Review and Measurements of Yamaha WXA-50 Streaming Amp

[peng]

20 dB headroom considers the worst case headroom required on some classical pieces. For rock/pop, headroom rarely exceeds 12 to 14 db, for instance. The amp is rated for 70W/ch at 6 ohms. As i mentioned on my earlier comment, it would take 60W/channel on my 6 ohm speakers to run at 80db (with 20 db headroom included, i.e., run it at 100 dB). Is it still risky?

You made a good point, I was too focussed on classical. For most other genres 80 dB average 95 dB peaks seem reasonable. It is worth trying.

For me I won't spend $500 on anything that does not have pre-outs but that's just me.. For 2 channel digital source only, the WXA is a much better value than the A-S801 imo.

 

[Abe_W]

You made a good point, I was too focussed on classical. For most other genres 80 dB average 95 dB peaks seem reasonable. It is worth trying.

For me I won't spend $500 on anything that does not have pre-outs but that's just me.. For 2 channel digital source only, the WXA is a much better value than the A-S801 imo.

Umm, it's hard to say. The WXA-50 has all the streaming options, USB, etc. The A-S801 though has a a phenomenal DAC implementation ( i think the DAC on it comes close to other stand-alone DACs out there in the 500 to 1000 dollar range). Bear in mind, Yamaha has not released a stand-alone DAC. I can say this because i have made a comparison of the A-S801's DAC with the WXC-50 streamer's DAC (which is the same as the one in the WXA-50).

 

[peng]

Umm, it's hard to say. The WXA-50 has all the streaming options, USB, etc. The A-S801 though has a a phenomenal DAC implementation ( i think the DAC on it comes close to other stand-alone DACs out there in the 500 to 1000 dollar range). Bear in mind, Yamaha has not released a stand-alone DAC. I can say this because i have made a comparison of the A-S801's DAC with the WXC-50 streamer's DAC (which is the same as the one in the WXA-50).

I don't think it is not that hard if we look only at the objective side. The A-S801 is still bottlenecked by the LSI volume chip, the same one (but it's the older version) used in Yamaha AVRs. The main DAC chip has about the same specs as the WX-A/C.

On the implementation side, if they took advantage of the unused channels of that 7.1 vol chip for differential config., then the noise spec should improve a few dB, still won't come close to that offered by most $500 or even some $300 standalone DAC reviewed here on ACR. I would bet if Amir gets one to measure, it wouldn't do better, okay may be a little better than the WX-A/C. Any difference though, may be academic, as both should be at the level that it would take golden ears to appreciate.

 

[confucius_zero]

Has anyone pushed this amp to its limits with speaker pairing just for kicks?

Tried it with focal kanta 2 and Klipsch rp 600m and rp8000f. Drove them comfortably loud!

Only time it felt weak was with Cerwin Vega D5

 

[peng]

Tried it with focal kanta 2 and Klipsch rp 600m and rp8000f. Drove them comfortably loud!

Only time it felt weak was with Cerwin Vega D5

That's amazing, but how far from the speakers, and comfortably loud for you is how many dB, approx.? Thanks.
Edit: why do you think it felt weak with the D5, according to specs that has pretty good sensitivity and the power handling spec is lower than the Kanta 2's, also, it's 8 ohm nominal so even if they inflated it, should be at least 4 ohm nominal righ?

 

[D700]

My iPhone would drive a pair of Klipsch

joking not joking

In all seriousness, most people never use more than the first watt, maybe 2. 5 watts is comfortably loud in almost all normal room situations. Above that you start to enter permanent hearing damage range. take it from someone with noise induced hearing damage.

For example:

 

[peng]

My iPhone would drive a pair of Klipsch

joking not joking

In all seriousness, most people never use more than the first watt, maybe 2. 5 watts is comfortably loud in almost all normal room situations. Above that you start to enter permanent hearing damage range. take it from someone with noise induced hearing damage.

For example:

It's not about average spl though but about the ability to remain unclipped during the occasional 20 dB peaks that may be present in classical music, just an example..

 

[D700]

It's not about average spl though but about the ability to remain unclipped during the occasional 20 dB peaks that may be present in classical music, just an example..

Uhm, if you listen at a good average listening level of 65 -70 db to classical, most amps will easily support your transient peaks. Any louder than that and you are out of bounds from the original recording space, orchestras don't play that loud from where audience sits.

Also, if you are using rp600m, your sensitivity increases to point you really don't need much even to support insane volumes you are wanting. For instance:
Here's with Klipsh at 96 db sensitivity, 30 watts of power at 12 feet (large room)

 

[confucius_zero]

how far from the speakers, and comfortably loud for you is how many dB, approx.?

About 5 meters in a treated room. Loud enough to get the whole body feeling the strong thump and the ears to feel front row stadium concert loud.

