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So I was reading the most recent TAS and once I got past the hyperbole of MQA got to the review of the Yamaha A-S801. For a low priced integrated it performed quite well (according to the review) but that isn't what caught my eye.
It came equipped with tone, balance and loudness controls, which are defeated in two modes. I am not a fan of hair shirt minimalist systems with only a volume control and maybe at best a balance control. The reason is simple, much of the music I like was never recorded and mastered that well and needs a little help, and at low listening levels I don't like the bass to disappear.
Many years back ('76) I had a small Technics integrated amplifier with similar features, but only 45 wpc. When not asked to operate outside it's design parameters (8 ohm speakers of reasonable efficiency) it sounded pretty good. Let's not forget that the original solid state "super" amplifiers were originally developed to drive ridiculous loads like the Apogees and many of todays statement level speakers are not much more forgiving of amplification.
Oh, did I mention it does PCM and DSD? Well, DACS are getting close to a single chip solution now days so.
$899. Yeah, made overseas. But this is exactly the sort of product that has been absent for too many years, a missing rung in the audio ladder.
It came equipped with tone, balance and loudness controls, which are defeated in two modes. I am not a fan of hair shirt minimalist systems with only a volume control and maybe at best a balance control. The reason is simple, much of the music I like was never recorded and mastered that well and needs a little help, and at low listening levels I don't like the bass to disappear.
Many years back ('76) I had a small Technics integrated amplifier with similar features, but only 45 wpc. When not asked to operate outside it's design parameters (8 ohm speakers of reasonable efficiency) it sounded pretty good. Let's not forget that the original solid state "super" amplifiers were originally developed to drive ridiculous loads like the Apogees and many of todays statement level speakers are not much more forgiving of amplification.
Oh, did I mention it does PCM and DSD? Well, DACS are getting close to a single chip solution now days so.
$899. Yeah, made overseas. But this is exactly the sort of product that has been absent for too many years, a missing rung in the audio ladder.
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