★ *REVIEWING: **bit.ly/3sxdwgf**, **amzn.to/32mOZQa* ★ *QOTD: Which of the Yamaha A-S integrated would you pick? What’s the next integrated we need to review?* ★ *Love our conversation/outtakes? Be sure to watch to the end* ★ *COMMENT RULES: Please be respectful. No outside links, URLs, email addresses, etc. Violations are automatically deleted.*
I want a black one with that nicotine stain lighting removed and replaced with a red bulb! Wait maybe I’m answering the wrong question. 2200 feels like the Goldie locks
Andrew , I remembered you felt in love with the technics su-g700 , how will you compare it to the Yamaha . I am Planing to buy the technics au-g700 from Best Buy. Let me know thanks
While I appreciate your review immensely, I wonder if you had the option to buy a brand new as3200 for $5,000.00 usd, would you still choose the music fidelity model? I have a great setup at the moment but I’ve been wanting to incorporate an integrated amp into my system and love the Yamaha’s full analog features. I’m curious how you’d view the Yamaha if available at a much lower price?
@@phantasm1004 I'll second that. There's a huge price differential between the 801 and the next model up so I'm very curious as to how they compare sonically.
I bought the A-S2200. No way I could justify the asking price of the 3200. I got a killer deal on the 2200 and jumped on it based on New Record Day’s review. I’m happy with it. It was the Yamaha vs the Kinky Studio EX-M1+ I felt the Yamaha would be the safer but and better investment.
Sometimes I watch you review something, that i have no interest in, just to hear you talk about it. Something about your delivery just pleases my ears. The cadence, they style, the vocabulary you use. Damn man, you're just that good.
I've got the AS2100, cause of the better headphone amp. When I went balanced, it made a big difference. The AS 2100 or 2200 is definitely the sweet spot in my eyes.
Heck yeah, I just procured a yamaha cr820 receiver along with a tc 511s cassette deck from about 1976 and they are the most beautiful pieces of work. I wish yamaha still made woodgrain speakers I could pair with them. They're on ice right now until i can hook them up to something appropriate.
@@johnconway7484 so cool. I recently got into vintage gear, and couldnt be more blown away. Only thing is now i want to buy more stuff just to compare. Is marantz as good as sansui? Technics? Yamaha? Sony?... i need more space and more money apparently... or a successful you tube channel lol
Gotta say again, i really dig this channel. There is so much negativity out there, and content like this reminds us that we may all have a lot in common. Chill and enjoy good sound.
The side panels are finished in the same finish as the Yamaha grand pianos in the same factory where they make the pianos. I personally find them very classy.
What's not mentioned here is that Yamaha is a world leader in manufacturing beautiful pianos so the sides are a nod to that heritage. I personally love it as a contrast to the silver front and top.
It was not mentioned because we aren't talking about pianos. That said, perhaps the glossy look is a nod to the pianos. Truthfully, I had not thought of that. Thanks for watching!
@@KristiWright Indeed, Yamaha is a HUGE international conglomerate that chances are, the musical instruments segment (which includes what I believe are the best pianos made in the world: Bosendorfer ) and the audio segment operate totally independently of each other. They may as well be separate companies owned by the same parent. I highly doubt if they take advantage of any synergies between these operating groups as the markets are totally different.
@@ptg01 be careful what you assume to be true. This excerpt from Yamaha’s own site talking about piano black finish on their audio products. “.....adds dramatic richness to your audiophile grade audio system. Reminiscent of a Yamaha grand piano, the gloss black finish adds a touch of elegance to any living space.”
@@KristiWright I’m sorry but this response doesn’t sit well with me. You didn’t mention it because you weren’t talking about pianos? Really? The black finish on this is immaculate, and immediately elevated and familiar to Yamaha’s design language. ESPECIALLY when compared to so many mainstream audio gear, this is a beautiful and timeless piece. To each their own, and thanks for the review!
@@KristiWright The glossy black side panels are a beautiful CONTRAST to the boring silver chassis of the A-S3200 and is actually THE reason I'd get the silver over the black and this is quite unusual for me because I choose black EVERY time when there's an option of black or silver. Black just looks sleeker and more modern to me and oozes class. Silver is more old school and in rare cases, like the A-S3200 in silver, it actually looks better because of the gloss black side panels, IMO.
IMO, Kristi's take has become an essential part of the reviews because she brings the educated but non-audiophile-talk reaction. That's not to say she doesn't know what she's talking about, but rather we don't get descriptions like "it has character" or "it's ethereal" when talking about how an amplifier sounds. I understand that means something to some people, I'm just saying to me it's jibber-jabber. I want to hear the opinion of someone who has heard a lot of different high-end gear, but doesn't come from an AV Industry background. So the other day when I saw there was a video for the DacMagic 200m, I immediately thought "huh, I wonder what Kristi's take is going to be on this." I missed that it wasn't included.
same here, ty, as a non-audiophile who bought an integrated amplifier to pair with my entry level turntable and floorstanding loudspeakers to play vinyl records, i can only tweak the bass and treble settings of my amp based on what my "poor" ears desire. yup, i say "poor" because i could not afford the $$$ expensive hi-fi products ... at the end of the day, i just ask myself, "am i happy with my setup given my existing financial capability vis-a-vis my contentment to this hobby?" my poor ears tell me, YES... what i learned most from this hobby is, i only need to please my 57-year old ears without necessarily emptying the wallet... that will make the boss (wifey) very happy.... 🤪😋😜😆😁
I have the baby A-S301, and it never ceases to amaze me as to how balanced it is. I’ve had amps in my system at 2-3X the cost that didn’t sound as good.