D5 I dunno it was weak maybe due to the large woofer... Not able to render bass as much as an old sansui.

 

[Abe_W]

UPDATE:
Got myself a WXA-50, took my NS-F901 speakers off my A-S2100 Amp and plugged it into the WXA-50.................PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!!!

Will try the Elac Adante AF-61s tomorrow...

YAMAHA FOREVA MTHAFKA!!

 

[confucius_zero]

WXA-50.................PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!!!

Right? Asr is legit!

 

[loprent1]

After countless hours of research, this seems to be a great value option for budget hifi integrated or not! Thanks to amirm for saving me from the overpriced PS Sprout100!

Does anyone know if these take 110-220v? I live in the US but plan to return home to Australia in a few months. The advanced manual says there are different models but doesn't specify whether they are just different cables or if it's painless to flick a switch internally.

Also Amirm mentions that there is no USB, but clearly I can see one on the back panel, what is that for if not to connect a computer? I was thinking of using it as a way to connect to a macbook and make music with Logic etc. I have an old ODAC with RCA inputs that I could use... failing that I'm open to other cheap suggestions!

 

[deafenears]

Does anyone know if these take 110-220v? I live in the US but plan to return home to Australia in a few months. The advanced manual says there are different models but doesn't specify whether they are just different cables or if it's painless to flick a switch internally.

Not cable, but built in PSU. Different versions so you can't just flick a switch internally, US 100-120VAC, you'll want the 220-240VAC version for Australia.

 

[Unclevanya]

Just acquire the amp a few days ago. Quite the keeper (beat out NAD 3020, 3045 and sprout100) in a DB matched comparison.

I've been eyeing the NAD 3045 and this Yamaha WXA-50. So far I haven't found any measurements for the 3045 even in some magazines that typically offer measurements.

You mention a db matched comparison can you elaborate? Was there any objective measurement or just subjective?

 

[confucius_zero]

I've been eyeing the NAD 3045 and this Yamaha WXA-50. So far I haven't found any measurements for the 3045 even in some magazines that typically offer measurements.

You mention a db matched comparison can you elaborate? Was there any objective measurement or just subjective.

DB matched with a DB microphone at 75db with 80db peak, subjective listening followed by blind testing and confirmation with a few listening partners.

3045 is inferior sounding in everyway and configuration (with external dac, optical in, usb in) to the 3020, if you want a good NAD go for the 3020 and save money or go for the wxa50 and widen the sound quality gap even more.

 

[Unclevanya]

Also Amirm mentions that there is no USB, but clearly I can see one on the back panel, what is that for if not to connect a computer? I was thinking of using it as a way to connect to a macbook and make music with Logic etc. I have an old ODAC with RCA inputs that I could use... failing that I'm open to other cheap suggestions!

The USB is for a mass storage device only.

 

[Unclevanya]

DB matched with a DB microphone at 75db with 80db peak, subjective listening followed by blind testing and confirmation with a few listening partners.

3045 is inferior sounding in everyway and configuration (with external dac, optical in, usb in) to the 3020, if you want a good NAD go for the 3020 and save money or go for the wxa50 and widen the sound quality gap even more.

I appreciate this input. I wish however some measurements of the 3045 existed to help explain the results of the testing you performed.

 

[confucius_zero]

I appreciate this input. I wish however some measurements of the 3045 existed to help explain the results of the testing you performed.

I'd like to know too. 3045 was quite worse sounding than the 3020

 

[pjug]

I've been eyeing the NAD 3045 and this Yamaha WXA-50. So far I haven't found any measurements for the 3045 even in some magazines that typically offer measurements.

You mention a db matched comparison can you elaborate? Was there any objective measurement or just subjective?

Measurements of NAD D3045
https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/i...ac&catid=97:amplifier-measurements&Itemid=154

 

[Unclevanya]

Measurements of NAD D3045
https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/i...ac&catid=97:amplifier-measurements&Itemid=154

Thank you! I remember reading this report now - too many items in my decision tree!

I had some difficulty following this as it presented some information using different graphs than I was used to. Chart 5 in particular is very different than I expected. The 1khz tone is missing which isn't how these normally look. I assume they removed the 1khz from the graph?

Also the THD+N was harder to compare since the IM was also charted with it in the Soundstage data. But if I read it right two things stand out: 1) there is rising noise long before clipping on the NAD 3045. I associate that with some amps that measured poorly here. 2) numbers for THD+N appeared to be about 4x higher 0.04 vs 0.01 etc.

Additionally unweighted S/N looked pretty poor in the high seventies for the NAD which is not directly comparable to SINAD of upper 80's (amp portion Yamaha). However the NAD numbers don't strike me as excellent.

In any case it does help quantify things and I appreciate the link.