YAMAHA A-S801BL Review
A stereo amplifier should be the center of your tech world because your entertainment depends on it. The stereo amplifiers these days are not as simple as they used to be in earlier days- they are now equipped with high-end features like built-in DACs (digital to analog converters), Bluetooth streaming, and USB connections. Today we are going to review the YAMAHA A-S801BL natural sound integrated stereo amplifier.
YAMAHA A-S801BL
The Yamaha A-S801BL is an affordable yet feature-packed stereo amplifier. The amplifier features superb fidelity in ALL modes of operation and features USB DAC function too. The Yamaha amplifier has a decent design with front panel made up of aluminum. The speaker and RCA terminals are gold plated which make sure that there is no signal loss and the connection is excellent. It has a sturdy build featuring anti-resonance double body chassis design.
Installing the Yamaha stereo amplifier is a breeze- you have to connect the speakers and the sub and then make USB connection between the amplifier and your desktop PC. Then install the Yamaha Steinberg USB driver to play the audio files. The device has two-prong power cord which serves in handy for installation.
The Yamaha S801BL can more easily drive a 4 ohm load as compared to the multi-channel AV receivers. This because there are dual heatsinks provided for each channel, a huge e-core transformer for power delivery, 4 output devices per source to provide more current, and two 12,000 uF capacitor banks. There is a terminal provided for connecting the subwoofer so that you can improve the overall quality of the sound.
One important feature of this stereo amplifier is that you can use two different speakers at different places using the same connection because there are four terminals. You just have to use the selector dial to switch between the speakers and play a particular audio.
Notable features of YAMAHA A-S801BL:
- The USB DAC function is compatible with native DSD (2.8 MHz and 5.6 MHz) and PCM (384 kHz/32-bit) resolutions via USB-B.
- It features advanced 32-2-channel SABRE Premier Auto D/A converter from ESS Technology.
- It is equipped with digital audio input for Blu-ray Disc player and TV.
- The Pure Direct Mode is helpful for improving the sound quality and there is CD Direct Amplification that enhances the CD sources signal-to-noise ratio.
- There are two pairs of RCA recording outputs.
- A remote control and a detachable power cord is included.
- There is a sampling rate indicator on the front panel.
- There are optical and coaxial digital audio inputs.
Recommendation
The YAMAHA A-S801BL is capable of providing great sound from any source. Thanks to its high quality components, anti-resonance build, and A-symmetrical circuit layout, the distortion levels are minimized to a great extent. The device is packed with multiple digital connectivity options- the digital hub is well equipped and the internal DAC performs very well. The only thing that needs consideration is that there are no preamp outputs and no non-defeat able LPF on the sub out.