Fantastic review of this Yamaha AX-550 amplifier, made in Japan says alot. I have 5 x Yamaha AX-550's 1 x Yamaha AX-450 1 x Yamaha AX -750 1 x Yamaha AX -1050. I absolutely love these series of Yamaha amplifiers, (1991-1992) All my Yamaha amplifiers are in rotation in my bedroom System. Amazing built quality and sound quality. 30 years old and all working perfectly.
I have listened to the Yamaha AX 596, in my personal opinion I prefer the sound of the Yamaha AX 550, maybe because it's built in Japan, just not a fan of the Yamaha audio that is made in Malaysia, IMO.
@ishakozdemir5583 Hey, My favourite Yamaha integrated amplifier would have to be the AX-1050, it's 145 watts @ 8oms. I also own the Yamaha MX-1, CX-1, MX-2 and CX-2, they are pre amp power amplifiers. The MX-1 is 200 watts @8 ohms, it really does sound incredible. And all made in Japan. 🎶🎼🎵🎼🎶🎵🎼
Robert Keefer I'm not trying to knock your amp, but you might want to know the true limits of your amp so it doesn't go up in smoke if you give it a 2 ohm load. If you look at the back, it can't even handle 4ohm loads (hence the "8 ohm min A or B speakers"). If you are running A and B channels then it is only 12 ohm stable.
I commented on "Does vintage stereo sound better" about this Yamaha A-400 amp I just got for $30 US, made in the mid 80's. I got it as a stop gap, because my Crown IC-150 pre amp has had a channel out for a long time now. So far I am liking it. It has a variable loudness dial which is interesting and can handle 2 sets of speakers and headphones. It is 40 watts and has 2 settings for phono input. Nice to see your review on a similar Yamaha. Running JBL Control 1 satellites with a JBL Control SB2 subwoofer.
The entire AX serie of Yamaha,is actually very good. I have an AX 1070,and is fantastic for the money(200 euros used). Hooked up with VDHul Clearwater cables on my Dali Zensor 1.Replaced factory jumpers(in/out),with rca-Audioquests(recommended),wich immediately improved all 3 sound ranges: deeper lows,thicker mids,clearer highs.Also when connected my PC souncard with Wireworld Luna 7 IC to amps AUX, couldn't believe the soundstage improvment. The 5xx,7xx have tendencies to be a little sharp,so go with the silver jumpers/interconnects( Chord C-Line is a good choice).So,if anyone buying a Yamaha AX series,change the jumpers with some good brand,and enjoy the results.Good review,by the way.
I picked up the AX-450 (65w per channel) the other day, with a CD Player, Cassette Deck and Tuner (all matching Yamaha) for £60. Keeping the amp, it's working well with my B&W DM602s (£30). I find the sound to be really clear, I agree with what you say about picking every instrument out. I like the 2 phono stage option, which gives me some room for expansion down the line
Absolutely interesting and entertaining reviews, i would like to suggest one improvement. Currently you are sitting beside the device, it would be nice if you, half way the review, lift the lid of the device so we can take a peek inside. Would be nice especialy with vintage equipment.
Great reviews , thanks a lot for sharing this, nice authentic presentation and recognise the sound taste ....we do love an impressionist painting over a sharp photograph....its the same in sound
I have same Yamaha+ monitor audio RS8 ( before run b&w 601) .... that amp blow off much more expensive amplifier,it's absolutely crazy quality for the price,I paid 75£ second hand I still can't believe how good it's, only mid range it's a bit not that vividly rich but it's ok for what I paid
Great review! I recently acquired a refurbished AX-570 which is like new(all capacitors renewed) for a mere 85 pounds. The only downside of the amp is that it is a bit "dead" sounding(I prefer Denon) but on the other hand one has silky, controlled and very powerful amplification at hand... encased in quite a tasteful chassis. For the price - a real steal.
Very interesting review, as always, from a non-guru hifi heavy user. Thanks for sharing. BTW, I actually miss some close-up shots, to watch the cover, knots, buttons, etc, of all the equipment you review. That's just a suggestion. Grretings from Spain!
By the 2000's...everyone was into selling AVR's for theatre use, surround sound, Dolby, etc...Not many kept listening to 2.0 stereo or phono. Movies using new technologies were the focus...and the music died...
