The Yamaha AS 500 (2x85 real and clean watts) was tested very well: https://www.avhub.com.au/product-reviews/hi-fi/yamaha-a-s500-amplifier-review-test-395710 Distortion and noise levels were vanishingly low, and frequency response under real loads was as flat as could be, and far better than many high end amplifiers. Its near identical successor, the AS 501, has additional digital inputs as well, and sells for 350 euro in Europe. Spending more for use in a small or medium sized room seems a waste of money, even if using expensive speakers. Alan Shaw (Harbeth) used the slightly more powerful AS 701 to demo his Harbeth speakers at a show, just to demonstrate that amplifiers do not need to cost an arm and a leg. In this day and age I cannot imagine ever buying an integrated amplifier without such digital inputs.
If it has to be really cheap and only for analogue sources, the Onkyo A 9010 is the cheapest reputable Japanese amplifier that I could find: only 189 euro.
If it has to be really cheap and only for analogue sources, the Onkyo A 9010 is the cheapest reputable Japanese amplifier that I could find: only 189 euro.
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