I'm rocking the same amp still but upgraded the DAC to a Topping D50s powered by the P50. It gave a small upgrade in clarity and bass texture. I find the Yamaha's built in DAC to be perfectly adequate, to be sure. Best value for your dollar in my opinion. Either getting the 801 or 1200 soon enough. Cheers!
Great review. I got the AS-3000 for 2k GBP second hand and I will largely agree. I would say that is not a best match for speakers with impedance that drops below 4 ohm within a wide band. Nevertheless, I will just disagree with the comment on the piano black panels. Are exquisite and the finish is true piano black from their heritage with, well, grand pianos. For next review I think you should look at the Hegel H390
Great video, Andrew and Kristi! It's so nice that you can do this together. I love your down-to-earth approach. You both appreciate the finer things in life but don't turn up your nose to a good old fashioned bargain. And that's an approach that I apply to all the good things in life! I would buy the A-S1200 for all of the reasons you mentioned (more money to buy other stuff!). Since the A-S3200 didn't blow you away enough to make you feel that the A-S2200 is a "must-buy," I'm convinced that the A-S1200 is "good enough" for me. My main system features a Musical Fidelity M6si, so I know we have at least somewhat similar taste in amplifiers. As for the next amplifier review, how about either a reasonably priced ChiFi Tube Amplifier, like the Willsenton WS-8, Cayin CS-55A, or the Doge 10? I know that others have already reviewed them--I'd just really trust your views especially. But if you prefer to stay American, there are some great American-made amps, such as Pass Labs, Ayre, Rogue, McIntosh (even though Kristi doesn't like the blue lights, lol!). The Outlaw Audio RR2160MKII is a receiver, but I think it qualifies as a high-quality audio power source. Keep up the stellar work!
Great review! Hopefully, you will do a review of the 2200. I own the 2200. I went with it over the 1200 because of the balanced inputs. When I made my decision, I could not see enough benefit of the 3200 over the 2200, on paper, anyway. So, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the 2200 vs the 3200. Thanks for reviewing these Yamaha integrated receivers!
I auditioned the Yamaha A-S3200 on big Focal Sopra No.2 and also on Sonus faberOlympic Nova V: it porduced powerful deep and detailed bass! On Sonus faberOlympic Nova V Yamaha 3200 blew away Musical Fidelity M8xi. The difference was so obvious that I just could not stand the sound of M8xi after auditioning A-S3200! M8xi sounded boring, very dark, unpleasant comparing to the sound produced by Yamaha A-S3200. The same source (CD transport) and the same external DAC and the same time. I also compared in that setup A-S2200 to A-S3200 and A-S3200 was so much better than A-S2200. Way better! But I still have not bought it because of the high price. At this price point other Hi-End competitors come into the scene.
I really love your rewievs Andrew but I admit that Kristies talk at the end is what takes me to this cannel. I think that you two are a perfect match when it comes to rewieving hifi. Thanks to both off you for the good work.
I bought the A-S3000 secondhand about two years ago. It is coupled with Focal Electra 1028Be speakers. I very much like this combo: great sound and great looks (yes that also matters). I agree, the internal phono pre-amp is fantastic. I bought the Yamaha in a downsizing attempt and I couldn't be happier. It is a keeper and highly recommended.
I bought the Yamaha A-S 1100 on closeout for $1950 about 8 months ago after the A-S 1200 came out and love it. I paired it with a Yamaha CDS-1000 CD/SACD player, which is also superb. I've been playing music probably 4 to 6 hours a day during the pandemic. Both units are built like tanks and are as reliable as can be. I'm not going to pay 2-4X for something that might be 10% better. As for this video, I hit the second commercial interruption less than 5 minutes in and exited.
@Don RE: the commercial breaks - While we do include ad breaks in our videos, we do not have control over the number of additional breaks placed by RU-vid without turning ads off altogether. We can't operate this channel for free or at a loss hence the necessity of allowing ads. We are grateful that the majority of our viewers understand and accept this reality and appreciate that you hung around for as long as you did. I hope this explanation helps you understand why we and other creators allow ads to appear on our videos. Lastly, there is one solution which is you can sign up for RU-vid Premium where you can watch ad-free. We as creators are compensated for your view (while not as much, it's something) and you can enjoy your content with no ads.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I'm not going to pay for RU-vid premium. I understand you have to make money, but it is rare for me to encounter 2 ad interruptions in the first 3 or 4 minutes of a video. If I'm listening while I'm doing something else, like making breakfast, those ads cut in and sometimes run for minutes if you don't go over and click Skip Ad. Just passing along feedback about the viewing experience for those of us without RU-vid premium.
