Yamaha - A-S301 Integrated Amplifier

Yamaha’s entry into serious two-channel: 60 watts a side of ToP-ART symmetrical circuitry, a moving-magnet phono stage, optical and coaxial digital inputs and a subwoofer output, in a full-width chassis with a real aluminium front panel.

ToP-ART, Yamaha’s Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology, is a layout philosophy rather than a circuit: the left and right channels are laid out as mirror images and the signal takes the shortest, straightest route from input to output, on the reasoning that a shorter path picks up less noise and adds less distortion. The ART (Anti-Resonance and Tough) Base is the mechanical half of the same idea — a stiffened bottom chassis with a solid centre bar that damps vibration before it reaches the circuit boards. Both are real, named engineering choices; Yamaha publishes no measurement isolating what either contributes.

For an amplifier at this price the connection panel is unusually complete. A moving-magnet phono input takes a turntable directly. Optical and coaxial digital inputs let a television or disc player stay in the digital domain rather than going through a cheap analogue output. A subwoofer output with a 100 Hz cut-off lets you add low end without a separate crossover. Two pairs of speaker terminals switch A, B or A+B, the last of which also serves as a bi-wiring mode.

Pure Direct routes the signal by the shortest internal path available, bypassing the buffer amplifier and the tone, loudness and balance controls. The continuously variable loudness control does the opposite job when you want it: because hearing loses sensitivity at the frequency extremes as level drops, it dials in a variable amount of bass and treble lift as you turn down, rather than the single fixed curve a simple loudness switch gives you.

Know what this model is not before you buy it. The phono stage is moving-magnet only — a low-output moving-coil cartridge needs a step-up device. There are no level meters, no balanced input and no USB. Yamaha rates the A-S301, A-S501, A-S701 and A-S801 all at the same 0.019% distortion figure, so their power ratings are directly comparable to each other; the larger A-S1200 and A-S2200 are rated at a much looser 0.07% and are not.

Features

• 60 W + 60 W into 8 ohms, rated across the full 20 Hz – 20 kHz band at 0.019% THD
• ToP-ART input-to-output symmetrical circuit layout with ART Base anti-resonance bottom chassis
• Moving-magnet phono input for direct turntable connection
• Optical and coaxial digital inputs, PCM up to 192 kHz
• Pure Direct mode bypasses the buffer amplifier and all tone circuitry
• Continuously variable loudness control rather than a fixed loudness curve
• Subwoofer output with 100 Hz cut-off
• Two pairs of gold-plated speaker binding posts with A / B / A+B bi-wiring selection
• Custom power transformer, extruded aluminium heat sinks, one-point grounding
• DC OUT for the optional Yamaha YBA-11 Bluetooth adapter
• Aluminium front panel and matching remote control

Specifications

• Type: Two-channel integrated amplifier
• Rated power output (8 ohms): 60 W + 60 W, 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 0.019% THD, two channels driven
• Rated power output (6 ohms): 70 W + 70 W (owner’s manual). Yamaha publishes no distortion or bandwidth condition with this figure, unlike the 8-ohm rating above
• Dynamic power (IHF): 100 W into 8 ohms, 120 W into 6 ohms, 140 W into 4 ohms, 150 W into 2 ohms, per channel
• Frequency response: 10 Hz – 100 kHz, ±1.0 dB (Pure Direct); 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 0 ±0.5 dB (CD input)
• Total harmonic distortion: 0.019% or less, CD input to speaker output, 20 Hz – 20 kHz at 30 W into 8 ohms
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 99 dB or more (CD, Pure Direct on, IHF-A)
• Damping factor: 210, per Yamaha’s US specification page. The owner’s manual shares one table across the A-S301, A-S501 and A-S701 and does not clearly attribute a figure to this model; we quote the dedicated web page.
• Phono stage: Moving magnet only, 3.0 mV / 47 kilohms. No moving-coil setting
• RIAA deviation: Not published for this model
• Built-in DAC: No. This model has optical and coaxial digital inputs, so a converter is obviously present, but Yamaha names no chip and does not market the amplifier as having a DAC — unlike the A-S801, which is the only integrated in the range with a Yamaha-branded, chip-named USB DAC. There is no USB input and no DSD support here.
• Digital inputs: Optical ×1, coaxial ×1. PCM only, up to 192 / 176.4 / 96 / 88.2 / 48 / 44.1 / 32 kHz
• Analogue inputs: PHONO (MM), CD, LINE 1, LINE 2
• Outputs: Speakers A and B, subwoofer out, REC OUT, DC OUT, headphones
• Preamp out / main in: Not confirmed. The terminal list in Yamaha’s owner’s manual for this model does not show MAIN IN or PRE OUT jacks, and Yamaha does not state their absence either. We report this as a gap rather than guess.
• Balanced XLR input: No
• Headphone output: 360 mV / 470 ohms (CD input, 1 kHz, 200 mV, 8 ohms)
• Tone controls: Bass and treble, ±10 dB. Balance control fitted
• Loudness: Continuously variable
• Pure Direct: Yes
• Level meters: No
• Subwoofer output: Yes, 100 Hz cut-off
• Speaker terminals: Two pairs, gold-plated screw binding posts, A / B / A+B bi-wiring
• Dimensions (W×H×D): 17-1/8″ × 6″ × 15-1/4″ (435 × 151 × 387 mm)
• Weight: 19.8 lb (9.0 kg)
• Power consumption: 190 W; 0.5 W standby
• Finishes: Black and Silver (Yamaha model numbers A-S301BL and A-S301SL)
• Country of manufacture: Not published. Yamaha prints no country-of-manufacture statement on this model’s US product pages, specification tables or owner’s manual. The only geographic reference in Yamaha’s own documentation is the corporate head-office address in Hamamatsu, Japan, which is a company address and not a manufacturing statement. Third-party retailers and reviewers often assert “made in Japan” for this model — Yamaha does not.
• Warranty: Two years, parts and labour, under Yamaha Corporation of America’s general A/V Products limited warranty, which is the document Yamaha’s warranty index links for this class of product. Yamaha states that warranty registration is not required for coverage. The warranty is enforceable only by the original purchaser and is not transferable. The owner pays shipping to the service centre; Yamaha covers return shipping on a covered repair.