Recently picked up a Yamaha AX 496 at a good price. It can be set to bypass most of it's pre amp controls. Paired it up with some old KEF C10's, and it's a remarkable combination. Especially for old jazz recordings.
im thinking of getting one but i would would be exculsivly bypassing the pre amp controls. i am planning on plugging a schiit modi as its main input. how can i set it to bypass the preamp?
@@petermoore7796 oh, it's simple. There is a bypass button on front of the amp. And you still control the volume on the power amp. Got to give the amp a couple of seconds to start, as it has a delay while it starts up.
@@davebroad642 I have a 550 and my bypass switch works when used for just that. However, when I switch back to restore the tone / loudness adjustments I get signal in the right channel only. Have you experienced this channel drop? I would like to be able to use the variable loudness.
I have a few Yamaha receivers from the early 90s late 80s they are always a bargain! There not the best I’ve heard but man do they sound a lot better then many modern more expensive stereo equipment… Love Yamaha!
Nice review, Kelvin. I've always loved the look of the Sansui AU217 MkII and your comments on your 317 are only making it more tempting! I loved my NAD 3020 and I rebuilt a 3120 earlier this year and gave it to a mate in exchange for some decorating work. He loves it and I'm jealous!
Thanks for checking out an older Japanese amp, Kelvin - they tend to get overlooked, and it's good to get your opinion on how they stack up. Where I find they shine is in purely electronic music, where there was never any 'live air' (I call it 'hearing the room') in the first place. Perhaps it's no coincidence that 80s amps coincided with the rise of synth-pop and 90s amps with dance/rave culture?
Wow ... all 80s amps did one thing and all 90s amps did another. How about that? I can listen blind and say, that my friend is a 90s amp because it suits dance/rave better than synth-pop. Wow ... what rubbish! Talk from experience. What 90s or 80s amp did you have? -None, you just read a magazine review right? Mr. thisisnev I don't believe you had any older Japanese amplifiers. I think you overlooked them all but hey, WE didn't! Tell us what equipment you had, don't waffle.
I mean this guy didn't even go into the specs this thing is stable with absolute linear amplification it was a breakthrough in the day there is no Distortion across the Spectrum and the fact that this thing is 8642 and 1 ohm capable you can put some monster speakers on this thing and it will slamming this thing is a Powerhouse it has to record out pre-outs before two input sources
Another thing this guy didn't bring up 801 own load this thing is capable of running 500 watt RMS into for channels tell me that other piece of crap happy had could do that he's playing it out those little Chinese speakers get some real meat on those speakers like some dual-voice-coil 2-ohm one on capable subwoofers and you'd be slamming had this amp for years and it destroyed my house I made neighbors move with this thing it rattled the windows and the walls listen to some Black Sabbath The Mob Rules the Metallica Black Album probably rattle the Dentures out of his head I've had tinier Sansui Toshiba Radio Shack you name it this was my final amp not had it for over 30 years you the Technics turntable for the ceramic magnetic cartridge slamming and that's why the app says natural sound amplifier I don't know what this guy's talking about obviously doesn't know much about amplifiers I do car stereos I'll tell you all about amplifiers
I had a Yamaha A1 .....extremely well build, it had a gorgeous MC phono stage...........and about the sound....Turning up the volume, ...no distortion but the music never comes.....like jam... the strawberries in a jar and not in a field...it's simply not alive. Clean sound and emotionless music.
So true , a lot of amps from the eighties onwards sound analytical and sometimes cold , lacking the warmth of older amps . The trade off with older amplifiers is a slight loss of detail but a more pleasurable sound is offered which is kinder on the ear and the most important aspect is the capture of emotion in the music which pre eighties amps do well , but like anything in life there are good and bad examples to be had , so choose wisely . Amps of this age would benefit from a service so factor this into the asking price .
No. You're not right there. The analytical 'cold' amplifiers used a type of electronic wizardry that had been changed. These used to offer very low distortion and this view of yours is complete nonsense. Stereo review X always reminds me of Norman Wisdom ua-cam.com/video/cNUINPxEuVg/v-deo.html These were the days when only important people were heard. Today any Tom, Dick, or Harry is able to get up on UA-cam and make sounds formerly heard only in public lavatories and just as offensive by nature.
@@keplermission4947 Strange analogy between Norman Wisdom & Public Lavatories , but never mind . You're welcome to disagree , but by doing so that doesn't make you right & me wrong , just accept that other people have opinions that may differ from yours , or is that something you have trouble with.
@@stephenhargreaves381 Well you know I don't think you have any trouble with your Audio system because, in my opinion, you've never had one. You're just one of those UA-cam loudmouths. I mean if you were an enthusiast you'd mention your favorite equipment and I say you've been reading UA-cam comments on videos and you've put your name to some. That's my humble opinion.
@@keplermission4947 Thank you for your humble opinion . Equipment collected > Quad 50e pair , Sony Ta 3140 pair, Sony Ta 2000f preamp , Sony Ta1120 2 off , Sony Ta 1130 , Sony Ta 1150 Sony Ta 500es' Sony Ta 3120 , Kenwood Ka 7002 Quad 303 pair Sony cdp302es Sony Cdp3000es Pioneer PL61 Pioneer Pl 40 Pioneer A25 Ariston RD80 Hitachi Ps38 Hitachi Ps 48 pioneer Sa 7100 Sony str 500fw Akai GX210d Reel to reel Sony SS 3000 BWDM2 Goodmans dimension 8 Goodmans Magister Monitor Audio MA3 Celestion Ditton 11 Musical Fidelity A1 Sony Ta 73 Sony TA70 . These are my favourites , collected over many years .
I recently picked up a 10 year newer, not made in Japan anymore, Yamaha receiver with very similar specs and internal design and parts. It was at a pawn shop marked $10 and said "no sound". I took a gamble and long story short, it works great! Only have it in the basement, but it sounds as good as a couple Nakamichi receivers from the 80's I have down there. My main system has Yamaha separates.
I find this era of good middle of the range amps sound great with good, rich vintage speakers. The clinical soundstage is warmed up and brought to life with a classic pair of Dittons for example. Especially if you're a gen xer like me who loves his 80s and 90s music.
Very nice Yamaha integrated amplifier and I heard it has a very nice sound. Depends on which speakers, but Yamaha amps are mostly as I noticed neutral. So neither the high nor the low frequencies are excessive, but they have the same solid bass. I have a new Yamaha A-S701 integrated amplifier with 2 × 100 w per channel at 8 ohms, and I'm very happy with the sound paired with my Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 speakers and I have a Yamaha CD-S700 CD Player and a network player NP-S303. And I can say that the sound is solidly good for my desires.
I love your reviews! You have the very same taste for sound as I do. By no means the best specification amplifier has a better sound. Maybe that Yamaha has better specifications, better clarity, better frequency response, better sound-noise separation....but not always has this whole-rounded vivid air of sound, this liveliness and juice. How come that you Londoners are very often so down to the earth, good humourred, easy going, playful behaviour...? As if you were some very ordinary peasant people...I appreciate this very much on Londoners.
This looks about the same vintage as the Denon pma350se. Now that is usually available at bargain prices on ebay and it built to last. Has a great phono board as well.
I had an earlier Yamaha integrated amp (A1020 I believe) that drove a pair of KEF 104/2s so well that neighbors three doors down came by to tell me I was playing David Lindley (ua-cam.com/video/ahe8qFmlxGQ/v-deo.html) too loud while indulging in spirited listening.....As if there where such a thing as Lindley too loud. It gave great service for 30 years before I moved on. I'm enjoying your efforts here. I love that so many have moved from 2.0 to 5.1, 7.1, 11.1 and whatever else, only to leave a glut of proper 2 channel vintage or near vintage components at fire-sale prices at eBay and other places. MORE REVIEWS, PLEASE!
I love control buttons on the pre-amp sections also... (another reason I still kept my vintage SONY pre-amp). The SONY has a LEFT/RIGHT/STEREO/MONO/REVERSE & left only, right-only (for wiring check) rotating switch. That versatility comes in handy. It also a has a tone "cancel" switch. The actual tone controls are part of a separate 20db voltage amp section so its good that you can cut them out. You're right about Steely Dan...Love the Mo/Fi versions of AJA..both the CD and the LP. Also like the Mo/Fi version of "Dark Side of the Moon". Those are my go-to test sources.
Just another great video that you can enjoy watching from beginning to the end!!! Superb! I also chose the Nad 3020 series 20, still trying speakers to find that good match for my 30x10 office, tried DCM XK10, Mission 773 two way, Infinity Alpha 20 with 10” sub , now hooked up to Infinity Alpha 50,... the choice of speakers is based on my thin wallet and what I can find near me. If anyone can recommend, from experience what could be that good match warm sounding vintage speaker...please do so. Thank you, and again I really enjoy music and watching your videos. Cheers!