@@Don-md6wn it’s strange how YT plays out. This whole video played for me (in Germany) without ads! But sometimes I have the ads in quick succession thing -also on short videos - and it’s a real buzz killer
Bought the AS2200 in silver with the black sides (which match so well my black high gloss lacquered Sonus Faber speakers*) for ISK 345.000 (= USD 2.450) with the high VAT in Iceland (+24%) - so it was a steal at this price (must have been an old stock). ("Googling" prices in the US one often sees figures around $4,500. So I was paying less than half of that price. The "normal" price in Iceland would be like x1,5 to the price in the US, so this was a nice surprice). When comming home with it I hooked it up to my CD (Thule audio) with the silver XLR cable. Also testing it with my old faith fool tangential arm turntable Technics SL-10 with the original technics MC 310 pickup. Using my old Sonus Faber speaker system (2.1). And everything I played was just almost like I was listening to those LPs and CDs for the first time (sounds crazy but that was how I felt). This one is a "keeper" (I was allowed to return it, if it did not sound acceptable at home). And it will probably sound better after the "burn in period" as it is almost too "clear" sounding. There was no AS3200 type for sale in the shop (and no other shop in Iceland selling Yamaha). So I have no comparison. Without doubt, it would be out of my budget. I'm very happy with the sound of the 2200 amplifier - this has elevated my system to a new level. Now I'm looking into purchasing a matching CD player, the S2100 or the S3000 (no longer on sale in Europe). So I will probably look for a used one. I assume that the S3000 will be much more expensive (x2) and most likely out of my reach, money vise. Also I have read that there was some problem with one of the board in that player (Which Yamaha had to replace), so you don't know what you are getting. One day I will probably also have to go into the world of streaming - But I'm of the old school, just want to listen to my old media, which I have plenty of (LPs and CDs). Thanks for all your videos through the years - I have been following you from your first one. And you have grown so much in your confidence. BR from the vulcano island (rock) in the North Atlantic. *As this was a large "issue" for both of you, the "ugly" black sides - then this is a question of the indivitual taste. And for me this black lacquer just reminds me on the Yamaha heritate, like all their famous pianos and as stated above match my speakers perfectly. I see this as a classical look.
@@kcr2365 I'm very happy with the 2200 amplifier - and I bought the CD-S2100 just the other day to go with it. FYI: our houses are all heated with geothermal hot water comming from below. Actually the weather in Reykjavik averages around 33-35 F (1-2 C) in wintertime and about 54 F (12 C) in summer, so it is much warmer than one would expect consitering the northerly location of the island. This is due to the fact that the Colf stream comming from the America is warming the island. Hope that your 3200 sounds great - never heard that one, but based on the sound of the 2200 I expect it is great. Regards from Iceland.
@@kcr2365 One could say that :) (radiators) - a lot of people have hot tubs at their houses, as the hot water does not cost much - nice in the winter time with the northern lights :). No amazon in Iceland, there are many things that are not on available on the island, this rock in the North Atlantic Ocean - so few people. So being in Iceland it is almost hopeless to have interest in HiFi gear, as there are very few stores selling any of that equipment, even cables are not available of an acceptable standard. The last item I bought (Yamaha CD-S2100) I went to Sweden to get it (second hand) don't trust the post/shiping/customs for such equipment.
@@axelviarhilmarsson6317Nice. access to gear may be difficult but you probably have very low noise pollution which means its easier to hear the nuances in music Plus one of the most beautiful places on the planet, i call you lucky in that aspect Cheers!
I have had a Yamaha A-S3000 for 7 years and I have had to remove and put it from the SET many times because I write reviews for an audio magazine and I have never noticed the onboard amplifier flex in any way. If this occurs with the A-S3200 it may be due to a decrease in the quality and quantity of the aluminum and metals used in the chassis. Right now my option would be to try looking for a store bought A-S3000 New Old Stock or buy an ex-demo with a full manufacturer's warranty. In Russia and some eastern countries, the silver version is sold with the side wooden panels in cherry color. Wallnut panels would suit the black version very well. The phono preamp has an internal resistance of 50 ohms and the capacitance is a bit high depending on which capsules, in addition to not having a subsonic filter, with all this I have to say that if the phono section of the A-S3000 has been kept in the A-S3200 are still an excellent phono preamplifier. I'm not a friend of stuffing anything digital into an integrated amplifier because that puts it on its way to damn programmed obsolescence. I do not know to what extent I have contributed to receiving Yamaha products but please know that I wrote to Yamaha U.S.A. an email asking them to send you the A-S3200. I'm glad. Now you just need to send you the C-5000 and M-5000 combo. I agree that other integrated amplifiers give more extension and more punch in the bass below 40 hz, without going any further I had a Luxman L-509-x for a review that in that regard seemed to take 10hz more extension to my speakers but I'm still in love with that fluid, detailed look to my Yamaha A-S3000's mids and highs to this day. Greetings from Spain and thank you for so much work and dedication.
