Great aound
Crutchfield customer from Antioch, CA on 2/21/2021
The sound is incredible, this is the "brightest" sounding amp I've have ever heard.
Pros: Great sound Easy to setup
Cons: None
0 of 0 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
James from DAHLONEGA, GA on 1/28/2021
As of a 26 Life Time Member/ Plus with Bill Crutchfied. And The People. Never have been Disappointed. Yahama Never Left. They Have Always Evolved. All Priceless Good Things ?
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0 of 1 found this helpful
Power makes a difference.
Crutchfield customer from Haverhill, MA on 1/17/2021
I had upgraded to new B&W 607 speakers a few months ago, but even after a long break-in period, my 15 year old 80 wpc receiver didn't seem to be getting everything it could from them, especially compared with the showroom performance of the speakers. I was amazed at the difference in clarity and detail and the more consistent volume (or presence) I heard with the Yamaha A-S801. I probably could have saved some money by getting one of the other Yamaha less powerful integrated amps, but the USB input was only available on this model. The built-in DAC definitely adds a lot to Apple lossless files streamed from my iMac, so the extra cost for the USB input was worth it. Software installation and set up was fairly easy too.
Pros: Power, versatility, elegant appearance.
Cons: I'll have to repeat the complaint I read in so many reviews before purchase: the volume control knob needs an LED indicator. The almost invisible notch on the knob just doesn't cut it.
1 of 1 found this helpful
An excellent, high performance amplifier
Crutchfield customer from Joliet, IL on 1/1/2021
First, and most important, this is a terrific sounding amplifier. I am not a professional reviewer, and with the demise of brick and mortar audio stores, I don't have the opportunity to listen to and compare a lot of audio equipment. But I can say without hesitation that the combination of this amp with my Magnepan MMGs (which are known for their neutral and transparent character, but difficult-to-drive design) is the best that I have ever heard in my home, and comparable to anything I heard > ~ $20K at the last Axpona convention. Gripes? Only two reasons I don't give it a full 5 star rating: 1. the instruction manual is poor. It provides minimal information or explanation about the amp's design, features, and operation. For example, the amp has two direct amplification circuits to provide the cleanest, least altered connection from source to speakers. I still don't understand why it has two (one for the CD source and one for all sources(?) The manual doesn't address this question; 2. the volume knob really, really needs a position indicator light. With regular daily usage, it slowly but surely becomes incredibly annoying not to be able to see where the volume level is set.
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4 of 4 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from New Orleans, LA on 12/28/2020
Exceptional sound quality. Perfect delivery. Only wish to be able to control the front panel with the remote, but at the end of the day no a big deal,
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The Right Choice.
Andy from Holly, MI on 12/20/2020
Love this Yamaha 801 Amp.! Powerful, Solid, Clean uncluttered design. I could write a book about this purchase but I've decided to keep it short and sweet; It has everything you need and nothin' you don't want. ...short of "Mosfet's and VU Meter's" of course. Made this choice based on many comparisons in this price range with similar features and power ratings. I was on the hunt for a 2 Chanel Amp from a Company with a History and a reputation who could back it up. So for $900 bucks I got something to brag about. Matched this brute with my Infinity 150 Studio Monitors, Paradigm Monitor 11 V.4s and a Velodyne Servo FSX 12" 120 watt Powered Sub. Turn it on, Turn it up, It Rocks! I will own a 2nd Yamaha in the near future and blow the extra stash for the VU Meters; ...Why you ask? Because sometimes "Staring at a thing of beauty". just makes me smile. One other detail I feel the need to mention; My experience with Customer service and Tech Support at Crutchfield was amazing!
Pros: Very Satisfied for the money. Great purchase!
Cons: A lighted Volume Knob would have been a functional element. ...Minor detail.
0 of 0 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Cheyenne, WY on 12/19/2020
This is the best amp I have ever owned. Very crisp and clean sound. Plenty of power.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Thornville, OH on 12/16/2020
0 of 0 found this helpful
High quality
Crutchfield customer from Hattiesburg, MS on 12/12/2020
Very high quality unit for the money. Really heavy so you need a strong base to place it on . Very easy to set up and operate .
Pros: Easy set up and great performance.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Sleek and versatile
Crutchfield customer from Rockport, TX on 11/21/2020
I chose this amp for its looks, power, and versatility. Fits great into my room, powers my Jamo S809 and sub beautifully, sound fills the room just like I want. I have it set up to my Bluetooth, PC, and still have room for more if i wanted. If you're wondering what the loudness dial does, it adjusts your mid frequencies. Remote layout is nice, no complaints there, easy to use.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Graham, NC on 11/19/2020
I spent a lot of time researching for an amp to power my klipsch heresy iv's and decided on this Yamaha. You can spend any number of dollars and I'm sure some are better but I'm satisfied with this one. It's clean and powerful and does not get hot at all, I feel like it will be trouble free for a long time. Currently running a marantz CD player and a turntable through the amp and working fine.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Powerful, detailed, beautiful
Crutchfield customer from Caguas, PR on 11/17/2020
Powerful, detailed, beautiful sounding. Laid back in its presentation. Internal dac works great streaming high res files from my MacBook Pro with Qobuz.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Great Yamaha product.
Crutchfield customer from West Fargo, ND on 11/16/2020
Fantastic integrated amp for the money. Always been a fan of Yamaha since buying my first receiver in 1984 (still using this receiver in my garage). Plenty of power and inputs.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Oviedo, FL on 11/12/2020
Great sound quality. Very clean and powerful. Hookups and switches logical. Remote control is awesome.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Replacement for Yamaha A-1 Integrated Amplifier
Crutchfield customer from Los Alamos, NM on 10/29/2020
This was to replace the original Yamaha A-1, which finally broke down after forty years. It's as good as the original.
Pros: It has a built-in equalizer and separate knobs for volume and speaker balance, a real plus
Cons: The width and length dimensions are like the original but it is one inch higher, which might be a problem if you want to put it into a space that just holds the original.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Wow
Crutchfield customer from Minneapolis, MN on 10/21/2020
Wow! Great product, sound quality, design and features make it an amazing option at that price.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
HUGE upgrade -
Crutchfield customer from Midlothian, VA on 9/28/2020
I was using a Pioneer receiver from the mid 90's rated at 100 watts / channel. I mainly stream AmazonHD from a desktop, had been using a Schiit Modi 3 DAC with USB input. I wasn't sure if going to a modern Integrated amp would really make much difference but decided to give it a shot. Grabbed one from the scratch & dent outlet, no scratches & no dents, just a bit of damaged styrofoam packing as far as I can tell. Got it set up & connected & BOOM!!! What a difference - much cleaner, more detailed sound & a lot more bass than with my old receiver. Cleaned up the high end also. A tip if you stream from Windows to the amp without an external DAC: even after successfully installing the Steinberg driver I wasn't getting higher resolutions from Amazon. It took a lot of digging to find a couple of settings that need to be tweaked in the control panel & driver settings, otherwise it was limited to 16 bit / 44.1 khz. As always I got very fast delivery from Crutchfield - can't say enuf about them.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Yahoo I Get To Listen
Crutchfield customer from Port Richey, FL on 9/24/2020
I have been buyingYamaha Integrated amplifiers Since 1971. I bought my Klipsch La Scala's in 1988 and have used three different Yamaha Integrated Amplifiers on them. The 801 is by far the greatest sounding amplifier with the greatest power.The colors of tone quality sparkle with crisp clarity that give me an incredible sound stage. Mixed with an extreme dynamic range the increased passion of the same old music has became more engaging than ever before. Great bass. Which was lacking in some of the older Yamaha's. I bought my La Scala's new but they have never sounded this good ever, till now, with the 801. In fact they sound so good that I am now buying an SVS SB-2000 PRO sub to keep up with what the 801 has done with my La Scala's. Yahoo! I get to listen.
