Yamaha A-S501 or A-S801

I have the A-S701. It's basically the same beast as the 801 except no USB input. I am currently running it with a pair of KEF LS50 and like it pretty well. I've also run DynAudio X14, Elac F5, and the cheap Pioneer Andrew Jones bookshelf speakers through it. The KEFs are my favorite. They deliver bass that belies their published specs.

I specifically chose the 701 over the 801 so I could experiment with external DACs (and because I got the 701 for a steal). I'm awaiting delivery of a Schiit Modi 2 Uber this Friday. However, this past weekend I was using the 701's coax input with a YBA-11 Bluetooth receiver to stream tunes off Spotify. I was thoroughly impressed. Considering all the points at which that signal path could have suffered, it sounded really, really nice.

I've found the 701's phono stage to be a bit lackluster. My Schiit order also contains a Mani, so I'll be able to perform an A/B on that aspect soon.

 

I have the A-S801 and love it. It's versatile and offers good clean power in one box. I'm currently using it to drive the notoriously difficult Dahlquist DQ-10's and it's doing an admiral job. I've also used it on my ADS L1530's with great success. If you value the single form factor and feel you'll use the USB input, definitely go for the 801. If, like @Lebowski, you feel you'd prefer to have a separate, stand alone DAC, save some money and buy the one without USB capability. I don't think you can go wrong either way.

 

There's an open box (full warranty) 501 on amazon for $419 from IQ Home Entertainment. I've bought from them and they are good, and are also an authorized Yamaha dealer.

 

Oh yeah... I definitely cranked them! They love gobs of power and you need some current to get good dynamics out of them. They do sound nice at low volumes, but to see what they can really do, you have to open 'em up a bit.

Nearfield? I dunno... They like some space around them. They throw a pretty big soundstage when you have them set up right. They are phsically small but deep. I have them on some overkill Sound Anchor stands right now, I plan to get stands that are better suited for them.

These were a Music Direct "demo", but they look brand new and definitely aren't completely broken in yet. I've heard the Denton's go through many of the typical speaker break in sounds. Congested, dry... Lacking bass... Weird frequency peaks that pop up and then disappear, etc. But they're filling in nicely now.

I'm pretty sure that Kevlar driver is gonna take a while to get loose and be more sensitive.

I have to say that I'm loving the sound of these! They definitely have a voicing that is mellow and midrange rich, but they still have a lot of detail and fat, articulate bass. Not too finicky about your source material either. I've played a few cds that are less than audiophile sounding and the Dentons were able to convey them in a very musical and smooth manner.

 

I doubt it's the Kevlar, given the inherent properties of aramid fibers, it's more likely the spider takes longer to break in than most. They should take a good 100 hours or more to completely break in.

 

When I bought mine I was listening for about 4 hours a week and it took around two months before they opened up. I also experienced the frequency peaks that T'mershi Duween mentioned. After settling in they have plenty of bass and lots of detail. I'm sure their sound has a lot to do with the room and placement. Your mileage may vary, but they really fit the bill for me.

 

I also use the YBA-11 and agree that it sounds better than expected. I use it to connect to my iTunes on my iMac. I considered the 801 but the USB wasn't compatible with the iPod, so I settled for the 501. (I didnt need the extra power of the 701.)

 

You can also use the Yamaha A-S801 onboard DAC to upgrade the sound of your current CDP without replacing the box itself ...

 

Keep an eye out at Accessories4Less. They have excellent prices on refurbished equipment, including Yamaha. They are authorized to sell their equipment too, so their gear comes with a warranty. I bought my Yamaha RX-A3030 there without issue. It looked brand new, and hasn't had any issues. A4L has discounted speakers too. Buying both through them could save a bit of cash

Good luck.

Integrated Amps | Accessories4less

 

I ended up receiving the amp and speakers over the weekend, and I must say I am quite impressed so far. Been listening for a couple of hours each day for the past couple of days. Been playing through the USB connection mostly using Audirvana as the player. I am really enjoying the system so far, and I can only imagine it will sound even better as the speakers break in. I ordered some Pangea stands for them as well, since they re currently sitting on bar stools...hehe. Thanks for all of your help on this. This is my first decent setup, and you guys helped me out quite a bit.

 

It will take your integrated about 100 hours to be fully broken in according to the TAS review ...

 

Thanks for that...looks like I have some listening to do!

 

I've had the R-S500 for a couple of years, driving Klipsch reference floor standing speakers. Does a great job, very neutral (as Yamaha tends to be), although the plastic buttons are a turn-off. If you want to spend huge money, Yamaha also makes one with real, old school heavy aluminum knobs and UV meters up front in the Aventage range.

The fact that this little dude does bi-amping out of the box is nice, and it has some other features like auto power down and the PureDirect mode (which I keep engaged unless I'm using headphones).

 

So what did you end up getting? The A-S801 was it? And which speakers?

 

Oh sorry...yeah, I got the A-S801 and the Wharfedale Denton 80th speakers.

 

I can attest to the 801 needing some break in time. Mine seemed a bit anemic at first, but really opened up after a couple weeks. Keep listening and enjoying!

 

So the knobs and switches on the A-S801 are all plastic?

 

Indeed, they are.

 

They are, but it doesn't bother me in the least. They are nicely weighted. It also come with a decent remote control.

 

A-S701 is an incredible deal. 100 WPC, astonishingly low distortion and noise specs, and can be had in the UK for £400. Amazing!

 

That IS an excellent deal, where are you seeing that? On the Amazon UK site it's currently £580. It's currently $799 on Amazon's US site, but I bought mine for $511 back in November. (actually, I used $100 worth of AmEx points so I really only paid $411 out of pocket for it!)

 

Yamaha integrated amp - 100 watts/ch with onboard DAC for $899 certainly sounds good. But the catch is the component quality is somewhat compromised ...

 

Richer Sounds and Super Fi, currently out of stock though!

I've not read any reports of bad components being used in the current Yamaha range.

 

I was only referring to the plastic knobs and switches ...