To further explain: I have both the A-S3200 and the Parasound Hint 6 in the same cabinet, so A/B'ing is pretty easy. I have a high-quality Digital Source played through a Chord M Scaler, then a Hugo TT2 then through KEF Blade 2 Speakers (bi-wired in this case), using Kimber 8 Cables. Both Amps were using XLR Balance In, both Amps burned in and thoroughly warmed up for a few days of testing. I have not tried the H6 DAC for a couple of reasons: The 3200 doesn't have one, and I wanted to compare AMPS, not DACs. After thorogh testing, I planned on selling off one of the Amps. The H6 is a very good unit and particulalry at first, the H6 seemed quite comparable to the 3200. At 1/2 the price of the 3200 the H6 is A DEAL. Okay, my findings: The Phono sections of these 2 Amps are miles apart. Using a Technics SL-1210G TT with a Nagaoka MP-300 (MM) cartridge, there was considerably more fidelity through the 3200. With that said, the gap between the Amps can be narrowed by setting the H6 Treble Control around 2 o'clock. Power Output: This is a weird one. Based on ratings alone, I expected differences here, with guts and glory favoring the H6. I pinned both amps (same songs) and because the Blade 2s are reasonably easy to drive, it was LOUD in the room. FWIW the H6 distorted, the 3200 did not. During normal (80 dB) listening, I really couldn't detect any advantages to the rated increased wattage of the H6 which should provided the required Headroom for Bass-heavy transients. No differences, none, nada. Neither Amp broke a sweat. Bass Extension: The 3200 wins, not by much, but it does. (NO Tone Control tweaks). Midrange/Highs: No Tone Control Tweaks. This is harder to explain in so many words but is where the differences between the Amps became apparent. The 3200 is more muscial, period. The H6 sounded like I was listening through Speakers and not the euphoric 3D and airy presentation created by the 3200. Vocals are more realistic as are strings, horns, piano and drums. As both units employ MOSFETs which can be arguably "tube-like", I was surprised at the important mid-range differences. The 3200 is considerably warmer AND at the same time is able to produce airy highs. That is a neat trick. Those are my finding, with my gear. I hope some find it useful. If you have read this Andrew, I really enjoy your comments and reviews!!
My favorite receiver is the 1985 Yamaha R9 as it has 3 tone controls , a loudness knob , a few different stereo sound functions as well as a mono button , A/B/C channels , sounds great with a ton of power at 125 watts per channel . The reason as to why it's my favorite Yamaha is that its in like new condition and I paid $9 for it at a thrift shop 👍 All I did was buy a wireless / bluetooth adapter for $75 and voila it does the same thing as a modern receiver although I rarely stream music .
I went with the A-S2200 for my Klipsch Forte III and love the pairing. I definitely saw the 2200 is a baby 3200, I use the balanced inputs (especially since the amplifier itself is balanced) and I use the headphone amp as well so for me it was worth it over the 1200. At the price of the 3200 though I'm not sure it's what I would pick. Specifically for high efficiency speakers (like my Klipsch) I'd probably look to tube amps or something Class A. The Pass Labs INT-25 is certainly one I'd love to hear your guys opinion on, I'd image it's a killer pairing with the Forte IVs and La Scala's.
Just paired it to an RX A8A to power the front speakers (KEF Ref 1) and OMFG! This thing just overwhelms the senses. It will be revealing of any poorly mastered recording, but no matter what I threw at it in the last few days, the presentation is just spectacular. Watch your eardrums folks. It is completely distortion free even at high volume.
Andrew, your channel is great! An absolute bright spot on the internet. I was wondering if you have ever done, or have considered doing a sort of "behind the scenes" look at your set up process and all the different types of cables/wiring you use. (This is a selfish ask, as I just finished saving up for and finally purchasing a set of Heresy IV's that will be here in a few weeks, and I'm deep in the planning and room prep phase while I wait for their arrival.) Thank you for the amazing content! Cheers!
We did something similar to that but maybe not to the extent you are hoping for but perhaps a starting point? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_LDrQaIOz5Y.html
The piano black is "lacquered wood", which is very traditionally japanese. Lacquered wood is what you see on those black and red plates and miso cups at japanese restaurants. It's usually plastic, but the highest end restaurants have real lacquered wood. Nobody outside of Japan would lacquer wood for piano black, so it has status to japanese or maybe pride to the manufacturer. By the way, I bought the amp and thought it was un-involving, low dynamics and a raspy sound. (100 hours burn-in.) It's not at all bad, but it's not great. I returned it.
I would love to see the custom side or some personalization options for higher end amps. It seams like a no brainer and it could serve as a bigger way to bring those larger pieces into your home. That amp is a show stopper but those sides make me feel like it will be relegated to racks/closets. One aesthetic choice that I couldn't wrap my head around on that amp was the small watch battery circle between the meters. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I was going cross eyed looking at that thing. I'd go with the A-S1200 or A-S2200 just for that. Great review.