Old Yamaha AX-750/550 is extremely better than modern Yamaha A-S700. I had technical problems with AX-750, tried A-S700 and will have to sell it back and go back to AX-750 and repair it or look for another vintage. New Yahama amp is disaster.
I've just bought an AX-500, which looks to have identical specs and features, but a different front panel and controls (eg button source selector, not rotary, etc). Got this via a vintage Onkyo I've had for 6 months that I didn't feel was quite cutting it, that itself replaced a similar early 90s vintage Yamaha bought in Tottenham Court Road early 90s that conked out before I started paying attention to the model numbers! I know what you mean about the Yamaha sound from that era, but found the detail useful cos I dabble in audio engineering. Anyway, I think my new AX-500 sounds different, better and more rounded/warmer. Am absolutely delighted at first blush, paired with some B&O Beovox MC120.2s I've just refoamed (the Onkyo was a little underpowered I suspect). Sounds sensational to my ears. Anyway took the case off the AX-500 to give it a hover before setting up, and not much there in the way of chips and things that might explain the 90s era yamaha sound, and am thinking it is an earlier version of the one reviewed here, but potentially with a somewhat different design ethos. Check it out; highly recommended!
Final more quantitative thing on the AX-550 vs AX-500 difference; just checked the specs and the signal to noise (S/N) ratio on my late 80s Ax-500 is 100dB and 110dB on the newer AX-550. Quickly looking at a few other 90s models they also appear to have 110dB S/N ratios across the board regardless of output. This does sound like a fundamental design/technology change may have occurred, and tho the additional 10dB S/N ratio might seem "better" on paper it is well beyond the practical limits of human hearing. As such the lower S/N ratio might be perceived as better by the ear, and that is something I have found with soundcards, where older, lower specs can be perceived as having a warmer analogue type feel. Course it's all down to individual preferences!
Your brick wall is a great diffusor. Place your speakers 4 inches from block wall 66.5 inches apart, 2 foot off ground. Sheetrock wall require placing speakers 4 feet from wall.
Hi Kelvin, I am from Sri Lanka. Great accurate review. Try the Arcam with Paradigm 5Se MK2. You will be amazed. Please see and if you like pass on to those who are using Arcam amps. But my favourite Amps are SANSUI's Happy listening.
Edge enhancement is no substitute for natural detail and harmonics. That micro chip synthetic quality you referred to I call it "shrink wrapped". Ken Kesler of HIFI News called it clarity without detail.
Maybe the older amplifiers will need a technical check if there are any irregularities in frequency response. Normally there shouldn't be notable differences when you listen on equal volume levelled amps.
Great vid as usual, very interested in your take of a Yama amp as i run a yama mx-830 as my main amp (with its accompanying cx-830 preamp). Thought you were spot on with your take about how the cutting edge of the music is super clear and defined. I use the loudness feature on mine (only at +1-2) to tone down the treble peaks to try and bring out a warmer less analytical sound imo.
AT LAST! Cheers Max, someone who knows how to use that loudness control, i wish people who review Yamaha amps would read up, or even open up their ears, as to how this variable loudness control should be used, or even works, instead of, as in this review, bypass it's true tonal worth!
Interesting presentation Kelvin -- was offered a Yamaha AX-350 Vintage Amplifier restored and in good condition for €100 - not sure how the AX-350 stacks up against the AX-550 -- anybody ??? regards from Ireland - Paul
You should try Tesla B73 reel to reel tape recorder which can be used as an amp. It has an incredibly vivid and joyful sound! I am an owner of NAD 3020i, Denon RCD M41 so I can compare. That Denon is exactly what you say about analytical sound and that blackness. NAD is quite tender, silky, honey sound. TESLA B73 from Czechoslovakia is very vivid, very rocky, woody kind of sound. I think you would appreciate it. I would borrow you one for the purposes of comparison if you like.
"The space between sounds, live air" - I like this way of thinking about Hi Fi. After all, Hi Fi is to create an illusion of reality. And we have plenty space and air in reality... 😉
Hi Kelvin! Thanks for review! I feel exactly what you tell, but in a same time I was having an experience with Harman Kordon amp of same hi fi Era (80-90s) and it's seems like HK gives a much alive and natural sound in comparison to Yamaha (for the similar price). What do you think about it?
