Marantz PM8005 or Yamaha A-S801/A-S701

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by nola27, Dec 15, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. simon-wagstaff

    simon-wagstaff Forum Resident

    The extra 10% is what I live for.
     
    nola27 likes this.
  2. simon-wagstaff

    simon-wagstaff Forum Resident

    Like Motorhead!!!
     
    Bananas&blow and nola27 like this.
  3. Minty_fresh

    Minty_fresh Forum Resident

    Location:
    B.
    I’m not interested in absolute fidelity. I’m interested in pleasing sound. I liked the crispness of the Yammy but it was cold and did t move me. Some people would rather brag about linearity than actually enjoy music. I am not one of those people.
     
    BDC, sixthstreet, F1nut and 1 other person like this.
  4. sixthstreet

    sixthstreet Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    Huh. You seem to be implying that I like my music sterile. But my main system comprises a tube preamp and class A power amp, so I'd say that's a long way off from "cold". And I wouldn't consider the Yamaha cold and boring at all. But we use different components, different ears, different music, different expectations, different rooms, etc. I could very well agree with you that the Yamaha sounds sterile in a setting different from mine. I can tell you I can't abide a cold, thin sound, for whatever that's worth.
     
    scobb and nola27 like this.
  5. sixthstreet

    sixthstreet Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    One more thing: I really didn't like the A-S501 when I first got it, and for essentially the same reasons you mentioned. I almost got rid of it. I was listening to a Maggotbox 6V6 at the time, which is the yin to the Yammie's yang, being almost too syrupy. The "preamp" was a 47Labs passive. I don't know what happened. Did the Yamaha "break in"? Did I adjust psycho-acoustically? A combination of those factors? I should mention that the Yamaha now plays through a pair of Advent Econowaves, using the Advent woofers and Dayton poly compression drivers. It's probably just a fortunate combination.
     
    mpayan and nola27 like this.
  6. aakko

    aakko Forum Resident

    Location:
    Finland
    I don't know about the higher end Marantz amps but I have PM5005 and it's a great all analogue amp with "90s like" motorized volume pot that I really like. It has a smooth and laid back sound. Maybe some would prefer more forward and aggressive sound if their speakers are dark sounding.

    RIAA and headphone amps are also great. I listen a lot with Sennheiser HD-598s and I have an old British Connoisseur BD2A turntable with AT440mlb-cartridge and not once have I thought that I need a better RIAA preamp. It's really that good.

    From my experience with entry level PM5005 I would by PM8005 with a confidence.
     
    Shel and nola27 like this.
  7. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Yamahas do go through a substantial break-in.
     
    fogalu, irender and nola27 like this.
  8. nola27

    nola27 Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    texas
    yeah and whats nice is that I have 60 days to evaluate it. I'm really looking forward to comparing to my 90's RX-770. should be interesting.
     
  9. Minty_fresh

    Minty_fresh Forum Resident

    Location:
    B.
    The general attitude here is my basis. Not your post.

    As for the long break in time, I’ve NEVER heard that.

    EVER.
     
  10. sixthstreet

    sixthstreet Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, Texas
    Understood, and sorry if I stepped on your toes. I was agreeing with you, mostly.
     
  11. Bananas&blow

    Bananas&blow It's just that demon life has got me in its sway

    Location:
    Pacific Beach, CA
    You have now. Many Yamaha owners have reported a break in period. Here is another person who is telling you it was real.
     
    fogalu, mpayan, BuddhaBob and 4 others like this.
  12. swvahokie

    swvahokie Forum Resident

    How about one more Yamaha owner. Thank goodness I lived close enough to hear the broken in store demo several times before I bought mine. I knew that mine was either broken or going to have to break in considerably. Thankfully, it just needed the break in. It kept changing for months too before it completely settled.

    No way, no how does anyone describe a broken in AS model Yamaha as thin and sterile.
     
  13. irender

    irender Forum Resident

    I can affirm that thin and sterile does not describe my A-S801. Not even close.
     
  14. Minty_fresh

    Minty_fresh Forum Resident

    Location:
    B.
    Hmmm. Well the Yammy is long gone. So no big deal

    I had an earlier thread (early this year) about the 501, I checked it just now and there’s no mention of a long break in period.
     
  15. DrZhivago

    DrZhivago Hedonist

    Location:
    Brisbane Australia
    Break-in period won't change the sonic signature of an amp. If you didn't like the overall sound on the first listen, there's almost no chance you'd "fall in love" with the sound after the break in.
    I am also not sure why people here think that break-in always changes the sound for better? I had a multiple units (amps included) that sounded worse after they broke in.

    Regards
     
    bradleyc likes this.
  16. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    I didn't care for the sound of my A-S1100 at first (@swvahokie can attest to that), but I now consider it the best integrated I've owned.

    I agree that gear can become subjectively worse with break-in.
     
    ThorensSme likes this.
  17. Jaggy

    Jaggy New Member

    Location:
    UK
    I've been looking at getting a new amp and considered Marantz and the Yamaha 801 along with others. This one has caught my eye.

    MusicCast R-N803D - Overview - HiFi Components - Audio & Visual - Products - Yamaha - UK and Ireland

    Currently using a Yamaha Av 860. Recently got a pair of Tannoy XT 6f's as I want to get back to listening to music again. Really pleased with the leap in performance the Tannoys give me over my old BW 685's. Most appear to think a good 2 ch amp will beat a good av in sound quality. The 860 sounds pretty good to my noob ears.

    I'm wondering how much better the 803 would sound compared to the 860 and how the 803 would stack up against the 801?

    The 803 has a lot of features I would use, mainly the brilliant Musiccast app which I use for streaming from my PC.
     
  18. F1nut

    F1nut Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Mars Hotel
    Your very own comments are proof that the sound signature does indeed change with break in.
     
    punkmusick and Bananas&blow like this.
  19. DrZhivago

    DrZhivago Hedonist

    Location:
    Brisbane Australia
    Should have stipulated, "the overall signature".

    Regards
     
  20. TerryB

    TerryB Forum Resident

    Location:
    Calais, VT
    I suspect that there are far more similarities than differences between the two, so picking based on options and looks would be just fine. I do like the idea of picking whichever is heavier, though.
     
    Bananas&blow and nola27 like this.
  21. nola27

    nola27 Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    texas
    hi Terry, I too believe they will sound alike in many aspects and its one of the reasons I chose it in the end. my Rx-770 is just starting to "feel" its oats as they say. the selector switch is beginning to get that scratchiness thats been well documented with these older Yamaha's. I've done the recommended treatments to alleviate this twice and it has for short periods of time but it does return.
     
  22. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Nola, totally off topic - is that your dog in your avatar, and if so what kind or mix is it? Looks very cool and quite a character!
     
    nola27 likes this.
  23. nola27

    nola27 Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    texas
    that was our Abbey, she passed last year. she was a short hair chow. we got her from a rescue shelter in Ohio in 2003. she was a great and loving dog. thanks for asking.
     
    Shiver and BDC like this.
  24. nola27

    nola27 Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    texas
    your pooch in your avatar looks like he/she is ready to play! Boxer? we have an Australian shepherd/border collie mix now also a rescue and is she full of it! always wanting to play and fetch, keeps us on our toes. she will sit and listen to music with me quite often.
     
  25. Minty_fresh

    Minty_fresh Forum Resident

    Location:
    B.
    The silver Yammys look great. The 501 is 30+ pounds as I recall. Makes a statement for sure.

    Depending on your tastes and speakers I have little doubt you’ll like it.
     
    nola27 likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine