Yamaha A-S1200
Contents
We have been using a Yamaha A-S2200 as a reference amplifier in the 3000 – 4000 Euro class at the editorial office for years now. A very reliable and neutral sounding amplifier. Perhaps a tad dry for some enthusiasts, but our experience is that it is a perfect device that lets you hear a lot. And your author likes that.
Now we take the A-S1200 which is basically a 2200 minus the balanced inputs and a little less power. That shouldn’t make a whole lot of difference to the signature (it does in other areas, by the way). What does the team think of the Japanese correctness?
Geoffrey reports: “Layering, more of everything, lots of micro-detail, great timing, very complete reproduction, you can hear the noise of the vinyl, smooth”. Martijn can live with it too: “Very accurate, voice goes up very nicely in the first part, details in the words and how she sings. Bass is dry. Impulse response is good, even in the busy part of the end the mix stays audible.” Yung also endorses the accuracy of the Yamaha. But with a small comment: for him, the low end is a bit on/off and less fluid than with, say, a Rega or Arcam
A comment that comes up more now is that the sound is somewhat “light. It is certainly true that the Yamaha sounds a bit less warm than the Rega, Atoll or Advance, for example. The question, of course, is: what is correct? And what do you like?
Metingen Yamaha A-S1200
The Yamaha is almost a calibration device. That’s how tightly this amplifier measures in some areas. It is clear that Yamaha uses a fair amount of feedback: the noise floor is very low and calm. Crosstalk is above average, but not as good as, say, the Cyrus. Frequency response is neat and also both channels are eerily similar (just like the Cyrus, by the way).
What is striking is how clean the residual measurement is: it’s neat sines we see, which means that the crossover distortion is neat. Power is delivered cleanly; even when the input is very low, which is beneficial for microdetail. Power is also achieved. Although we don’t see the values at the crossover point where we always measure.
Specificaties Yamaha A-S1200
Country of origin | Japan |
Dac | No |
Analog | 4 x single ended in, 1x loop (line2), Pre-out and Main in.
Phono MM/MC |
Power | 105 watt 8 Ohm / 190 watt 4 Ohm (Dynamisch). 160 watt nominal / 4 Ohm |
Power supply | 625 VA |
Size / weight | 44 x 32 x 10cm – 22 Kg |
Price | 2600 Euro |