I have this , it's a beauty, might not be best, but that's a rabbit hole I can do without. Great show tks. Could u recommend me a good sets of speakers. Tks
@@stereoreviewx OK Chief, I'll tell you what I have and you can have a laugh first! Since 1986 I have been using a Dual 505-2 Turntable - Ortofon 20 Stylus./ Yamaha - K-220 Cassette Deck/ Yamaha A-420 Amplifier/ Tannoy Mercury Speakers. It all has regular use. I switched the amp in 2021 for a change to a Yamaha AX 396(2001) which seemed to get better reviews than the AX-496 and AX-596. Changed the Cassette deck to Yamaha KX-580 SE (Special Edition) and a Nakamichi DR-10. I wonder what you think of this Hi-Fi set up are and what are your thoughts on Cassette decks and would you consider ever doing a video on this topic?
@@SpyGuyUK Yeah firstly you haven’t wasted a ton of money buying a load of supposedly new best thing shit. So you’re five grand Up already.🤪 I’m a big fan of autophon so clean and refined. Cassette decks I guess for me I don’t see the attraction they always broken drove me mad I was always looking for a track on one side and it was on the other side. And you’re on 1/8 of an inch tape instead of quarter inch on a real to real people say they sound great honestly it never happened for me also Dolby never really delivered would you agree it either made it duller I mean I’d have a little bit of hiss and not have the dullness what do you say about that
Hey Kelvin, love your show, long time watcher. Thanks for the content. I was wondering if you can review a technics receiver from the 70's and compare and contrast the sound to the other big players from that era. I just picked up an SA-700 and am happy with the sound. I don't have a lot of experience with Sansui, Pioneer, Marantz and such. Just wondering if I'm missing anything. Thanks. Stay safe. Greg
Greg, 70s Technics is awesome. I prefere my SA404 to my Pioneer SX780 and SX838. Not as good as my Sansui 661, imo. Never heard or owned a marantz in the same wattage level. But so far in my experience, Technics only second to Sansui for the price. Pioneer prices inflated due to their popularity. The Technics also better than my 70s JVC and Kenwood. My 2 cents
I agree had 2 Yamaha amps plenty of power but the so called "natural sound" imho seems to remove the warmth of the mid-range especially on vocals which no matter what i did could not correct. Still waiting on an Onkyo review..Please.
Quite opposite after honey moon period Im going to release from duty my very much like 3020 the NAD 306 and substitute with AX1000 or something like that.
Hi i realy like your Videos !!! which NAD Amplifier do you suggest to pair with Q Acoustics 3030i speakers , i like warm to natural sound , not too Forward and Sharp . with full body mids , and the most of all Big Sound Stage and depth !! Thanks in Advance Man .. keep going !
There’s one on EBay now, £50 buy it now. I’m running the AX430 at the moment - quite similar features, less power and no remote. Sounds decent to my untutored ear, but I’ve got upgrade itch so am looking around for something better. I’m torn between vintage and modern. I’m thinking of Audiolab 8000A for the vintage option. I want to experiment with a MC cartridge so am looking for a decent mc phono stage.
Hi Richard I own a Audiolab 8000a it is a great amp with a very good phono section I would recommend it to anyone, ive had mine for about 8 years and only paid £150 for it a real bargain.
@@robmills537 not really, Rob. If I can find a decent looking 8000a on eBay I might go for it - but I am a little concerned about keeping an old amp running.
@@richardsinger01 Hi Richard I know what you mean I'm often thinking should I sell the Audiolab & buy a newer amp as the modern Marantz pm6005 or 6 seem to be well reviewed, happy hunting mate.
Still don't know whether to buy or not. Would have preferred if reviewer had listened with the variable loudness dialled in at different levels, instead dismissing it, opting to chat about the stereo/mono button, possibly at +2 or +4,6? The sound may have been fuller and less analytical ? All i gained was not to buy an Arcam. On the upsids, defined his view on sound quality clearly and to the point. i think my definition of good sound quality would be in the same ball park as reviewer , is a bonus.
There is no IC in Yamaha signal path when play in direct from CD source. Personally prefer clear open edgy sound of yamaha than blury, middle centric sound of nad. This last one is perfect for jazz but does not likes the modern music. Just a matter of personal preferences. Ps. this is not that I prefer what I owns, I own NAD and Yamaha and other amps.... Non of these amps is neutral.
My first hi-fi amp was an Arcam Alpha 8. Great detail but bass, punch and warmth was lacking...only 50W RMS from memory. It sounded good in the shop demo room.
