple – following a short press of the stand by button and 2 relay clicks, the a-s201 is ready for use.. What is the music source, which input is it connected to and have you double-checked your speaker connections? In real world usage you’d be unlikely to notice the difference as you’ll use a few watts at most. As previously mentioned, the front of the A-S201 is designed to match that of other hi-fi components, such as Yamaha’s own cd players, tuners, and streamers. Pressing the pure-direct button will after a few seconds disable the display. I do agree with you though, and hope that the dealers are sensible enough to recommend suitable partnering speakers to save otherwise decent components being needlessly damaged. Do you think a Audio-Technica AT-LP60 would improve my audio experience? The SX-50s would work well, as would something from the Wharfedale Diamond range. Thanks a lot. There's no doubting Yamaha's pedigree in hi-fi. While their professional audio equipment and musical instruments have remained the standard for professionals and budding musicians for many years, Yamaha’s critically acclaimed hi-fi and AV components have taken the world by storm thanks to the resurgence in popularity of both budget-oriented and high-end hi-fi. Just read Yamaha manual and it states 10% THD @ 100w into 8ohms. It delivers 50W at a more respectable THD figure of 0.2%, so can effectively be considered a 50W per channel amp. The display shows the status of the amplifier, including the selected source and current volume – as well as allowing access to the configuration menus. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Best soundbar, Awards 2012. Great review. There are no easy ways to measure these, but suffice it to say that 1 20W amp isn’t necessarily the equal of another. Normally stereo amps sound better than 5.1 ones, but still, does it worth the change? Hello, after few months I have some extra money to replace my YAMAHA A-S201 amp with new one. If those things don’t work I’m running out of suggestions. I think you’d need to step up to at least the 301 to benefit from the upgrade. Thanks, I will look forward to that review, The review is now published, you can find it Here. But I’m not sure if it will make a big difference from my actual setup. Adhered to the upper left-most area of the front panel, aligned with the display, is an advertising sticker, promoting the virtues of the a-s201. You can unsubscribe at any time, and your personal data will never be shared. I’ve read through some of the comments here regarding this and I am quite interested in pairing this amp with the CAMBRIDGE AUDIO SX50s. In the box, You’ll find the remote, a quick-start guide and a set of batteries. Please tell me if this is better match. I suggest firstly getting rid of the bi-wire cables and running single cables to the speakers, with the speaker terminal jumpers in place. Best regards Zdenko. I will try to tune it a bit, lets see if it works. The new A-S201 is a development of its A-S200 integrated amplifier that is entry level, and continues to be designed with convenience in mind as it moves from recent years' retro-styled equipment. I’m thinking to substitute my actual amplifier Onkyo A-9010 with this one, to better drive the Quad S-1 which sensitivity in quite low (84 dB): is it a good idea or I have to choose a different amplifier and which one? At the price, it's well finished and has beautifully clean styling - you simply wouldn't believe it to be a cheap unit until you touch the flimsy pressed steel top plate, which is about as thin as Yamaha can get away with. It will, but you have to remove the little plastic end caps from the speaker terminals. How loud are you playing? All the best. Compra verificada. Thanks for your fast response! Select your speakers (using the a/b controls on the front panel), select your source, turn up the volume and you’re good to go. 90% on a Cambridge 840A should be extremely loud. Im looking to purchase this amp soon and use it with my SONY PSLX300 turntable. Just tell me why do you think getting rid of the bi-wire cables would help sound? So, it was nice to be able to read this review prior to purchasing the A-S201. I still feel I’ll be happy although at times bass lovers seem to not like the zensors. I have a Sony STR-K685 connected to a pair of Yamaha NS-50F (I know, it’s a surround receiver, but I only use stereo). It’s not too bright, unlike many other integrated stages – and rhythmically, it’s astounding. The 7.4s deserve a better amp. Gently insert the end of a thick paperclip or a small screwdriver into the hole at the end of the terminal and slowly lever the small insert piece out. Perhaps it would be better to ditch the digital controls – and simply use good old potentiometers instead. The first thing I noticed when powering up the A-S201 was the noise floor – it’s somewhat higher than many other budget amps I’ve tested, such as the NAD D3020. Signal ground and power supply ground share one common point to give what's claimed to be a better signal-to-noise ratio. It doesn’t resonate though – which is a good thing – and it’s further supported by a screw on the top as well as the sides. My speakers are FOCAL Chorus 714V. Typically solid and reliable, Yamaha's RX-V3067 totes an impressive specification and a sound that's very likeable You can’t pull them out with a fingernail – you need a bent paperclip or similar to remove them. I will take a look at the 301 option as I am leaning towards the wharfdale speakers, they have received a few good reviews. The only thing is that I have to turn the amp to at least 50 out of 100 to get a listenable volume. Also if you know about a budget sub (max USD/EUR 150). There's no doubting Yamaha's pedigree in hi-fi. It proves a friendly, enjoyable and rather pleasing little integrated that represents. A lower impedance essentially means the speaker is a bit harder to drive, but like most (if not all) good amps the A-S201 can happily drive a 4 ohm load, so a 6 ohm load will be fine. Given the quality of the turntable and speakers, I would at least consider stepping up to the 301. Their A-S500 won numerous awards – and with such stunning sound quality for such a modest price, it’s not hard to see why. I think there would be a difference, but not one significant enough to justify the outlay. During that run in period the bass should improve. Bass notes are deep and powerful, even when hooked up to the Tannoy V1is with their relatively small, 5” bass driver. Do you know why this may be? It's abundantly clear that the Yamaha isn't an expensive amplifier in some respects; it's not over burdened with bass, for example, and the treble isn't the most spacious ever heard on an integrated amplifier. Yes ive checked connections and they are ok. bi-wire model. Was very useful actually- even the part about the speaker connectors . It will drive them, but I would consider stepping up to the A-S301 instead. Great website by the way, very usefull! In theory, a more powerful amplifier can reach higher volumes without clipping – a form of audible distortion that can damage not only your amplifier, but also your speakers. So a 50 watt amp then. This has the advantage that there’s no bulky IEC plug protruding from the back of the amp – however, if the cable gets damaged it does mean the amp will need to be repaired, rather than a simple cable replacement. Stylistically, the A-S201 is designed to match other hi-fi components (both from Yamaha and other brands). It’s the north American version of the A-S201 without phono input or pure direct button. Enter your eMail address to subscribe and we'll notify you whenever there's a new post. Hello Ashley, Oh and I went for the zensor 1s due to size issue and budget control. As with many modern amplifiers, the A-S201 uses a digital volume control – however, Yamaha have put a great deal of thought into the feel of the controls – and it shows.