Pros: everything
Cons: nothing lacking
4 of 4 found this helpful
Right on
Crutchfield customer from Phoenix, AZ on 8/27/2020
It's what I was looking for and I am happy with it it brought those Polk speakers alive and I already have a hundred W Onkyo no comparison
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2 of 2 found this helpful
rock solid amp
furtherwest from solana beach on 8/15/2020
Great amp. I have a yamaha 5CD player running in thru "CD"; an NAD single CD player running in thru "optical," and my computer/phone running in thru USB. It is really easy to use. The USB/built-in DAC lets my computer sound great (playing Spotify or mp3s or internet). The build is very solid. It's heavy and looks tough. I play two large-ish bookshelf speakers and they sound fantastic. I have no doubt this would power larger speakers. I went thru a lot of system ideas (separates; DACs; streamers; all-that) before pulling the trigger and buying this. This is so versatile and nice that I've had zero regrets. One additional thing... it has a loudness knob and 'pure direct' and 'cd direct' and you don't need to use any of them, but they are fun to change up one in awhile to subtlety change the sound. If you're looking for a powerful, versatile, 2 channel amp to drive your system for a long-time, this is a great choice.
Pros: versatile; clean look and sound; solid power
Cons: none to note of
1 of 1 found this helpful
Simple two channel excellence
Crutchfield customer from Manchester, NH on 8/2/2020
Two channel heaven. For years I've been using surround sound receivers as the center of my music system. Because I'm mostly a two channel listener, it's always bothered me that I was using just a small percentage of the receiver. I though that if I bought an expensive receiver I would get both great two channel and multi channel sound. When you pay $2000.00 for a receiver you have high expectations. I had been using a Yamaha A-3020 I bought from Crutchfield years ago and have always been happy. This time around I decided to go back to two channel and forgo all the features I really haven't been using. The A-S801 is an excellent amplifier and sounds superior to my receiver. It only has what you need and meets my expectations and more. Very detailed and open soundstage from the internal ESS DAC. For computer audio you have to use the Yamaha Steinberg driver which uses ASIO. You also need a music player that supports ASIO for best results. I found MusicBee to work best so far. If you're looking for an integrated amplifier, and don't want to pay thousands more for Rotel or Parasound, which are excellent, I don't think you can beat this amp for the price.
Pros: Price/Performance Vintage Yamaha looks. Like an amp I had in the 80's. I have a silver one.
Cons: Some people have complained about the lack of an LED on the volume knob. I have to agree, it would be nice to see the volume level from a distance, but this is minor.
5 of 6 found this helpful
Replacement up to standard
Crutchfield customer from Saint Cloud, MN on 7/22/2020
This amp is just what I needed after my old one was fried by a lightning strike which set fire to the house. It is exactly the same size, all the connections are in the same location, it is easy to use and the sound is even better than the the 17 year old one it replaced. I was ecstatic to fine a replacement to easily and quickly.
Pros: It is easy to connect, all connections are well marked. The fidelity is superb for its cost.
Cons: There are no tape decklocation marks, but there are sufficient clues to make connection understandable.
2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Seattle, WA on 7/5/2020
This is by far the best stereo amp I've ever owned. I've always had Yamaha receivers in the past, so I'm familiar with the Yamaha sound. This replaces an ancient RX-497 which is still functioning fine, but I wanted something a bit better. I'm slowly putting together a new system since my old Boston Acoustics sub died after 20 years of service. In these times we spend a lot more time at home, and music has always been my first love. I loaded the drivers for the built-in DAC on my MacBook, not a complicated process, and music from iTunes has never sounded better -- the recent remaster of The Beatles White Album has some serious punch to it. CD's also sound great. I have not tried out the phono stage yet. I considered one of the lesser (cheaper) options, but in the end decided this one would be worth the additional expense. It does not disappoint. As always, buying from Crutchfield is a simple experience and the two day shipping is awesome.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
YAMAHA A-S801 ... Very Pleased
Crutchfield customer from Honolulu, HI on 6/24/2020
I was looking for a reputable Solid State Integrated Amplifier as an alternative to my TUBE Amps and TUBE Pre Amps. There were many top name choices. and, several that I really wanted. Since I had TUBE Gear already, I went for the "Natural Sound" that everybody say YAMAHA has. The YAMAHA A-S801 was the best choice for me. The A-S801 sounded "Bright", compared to my other TUBE Gear. > "Bright/Clean", not sure what to use to describe. Not the "warm sound" that are used to describe the "Marantz/Denon" Sound, that many prefer. I prefer the YAMAHA for listening/ watching YOU TUBE, or watching "TV/Cable"/Movies/DVD.. I guess it is that "Natural Sound " that makes the YAMAHA overall better than the TUBE gear for those. Was well worth the price, and, with Free Shipping from Crutchfield.. They made this a super deal.. Controls/knobs feel silky smooth to operate. The A & B Speaker selector is a cool feature, in that, you can have two pairs of speakers and try each, or, play both of them together. Very pleased with the YAMAHA A-S801.
Pros: "Natural Sound" is what I was "Looking for" > (Listening for) Control knobs feel smooth and precise. Built-in DAC for convenient Hook -Up. 100 Watts . A lot of Power.
Cons: Actually none.. Maybe.. Volume Control Knob is close to the Input Selector Knob. With both being easy to turn and being Silky Smooth, you can easily bump the INPUT Selector Knob when changing the volume. Actually, an Operator Problem. LOL NO METERS ... :(
2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from San Francisco, CA on 6/5/2020
This is a great integrated amp. The look reminds me of a Kenwood anodized silver amp I owned in the 70's. Minimalist controls and ez set-up. Great sound. The lack of bluetooth was initially off-putting, but Oliver hooked me up with and Audiengine B1 external BT (you give up one input, but there are plenty). Very happy overall
Pros: Great sound and look Easy to set up and operate Lots of inputs
Cons: No built-in bluetooth, but can add on
2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Tucson, AZ on 6/4/2020
Was impressed with the integrated amp and it's ESS 32 bit Sabre DAC...Bluetooth through this system is pristine if the right equipment connected properly.... Spotify,tidal, iHeartRadio if premium member and running 320 kbits .... the optical cable toslink is great also
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1 of 1 found this helpful
801 Yamaha integrated amp.
DLL from Scituate, MA on 6/1/2020
I have a pair of the Klipsch Palladium 17 bookshelf speakers, now discontinued unfortunately. They were a high end design like the Klipsch Heritage line. I knew I had an exceptional set of these 3 way bookshelf speakers and they needed an exceptional amp to bring them out fully. The Yamaha amp is this amp,I have a large cd collection and I like to listen to my iPod Apple Music. The Yamaha 300 CD player I also bought for use with this amplifier. The combination of these components is exceptional. Yamaha is simply a phenomenal audio company. So is Klipsch. I have all the options I need for high quality listening in stereo. This is a system to build on. Paul Klipsch said we live mostly in the midrange in our listening experience but this amplifier reproduction is accurate in the bass response and treble. There is enough bass to satisfy me. I admit I am not a subwoofer fan. I don't feel I need one. Good bass needs very accurate reproductive. I hear it now with the 801.
