Yamaha rx-596 vs Yamaha a-S801 subjective

[Dalprad]

This is a subjective impression between the Yamaha RX-596 and the much newer, Yamaha A-S801. I bought the new one due to the common input selector switch issue with the old one. I used the CD direct mode to circumvent the issue but it bugged me. So, out came the wallet.

I use a WIIM pro with an SMSL SU-1 and stream Tidal high-fi plus with CD direct engaged on both amps. I have Revel M106 speakers on 26" Kanto stands. Small room.

On the old amp, I was constantly fussing with the WIIM eq because I had a hard time understanding lyrics, especially with male voices. I could never quite perfect it, but cutting the 125 range a few db seemed to pull the veil off the vocals.

My immediate impression with the 801 was that I did not need to make any adjustment. Lyrics seem more intelligible. The flip side (which could be in my head) is that the 801 is lighter on the low end. Maybe my perceived improvement in the vocal range is making the low end less apparent. Or, maybe there really is less low end and that's why the vocals stand out more clearly.

Whatever. It's subjective, and maybe they sound exactly the same. I acknowledge that possibility.

Just a Saturday morning chat.

 

[Dalprad]

Update. I did a test running one amp with the left speaker and the other amp with the right speaker. I sent a mono signal. Volume matched with several test tracks. If there is any difference between sound of these amps it is extremely subtle. I am certain I would fail a blind test.

 

[Doodski]

Update. I did a test running one amp with the left speaker and the other amp with the right speaker. I sent a mono signal. Volume matched with several test tracks. If there is any difference between sound of these amps it is extremely subtle. I am certain I would fail a blind test.

Yes, you would fail a blind test. It is that close with the Yamaha gear that you have. In the 80s and 90s I retailed audio gear. I worked for a huge store and we had the de factO best selection of gear around. We the sales peeps compared receivers and integrated amps up to ~120 W/ch. Yamaha always was my go-to brand. I'm a Yamaha man to this day. So we did comparisons and the result was some amps sounded worse and they where a Sanyo STK IC type of design. The Yamahas sounded much the same when compared to each other except the ToP ART design was just coming out and the ToP ART stuff did have a very slightly better sound. The Luxman sounded as a non Top Art Yamaha did and the Harmon Kardon had a tiny bit more richness to them. So they all sounded very good and the value for money went to Yamaha with the variable loudness control and the better pricing.

This STK stuff you for sure do not want to buy ever.

Sanyo STK IC - Google Search

 

[Dalprad]

Yes, you would fail a blind test. It is that close with the Yamaha gear that you have. In the 80s and 90s I retailed audio gear. I worked for a huge store and we had the de factO best selection of gear around. We the sales peeps compared receivers and integrated amps up to ~120 W/ch. Yamaha always was my go-to brand. I'm a Yamaha man to this day. So we did comparisons and the result was some amps sounded worse and they where a Sanyo STK IC type of design. The Yamahas sounded much the same when compared to each other except the ToP ART design was just coming out and the ToP ART stuff did have a very slightly better sound. The Luxman sounded as a non Top Art Yamaha did and the Harmon Kardon had a tiny bit more richness to them. So they all sounded very good and the value for money went to Yamaha with the variable loudness control and the better pricing.

This STK stuff you for sure do not want to buy ever.

Sanyo STK IC - Google Search

Thanks for the reassurance! The useful tone and loudness controls are a real plus. I like the remote on the new one too. You can toggle the CD direct/pure direct from the easy chair. I was surprised they snuck that feature onto the remote.

 

[Doodski]

I like the remote on the new one too. You can toggle the CD direct/pure direct from the easy chair. I was surprised they snuck that feature onto the remote.

Yes, that is a very saweet feature. Can you notice a difference with CD Direct?

 

[Dalprad]

Yes, that is a very saweet feature. Can you notice a difference with CD Direct?

The sound seems to change, but it might just be a hair louder.

 

[Doodski]

The sound seems to change, but it might just be a hair louder.

It's very subtle. The CD Direct exceeds my ears for sure.

 

[violao]

This is a subjective impression between the Yamaha RX-596 and the much newer, Yamaha A-S801. I bought the new one due to the common input selector switch issue with the old one. I used the CD direct mode to circumvent the issue but it bugged me. So, out came the wallet.

I use a WIIM pro with an SMSL SU-1 and stream Tidal high-fi plus with CD direct engaged on both amps. I have Revel M106 speakers on 26" Kanto stands. Small room.

On the old amp, I was constantly fussing with the WIIM eq because I had a hard time understanding lyrics, especially with male voices. I could never quite perfect it, but cutting the 125 range a few db seemed to pull the veil off the vocals.

My immediate impression with the 801 was that I did not need to make any adjustment. Lyrics seem more intelligible. The flip side (which could be in my head) is that the 801 is lighter on the low end. Maybe my perceived improvement in the vocal range is making the low end less apparent. Or, maybe there really is less low end and that's why the vocals stand out more clearly.

Whatever. It's subjective, and maybe they sound exactly the same. I acknowledge that possibility.

Just a Saturday morning chat.
View attachment 356914

I bought my RX-596 for stupid cheap money ($30 used) to drive my main critical listening system with my old Vandersteen Model 1B towers in the den. It had a phono for my ProJect Debut III turntable so I thought I was set. The 85-wpc sounded robust and I was pretty pleased because it replaced my old Sony TA-F40 (50-wpc) that I bought in college way back in the day, and I must say, that Sony is not that bad at all, but the Yamaha was a nice upgrade. The 801 looks so lovely. I am pleased to hear that it really lives up to its praise. The Harmon Revels look amazing too.

