biggest disadvantage of cheap class d amps is frequency load dependency in treble. i want linear response
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Yamaha R-S202 Receiver Review
- Thread starter amirm
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Exactly. I can't sleep at night unless I know my amp isn't doing any load dependency stuff. I have an MX3s in the system right now. I can't confirm whether it's load dependent or not, but seeing as how the PA3s from Topping isn't and it uses the same chip, I bet the MX3s is fine.
I think the low-end Yamaha is fine for power and features, but as for me, I like the little "just an amp" units from Fosi and Aiyima and I sure can not hear the modest amount of rise in treble with my speakers, especially since I only hear up to about 11.5khz now.
This Yamaha or other low-cost integrated amps nicely solve the problem for those of us needing multiple inputs/full preamp functions, for which, thus far, the Chinese makers have not delivered a product.
This Yamaha or other low-cost integrated amps nicely solve the problem for those of us needing multiple inputs/full preamp functions, for which, thus far, the Chinese makers have not delivered a product.
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I really don't see much advantage to these low cost class D amps over what's in this Yamaha. I'd pretty much guarantee the benefits of the class D are inaudible in MOST cases. I do see the potential drawbacks though and those should be far more audible in most cases. Orders of magnitude in fact. Now the small changes in FR may be a positive or a negative and possibly even null or equivalent preference-wise. Taken one variable out of the equation can simplify things, but if you are going to EQ the response anyway, what's the difference? Advantage cheap Class D. If you want a radio tuner: aventage 
Yamaha.
Yamaha.It depends on which "cheap" class D amps you are talking about really. Is it load dependent? I'm out if it is. Does it have an analog volume pot? I'm also out. I crave perfect channel balance these days (I don't like to turn my amps up too high so when I'm down low in volume I like knowing that everything is balanced). The Topping MX3s is pretty competitive with this Yamaha. The Topping has a remote, built in DAC, great headphone amp, updated bluetooth, sub-out, and a very nice display. This thing goes very loud and stays clean with my speakers. According to the Topping graphs the MX3s is clean @ ~ 40w 4 ohm and 25w 8 ohm. The Yamaha has about 4x the power though, whether you need that or not is up to you, I don't seem to. The one thing that I don't care for with this Yamaha would be the spring-clip terminals. Also it uses about 30w just sitting there, while the MX3s just uses 3w, so if you care about efficiency there's that.I really don't see much advantage to these low cost class D amps over what's in this Yamaha. I'd pretty much guarantee the benefits of the class D are inaudible in MOST cases. I do see the potential drawbacks though and those should be far more audible in most cases. Orders of magnitude in fact. Now the small changes in FR may be a positive or a negative and possibly even null or equivalent preference-wise. Taken one variable out of the equation can simplify things, but if you are going to EQ the response anyway, what's the difference? Advantage cheap Class D. If you want a radio tuner: aventage
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Size and power efficiency are to me, compelling factors. And simplicity of operation.
Tone controls are still a good thing. Many of us use them rarely, but they still have a place, or a loudness contour for low level listening. If one is going to get a higher level integrated amp, nice to get one where the center position effectively takes them out of the circuit ("tone defeat"). Of course, some of the Fosi/Aiyima/SMSL offerings have either physical or digital tone control.
A simple receiver or integrated can give a cleaner "all in one" appearance if one is using multiple sources and inputs. The power bricks with these smaller amps is not my favorite thing, for sure.
This 202 receiver does not have a phono circuit, which for me would be a stopper, I would still advise newbies to jump up to a 301 or 501 Yamaha if starting out...unless you really, really want an FM tuner (?!?!)...
Tone controls are still a good thing. Many of us use them rarely, but they still have a place, or a loudness contour for low level listening. If one is going to get a higher level integrated amp, nice to get one where the center position effectively takes them out of the circuit ("tone defeat"). Of course, some of the Fosi/Aiyima/SMSL offerings have either physical or digital tone control.
A simple receiver or integrated can give a cleaner "all in one" appearance if one is using multiple sources and inputs. The power bricks with these smaller amps is not my favorite thing, for sure.
This 202 receiver does not have a phono circuit, which for me would be a stopper, I would still advise newbies to jump up to a 301 or 501 Yamaha if starting out...unless you really, really want an FM tuner (?!?!)...
You don't get the features with a Class D amp in that price region and that is why you buy an amp like this one, not because it's AB or D.
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