Pros: Options and high end sound quality.
Cons: None
2 of 2 found this helpful
A most pleasant surprise....
Crutchfield customer from Larchmont, NY on 5/25/2020
An excellent value. Replaces some Adcom gear and is an upgrade in every way. As this is my first integrated amp after 40 years of separates I was a bit apprehensive (a lack of space was a factor) but Eddie T at Crutchfield made a great suggestion. It drives my old Apogee Centaur/subwoofer combo with ease. Tight, focused sound throughout the audio spectrum with superb dynamics. The Loudness function works well to adjust tonal balance for lower volume listening; for listening at higher volumes the Pure Direct and CD Direct functions eliminate various controls from the preamp circuit and deliver a little extra space and clarity through the Apogees. I've yet to "clip" the amplifier section at high levels. Plenty of inputs, the Phono stage sounds quite good with my JBE/Grace747/ShureV15 xMR. It is physically well made with good connectors. In all, I suspect one would need to spend many multiples of cost to gain appreciable improvements in sound quality.
Pros: Easy to set up and use, excellent sound quality at all volumes, versatility, remote control a nice addition.
Cons: Volume knob could be easier to read so you can see where it is "set". A clipping indicator would be nice, but then again it has enough power so that you'll be unlikely to need it unless the speakers are very inefficient and the room very large...
1 of 1 found this helpful
Beautiful Audio
Dustin from COLORADO SPGS, CO on 3/19/2020
Bought to replace an 18 yr old high res JVC receiver. First, I love the way it looks - simple and functional. Next is the audio quality - wow! Crystal clear, crisp, warm, and bass is tight. I connect a desktop to it with optical cable and listen to Amazon Music HD and iTunes lossless files. Only regret is not buying earlier. As a remote worker this makes everyday brighter.
Pros: Sound, easy to hookup, looks great
Cons: None
3 of 3 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Colfax, WI on 3/12/2020
Love the Amp!!! I did the reseach thing for couple of months. For me ... this amp has everything I was looking for. I have LP's, Cd's and 900gb of music so the built in DAC was one of the main selling points. I own a Yamaha home theater reciever and have been very happy with it. Give this amp at least 30 hours of burn in time ... I wanted to use the pure direct but was not getting much bass so I would turn that option off and the amp gave me the sound I was looking for. After a month of playing ... I just leave the pure direct on and love the sound I am getting out of my Polk Monitor 10b's that had the crossovers recapped last year. Yes, it would be nice to have a couple of peak meters and yes, the volume knob should of come with a LED on it but to me this amp is built to last. I have owned Kenwood and Onkyo amps before and loved both. I feel this 801 might be the last amp I will have to buy. The silver looks sharp. Ordering from here made it easy and it arrived at the house here in two days.
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1 of 2 found this helpful
Incredible value for under $1000
Patrick from RUSHFORD, MN on 2/16/2020
This amp does everything I need it to do. The built in DAC does a great job at making digital files on my computer sound incredible (connected by USB). That was the main option setting this apart from the competition. The amp has great power reserves and plays back music lively. The loudness control, once understood, does a great job of maintaining dynamics at any volume listening level. I primarily listen to vinyl and this has a MM phono preamp on-board, although I have yet to use it. Compared to the Yamaha AV receiver I had prior that was also rated 100w/ch (2 channels driven), this thing blows that out of the water for both clarity and power. It weighs nearly twice as much, which is largely attributed to the power supply that delivers that power. I fully recommend this amp to anyone that is looking for clean power to drive their speakers for music playback.
Pros: Onboard DAC with USB, Coaxial, and Optical Input. On-board preamp for turntables. Loudness control for dynamic listening at all levels of volume.
Cons: The volume knob has no lighted indicator to tell what volume level you are at. The notch is hard to see. Remedied with a small white piece of tape. That is my only gripe, and it is a small one.
3 of 4 found this helpful
Great System for Classical Piano
Crutchfield customer from Tipp City, OH on 2/9/2020
Very Nice. I'm a classical pianist, and listen primarily to classical piano and piano concertos. I was looking for a stereo system that could accurately reproduce these piano settings. I purchased this Yamaha A-S801 integrated amp, the Yamaha CD-S1000 cd player (very nice), a pair of Polk Audio LSiM703 speakers, and the Sennheiser HD 600 HiRes Headphones. I already own a Sony Subwoofer. I also subscribed to and connected Amazon's HD streaming audio via Yamaha's Steinberg USB Driver on a Windows 10 PC. This is an awesome setup for my purposes. Great realistic piano sound.
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0 of 0 found this helpful
Definitely recommend
Crutchfield customer from New Boston, MI on 1/28/2020
I was shocked by all the details I could hear. Tone and loudness controls are a really good addition. Very powerful. Nice balanced sound. Very happy with purchase. Paired with Klipsch RP-280F.
Pros: Clarity, tons of power, looks good
Cons: None
1 of 1 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Guest from Midddletown, NY on 10/26/2019
Idk if this will help a lot people, but you can directly connect the newer iPad pros with usb-c to the amp without downloading any software. Thought that was kinda cool. Other than that, the amp is great overall. Easy to switch between channels with the remote. Makes my speakers sound good. It's very large and wish it was slightly smaller to fit in my media stand, but not a big deal. I bought the Yamaha YBA-11 as well to play Bluetooth audio.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Great Integrated Amp!
Crutchfield customer from Beachwood, OH on 10/8/2019
It's great that I can play iTunes & audio from youtube music videos from my Apple laptop direct through my system with the Yamaha A-S801. The people I dealt with at Crutchfield were most knowledgeable & helpful. If you want good sound, don't try to save money by spending less on an amplifier.
Pros: Direct hook-up from laptop.
Cons: It would be nice to have some sort of a volume indicator level.
1 of 1 found this helpful
na
bd from North Vernon, IN on 10/1/2019
This is a really solid amp lots of power & headroom. I am really glad to be able to quickly adjust the sound. The direct button is what ya got is what ya got..good & bad ..i am running pc- ttable & yamaha bluray as source.. bp 10 s sounds like some of my old amps before surround sound ..So far so good
Pros: solid build --good clean power--jazz & open music are the best..This amp runs really cool as well..
Cons: volume control --fast -hard to see ---a bit congested with busy music
2 of 4 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Shoreline, WA on 8/10/2019
I cannot render any kind of expert opinion as far as performance parameters go. I will say it works for me. Running through Polk Rti a7s, I find you get a lot of bass at modest volumes.
Pros: Build quality; controls are smooth, generally good feel.
Cons: Remote quit being able to turn amp on and off although the remote volume control (more important) works well.
2 of 2 found this helpful
This could be all the amp you ever need!
