Yamaha A-S3000

BMW Alpina

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Did anybody here had any update on when Yamaha will bring Yamaha A-S3000
and CD-S3000 to US?
I know it supposed to be released by Spring 2013, but
if anybody here had more specific information, I really want to hear about it.

I wonder did Yamaha display this A-S3000 / CD-S3000 at the current 2013 CES or not ?
 

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The as3000 looks bloody awsome, especially the silver one.

Almost tempted to sell my mx-1(if I can eventually repair it) and 3 A-1's to get this beast. Dont know if the as3000 would sound better than the mx-1 though.

Regardless, I bet it sounds as good as it looks.

Those meters look awsome!
 
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Youtube Video Link: Yamaha Teaser Video of the new A-S3000

yamahaasteasermar14.jpg
 
Man, that is beautiful. I love my Yamaha amps, but I don't have meters! Wonder how much it will retail for?
 
Each piece will cost $5200. I don't think we are going to get these here in the US. When the A-S2000 bows out, we'll be lucky if they still sell the A-S700.
 
$5200.00? Wow, still.... I want. I wondered if they were going to make something with meters. Sure wish it was more feasible price wise....
 
The big question is, how does it sound?

It's probably unlikely to sound much better (if at all) compared to a good vintage Yamaha separates system. But, then, who knows? It costs 5X what you could get a respectable vintage power amp and pre-amp for.

I've asked many times on this forum if anyone ever compared a restored CA-2010/1010 to a new AS-1000/2000, and never got an answer. :no:
 
The big question is, how does it sound?

It's probably unlikely to sound much better (if at all) compared to a good vintage Yamaha separates system. But, then, who knows? It costs 5X what you could get a respectable vintage power amp and pre-amp for...

It's hard to know *what* it's worth without hearing it and we can't even guess at that. There's no specs that I can find published anywhere. It's pretty, but as Grandma always said, "Pretty is as pretty does", so the sound's all that matters, pretty meters aside.

It's perhaps apples and oranges, but adjusting for inflation, it's still double what I paid for an MX-1000U new. And even though I've seen MX-1000U's in fine condition selling for more than I paid new, I'd likely rather buy 3-4 of them than a single integrated (but at the prices I've paid, I could get more like 7, or just do four more MX-1000's and get a pair of CX-1000's to control them.)

Or, alternatively, a pair of A-S2000's.

(I'd probably pay more for an MX-10000, if one could be found, than go for the suggested price on this thing, pretty though it may be.)

The sound quality would *have* to be dramatically better to interest me at that price. And, my gut opinion is that there just isn't that much room for improvement over some of Yamaha's earlier offerings. Not when I can hear the accoustic bass player's fingerprints against the wrapped strings amid a busy big band passage on the old equipment. For that price, I'd expect to hear the saxophone player swallow air between bars.
 
It's hard to know *what* it's worth without hearing it and we can't even guess at that. There's no specs that I can find published anywhere. It's pretty, but as Grandma always said, "Pretty is as pretty does", so the sound's all that matters, pretty meters aside.

It's perhaps apples and oranges, but adjusting for inflation, it's still double what I paid for an MX-1000U new. And even though I've seen MX-1000U's in fine condition selling for more than I paid new, I'd likely rather buy 3-4 of them than a single integrated (but at the prices I've paid, I could get more like 7, or just do four more MX-1000's and get a pair of CX-1000's to control them.)

Or, alternatively, a pair of A-S2000's.

(I'd probably pay more for an MX-10000, if one could be found, than go for the suggested price on this thing, pretty though it may be.)

The sound quality would *have* to be dramatically better to interest me at that price. And, my gut opinion is that there just isn't that much room for improvement over some of Yamaha's earlier offerings. Not when I can hear the accoustic bass player's fingerprints against the wrapped strings amid a busy big band passage on the old equipment. For that price, I'd expect to hear the saxophone player swallow air between bars.

The differences you're looking for aren't going to be found in amplifiers, I think. You only get differences like that by buying good speakers or a really good DAC (or turntable - whatever suits you).

But I share your sentiment. $5200 is a buttload of money for an integrated amplifier.
 
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$5200 is not out of line with what many integrated amps cost today. Smaller market, less buyers demanding better build quality = pricey. List and street price are sometimes different. Not saying this is or isn't worth it, but there's a lot if gear at that price point. It's not an exception.
 
$5200 is not out of line with what many integrated amps cost today. Smaller market, less buyers demanding better build quality = pricey. List and street price are sometimes different. Not saying this is or isn't worth it, but there's a lot if gear at that price point. It's not an exception.

No, it's not "out of line", nor is MSRP anything like "street price", but the sound would have to be *very* compelling to make me consider it, in that range. As far as build quality, I'm still living with my first MX-1000U, with nary an issue (and bought a herd more after it proved itself for a couple of decades) so I'm not after more "build quality". I'd only be after more sound quality and thinking there's only a slim margin for more of that. I tend to not chase diminishing returns whether buying concert grand pianos, convertibles, or audio gear, or anything. I'm happy enough with the 99%.
 
$5200 is not out of line with what many integrated amps cost today. Smaller market, less buyers demanding better build quality = pricey. List and street price are sometimes different. Not saying this is or isn't worth it, but there's a lot if gear at that price point. It's not an exception.

Didn't really say it was out of line, but how much more different can it be from the as2000. It's obviously (the company) following the vintage style. ca-1000 is sort of like the as2000, The as3000 (with meters) is like the totl 2010.

In my eyes. I wouldn't mind owning it for 5200.00 usd, but I would be looking at other items in that range as well.
 
I'm not all that attached to meters but one thing that *would* make me consider the A-S3000 over the 2000 is the "Loudness" control. That variable loudness control was the feature common to Yamaha that had me looking at them over others and buying my first in the mid-70s. I might pay the difference between a 2000 and a 3000, for that, if I were shopping, and call the meters a "bonus".
 
The A-S2000 retails here for AU$3300. The A-S3000 would be atleast 5k. Going up against Luxman etc
 
I'm not all that attached to meters but one thing that *would* make me consider the A-S3000 over the 2000 is the "Loudness" control. That variable loudness control was the feature common to Yamaha that had me looking at them over others and buying my first in the mid-70s. I might pay the difference between a 2000 and a 3000, for that, if I were shopping, and call the meters a "bonus".

I've been looking at the as2000, love the maple sides and silver front! I know what your saying about the variable loudness control, i love that feature on my r8 and r9 receivers!
I have had my r8 since 1985 and have always used the VL control.

At Crutchfield's site it says the as2000 has VL control, but i sure dont see it on the volume knob!

That as3000 is b e a utifull ! Love the meters! So its not coming to the US? Not that i could afford it though:tears:
 
The A-S2000 retails here for AU$3300. The A-S3000 would be atleast 5k. Going up against Luxman etc

Good point. The way I see it much above Yamaha's S2000 your getting into some serious amplifiers. Accuphase, Krell, Bryston and Luxman to name a few Have proven themselves over many years and will be very tough to compete with. My Bryston B100SST Integrated Amp is Trully amazing. The way these Amps Delineate each Instrument and Voice, no matter How Congested the Music Gets and manages to Place Them Precisly in the Soundstage is what makes these Amps special. It sounds so real it's haunting sometimes. Yamaha is not Breaking new ground here.Their S1000 and S2000 however seem to have less competition in those markets and might be my choice in their perspective price ranges.
 
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