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help this noob please. looking for 2.1 speaker amps

delta76

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An alternative is to look for used pro amp. Yamaha P2500s for example. lots of power, build like a tank, easy to service, and can last a long time. Check your local second hand market. If you get a good deal, can't see why not. If you don't like it, reselling is quite easy
 

ThatM1key

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I have a Yamaha rx v471 in my living room 5.1 setup. I had it since it came out. This new amp (now choosing between the denon, fosi and this as301), will be for my own space, mostly for listening music.
I know that Yamaha A-S501 is a literal higher watt version of the A-S301, the A-S701 is different. Anything above A-S701 is generally a waste of money because of the performance/cost ratio. Please do not the R-NXX/R-SXX models, they are garbage if you care about audio quality. Those R-NXX/R-SXX amps were made for convenience (Bluetooth, chromecast, etc).

Inside of the Yamaha R-N303
r-n303__photo_circuit_28889fdd707bf463e75f367853d28cb0.jpg


Inside of the Yamaha A-S301
WS000810.JPG

Photo by @ dualazmak on ASR.

Both Yamaha's are usually priced the same.
 

Willem

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And I bought a new 2x85 watt Yamaha AS501 integrated for my daughter, for only 360 euros. The quality leaves nothing to be desired. The AS301, 501 and 701 are essentially the same amplifiers, with different power output. At the time the AS 501 was hardly more expensive than the rather less powerful AS301, and a lot cheaper than the hardly more powerful AS701. They are tried and tested designs, but now with optical and coaxial digital inputs as well.
 

delta76

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Anyone knows the difference between S501 and S501 MkII? Wonder if it is worth the price difference
 

Willem

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You mean Yamaha AS501? I do not see any references to a Mk ii.
 

Willem

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I had a quick look and do not see any differences. It has the same inputs and controls. It could be something like a lower standby power consumption, or perhaps a different DAC board.
 

delta76

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OK So it seems Mk2 is a term invented by some retailers to justify the price increase. there is none on official yamaha website.
 
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SlamTaz

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a bit of a twist.

while im leaning towards yamaha as301 $349 + airmotiv b1+ 249 = $600, i saw a set up consisting of emotiva basx pt1 $399 + 2 x rokit rp5 around $350 = $750.

im now confused which setup is better for a 12 x 12 room, the former with passive speakers + amp or the latter with active monitors + DAC. im not sure if the extra DAC features (e.g. tuner, bt aptx hd, usb digital input) in the latter will be worth the price difference. connecting to a computer, the former will be via rca analog inputs to the amp while the latter will be via usb digital input to the dac. both amp (former) & dac (latter) have sub-outs, which i like because i will be using wireless, what are your thoughts on this?
 
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ThatM1key

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When it comes to Emotiva, there products are a hit or miss, no middle ground. I have heard that Emotiva speakers are pretty good. Active amp + passive speakers is your best path for that budget.

When it comes to Bluetooth, APTX HD is pure garbage. FM Tuner? Old tuners from the 70s work better and are far cheaper and/or if want high-quality radio stations, get a HD Radio tuner. I still highly recommend getting a USB DAC, the Topping D10s, cheap and measures very well. Ultimately, its better to split up your components rather then relying on a all-in-one product.
 

delta76

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A rule of thumb is that a better speaker will have more impact on sound quality than the amp. Go with some better speakers and buy a cheaper amp
 

delta76

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If I were you, I'd go with R200 or elac dbr62 whatever is cheaper, and aiyima a07
 

Willem

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Discussions seems to be all over the place. Before we can make more serious suggestions, we need to know the budget. and what sources will be used. As for the latter, streaming services like Spotify and internet radio are the sources of choice. FM tuners are a waste of money since internet radio is at least as good, if not better, and gives you the world of radio stations. Does the OP have a lot of CDs that are not in the Spotify collection? If not, forget about the CD player. If you want to play DVD/Bluray movies or opera and ballet recordings, get a cheap player with an optical or coaxial audio output. Even if that is not necessary, it is nice to connect the TV audio to the stereo system as it will improve TV sound beyond recognition, and at the cost of just a simple cable.
I note that the room has a problematic square shape, and that will create a quite massive room mode, i.e. an undesirable bass peak.
To enjoy Spotify and internet radio, the easiest and most affordable option is the discontinued (but still available if you search) Google Chromecast Audio. It has both optical digital and analogue output, and even the analogue output is fine for anything other than the very best systems. I agree that speakers make the sound and deserve most of the budget, and the Elac dbr62 is probably the best speaker at a still quite modest price (just over 500 euros a pair over here in the Netherlands, including taxes). The best even cheaper speaker is probably the Wharfedale Diamond 220, selling for 150 euros a pair over here.
So in a most basic system, this only leaves the question of amplification. The bottom end of respectable gear is probably represented by the Yamaha AS201, selling over here for just 200 euros (we really need Amir to test one). It lacks digital inputs, and it may not be as powerful as its heavier siblings. Combine it with a Chromecast Audio and a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 220s and you will have a very enjoyable set up. The next step up on the amplification ladder is the more traditional series of AS 301/501/701. These are essentially the same amplifiers, but with 60, 85 and 100 watt rms at 8 Ohm respectively. The AS801 adds a usb input to the AS701. These would all be excellent with a pair of Elac dbr62s.
 

