Yamaha A-S3000 arrived...

And yet it is!

I'm thinking of getting one myself... Of course I'll have to save for a few months, but this is an incredible bang for the buck deal. Way overbuilt, flawless sonics... It's an heirloom piece that will hold a good bit of its value.

If it was branded Accuphase, it would cost at least twice as much.

 

It's all relative I suppose, but that's a serious chunk of change any way you slice it.

Is the A-S3000 made in Japan or Malaysia? I know the AS-801 and below are made in Malaysia.

 

No just rregular RCA

 

Malaysia

 

Phono stage is excellent. Very detailed and quiet. Dynamic. colorful

 

Marantz has a new reference integrated for $8000, the PM-10. It would be cool to see how it compares to this Yamaha!

 

Most people consider audio gears made in Malaysia to be one notch above those made in you-know-where. IIRC, Sony ES line is made in Malaysia as well ...

 

The more expensive Marantz models are made in Japan ...

 

What I love about the A-S2100 & A-S3000 is that they both sound like a high end tube amp, except that they have an iron grip on the bass. These two integrated amps are seriously good. They are what I call end grade units. There is no need to upgrade after buying one.

 

If I could afford one I would definitely consider owning one. On my salary I had to settle for a Creek.

 

True, but I've had an almost overwhelming desire to upgrade my ancient speakers since getting my 2100!

 

My Denon 100 year anniversary integrated is made in Japan. I probably would be happier if the Yamaha said Made in Japan on the back-but build quality is impeccable so it actually doesn't matter.

 

This whole Malaysia vs. Japan argument at least when it comes to Yamaha is totally false. Yamaha has had their Malaysian facility for over 30 years. It is wholy owned by them. They have trained their workers extensively and are on a second generation of families employed there. If you ask Yamaha's management, and as pointed out upthread by @coopmv, they think the quality coming out of that manufacturing facility may be better than what they can get out of Japan.

I start to drool over this amp. Nice score, @Daedalus. The idea of a shoot-out between it and the Pass Labs equivalent gets me all tingly inside in a way stereo electronics should not. I may have to join AA - Amplifiers Anonymous.

 

Here's mine :

 

Thanks

Thanks for the info-I was going to search for info on Yamaha's manufacturing to satisfy my curiosity.

 

I would love to see silver one with brown side panels, as those on the black face model. They don't offer that combination afaik.

 

It sure is a beautiful amplifier.
I wonder, Did someone actually listen To the 3000 and 2000 model, and can say if he can hear any difference between them?
Unfortunately I can't seem to tell the diffrance, sound wise, between amplifiers (as long as they powerful enough to handle my speakers).

 

Plus, isn't the newer PM-10 Class "D"?

 

Based on the image, the A-S3000 does not have a bulit-in DAC, is that right?

 

No clue. I thought I saw a Yamaha power amp that was Class D but that was some ten years ago ...

 

The PM-10 has HDAM modules just like it's predecessors, so your guess is as good as mine. Music Direct shows it as all analog? This would make for an interesting shootout, that Yammie looks bad ass...

 

Indeed it is.

 

The black face has the same high gloss black side panels as the silver face.

What I would like to see is the black meter in the silver faced edition.

 

Hm, the 2100 has the brown ones, besides the black. The site could have wrong picture for the 3000? Black sides are displayed twice.

A gold faceplate in that scenario for me, more Accu style.

 

And yellow display for the cdp, not the current blue.