Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Let me first say, I like the simple, retro, understated look of the A-S500. Photos on the web make it look solid, sturdy, well made, etc.
I did read reviews re: plastic knobs. So upon opening the box the first thing I checked were the knobs. I can't fault their movement characteristics (the way volume knob rotates or selector knobs click) but the plastic material used for the knobs makes the unit both appear and especially feel cheap. This is not the type of plastic that comes pretty close to simulating metal (like my Harman Kardon A/V receiver), these knobs don't even try to pretend to be anything but plastic.
A few other 'design' features disappoint as well. The power button is a small square; hard to see, and feels cheap. And, the sound that occurs when the A-S500 is turned on (that typical internal click sound that occurs 2-3 seconds after pressing power button)is very loud and "clunky" sounding. Also, LED lights on face are tiny, too tiny IMO. Very little effort spent designing remote either.
Now the good. Enabling the Pure Direct feature (bypasses tonal and loudness controls; prevents amp from altering audio signal) yields the best quality output. With Pure Direct enabled, there is a noticeable increase in sound stage, roundness to the sound and more clarity. If like me, your music source is your computer's media player that includes a volume control and EQ for adjusting tone, you'll want to enable Pure Direct and ignore the front dials.
With my speakers, I did not find the sound to be on the bright side as others mentioned. Not at all. Compared to my Harman Kardon receiver, the A-S500 cleaned up and brought out more lows and lower mid-range. That's where I saw the biggest difference - resulting in a fuller sound :-).
In my opinion, the A-S500 is lacking in fit and finish, even for its low price, but shines in sound quality, especially with Pure Direct enabled.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha A-S500BL Integrated Stereo Home Theater Amplifier (Black)
The Yamaha A-S500BL Integrated Amplifier offers clear sound in the Yamaha A-S2000 tradition, with 85 watts per channel of pure, clean power, ToP-ART stability, Continuously Variable Loudness Control, automatic power management, and a built-in port for supported Yamaha iPod docks (sold separately).
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