Just purchased the AS3200 on Amazon for $2000 off list. They must have heard you Andrew, about the high price, and knocked a serious chunk off. It's way more attractive at $5500. I can't wait to audition it when it comes in. Thanks for your informative reviews.
Happy Sunday! Thank you for keeping your honesty throughout your review format. While components like this are way out of my price range, I still appreciate the design and Yamaha’s approach to giving “natural” sound between products. I’d be totally happy with the A-S801 ☺️ I would love to see you review the Outlaw RR2160! Or some vintage Sansui integrated amps...eh? I really enjoy my AU-D7 from the 80s.
I dig your reviews Andrew, I"ve always liked the big Yamahas and am now a proud owner of the 2200, I bought the 1200 first and loved it but was left wanting and wondering about the 2200 with the better pre amp and fully balanced input etc, the dealer took back the 1200 (Black) and I picked up a silver 2200, yes the 2200 is better and so glad I made that decision as this amp is a bit of a end game for me, sounds stunning with my Dyn Special 40s and I think well worth the extra cost, love the VU meters but I love the 3200s bigger ones more so, these are all beautiful well made integrated Amps that sound better and better with the more hours you put on them, if you watched this review and wondering about buying one of them you won't be disappointed
Dear Andrew, thank you for your work! Your text, lighting, b-roll and editing are getting better and better🔥 Most important imo is your text. It’s consistent throughout your videos. You never rave about one device in one video and rant about it in an other one. That makes you credible imo. Thank you!
Easy choice...I buy the 1200, Klipsch Heresy or Forte speakers, an upgrade at turntable, a bunch of MoFi vinyl, and have money left over to fill the wine fridge!
Great review! It’s great you’re pointing out everything you can expect from this amplifier. People should know even a $7500 amp won’t be everything to everyone. If you’re going to go up to these price ranges, how about looking at an amp like the McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp? $5000
Became a Yamaha-nut because of a Pianocraft system ... now I run a older RX-V657 AVR and a vintage CR-800 receiver ... love the sound both give without touching bass, trebble or loudness specialy
Love your reviews, but I do want to bring up a few things..#1..I agree with u about eliminating the 2200, but Do not put large meters on the 1200..The big aesthetic difference is the meters..that would be a huge mistake doing that, from a financial point of view..u want big meters than u have to buy the 3200...second..the rigidity statements of yamaha is the copper sub chassis within the chassis itself..total isolation from the exterior chassis..thats what is rigid, not the exterior. #3..and finally ur wife sounds like a sweetheart, and obviously shy, but if she was sitting with u during the discussions would be a much more natural presentation..but in closing I do enjoy ur videos, just wanted to give u my input from this review
Sorry Andrew, another fan of the piano black side panels although my amp is black and I do think that suits better than silver. My AS3000 cost me £1900 and was 2 years old so $2500 or so at current exchange rates. I can imagine at that price you’d say it was a no brainer as I did.
-I really appreciate how passionate you get talking about Hi-Fi while not getting sucked into the audiophile mysticism like burn in. So my pick for which integrated you should review next is the Mcintosh MA12000. I think a lot of of people get enamored with the good looks (and price tag) of gear. You and kristi do a good job complimenting design without letting it coloring your perception of what the gear can do. -Which of the three I would pick in a perfect world? The A-S3200. If I understand correctly, the A-S3200 isn't just a beefed up A-S2200. It's also the flagship separates (5000 line) distilled to their essentials in one package. So if you look at it from the perspective of $7,500 vs $20k. Then the sacrilegious price tag makes more sense. Others have criticized Yamaha for not making the AS line more clear. -Hard disagree with side panels. I think they look classy. The gloss black painted wood is the same as the enclosures for the speakers. Both I believe are in refence to Yamaha's grand pianos.
I completely agree and for me the A-S3200 is THE ONLY choice if you want that fidelity and class. There's a REASON the A-S3200 costs as much as it does compared to an A-S2200. Andrew really missed a lot of key points with the A-S3200 and comparing it to an A-S2200 is ludicrous. I also found it laughable where he stated that the sub bass section was lacking. I think he should've allowed the amp to break in for a good 100 hours and THEN reviewed it with the speakers. The glossy black side panels are a beautiful CONTRAST to the boring silver chassis of the A-S3200 and is actually THE reason I'd get the silver over the black and this is quite unusual for me because I choose black EVERY time when there's an option of black or silver. Black just looks sleeker and more modern to me and oozes class. Silver is more old school and in rare cases, like the A-S3200 in silver, it actually looks better because of the gloss black side panels, IMO.