Crutchfield customer from North Andover, MA on 8/6/2019
I purchased the A-S801 to replace my Harman/Kardon HK990 integrated amp, which died too soon. I needed power output close to the HK, phono, DAC, sub out and Rec In/Out. I was lucky enough to get a scratch/dent unit from Crutchfield (which in my case, incidentally, was neither scratched nor dented - everything was perfect) and saved about $175.00. But even at full price, this amp is a great performer. Phono section is clean and uncolored, the amp section drives my NHT Classic Three/CS-10 subwoofer with no problem at all, and the sound comes pretty close to the HK (which is something, since the HK has an outstanding power section). Source switching is clean, and the DAC is fantastic - it accepts the digital signal from my Sonos Connect, and the Sonos has never sounded better. Plus, the Rec In/Out terminals still allow me to digitally record my vinyl finds (though a tape monitor feature - while hard to find these days - would be welcome.) Last but not least, the classic Yamaha style looks great in my listening room. At this price, this amp is an absolute steal. Build quality is great, and the switches and dials all have a good, positive feel. It has lots of clean power for your 2.1 system, all the inputs you would likely need, and a great phono section.
Pros: Build quality is great; switches and buttons are robust and have great feel; amp section has plenty of power and a nice, warm sound; awesome DAC!
Cons: No tape monitor; LEDs and volume dial position can be difficult to see in bright ambient light;
2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
David from Olympia, WA on 6/26/2019
I ordered the A-S801 after the failure of a Cambridge Audio CXA-60 integrated amp after eight days of use. Crutchfield was great about the exchange. The CXA-60 was probably faulty, but I did some research and learned that the nominal 4-ohm impedance of my Elac UF5 floor-standing speakers can dip as low as 3.2 ohms, lower than Cambridge recommends with any of their amps. I needed an integrated amp with a good DAC and 60-100 Watts of power that's comfortable with a low-impedance load. USB connectivity is a bonus since I don't currently stream music but it's there for future use. I read the many reviews at Crutchfield and Amazon, and decided to give the Yamaha a shot. I was a bit leery, since my last integrated amp purchase 20 years ago was also a Yamaha and it had an over-bright sound that didn't compare with the lower-powered Onkyo it replaced. I needn't have worried, the A-S801 is mellow and pretty refined. It's possibly not quite as revealing as the CXA-60 but it makes up for this in other arenas. It's got loads of power-I've got it set for 4-ohm speakers yet rarely turn the volume past 9 o'clock. Several reviewers say the 4-ohm setting is a power-robbing feature but I don't want to risk roasting another amp so I'm staying with it. The A-S801 is a good buy at $900. Are there more-refined, smoother-sounding amps out there? Sure, but not at this price with this set of features--you'd have to spend $1500 for something comparable. I'm happy with
Pros: Bullet-proof 27-pound construction, good power, good with difficult loads. Electric volume control--the knob moves when you use the remote. ESS Sabre DAC is good quality. Good sound quality, not overly-bright. Excellent features and sound for this price point.
Cons: Just two digital inputs (I added a $22 Amazon gizmo, the dSynic 3-port Toslink switch, which allows me to run three optical inputs into the single optical port). The Standby switch is funky, only controllable from the remote and it doesn't kick off when a signal is applied. CD Direct feature only works with the analog inputs, meaning you bypass the Yamaha DAC.
7 of 7 found this helpful
Cardes
Crutchfield customer from Butler, PA on 6/10/2019
Great amp for under 1k does all I need with my Polk lsim703. All though at high output it can get warm after extended time. Very good sound characteristics at high and low volume
Pros: Very versatile and powerful. Quality sound
Cons: Tuning and volume knobs hard to see position cause all black
1 of 1 found this helpful
Quality!
Crutchfield customer from Gretna, LA on 6/5/2019
Clear sounding powerful performer packaged in a classically elegant design with simple set-up and operation.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Excellent, but a minor caveat or two
Greg from Richlands, VA on 5/26/2019
I bought this amp for the performance, and I'll have to say it sounds fantastic--clear, clean, and powerful. To be fair, that's why I'm giving it five stars. Likewise, it delivers more than adequate power to my large Polk towers, so unless you're trying to power a stadium show, I doubt power will be an issue. However, after having lived with it for two months, I do wish it had two things--VU meters and more visible indicator lights. The on/off switch and source indicator are lighted, but only faintly. They're difficult to see, and if this is something you care about, it is a consideration. If you're looking for those glowy 70's-era aesthetics, this is not the amp for you. It's basically a black box with some knobs. Nonetheless, to my ears you won't find a better sounding, more powerful integrated 2-channel amp for under $1000. Although I use mine primarily for listening to vinyl and find the phono pre-amp to be more than adequate, I also think the DAC sounds very clean and detailed. You probably won't find the loudness feature particularly useful, but if you're looking at an amp that's this powerful, you probably don't listen at very low volumes anyway. I often listen to records using the "Pure Direct" bypass mode and find that even at low volumes the Yamaha sounds balanced and details without using the loudness knob.
Pros: Monster power, clean sound, very good DAC
Cons: Difficult to see on/off, volume settings
3 of 3 found this helpful
Great piece to build upon
Crutchfield customer from Atlanta, GA on 5/2/2019
I've had this unit for a few weeks now and I am very impressed with it. I'm running it with a pair of Polk Audio Monitor 10's. I intend to upgrade them at some point but I have an emotional attachment to them, plus I love the way they sound. I have a decent CD collection and that's always been the focus of my music listening. Along with CD's, I also have quite a few tracks saved on my PC and in recent times, I've found myself streaming quite a bit. So I wanted something that would maintain the sound of my speakers while also offering me some digital options to play music from different sources. This amp does everything that I want. It has the connections that I need but most importantly, the sound is beautiful. My speakers are full of life, even more so than they were before. What I love is that I don't have to use much gain to get volume. This amp gets very loud, very quick and my old Polks take it in stride. I also like that I don't have to adjust the tone controls much to tweak the sound to my liking. By comparison, I initially bought the Cambridge Audio CX080, a fine piece in it's own right. The sound signature though was a bit too warm for me. If all I listened to was classical or traditional jazz, the CA would have worked but my tastes are wide and varied so I needed something that could deliver a punch while also being clear and accurate at the same time. This amp does it. I believe this amp will serve me well even when i upgrade my speakers.
Pros: Powerful, Clear, Accurate. Offers modern connections.
Cons: No XLR connections.
3 of 3 found this helpful
wonderful sounding amp
Crutchfield customer from Homer, AK on 4/22/2019
Wow. So happy with my new Yamaha. Pure, clean power with deep black silence in between, a pleasure to listen to. Seems to function effortlessly. Any reasonably efficient speakers will pair well, but it can definitely push the electrons. I will never be able to afford any of the big brothers in this line, but this amp provides a great value for your investment. You can easily spend many times the price of the 801, and be hard pressed to discern a equivalent increase in fidelity. If it had big VU meters, it would be close to ideal for me. Above average phono and headphone stages, but the cd direct setting is something very special. The soundstage in this mode is the best I've ever heard in person. Paired with new blue jeans cables and interconnects, 1990's Klipsch RF-3's, oppo 203 it can really sing.