ThatM1key

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FM tuners are a waste of money since internet radio is at least as good, if not better, and gives you the world of radio stations.
Well it depends. My local rations stream in a horrible bitrate, so FM sounds better. Although yes you can stream any station in the world.

The bottom end of respectable gear is probably represented by the Yamaha AS201, selling over here for just 200 euros (we really need Amir to test one). It lacks digital inputs, and it may not be as powerful as its heavier siblings. Combine it with a Chromecast Audio and a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 220s and you will have a very enjoyable set up. The next step up on the amplification ladder is the more traditional series of AS 301/501/701. These are essentially the same amplifiers, but with 60, 85 and 100 watt rms at 8 Ohm respectively. The AS801 adds a usb input to the AS701. These would all be excellent with a pair of Elac dbr62s.
I wouldn't go with the AS201, Yamaha doesn't show the insides and the power figures on the website/manual are just mostly max figures, its just seems so sketchy. Sure this is a RMS figure but its at "(8 ohms, 40Hz-20kHz)" not (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz). The only figure that the AS201 and AS301 share is the (1 kHz, 0.7% THD, 4 Ω) Max Power, which the AS201 is 115 vs AS301 being 95. With the Yamaha AS301, Yamaha doesn't hide anything, they'll give you more specs and show you the insides, there clearly proud of this product while the AS201 is treated like it doesn't exist, its not even sold in here in states. On top of this, The AS201 doesn't feature Yamaha's ToP-ART tech. I have a feeling this is just a stripped down RS202, both share exact power figures and don't feature ToP-ART, its clearly just a cash grab.

AS-201:
AS201.png

RS-202:
RS202.png
 
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SlamTaz

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thanks for all the replies. my budget for the setup is about 500-700. and the as301 + airmotiv b1+ fits right in.

however, the recommendation to get better speakers like the polk r200 or elac dbr62 paired with the aiyima a07 for around 700+ really piqued my curiosity, though is a bit over my top-end budget but i can probably squeeze that in, if it's worth it.

then i saw a thread here in ASR saying that they prefer the jbl 530 over both dbr62 & r200, and it costs significantly lower at < 400/pair. if the jbl is on par with the dbr62 or r200, will pairing the jbl with the as301 be a great match at around the top end of my budget, or is the aiyima just as good a match?

which of these aforementioned combinations do you feel will be a good fit for a starter in this hobby and will likely keep me content in the foreseeable future without spending thousands more?
 

delta76

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You have to decide for yourself. Best if you can try the speakers at your room. Different people like different tone, which is why we have pref score. While it needs 1.0 point to be significant, but as a rule of thumb, higher is better. But it is also down to look and price etc.
 

ThatM1key

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thanks for all the replies. my budget for the setup is about 500-700. and the as301 + airmotiv b1+ fits right in.

however, the recommendation to get better speakers like the polk r200 or elac dbr62 paired with the aiyima a07 for around 700+ really piqued my curiosity, though is a bit over my top-end budget but i can probably squeeze that in, if it's worth it.

then i saw a thread here in ASR saying that they prefer the jbl 530 over both dbr62 & r200, and it costs significantly lower at < 400/pair. if the jbl is on par with the dbr62 or r200, will pairing the jbl with the as301 be a great match at around the top end of my budget, or is the aiyima just as good a match?

which of these aforementioned combinations do you feel will be a good fit for a starter in this hobby and will likely keep me content in the foreseeable future without spending thousands more?
The problem I have with the Aiyima A07, is that it cant reproduce CD quality while the Yamaha AS301 probably can do CD quality. In terms of those speakers, its a matter of taste.

I do have experiences with my ELAC and Polk(s). My Polk S55's and ELAC DB62's are considered in the same class. The Polk S55 is great at making MP3s sound good while the ELAC's is a lot more revealing with MP3s (Meaning you can hear how compressed MP3s are). When I throw FLACs at both speakers, the ELACs has a tad bit more detail. I can imagine the Polk R200 and ELAC DBR62 being the same way but I could wrong. ELAC speakers are considered a "safe-bet", meaning there's a high chance you'll love them. Unlike TV's/USB DACs where you can buy them based on high-technical/detailed reviews but with speakers, if it does measure well, you might not like the sound.

You can go to a proper place to demo speakers or you can roll the dice on some ELACs (Because the internet says there great) and end up falling in love with them.
 
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