AS1100 here, don't need phono or balanced outputs. Glad I got one at £1150 as whole product stack now up in price! Such a holographic sound and effortless like you say
Your review on the Technics SU-G700 sold me as I have a genuine fondness for Technics. Only I could find none available at the time of your review. So after a couple of months of waiting I came across Yamaha's original series of AS models. I purchased the AS-2100 amp with the CD-2100 as well. The deal was just to good to pass over "NEW!" Though I am very happy with Yamaha part of me still wants the Technics. I recently added a tube amp into my line up Willsenton R8 and I am completely absorbed in tube rolling currently. I am with Kristi on the VU meters. Takes me way back to my teens, early 20's in the late 70's. BIG fan of your reviews especially when Kristi adds her take. The vintage Pioneer 780 review is a personal fav based on the emotional attachment alone. I still have my Technics SL-D2 turntable from those days long ago. I own Pioneer SX models 780/980 and 3700 as well as Parasound A21/Halo 5 pre-amp. My only issue is I am running out of rooms(house)! I value both of your opinions greatly and will continue to be a avid fan!
Piano black is a style choice. My speakers are piano black, 8 coats highly polished, my REL sub is piano black. Fair enough if neither of you like it, it’s your video, just as I would not want to live in a minimalist home. Maybe I should sell my glossy black Jag and all my black camera gear. No on second thought I will buy this amp just in spite of your aesthetics opinion.
@@iheartwindshields9770 Purchased that way at about $250 extra cost on top of the standard cost. It would not be cheap to get someone to paint them in a finish like that afterwards.
Top quality amps were dirt cheap in the 1990s and early 2000s because home audio (as a hobby) had wilted away. So, it's nice to see it coming back again.
Great vid, as usual. I got the best of all Yamaha worlds with a barely used A-S2200 @ $2,600 from the original owner who purchased it w/ dealer pricing. I love it. Paired w/ Fritz Carbon SE Mk2 speakers, which most people haven’t heard of. (I needed bookshelves for my space, and they’re amazing)
stretch the budget to get the 3200 because it's a different amp compare to the 2 little sisters, it has matured, it has the $ to housed the best components/parts that the 2 younger sis. can only dream about....got to love the large bay-view VU meter window
One of my first HiFi setups was a Yamaha C80 and M80 pre amp and power amp. I paired it to a pair of Klipsch Kg2s and was winning the dorm wars hands down. Those little Klipschs and the 200watts of clean Yamaha power just kicked ass. Paired it with the Sony CDP-101 CD player when they hit the market and wow, was I blown away. Also had a pioneer tuner and turntable to complete the set. The C80 had a great parametric equalizer on it IIRC. Getting the tone just right was a breeze. So Yamaha and Klipsch have been a good pairing for at least 40 years as far as I am concerned.
I picked up a Yamaha ax 900 integrated amp 130 watts per Channel made in Japan what a beast sounds fantastic for only 250 yeah it's not a high-end like this amp doesn't have meters but it sounds awesome some of the older integrated amps are even better in my opinion
Seeing as some people like big meters - how about reviewing the Luxman L-505uXII Integrated Amplifier. It is a venerable brand, has big meters, and is around the same price as the Yamaha 2200, by way of comparison.
Hi David. I've been after Luxman for what seems like forever and can't seem to get anywhere. It sure looks pretty but you'll probably have to go hear that one for yourself. 😢
Great review and discussion about the Yamaha AS3200 and about Yamaha as a High End contender. In my area of the country there is a very high end store that will waste no time at all throwing anything by Yamaha under the bus. They they think Yamaha is mass market garbage. So, you have probably guessed that this place does not sell Yamaha. That would be true. They do sell very good brands that you'd have to agree are really great. I am and have been a fan of Yamaha and I have owned equipment from them for a long time. So, I am a bit of a fan. I just would not bash other products like snooty high end store sales people have the tendency to do.
I was listening to headphones in a hifi store, guy came over asked what I had now, I had Fidelio X1 or X2 don't remember. He was polite tbf and said how did I like them. But there was a momentary pause where I knew he thought they wouldn't be good as not sennheiser or beyers or AKG when if you look at construction and reviews the Philips dump all over established brands. Snobbery is real.
With cars if you start up with the budget of a a small city car and then stretch it to a full size luxery car, you get a way bigger car with way better driving characteristics, comfort, looks... With audio, if you stretch the budget in the same extend... You get something that looks almost the same a little bit better sound. I think that the AS1200 for it's money is a steal, a piece you can enjoy for years and years. The AS3200 for it's money is that kind of piece that just always makes you wonder "hmm, it sounds nice but shouldn't I have spend my hard earned cash on something else?" I too would pick the AS1200 for that reason!
At this price I would be more tempted by a hybrid design just because that would address those short comings you pointed out. For another 3k the MA 1200 is twice the amp (350 w/channel) with a tube pre-amp section that forgives the poor studio work.
Always so great to hear the back and forth conversation between both of you! The only good memories I had with my dad was listening to music together in the late 80s on Klipsch Forte's powered by Yamaha. Not sure the model #. I'm starting to make a lot of great memories with my daughter listening to music together and looking forward to upgrading our setup. Your reviews are extremely helpful!! THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH!!!
OMG that's my unicorn too... (kudos to Kristi) Andrew, can you make the A-S3200 a birthday present for a "poor but passionate" subscriber of yours ? (that's me of course, don't get confused) - Gr8 review as always, thanks !