Pros: Power Clarity Build quality Cd direct amp setting Looks fantastic Design appeals to my Luddite heart Outstanding value
Cons: No VU meters
11 of 11 found this helpful
Hang on
Crutchfield customer from Oswego, NY on 4/22/2019
My second one love them I can make things fall off the shelves and walls
Pros: Great CLEAN power
Cons: None
3 of 5 found this helpful
Excellent AMP
Crutchfield customer from Springfield, MA on 4/20/2019
Nice, I have a R-S500 Receiver which is great , but decided to upgrade to a separate amp. I did some research regarding the High - Low Impedance switch setting. I have Martin Logan Motion 16 speakers with a 5 OHM impedance. According to the owners manual the impedance switch should be set to low, without getting technical you don't need to do this with this amp. I hooked everything up and WOW what a difference! Crutchfield delivered promptly but I wish they had not used the original Yamaha packaging since I was interrogated by my wife as to what I bought. All in all a great purchase !!
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Teton Village, WY on 4/18/2019
3 of 3 found this helpful
Big quality intergrated amp.
Charles from Miami, FL on 4/6/2019
Guess I'm old school not wanting a home theater system. This was the Best choice available. I Wanted a power amp with 120 watts x 2 after loosing a channel in one of mine. This was close and priced well. I actually fixed my power amp finding I opened a fuse inside when I lost a speaker. I'm running this amp off a NAD preamp and it's running 4 Martin Logan bookshelf speakers. Since it has a sub out I have it running a JL sub. It would make a wonderful stand alone system just like that. 4 bookshelf speakers and a sub. 100-120 watts per side could run many tower types. I ran a small pair of Polk towers with it for a bit. I hav Ran it all day not even warm. It's a nice simple two channel 4 speaker amp with a sub out. Built in DAC is probably nice but I'm running an external DAC/streamer for that. The Bluesound. Seems most amps with DACS have the same problem being up to date. Modern features like LPF and HPF and a preamp Out would have been nice and only a single phono input. But the pure direct modes makes it work like a pure power amp like I wanted but it would make a system by itself. My photos shows it with the ML speakers it's driving. The Bluesound DAC. Turntable. 240 watt power amp and older Klipsch. Would recommend to a friend.
Pros: Good power more is always better. Nice audiophile specs reputation and features. Good inputs outputs.
Cons: none noteworthy
2 of 2 found this helpful
Amp of a lifetime
Axel from Laurel, MD on 3/13/2019
This thing puts out more power than I know what to do with, I wanted an amp that I can grow with, right now I have some Klipsch RP-600M bookshelf speakers but in the future I may want to upgrade to floor standing models. I do not think I will ever outgrow this amp. It has every type of connector I could want.
Pros: Power, clean sound, connection types
Cons: Bluetooth should be built in like on the receiver. VU meters would be nice. the Volume knob needs some sort of light so you can see that you are turning it up when you use the remote.
0 of 1 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Donna from Rosemount, MN on 3/9/2019
I bought this product primarily for listening to CDs and vinyl. I have been using it for less than a week and could not be more pleased with the performance. Warm, rich, full bodied sound. And plenty of power. I am using the built in DAC to decode the CDs and turntable is connected to the built in phonoamp. Both are high quality and as I said previously the sound is great. I would recommend leaving the ohm selector switch on the back panel set on high regardless of the nominal impedance rating of the speakers you are using. This amp has plenty of power and you would be hard pressed to find a stereo speaker it couldn't drive. I am using Polk Audio Lsi9's rated at 4 ohms and the amp drives them without breaking a sweat. I highly recommend this product.
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Lake, WV on 12/10/2018
Pairing the 801 with my Yamaha R S700, I was able to configure playback of all of my devices through my Bose 901 active equalizer instead of just one device. Working with Deane and Casey in tech support was a great experience in resolving the configuration issues. So far, the 801 surpasses my sound quality goals. I would recommend this unit to anyone interested in upgrading.
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4 of 4 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Lori from Billings, MT on 12/4/2018
Just want I wanted, paired with Buchardt S300 MKII SE White speakers. I wanted hi end audio at a good price and this Yamaha delivered. I am still breaking in both the amp and speakers. Everyday the sound gets better and better. I recommend this amp if you are on a budget but want a that audiophile quality sound.
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4 of 4 found this helpful
Superior product regardless of price
John from Spring, TX on 10/10/2018
Best amp I have owned in 30 years! Superior connections, inputs/outputs. Made my speakers come alive. I am enjoying music like never before.
Pros: Plenty of power, excellent controls allow tuning to individual taste. Got rid of my graphic eq. Silver finish makes it easy to operate in dim lighting.
Cons: None
5 of 5 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Charleston, SC on 9/3/2018
So far so good Replaced a late 70s Denon And pleased with power and balance Will review later after break in One reason for not rating 5 is the loudness feature They are never good for fidelity but this one is really inadequate Best to use the tone controls and adjust as you see fit Despite the 100watts struggles a bit with low volume reproduction with my Polk 10 Overall for the money believe value is good
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7 of 10 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Haiku, HI on 8/28/2018
Great amp, clean and powerful. Drives my ADS 810 like my old Phase Linear 700.
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8 of 8 found this helpful
Strong Integrated Amp
Mark from Houston, TX on 7/22/2018
I listen to hard rock. This is a fantastic integrated amplifier for that type of music. It delivers sound that is very crisp and clear and very loud without distortion. A lot of power for a very reasonable price. I am extremel with the A-S801.
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15 of 16 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Shreveport, LA on 7/9/2018
I have a top notch pair of Klipsch Heresy 2s, but before I bought this amp, I was playing my turntable through another retailer's stereo I probably payed $100 or less for. Even with a Shure cartridge on my turntable and a Cambridge phono preamp, my setup still sounded like crap. It was very disappointing. Getting rid of the Storebrand stereo and upgrading to this Yamaha was the best thing I could have possibly done. My speakers sound like they should and my records sound amazing. Very clear defined tone. This integrated amp has very few bells and whistles, but the sound quality is fantastic! Definitely top notch. I highly recommend this Amp.
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4 of 5 found this helpful
Yamaha the best
Carlos from San Juan, PR on 6/30/2018
Wow what can I said about this bad boy.After many search and many test i finally found one of the best if not the best integrated amp to run my Klipsch forte iii. With this Yamaha integrated amp my speakers sound clear with power. By far this is the best integrated amp i ever had, no doubt about it. It runs cool, i play for around 2 hours 4 times a week and it doesnt get that warm like others i had before. Thks Crutchfield for the excellent advise
Pros: Plenty of power clear sound. It sounds like it has 200 watts x 2 channels and 100 excellent. If i have to make up my mind again i will go with out any doubt with this integrated amp
Cons: None
6 of 7 found this helpful
Lots of power and good sound
Jeff from Michigan on 5/30/2018
Main thing -- I'm enjoying the sound of this a great deal. Simple. Powerful. Solid.
Pros: Plenty of power ... a big step up from my previous sony receiver. Very pleasing to my ear. Simple -- doesn't have a ton of things on it that I never use Nice A or B or A+B speaker selection Like the simple bass and treble and loudness controls Sub-out works great for my polk subwoofer -- like it much better than my previous setup with sub inline with speaker wires. Looks solid and well built Most importantly, makes my speakers sound much better than my previous receiver.
Cons: Windows 10 automatically installs driver for the usb connection to the yamaha DAC but then volume control in windows doesn't work (it's either mute or 100% and nothing between with this driver.) Yamaha driver on website is over a year older... would like additional documentation there. Would like led light on the volume knob so you know where it's set ... can only see the marking if I'm right in front of it. Would love remote to control other dial functions too such as bass/treble/loudness
7 of 9 found this helpful
Real Nice
David Booker from Blacklick, OH on 4/25/2018
Nice inter grated amp with a good phono connection. Very good at this price point!!!
