Yamaha A-S3000 arrived...

Thanks very much for sharing this post! Ever since moving in with my girlfriend a couple years ago I've been hearing those loud pops and didn't know where the h*** it was coming from. It's comforting to know that it is likely coming from her plasma TV.

 

The loudest expansion noises come from our fridge-freezer, sounds like a gunshot it's so damn loud, - you'd think you'd get used to it but it still scares the sh!t out of us every time it happens!

 

If the amp is getting that hot under a normal load, the tech needs to verify proper bias.

 

That does sound scary!

My fridge recently started making a tapping sound in the back intermittently. I pulled it out and dusted off the coils, pushed it back in and the noise stopped, so I thought it was fixed, but it came back.

 

Try leaving it on for an extended period so it is really heated up when in use. Maybe there will be no more thermal expansion. I've heard this with amps and to a degree with my present amp but it is probably when warming up only and not heard when playing music. I think the thermal issue is viable considering this amp runs hot.

 

Yes it can be . However, how does this relate to the quality of the top model and the lifetime of this device?

 

My example of this amp model does not run hot. I don’t know if the previous poster thought his example was running hot or not.

 

Try an external fan.

 

I often see the A-S3000 being referred to as a "warm-running amplifier". Warm-running compared to what? Other Class A/B mosfet amps of similar output power, or compared to other designs? I don't think my A-S3000 runs much warmer than the vintage Class A/B amps and receivers I have in my collection (e.g. Yamaha CR-1000, Yamaha CR-2020, Pioneer SX-1250), but it's difficult to tell because the entire top lid of the A-S3000 is metal and therefore acts as a heatsink, whereas large areas of my vintage amps are encased in wood.

Assuming your A-S3000 is properly ventilated, if you measure the temp of the top lid with an IR thermometer and get a reading in the mid-30's Celsius with an ambient room temp of around 20 Celsius then chances are the bias is set correctly, as this is what other A-S3000 owners have reported. When I had my A-S3000 enclosed in my hifi rack, the top lid temperature rose to almost the mid-40's Celsius compared to having it sat on a free standing table with no shelf above it.

FWIW - IIRC one owner reported a top lid temperature of almost 60 Celsius, this unit was clearly faulty and was returned for a replacement!

 

People need to be more informative when they are saying their amp is running hot. I remember a year ago on a forum a guy was insisting his amp was running hot and others were giving different answers saying theirs wasn't hot at all or was and things like you should take it in and get it checked. Once they all got to actually measuring them, they were all measuring roughly the same temperature. Everyone interprets warm or hot differently.

 

I’ve had my amp for a few months now and it runs just barely warm. No “clicks” either.

 

A scanning infrared thermometer is like $10 on eBay. That would answer a lot of questions

 

Hello
I'm in Europe, more specifically in Portugal

I have the Yamaha A-S1100 and it is excellent without defects

I would like to have the Yamaha A-S3000 or the power 5000

.

 

It’s not hot till your hand hurts when resting it on top! Till that point it’s just warm or cold.

 

My amplifier works correctly, the temperature is correct, just clicking. "I can't listen to music anymore, all I hear is clicking" !!!

 

Scobb you illustrate my point perfectly. My girlfriend can tolerate an amazing amount of heat. She can put her hand under water that I couldn't and say "that's warm but not hot" meanwhile, I'll feel like I'll burn my skin off if I keep it under the same faucet for more than 2 seconds.

 

7 months on my A-S3000 and no clicks, not too hot, sounds awesome. looks beautiful. Love the tone and balance controls. Wish it had mono.

 

Sounds like a BS reason to me. I've never experienced thermal expansion induced clicking noises in any amplifier and your Yamaha isn't even running class A.

 

I call BS too. Poster’s first ever post begins with “Dear colleagues and fans of Yamaha...”, and goes on to describe some issue no one else has ever complained about.

 

Mine has performed flawlessly since I got it in January of 2017.

 

A fragment of my correspondence with Yamaha's service.

Hi,

Yes I have heard this on other amps of the same model. The noise you hear is the expansion of the main chassis.
Before I return the unit I will speak to Yamaha and also see if there is anything I can do to reduce it.
I will be in touch soon.

Regards
E&M




On Wed, 25 Sep 2019 at 13:24, assistant <www.eandm.co
Hi,

We have had your amp on test for the past 3 days and are unable to find any real faults with the item. I beleive the noise you can hear
is caused by thermal expansion and is completly normal. I have had this amp next to me and have heard the noise you mention.
I will arrange for it to be returned to you this week.

Kind regards
E&M

 

That is warm running. Some solid state designs are cool running like the Albarry I just sold (no heat on the case left permanently on). I have an MF 6500i and it runs pretty warm and has massive heatsinks. After a long session the front facia feels warm while the heatsinks are very warm. I believe this amp runs class A for the first few watts though MF are vague claiming decent from the A1000 (and later KW). The old MF A1 could double up as a toaster. I believe Project, the new owner is bringing it back!

 

My A-S3000 clicks from the unit itself. They all do it, it's just thermal expansion. Mine even does it when it's powered off and the room air conditioning blows on it. I wouldn't to worry about it!

 

About running in class A, A/B or A/AB...

In a test I read of the new M-5000 power amp, I could read that this amp runs with a higher bias that most A/B amps. So it runs slightly hotter and in a sort of class A/AB.
This is a statement that is music in my ears! Because they might had in my mind the «golden edge» between absolute sound quality and power when designed this amp. You know... it’s hard to deliver on both

Everything I read about M-5000 tells me that it is my next power amp.

The A-S3000 can be a similar design.

 

The A-S 2100 too?