Wow, what a super hip mid-century stand here. That looks so cool, I love it! As a guitarist since age 5 (Dad taught me 55 years ago), I can appreciate the Taylor and especially the Ibanez RG. Although the Super Strat Heavy Metal and Hair Bands were not my cup of tea, I appreciate how those movements saved Ibanez from irrelevance, but my first real guitar was a 1978 Ibanez Performer PF-300NT, a Les Paul-styled guitar with set-in neck. Back then I was ready to buy a Gibson Les Paul Custom (black), but the neck on my Ibanez made me forget about Gibson Guitars, and saved about $300 of my paper route money over a Gibson Les Paul. Over the years, I have have bought 3 more "Classic Era" 1983 an older Ibanez guitars (2 Artist guitars and my George Benson signature archtop). I am a walking poster boy for Ibanez.

More recently, my cousin gave me an Ibanez RG-7420 7-string that I am trying to rehab from the destruction that her daughter did to it. It needs total rewiring and OEM pickups to be reinstalled installed. I need to find a way to cover the damaged routing that was done to the bridge pickup as well. The modern flat radius is foreign to me because I so used to the Gibson scale of 24.75 neck scale. 10years ago I bought my first Stratocaster in me life, a 50th Anniversary 2004 Fender Stratocaster (MIM) with a much rounder radius for my R&B and Soul thang, so the flatter radius is a rather unique feel for me. My Ibanez RG-7420 has a super fast play-action, but that is foreign to the "macho" fight I am used to on my older Fender. They are truly polar opposites. I want to use the 7-string to try to build skill in running Jazz bass lines on the low B-string like my pals use on their 7-string archtops. My old 5-string bass with a low b-string would befuddle me on gigs so I have my work cut out for me. ;-)

It is lovely to see fellow Audiophiles that are also guitarists. Rock on, dude!

 

[Dalprad]

I bought my RX-596 for stupid cheap money ($30 used) to drive my main critical listening system with my old Vandersteen Model 1B towers in the den. It had a phono for my ProJect Debut III turntable so I thought I was set. The 85-wpc sounded robust and I was pretty pleased because it replaced my old Sony TA-F40 (50-wpc) that I bought in college way back in the day, and I must say, that Sony is not that bad at all, but the Yamaha was a nice upgrade. The 801 looks so lovely. I am pleased to hear that it really lives up to its praise. The Harmon Revels look amazing too.

Wow, what a super hip mid-century stand here. That looks so cool, I love it! As a guitarist since age 5 (Dad taught me 55 years ago), I can appreciate the Taylor and especially the Ibanez RG. Although the Super Strat Heavy Metal and Hair Bands were not my cup of tea, I appreciate how those movements saved Ibanez from irrelevance, but my first real guitar was a 1978 Ibanez Performer PF-300NT, a Les Paul-styled guitar with set-in neck. Back then I was ready to buy a Gibson Les Paul Custom (black), but the neck on my Ibanez made me forget about Gibson Guitars, and saved about $300 of my paper route money over a Gibson Les Paul. Over the years, I have have bought 3 more "Classic Era" 1983 an older Ibanez guitars (2 Artist guitars and my George Benson signature archtop). I am a walking poster boy for Ibanez.

More recently, my cousin gave me an Ibanez RG-7420 7-string that I am trying to rehab from the destruction that her daughter did to it. It needs total rewiring and OEM pickups to be reinstalled installed. I need to find a way to cover the damaged routing that was done to the bridge pickup as well. The modern flat radius is foreign to me because I so used to the Gibson scale of 24.75 neck scale. 10years ago I bought my first Stratocaster in me life, a 50th Anniversary 2004 Fender Stratocaster (MIM) with a much rounder radius for my R&B and Soul thang, so the flatter radius is a rather unique feel for me. My Ibanez RG-7420 has a super fast play-action, but that is foreign to the "macho" fight I am used to on my older Fender. They are truly polar opposites. I want to use the 7-string to try to build skill in running Jazz bass lines on the low B-string like my pals use on their 7-string archtops. My old 5-string bass with a low b-string would befuddle me on gigs so I have my work cut out for me. ;-)

It is lovely to see fellow Audiophiles that are also guitarists. Rock on, dude!

Thanks for noticing the details! My friend custom made that cabinet for me out of walnut. I love it. Just the wood alone cost $700!

 

[violao]

Thanks for noticing the details! My friend custom made that cabinet for me out of walnut. I love it. Just the wood alone cost $700!

That is fantastic work on the mid-century design alone. Kudos to your pal. It looks GREAT!

 

[TheBatsEar]

Was there any specific reason why you picked the A-S801? I don't think the additional DAC features or the USB input are worth it. You could add any streamer using the digital inputs and there are USB-to-SPDIF adapters for 10€ or so.
I would have gone for the A-S701 to save some money.

Anyway, nice kit you have there.

 

[Dalprad]

Was there any specific reason why you picked the A-S801? I don't think the additional DAC features or the USB input are worth it. You could add any streamer using the digital inputs and there are USB-to-SPDIF adapters for 10€ or so.
I would have gone for the A-S701 to save some money.

Anyway, nice kit you have there.

I just figured get the one with the better DAC in case I use the internal one for an additional source. I bought a open box and got a decent discount so not really a big extra expense.

 

[TheBatsEar]

Right.
Maybe you are interested into looking whats inside, i have pics for the R-S700, A-S701, A-S801 and R-N803D uploaded to the "Inside Yamaha Amps" thread. No differences in power supply and power amp, so from that point of view either is fine.