Pros: Great intergrated amp!
Cons: None.
3 of 11 found this helpful
Puts a smile on your face
Paul from Rochester, MN on 4/14/2018
Awesome, big sound, amazing clarity, running this 2 channel amp fills the room with more sound and presence than my avr hooked up as 5.2. I can push my speakers so much harder with zero distortion. This is a true 100 wpc amp, no BS like many models advertise. I love my music loud and and i don't need more than 50% volume with this. This is an accurately rated amp with awesome quality. Go to audioholics.com to see a review of it with true output numbers from a bench test.
Pros: Sound quality, feel, huge power, looks awesome
Cons: If it had vu meters it would be perfect.
5 of 5 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Spokane, WA on 4/2/2018
works well for me.. mix of digital sources from SONOS - coaxial and Compute - USB and for my TT for playing vinyl.. still awaiting Klipsch Forte III's to pair with the amp.... interim use with NHT SB2s will do until then... Nice piece -- takes me back to my first receiver in late 70's early 80's which was a nice silver fronted Yamaha
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2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Lake Worth, FL on 3/21/2018
Reciever is amazing, didn't realize how much of my favorite music I've been missing, highly recommended, and crutchfield is awesome, very helpful and knowledgeable
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2 of 3 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Valencia, CA on 3/5/2018
I'm more than impressed with the sound of this amp. The built in DAC makes my CD's (connected via toslink) and Hi Res audio files (connected via USB) sound incredible. I also play a lot of vinyl and have my Rega P3 connected to the phono input instead of using an external pre-amp, and I'm more than satisfied with the result. My one complaint about this amp is the lack of an amber light on the volume knob. It's impossible to see the indented notched in the volume knob from across the room, and amber light (which most amps have) would make it easier to see what your volume level is. All around a great unit.
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7 of 8 found this helpful
Great sound
Frank from Mendota Heights, MN on 2/7/2018
This amplifier is a really good sounding equipment for the price. It is clear, no back ground noise. Has good dynamics and stereo separation. The phono stage is also good. The DAC from ESS Tech is another addition that puts this amplifier above the price point from competition. With hi-res audio it sounds wonderfull. Power is good to drive my Infinity RS 6 Kappa with the selector set LOW. I know this lowers watage, current or voltage in rail, but I don´t want to fry output transistors in medium to long time, and still have good dynamics to enjoy music from low to decent loud volume. Reviews alone dont tell everything or anything at all. Given that it is possible to buy with possibility to return, I will suggest to give it a try. Take time to place speakers right, and do some hearing with quiet ambient, great chances you keep it. There are a lot of options out there which sure will be also very good, I have hear this Yamaha A-S801 and liked a lot.
Pros: Great sound, good price.
Cons: I have to say non to mention...
7 of 8 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Port Neches, TX on 1/7/2018
everything I was looking for in an amp to drive my new bookshelf speakers.
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3 of 4 found this helpful
A wonderful buy
Rick from Chandler, AZ on 1/3/2018
I purchased the A-S801 to replace my A-S500 which is going to be used elsewhere in the house. I did not expect a big bump up in performance but I was wrong. My Paradigm Titan Monitors are loving the added power. On this system, I listen exclusively to 2-channel music and could not be happier with the upgrade. You can never go wrong with Yamaha!
Pros: Clean, clean power and well, it's a Yamaha!
Cons: No visual volume levels on the unit itself or the volume control and of course the remote is useless in a darkened room, but being a longtime Yamaha fan, I knew that.
8 of 8 found this helpful
Great Sound at Great Price Range!
Darryl from Cedar City, UT on 1/2/2018
Perfect amp with many features to bring me back into time. My old Yamaha CA-1000 needed repairs and could not do without sounds. I wanted to upgrade to a higher quality amp but was out of stock and a little more than budget aloud. I purchased with Pay Pal that gave me credit line for enough to buy upgraded amp, so can I trade in for higher unit. All and all you cant get a better value for price and better have good speakers that this baby can drive. My 40 years old Ess amt1b sound so good and i couldn't be happier.
Pros: Great value
Cons: Remote does not turn off Yamaha T-S500 tuner off. Only controls stations
2 of 16 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Terry from Nashville, AR on 12/13/2017
Hard to know where to begin this review, but first Crutchfield. Great company, great advisors and great advice, fast delivery. Quality of this integrated amp: Replaced an old Dynaco preamp, power amp package that I love and still do love: however, the Yamaha does outperform the Dynaco. Undistorted highs and midrange sound, and, okay, I will go ahead and say it, lows that I have never before experienced. With its fancy integrated DAC it makes using a computer, although it is not necessarily built for using a computer as a music server, but it definitely has all the features needed for that. Totally unnecessary to have a stand alone DAC. Also it's wonderful to have a remote to handle the varying volume of ripped music files. Could say more, but that would be redundant. Folks, you can't go wrong buying this.
Pros: Absolutely does what it is supposed to do.
Cons: None
2 of 2 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Joe from Kansas City, KS on 12/4/2017
Excellent amp. Vintage Yamaha looks and warm sound. My only gripe is the volume knob.. it needs an amber or red led so you can see where the volumes at from across the room.
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11 of 11 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Alhambra, CA on 11/28/2017
The best of everything. Clean power audio with a built in DAC that can play PCM and DSD. It has a retro look with and aluminum face. This thing is just great.
Pros: The audio is clean clear and powerful. Pure analog with a built in DAC. Lovr the silver look.
Cons: The silver CD player is not available in the USA. Would be nice to match my amp. No other cons with this amp.
0 of 1 found this helpful
The best I've ever had
Paul from Midlothian, VA on 11/25/2017
I am so glad I bought this amp instead of a cheaper model. This amp sounds fantastic. I am using the digital inputs since its DAC is better than anything else I have. I am also using the pure direct mode. It's the best piece of audio equipment I've ever owned. I can finally really enjoy music again. I did run a turntable in and it sounds ok but I love the digital inputs. The usb input is nice with hi res audio from a pc but I am happy with the 44/16 and 96/24 flacs run in through the digital inputs from my blu ray player. For my ears they are perfect. I love this amp.
Pros: Good DAC, pure direct mode for the best possible sound, plenty of power.
Cons: I wish they had an extra set of optical and coaxial digital inputs instead of so many analog but I don't need them right now anyway.
4 of 6 found this helpful
Stereo Bliss!
Crutchfield customer from Paso Robles, CA on 10/30/2017
This thing is Amazing!!! super clean and powerful have it connected to a set Klipsch RF 28 II and a Denon music server, nothing but sonic purity. Thank You Yamaha!
Pros: Powerful, Clean and Beautiful
Cons: None
3 of 4 found this helpful
Yamaha Rocks
Carl from Gulf Breeze, FL on 10/29/2017
Crisp, clean sound at an affordable price!
Pros: Excellent sound reproduction, especially at lower power levels.
Cons: None noted.
1 of 3 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Douglas from Townsend, DE on 9/9/2017
Great amp Yamaha never disappoints bought to replace my 30 year old Yamaha A1020 integrated amp Recommended to anyone who wants a great sounding system...