Andrew , I remember you felt in love with the technics su-g700, how will you compare it to the Yamaha . I love your videos man , I know it’s not easy work to make them , we appreciate all your efforts .
Hey Andrew. I can’t decide between a Yamaha 2100 and Technics 700. I’m a true analog turntable guy and I’m a bit concerned the Technics will sound to digital. I love the design and your review however. Can you comment on the vinyl playback?
@@michaelchristensen-leder6707 I bought the technics 700 , all I can say it’s a wonderful amp , all of details and very neutral sound and beautiful , wide soundstage .If you are used to the kind of warm sound , this is not the amp for you . I have a Marantz for the warm , lay back sound ( very musical) , and technics for better soundstage and details .
Andrew, I know you don't believe in break in... but, these Yamaha amps are notorious for needing a lot of it... I can attest to this being an owner of an AS1100; I experienced fluctuations in the bass department until around 100hrs and reading through countless forums other users experienced the same, after break in bass stabilizes and it becomes one of the highlightss of these amps. My research and experience (have heard all three amps in different settings) tells me this is consistent for all three amps AS1100, AS2100 and AS3100, I am guessing the same conditions should apply to the new line which includes the AS3200 you reviewed. Just curious if you allowed any break in at all? Cheers!
I really enjoyed this one. I don't see myself ever being a customer for the AS3200. Too many other options for significantly less money. But I really enjoyed the overview of the Yamaha lineup near the end. I would likely end up with the 1200 personally. I have always been a person who prefers to put his money into the speakers and go from there. It hasn't always worked out for me but I have been consistent over several decades.
@@rreichar1 Based on my personal experience over the last 20 years, NAD's build quality and reliability isn't in the same neighborhood with Yamaha's. I had a consumer grade Yamaha integrated amp and tuner for years, followed by a NAD C370 amp and a NAD CD/DVD player, now have had a Yamaha A-S 1100 and CDS-1000 CD/SACD player. Turn the Yamaha units on and they play. Both of my NAD units were unreliable and were in the repair shop to have parts replaced on multiple occasions. The C370 amp had a slight audible buzz at its best. Both of the NAD units were ultimately unrepairable after 5 to 8 years when there either no parts available or the cost of repair was more than they were worth. I'd never look at another NAD unit based on my experience with them.
I’m still struggling to understand what character and romantisism are. How do I translate that to high frequency? Is that the same as sizzle, crisp or sweet sounding? I’ve never heard those terms used before.
Yamaha is generally with their 2000+ models very good for the price. And I agree with Andrew that the very bottom part of the bass isn't fully there. And I will also add that generally Yamaha is very musical, but also a bit polite in sound so you don't get that full grunt/slam. (which by the way most gear suffers a bit from) I also want to say that, Yamaha is generally very flexible with their sound, so that you can manipulate more grunt/weight/other stuff to happen depending on cables/power setup/speakers/DAC... Also I feel that Yamaha with their top models come very close to Accuphase which is commendable since Accuphase costs a lot more. A good review.
I've been looking at getting either a 1200 or 2200 for a while. As 95%+ of the listening will be vinyl, I am assuming I would not get any benefit from the balance inputs of the 2200. I understand the phono stages are the same. Love the big meters, but can't justify the cost of the 3200. The headphone amp is the only major benefit I see left, but I also understand the 2200 used better caps, etc. then the 1200. For the money, it looks like will be the 1200 for me.
Enjoyed the review! I own an A-S1200, which I got a great deal on during the depths of COVID. The 1200 took awhile to break in and smooth out on the upper midrange. It sounds like the 3200 does not have this trait. The sense I get is the A-S line likes to drive a 4 ohm speaker and flow some current. My old 80's era Yamaha A-700 amp was the same way. Was surprised by the observation that the chassis of the 3200 felt flexy at all. Have not picked up a 3200, but my 1200 feels like a solid heavy old school tank of an amp while handling it. For this kind of money, as you pointed out Musical Fidelity's M8 is an awesome choice. PS Audio's M1200 "stack" and their GainCell DAC also looks quite good. The PS Audio kit is not pretty like the A-S3200, but it includes a high quality DAC and excellent sound clarity with basically limitless power. For this kind of money, I want way more power than any sane person would ever need, I won't lie...
As an owner of B-2 and MX-1000 I was waiting for some new offerings from Yamaha in that class and it seems they have yet again delivered. Thanks for your review.
I love my A-S301. On the most subtle songs I play, you hear Zero noise, hiss, humm of any kind. 60 wpc is more than enough to let my neighbors enjoy my Klipsch La Scalas.❣😎
Hey Andrew great video as always but i have a slight suggestion if i may. For those after the review discussions it would be really amazing if you and your wife are sitting side by side as you have stated earlier as well she puts alot of work into these videos and she doesn't get screen time atleast when she is talking(because facial expressions are also equally important as words). If she doesn't like it to be on camera then it's totally ok. But she was in some of your $1 finds videos so... Yeah think about it... Both of you in the video will be a alot better than this style of videos(for the later part only ofc)
Great review. I own the A-S1200 and am completely happy with it, and this is still the one I would pick. Mine is piano black and the gloss black goes perfect with it. I agree that gloss black is aesthetically not the best choice for the silver version. Vintage style walnut or maple would be nice. I must add that the quality of the gloss black finish is superb and most certainly required several coats of black and clear to create such a beautiful finish. Cheers!
