Yamaha A-S801 Or Marantz PM8006?

Did you ever switch to gold pin tubes?

 

Get your $$ in order for repair...it’s just a matter of time.

 

Haven't received them yet. Still about a month out.

 

I have both. I vote PM8006. With neutral or bright speakers, the Yammie is grainy and harsh to my ears. The Marantz is always smooth, warm, full, musical.

 

Just signed up to say that my experience with PM8006 mirror yours. I got a brand new unit and even though the initial impressions (literally first tune or two) were positive because of the wide soundstage it all went downhill from there. Everything you wrote matches my findings. This thing lacks oomph at lower volumes - and by lower I mean normal. For it to shine I need to push beyond what I would consider acceptable over longer listening sessions. And even then the main issue is that some genres of music sound pretty good, some very tiring. Worst are the unbelievably rough/dry higher notes, which seem to be a product of the wide soundstage that this unit produces. The best way I can describe this sound is "artificial".

Funnily enough, my speakers are Dali Oberon 5's which are also 6 ohm and 88dB. I have a feeling if I found the right speaker it might sound better... but then the lack of low end (even my 8 year old STR DB1040 trumps it) I think is something will remain regardless. And I don't know how much I'd want to sink into this experiment, since where I live retailers don't accept returns.

 

^
That’s wild because for me the bass on the PM-8006 is absolutely incredible. Fat and full with just a touch of warmth and sensational clarity. Have used it with Denton 80ths, Elac UB5, Diamond 225, Revel M105… probably some others I’m forgetting.

 

Mine is more like "Wooden and boomy with in your face clarity and a lot of space".
Just to make sure I'm not halucinating I compared it once again today against my Sony STR DN1040 and although the refinement is clearly not on the same level, the bass extension is out of this world, i.e. "fat and full" especially at low-ish volume.

I have 2 options, sensible -> stop here, sell it on and stick with Sony. Less sensible -> dig the hole deeper.
I have an itch to try KEF R3's just to see whether speakers from roughly the same price range could make it sing...
Or get another amp, e.g. Rega Elex-R.
That said I would mostlikely have to buy either one to be able to try them at home, so it's a gamble.

 

It may just not be an amp for you.

KEF R3s, not sure. I’d be a bit concerned about how bright that match might be.

 

you're at the north pole, so I'd start digging

 

You might be right unfortunately. As much as I like the build quality and the feeling that it will most likely never break unless I do something stupid I don't think this is good enough reason to keep it.
Less "analytical" more "smooth & warm" is my thing. Even with different IEM's I use foam tips exclusively because of their dark signature.

 

Smooth and warm for solid state means vintage from what I’ve heard out there. Buy a vintage, fully restored cap-coupled amp and you’ll probably get what you want and save at least $500 while you’re at it.

 

I LOVE my PM8006 and Diamond 225 set up!

Ordered a pair of KEF LS50 Metas for Christmas and the Wharfedales provide a more satisfying listen. I thought I was crazy so I had my girlfriend listen. She said it was no contest, the Diamond 225s won. I'm sending the KEFs back.

 

I really enjoy the Wharfedale speakers I have, a pair of Denton 80ths. If you're speaker shopping I'd give them a listen. For $500 they're a steal. I'm also incredibly impressed with the veneer work on them. This picture doesn't do them justice but they are attractive, IMO.

 

Oh man. I see they were originally selling for $1000 but are now going for $500. That definitely peaks my interest. I wonder how they would differ from my Diamond 225s.

 

I don't think they ever really sold for $1k. Maybe it was a marketing tact? There was a bit of conversation about that pricing a while back and most people noted that they saw the same thing everywhere, msrp of $1k but "on sale" for $500. Regardless, they're lovely speakers!

 

My girlfriend is buying her first turntable. She LOVED my Diamond 225s. I tried to talk her into the Dentons but she was adamant about buying the same speakers she listened to at my apartment. Hopefully they sound as good through whatever budget amp she decides to buy.

 

Dentons have a bit more upper mids than 225s. Other than that they are arguably more alike than different. Dentons maybe a touch warmer.

 

YOU should buy the Dentons and let her borrow your 225's!
Winning!

 

Hmm, that hasn't been my experience with the 8006 at all, so it might be about the speakers. I think it's a pretty awesome amp.

 

Trying out a PM8006 now with my Chorus II speakers. Coming from my vintage Luxman, I’m a bit underwhelmed. And that’s not to say it doesn’t sound nice because it does. But it’s lacking any character for lack of a better term. I find the bass to sound absolutely wonderful and so far it’s the best thing about it it for me. I’m using direct mode only for now. I’m also finding newer recorded material sounds much better than older. Playing the new Tears for Fears put a smile on my face but playing Tom Petty’s Damn the Torpedoes left me wanting something more. I need to spend more time with it but those are my first day observations.

 

Yea, you definitely won't get the separation/ detail of more expensive amps, but it's got a lot of really fun kick and punchy oomph, IMO.

 

Add me to the disappointed PM8006 owner list. I’m on day three and my findings match yours. In Direct Mode it just sounds like there is a vail over my Chorus II speakers. I’m playing the recent UHQR Kind of Blue, which has never not made me sit up and say WOW and compared to my vintage Luxman R-3045, the Marantz sounds like it’s playing a Mono cassette recording. Everything just sounds vailed and lifeless. The realistic bass is the best thing I can say about it. Maybe burn in really is a thing so I’ll let music play 24/7 through for a few days to see if it opens up.

I’ll also say I don’t think I ever had my Luxman above 2 on the volume knob without blowing us out of the room and on the PM8006, I’m almost at 11 o’clock to get close to that loudness.

 

My impression is that with the 8006 the mids and lows dominate. To someone used to an amp that has a lot of transparency/separation/air/v-curve, it will sound soupy, but that's also the fun of it, IMO. If you ever have a party and put on the 8006, it will rock out with awesome energy. It's a totally different sound signature, but that to me is a plus, since it's tremendous fun, and it's musical and punchy, and adds variety to my listening experience.

 

Much as I dislike the Marantz tube-like. warm sound, the OPs current amp is a tube one, so a vote for the Marantz.