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5 of 6 found this helpful
Great amp
Alex from Alexandria, VA on 7/8/2017
I have this hooked up to some older, re-foamed Cerwin-Vega VS-120's. Good Lord this amp can crank these big old speakers! I haven't used all the digital inputs yet, but an old Sony CD player hooked up via RCA sounds really good so far. There are only a few things I don't like, and they're minor; the knobs are plastic and feel cheap (come on Yamaha, give us metal at this price,) and the volume knob doesn't have a way for you to visually see where the volume is. And I would have loved some VU meters on the front. Anyway, it's a very good sounding amp with a lot of analog and digital inputs. It sounds better the more it breaks in.
Pros: Sounds fantastic Lots of inputs; digital and analog Looks great Can drive some big speakers to loud levels
Cons: Knobs are plastic No visual on the volume setting Would love some VU meters
7 of 7 found this helpful
High Definition Sound and Power
Brian from Okemos, MI on 6/5/2017
After twenty some years of home theater listening experience I wanted to recreate the great stereo system that I had in the 80's. The heart of that system had been a Yamaha A960 II integrated amplifier. I found this Yamaha A-S801 integrated amplifier to be comparable in watts of continuous power, power bandwidth and total harmonic distortion plus it had the new digital processing capabilities. I pulled out my home theater receiver and once the A-S801 was hooked up the very noticeable improvement in clarity and detail of sound confirmed I had made the right choice. Remote is great. Crutchfield service was super. Next - new speakers!
Pros: Great clarity, detail and plenty of power. Yamaha tradition of making great components is evident in this amplifier.
Cons: NONE
6 of 6 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Crutchfield customer from Osceola, WI on 5/15/2017
7 of 11 found this helpful
Yamaha A/S-801
Crutchfield customer from Des Moines, IA on 4/30/2017
Ordered to replace an old 1993 vintage Yamaha RX-V1070. Hooked up to a set of vintage Klipsch Belle speakers. The sound quality is very good, it is a good step up from the 1070, which was a top end receiver costing 1350 in it's day. My only complaint is that when pushed to higher volume level (approx. 1/2 way), it is definitely at it's limit and the sound quality does suffer. Maximum volume level is about 11:00, and as others have noted it's very hard to see from any distance, but you can hear it. For most people, this would be a great amp. I just like some music very loud. The amp is dead quiet also, the DAC seems pretty good, I tried a PS audio DAC iii and I couldn't hear a difference and the DAC iii is about 1k in price. Overall this is a very good amp for the money, It also had pretty good bass, if I hadn't already heard a Parasound Halo Integrated I would probably love it, but that's not a fair comparison at all considering the Halo is 2500 bucks. If you are looking for a good amp on a budget and don't need concert level sound, this is a very good amp.
Pros: Good price. Good DAC. Good sound quality. Good dynamic punch.
Cons: Visibility of volume level. Needs more power.
6 of 7 found this helpful
Step into the freezer
Joe from Evanston, IL on 3/30/2017
Shameful, really. I've called myself a music fan for years, and yet it took me 42 years to get a proper integrated amp. So glad I did. My A-S801 is connected to an Apple Airport Express through the optical connection to wirelessly stream ALAC files and Spotify. It is powering two B&W 683 S2 floor speakers. Simple setup, no more tinkering required. It has more than enough power to shake my living room windows with a raging Tweezer Reprise. I mainly use it for listening to rock, jazz, and funk, and would describe the sound as accurate, clean, and confident. It really shines with quieter acoustic recordings.
Pros: Great design, solid build quality, simple setup, powerful, versatile, clean sound
Cons: Big, heavy, and deep. Check dimensions first to make sure it fits in your space.
15 of 15 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
George from Wichita Falls, TX on 3/9/2017
Worked for two days and stopped. My Yamaha electronics of thirty years ago seem more quality made. However, this product gets great reviews, and this could be an exception to the normal success of this item.
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11 of 31 found this helpful
Great Amp !!!
Jim from Fresno, CA on 2/16/2017
Great amp !!! You will not go wrong with this item. It is very versatile. You can connect your phone or ipad via bluetooth. You can connect directly to your laptop via USB cable. I have PSB tower speakers and they sound great with this amp.. I would buy this item again.
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14 of 15 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
Susan from Davis, CA on 12/17/2016
Nice amp with array of inputs including phonograph. I needed 100 watts per channel to run 8 Ohm speakers, but not an amp designed for a gazillion home theater audio/video components. This model is powerful yet streamlined, in a decent price range. Love the remote, which actually physically rotates the volume dial, so I put a slice of white plastic tape on the (black) dial so I can see the volume level from across the room before I switch inputs. The Bluetooth accessory works great to run audio from devices.
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18 of 19 found this helpful
Worth every penny
jay from Madison Heights, VA on 11/16/2016
Bought some new polk tsx550t's recently and i just wasnt that impressed with the sound through my old yamaha rxv 1500.Let me tell you this amp brought these to life.Clean sound throughout the range.This amp is well built and should last for years. Worth every penny and then some!
Pros: simple design,lots of power& great sound
Cons: optional bluetooth adapters sound not that great but as expected
4 of 4 found this helpful
Sounds great
Bruce from Houma, LA on 9/2/2016
Purchased this product as an open box scratch & dent. Arrived in excellent condition. Connected all my old school Tuner, CD player, phono and speaker components and flipped the switch - Fantastic! Sounds awesome, extremely pleased.
Pros: Excellent sound, plenty of power, can select between my indoor or outdoor speakers.
Cons: No outlets to plug other components into for switched/unswitched power. Have to turn on/off each individual component.
13 of 14 found this helpful
I spent too much for what I wanted.
For what I wanted and saved for this device is over priced. It's a good unit.
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6 of 63 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
454v8 from Victor, NY on 7/26/2016
I was looking for a replacement for my Pioneer SX850 that I had enjoyed for 42 years !! I always loved the quality sound provided by the Pioneer. This Yamaha was a super choice as it is a high quality sounding amplifier. I don't miss the tuner since everything today is digital.
Pros: Superb sound through my Yamaha speakers and the Bluetooth adapter is excellent !! Stream from the iPhone, PC, ipad, ipod etc.
Cons: None
12 of 12 found this helpful
Best $ I've ever spent on audio gear
Jerry from Hillsborough, NJ on 4/10/2016
I sold my antique McIntosh amp and preamp (C33, MC225) which I have owned since new in an effort modernize. I bought the 801 as part of my effort to go media-less. What I was unprepared for was the improvement in sonic quality. I'm hearing things playing my familiar reference material that I have never heard before.
Pros: Yamaha does a great job on the bang for buck with this piece
Cons: I would love them to combine the network connectivity functions of modern AV receivers with the no compromise sound of this two channel amp which sounds amazing.
12 of 12 found this helpful
retro look in a 21st century audio hub
Paul from Doylestown, PA on 2/7/2016
You're always taking a risk when trying to match up an amp with speakers, but I lucked out buying the Yamaha to drive my B&W 684s2 and B&W 608 sub. My last amp wasn't a great match, leaving much to be desired - especially in the midrange where reproduction of the human singing voice(s) is paramount. The Yamaha is a delight, bringing my speakers to life in my difficult 12'x16' listening room with a hip roof that's 14' high at the peak. At the same time, I replaced my aging CD player (with a decent Burr-Brown DAC) with the Cambridge CXC transport (from Crutchfield, of course). My reasoning was that I didn't need the DAC, since the DAC in the Yamaha is state of the art. I was right. It's been amazing listening to my CD library...it's like listening to them for the first time, always new wrinkles in the music. I should be quite happy with this setup for years to come, and I can't wait to try the high-res options that the USB DAC offers.