I have the A-S1200, paired up with a duo of Philharmonic Audio BMR Towers. It's an incredible sounding setup. The BMR's play down to 25hz + or - 3db. No sub needed!
I would buy the 2200. Maybe I will. It has the preamp section similar to the 3200 and a dedicated headphone amp. And a balanced input. Did I say I want bigger meters? Yes. But not for the huge price jump.
I'm glad I held off on purchasing the Yamaha A-S3200. I read a lot of reviews that said the price was far too much for the product at hand and the quality was clean but not much else offered. I think if you listen to a very specific kind of music, this amp will be great for you. But I listen to a big variety in music that I was always hesitant to pull the trigger on the yamaha.
@@FreddyMacT I auditioned MF M8xi and Yamaha A-S3200 side by side on the same speakers and from the same DAC/CD. Yamaha blows away MF M8xi! Could not stand the sound for MF M8xi after listening to Yamaha. MF sounded dull, lifeless, dark and boring...
@@FreddyMacT Did you try Yamaha A-S3200? No way M8xi has more bass! It has boomy soft and dark bass. Not like life like. Nobody needed to know that you held off purchasing Yamaha. It was your personal affair and if you showed it publicly I had the right to reflect on it. Just wanted to warn the other potential buyers of M8xi.
I'd buy the 2200, but the next integrated amp you need to review is the NAD M33, or the Hegel H390, I've heard great things about both, but value your opinion highly and therfore I would really appreciate your take on both. ALSO, you should get the Yamaha 5000 speakers.
Agree with you both on the way the products in the line are positioned back when it was the 1100, 2100 and 3000 I ended up going with the 2100 over the 3000 because although the 3000 was right in my budget it was hard to justify nearly double the price over the 2100.
@@thisisnev RE: Vintage Luxman - While that would be a fun project, the cost of vintage Luxman gear tends to be well outside what we can afford to spend out of pocket. And sadly, the vintage videos (while we enjoy them) aren't that well watched so it ends up being something that has a high investment (time and money) with little return.
I have the A-S 2100 with the with Kef R500's . Absolutely outstanding . Personally I like the piano black sides as they match my R500's which are piano black so aesthetically it all ties in . If you want connectivity add a NP-S303, all the connectivity you could ever want . If I had the cash I would buy the A-S 3200 and match them up with a pair of Kef's R11's.
Andrew, Klipsch 8000 F arrived Friday. Bought based on your review, Wow ... thank you ... so far great! And very attractive.. we are now strictly 2 channel stereo... so darn efficient.. juicy! They are on an 80 watt NAD BEE ... they like one another a lot. I think best with some volume. But low volume not bad ... got piano black ... very sharp. Thank you Andrew I felt so confident making the purchase with your review!
I love Yamaha gear. I've never owned anything else, so this is a nice "maybe someday" review for me. My takeaway is that knowing Yamaha can still produce a ultra high end amp means that all that manufacturing excellence will trickle down to their lower end gear. At least I hope so. I'm very happy with my current Yamaha 7.1 AV receiver.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Lacking endless disposable income I'm forced to employee a theory that I probably would even if I had endless cash and that's the thought that given my aging ears, is my $1,000 Yamaha AV receiver "good enough" for a decent daily experience? The law of diminishing returns says yes, at least today. That 3200 sure is a pretty beast though.
@@rdmeenach I'm running the RXV1085 B. A few years old but it does the job and I love it. You get so much for so little these days that the $7,000 stuff just starts to look like you're burning money to show that you can.
I am in full agreement with the comment at 14 : 10 I would very much like to see options for the sides, Walnut, Mahogany or another fine wood. These retail for around $ 8K, when one is entering that kind of league I think that Yamaha could consider such a product offering?
one of the things that atract me to yamaha in late 70´s was the stereo receiver i had at home from a friend and never found other ,the fact that in the back every input had a litle knob to equalize all inputs level not only for the phono or mc cartridge input
That was such an insightful review! I'd definitely get the A1200. Would you guys be interested in reviewing the Hegel 390 (or any Hegel, really)? It's interesting to see the super-integrated market expanding, with all these uber-powerful intergrateds with streaming and DAC components... I guess the PS Stellar Strata is also in there!
I love my AS 1200. Would love to pair them with some Klispch Heritage speakers instead of the Wharfdale Linton's. Another great review Andrew and Kristi! Did I miss your KLH Model 5 review?
Thanks for watching. You have not missed the Model 5 review. It's been pushed because of shipping delays. Hopefully it will go live in the next few weeks.
