biggest disadvantage of cheap class d amps is frequency load dependency in treble. i want linear response
-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Yamaha R-S202 Receiver Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
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.
Last edited:
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
Last edited:
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.
Always wanted to see these tested but the mid-range and the top shelf ones too to see if they behave about the same.
I have the predecessor to this receiver, the R-S201. I'm pretty sure that the only difference between the two is that the R-S202 adds bluetooth. They look identical otherwise. My R-S201 is ten years old. My wife bought it in 2014 when we were just dating. When we had our first apartment we were hipsters and decided not to buy a TV. Instead we set this receiver up with my Technics turntable and (at the time) Pioneer BS22's. Now, it lives in my home office. I have a turntable, an old school iPhone dock, and two computers plugged into it. I also use FM quite a bit. I find the headphone output surprisingly decent with higher impedance headphones. As a result I've put my old Headroom Micro Amp away for the time being. It's driving Sony SC SS5's and doesn't miss a beat. Turns on, sounds great, and still logs at least 16 hours a week (not counting evenings like tonight). The only misstep started about a year ago. The front control panel buttons are controlling functions other than what they're labeled for. For example, the input toggle switches will instead adjust the bass or the balance randomly. Luckily, every function is on the remote, so I never have to reach over and actually touch the receiver.
It's nice to be able to report that after a decade, something so cheap more or less works just as it did the day it came out of the box. My only advice is to just keep track of your remotes. I ended up needing mine.
It's nice to be able to report that after a decade, something so cheap more or less works just as it did the day it came out of the box. My only advice is to just keep track of your remotes. I ended up needing mine.
hello. i'm looking to power a pair of es20's in a small bedroom. i'm not sure whether to go with the rs202 or make the jump to an as301. i won't be adding a subwoofer at any point due to my living circumstances. nor am i too interested in any of the tone controls on the 301. won't be utilizing the digital inputs or dac on it either so i'm strictly looking for a solid class ab amp. would there be any benefit stepping up to the as301 over this stereo receiver for any reason in terms of sound quality? thanks.
I would go for the A-S301, no contest. It's a better amp in every metric, build, features, quality, sound, looks. It doesn't have a radio, but other than that, the 301 is really better in every single little thing it does. To get a complete kit, i would pair it with a Wiim Mini or Pro as a source that does it all.
For example, both have a low end enclosure, but the A-S301 has proper feet and a thick and well machined aluminium front plate.
Both have speaker outputs, but the A-S301 has proper terminals that take spades, thick cables or banana plugs.
Both have sound settings, but the A-S301 has variable loudness and regular knobs so that you can turn off the bass for that specific track that sounds a bit thick.
Both have a remote, but the A-S301 has one that feels more robust and works a a greater angle due to the RS202 sensor being a bit recessed.
It's inside and out the better product.
However, both would work fine with your speakers and sound more or less the same i believe. Then again, the A-S301 should be able to control a bit more demanding speakers too.
I saw their guts and think you are right. The R-S202D add bluetooth and also DVB, but it wasn't a thing in the US so amir got what was available, the R-S202.
Not sure if there is anything like DVB in the US at all.
Bob101
Active Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2021
- Messages
- 137
- Likes
- 164
The es20's aren't the most sensitive, but for a small bedroom the AS301 wouldn't make a difference in sound quality. With the 202 you get more or less comparable power at the cost of reasonable distortion, bluetooth, but no Phono in. And the speaker terminals are, well, what they are... Not a big deal if you just connect your speakers once and don't move the thing around a lot.
billou5767
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2022
- Messages
- 145
- Likes
- 57
in france there is good price 202D : 220e , dab radio
hard choise : little class d chinesse topping etc or yamaha ?
hard choise : little class d chinesse topping etc or yamaha ?
Dinesh Menon
Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2023
- Messages
- 63
- Likes
- 44
Yamaha- refined Class AB amp, tried & tested over the years. While these mini Class D amps are still evolving.
In North America we have a weird digital radio format called HD Radio (for Hybrid Digital, not high definition). However nobody is putting it in anything other than cars. One Chinese brand named Sangean makes portable and tabletop radios with HD Radio, but they’re pricy. I have a battery powered pocket HD Radio for listening to sports that cost about $75USD. What’s kind of a novelty is that Sangean makes an HD Radio component tuner, and they might be the only one. I’ve heard the HD Radio streams are limited to 128kbps though. Sony had one that they discontinued fifteen years ago.
Outside of certain markets/metros, radio stations in the US are now owned by a handful of companies running the same formulaic content. I am lucky enough to be in a metro with independent station options, hence why I’ve prioritized owning receivers over integrated amps up until now.
trevor_bartram
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2021
- Messages
- 138
- Likes
- 22
The R-S202 is a perfect fit for my application. I have questions for owners:
1. Zero Fidelity's review on YT reported mechanical 'hum' from the transformer, has anyone here had this problem?
2. How is FM tuner performance (sensitivity, noise, audio quality) in comparison with other tuners you may have tried?
3. How is the Bluetooth audio quality (with high bit rate MP3) in comparison with other Bluetooth receivers you may have tried?
Thanks in advance!
1. Zero Fidelity's review on YT reported mechanical 'hum' from the transformer, has anyone here had this problem?
2. How is FM tuner performance (sensitivity, noise, audio quality) in comparison with other tuners you may have tried?
3. How is the Bluetooth audio quality (with high bit rate MP3) in comparison with other Bluetooth receivers you may have tried?
Thanks in advance!
You have to first install the antenna for the BlueTooth but only if you can figure out where that BT connector is (hint: don't bother looking, it does not exist).
Speaking of connectors, those spring-loaded speaker terminals sure don't inspire confidence but the bright side is that you don't have to spend any more $$ for quality speaker cables/connectors... the unit is designed for simple bare-wire lamp-cords.
Similar threads