Pros: Great sounding and looking amp, lots of digital options for the future.
Cons: One VERY minor annoyance, my xfinity box will not control the Yamaha power on/off , but it does control volume up/down, which is more important to me. OK, so I do have to push the power on and off manually, but it's nowhere near a deal breaker.
8 of 8 found this helpful
Re-evaluate your gear in the new year.
RockSteady from detroit, MI on 1/27/2016
Tech can produce anything the imagination can create. Time to conserve. Two channel stereo with A-S 801 and two Bowers&Wilkins speakers. Less is more.
Pros: Less wires, more power.
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16 of 19 found this helpful
yamaha a-s801
spoofer from marietta,ny on 1/25/2016
Great sound and build quality. Needs a light on the volume knob,(like others have stated).
Pros: Great sound
Cons: needs a lit volume knob
13 of 14 found this helpful
Excellent Amp with a very nice Built in DAC.
Malibumike from Buffalo, NY on 1/24/2016
This Yamaha amp is a really nice piece of audio equipment. I really love the "old school" look the A-Sxxx Series has. It's built very well, and is nearly 30 lbs which is telling of a quality amplifier. My main use for this amp is 2.0 channel, connected to a HTPC. The main reason I purchased this amp was for it's USB DAC capabilities. The ESS Sabre DAC sounds excellent, and it has more than enough power to drive my relatively efficient pair of Klipsch RP-280F's. Tone controls really allow for a custom sound. I'm certain no matter what speakers you connect to this unit, they will sound great and be able to be tuned exactly to your liking. In the future, I'd like to add the T-S500 Tuner, along with possibly the CD-S1000. It has all of the inputs needed for expansion in the future, which was important to me, they would also look very nice together which is a bonus. The one thing I'm not a huge fan of is the plastic dials. For 900, They should be metal in my opinion. However, they do appear to be well built with a nice feel.
Pros: - Plenty of power to drive most speakers easily - Well thought out AMP internals, with dual heat sinks (Does not get very warm either) - USB DAC Capable - Bi-Wire Capable - Infinite adjustments with Tone and Loudness controls - Very nice looking
Cons: - Plastic Knobs
19 of 21 found this helpful
No frills 2 channel amp
Davey from Dayton, OH on 12/27/2015
Nice little amp, powers my older than dirt Def Tech BP-10's pretty well. Really opened up these speakers. Amp does seem to run quiet and you really get a very clean signal to the speakers. If you prefer you can run in "pure direct" mode . I also enjoy hooking up my sub to this little guy and another reason I purchased it was the option to run a sub woofer for low end. I really got no complaints but will say I would like to see a small led on the volume knob just so I could see where it is at from across the room.
Pros: Runs quiet Pure Direct mode Good quality 2 channel sound
Cons: Not much really
14 of 15 found this helpful
Outstanding Features
abphd from California on 12/6/2015
Great features on this amp. Keep up the good work Yamaha.
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10 of 15 found this helpful
Excellent Amp
Jazzman from Benicia California on 8/10/2015
The Yamaha is a nice addition. I recently acquired some Magnapan 1.6 planar speakers and I needed a high end amp. I was torn between tube (Peachtree) and solid state but opted for SS in the form of the Yamaha mainly due to the flexibility of different media that you can hook up. I like the fact that it has a built in DAC and a phono preAmp (for my 500 or so LPs). The sound is great! I use the Puresound button for most music as the Maggie's have a beautiful natural sound. Acoustic instruments and voice sound like the performer is in the room with you. Power to drive the planar speakers is more than enough. I don't take it above 50% 12 o'clock position except in the case of a few LPs. Never past 1 o'clock position. For rock, I do turn the Puresound off and turn the bass control up just a bit as the Maggies' bass is not thundering deep. I bought the recommended Yamaha Bluetooth adapter for the unit and it works fine once I figured out that I needed to set the source to the coaxial input BEFORE I synch the Bluetooth. If you try to do so with source on say, phono, it won't read. The remote works ok and will control a CD player. But it is not a universal remote and so I have to believe it only controls Yamaha CD players which mine is not.
Pros: Flexibility of input media. Built in DAC and phono PreAmp. Power
Cons: No real issues
11 of 12 found this helpful
Excellent Amplifier
HB861 from South New Jersey on 7/6/2015
I have a small room that i converted to a "library" (or man cave as wife would call it) and needed an amplifier with DAC to attach my PC (only music on it) and stream pandora to it. I also purchased the Martin Logan LX16 from Crutchfield and the 2 make a wonderful combination. Thus far i have not used the DAC as I was busy listenting to pandora and other internet radio stations. I did purchase the Bluetooth accessory from yamaha as the amp has no wifi or bluetooth. The sound is crisp and (I am no audio expert and have hearing problems) makes my music come alive. It's been a long time since I enjoyed listening to music again! I did also purchase mediabridge speaker wire with banana plugs and inserting them is easy. In the next few weeks I will add my desktop (alienware alpha upgraded with SSD and only used for music file storage) and try the DAC. Looking forward to it!
Pros: easy setup and great sound
Cons: no built in Bluetooth (but i knew that)
18 of 20 found this helpful
Great amp for the price!!
Jerry from Massachusetts on 3/24/2015
I had a $1000 budget for an amp. I needed connectivity to my iTunes home share and wanted to do it via Ethernet. I have a pair of 4 ohm Thiel CS1.2 speakers which are power hungry and wasn't having any luck finding an amp that had both the power I wanted and an Ethernet connection in my price range. Phil from Crutchfield recommended instead of a networkable amp to connect optically this amp with an AppleTV (on sale for $69). This allows me to Airplay back to my iTunes database sitting on a AirPort Time Capsule. I couldn't be happier with the results. The sound is super clean at all volumes and power to spare!! I imported all my music from CD using ALAC and the Yamaha's DAC seems to handle that perfectly.
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21 of 22 found this helpful
Great integrated amp!
MartinK from Virginia on 2/4/2015
Really wonderful integrated amplifier, particularly as all my music is digital. The built-in DAC is very good and allows for playback of high quality downloads. Just listened to The Kinks Muswell Hillbillies in 24 bit/96khz. Super! The Yamaha feeds Polk RTI7s, and the combo sounds really amazing.
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13 of 16 found this helpful
Yamaha A-S801
John from Maryland on 1/22/2015
Just what I was looking for. Very pleased with this amp. Purchased it to go with my ESS-AMT 1 towers. Getting a very clear, full sound out of the system. It has all the power I wanted and keeps a great sound at high and low volumes. I'm not very impressed with the 'cd-direct' option. I find a fuller sound when it's not in direct mode, and with my particular set-up I find the best sound is with just a little extra bass out of the amp (which is bypassed in direct mode). I should also note that I'm not using a subwoofer. Great amp and highly recommend it for anyone looking for these specs.
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14 of 14 found this helpful
