It is a fantastic sounding amp; and with the introduction of the a-s501 (the next generation of the 501), you can find these for even a little less money. I really love mine:thmbsp:
How does it compare to vintage Yamahas? 810, 1010, etc
well, having done a direct comparison between the a-s500 and ca1010, i'd have to say they are very close. For what it's worth, i think the a-s500 is slightly better. It is a bit more detailed with very forward mids. A recap on the 1010 could make a difference; however, i have a avionic recapped ca800 that still doesn't quite beat out the a-s500. It sounds great but to my ears there is just something about the a-s500 that gives it that slight edge.
If i didn't have those amps to do a direct comparison it would be exceedingly difficult to tell the difference. The key here is the yamaha's are all very consistent soundwise; which i find remarkable considering their age difference.
What kind of amps are these? How much difference between the 3xx/5xx/7xx? Seems like it might be worth trying out.
That sounds like good info. I can't find a retail vendor near me so i can't listen before i buy. Would any ak people buy over the net that way? Also i prefer the silver version, but i'm in the usa and they only want to sell me black case. If i buy from europe or japan to get the silver case the price doubles?
These are integrated amps. I think the main difference between the 301, 501, and 701 is wattage; I believe the the 801 has some additional features I'm not sure of off the top of my head. The x01 series has a built in dac and coaxial and optical inputs in addition to the standard inputs.
There is a great deal of info on line.