You've got a sweet deal at $50 quid, i just checked a 500 mile radius here in the USA on Marketplace. None available and the few to have on ebay are $300 and up. I will keep an eye though. Any recommendation on a First Vintage Receiver? I plan on purchasing a pair of OHM Walsh Speakers specifically the 2XO. I basically have nothing to compare to except my 1999 Kenwood AV receiver. I was thinking about a Pioneer SX-780
You look and sound like Pete Townsend. Are you his brother? Anyway, I have a DSP-E492 (processor/amplifier) release years '97 to '99 and trying to chase down another Yamaha with (pre out/main in) I can loop it with. This AX-550 seems perfect. The first also features a switch allowing one unit to control all. Pretty nifty.
Your take on Yamaha is exactly why I did not buy one back in the 80s. It has that mid-fi "hi-fi" exaggeration you could hear in all the department store stereo departments.
Well not much experience what experience I had was very good but I think they changed manufacturers some people seem to rate them but I never heard anything good ample receiver wise
Yes of course and opposite on the corner was a shop where you go downstairs and they were darkened rooms filled with Marantz receivers it was a grown-up Santas grotto
There is one of my channel between Marantz pioneer and Sansui no Yamaha I’m afraid guess what the Sansui wins Yamaha have a kind of light sound not quite so solid K
I own a Yamaha ax 492 with a vintage Tannoy cheviots...Even with those speakers I notice what you said about synthetic sound. The treble energy level of my tannoys is set to -1 to better this. That's why I would like to get an old amplifier. Here in Argentine are too expensive and I dont trust in anyone who maybe had changed things inside of it...(I mean to replace original parts for bad parts or components). The more affordable old amps I found are 20/30/35 watts 8ohms. I guess they will not be able to "rock" my speakers properly. Maybe it will but I dont know.
Hi Kelvin, I´ve just found an Yamaha ax-550 very cheap (20€) in proper working condition. With only some minor scratches on the top. I have only one issue, my speakers are rated 4ohm and the amp says 8ohm output. Can i run 4ohm speakers with this amp? Nice review, keep up the good work cheers Luis
I will be honest with you hear Luis if it’s one set of speakers I always just plug them in I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem but I’m not being technical here I might be wrong you never know but I wouldn’t worry about it as long as this one set K
The great video but, I have for one question. If you were to use the Yamaha as a preamp, with a higher quality amplifier, will it change the sound of the higher quality amplifier?, Or will it enhance it in any way? I have a lot of Yamaha equipment from different eras, and I do appreciate Yamaha equipment more so than a lot of other brands. Don't get me wrong I'm not a label whore , who will readily sell themselves for their favorite brand, like a lot of people do for pioneer, of which I'm not a very big fan of at all, but I do enjoy the natural sound and tight punchy base that Yamaha produces, even though they have been known to put out some bad stuff from time to time, especially in the line of CD players and tape decks, and let's not forget about their speakers which I'm not a particular fan of.
It’s hard to say whether the preamp or the power amp is the better thing of any particular unit I will always try them if you have the opportunity With older vintage receivers like 1970s the power amp is the best part of them so modern preamp works well Not sure what I would say about that particular Yamaha I’m going to doubt any side is significantly better than the other K
Nakamichi Stasis receiver is bargain on Ebay. Me & my friend bought 10 of them. Get a remote & Japanese version if you can. with stasis feature designed by Nelson Pass. The SR & TA series. The TA Series makes u cut your speakers thin for hookup, I dont like doing that. The SR series doesnt make u cut your wires thinner. Not all of these amps are stasis. Make sure receiver is called Nakamichi Stasis. The best one with highest number has a great pre amp that costs more. Also there is a old company with old receiver that has a tube for pre amp part of integrated receiver. I forgot the name. It may be Luxman. It has great tone, but just a little grainy like most amps. Its tone is better than the old Nad 3020 amp.
The "manufacturing of components" has gotten better over time. Maybe what you are hearing is from the added (late 80s) digital circuitry (noise) getting on the analog signal path. Or, the change in a generation of people who increasingly like more compressed music. 90's music was more compressed than the 80s and 2000 was more compressed than the 90s. I can't even listen to most of the latest recordings, because everything just sounds loud, because the dynamic range has been compressed so much. My point is that the manufacturers follow what the people like. It's not due to "microchips". The integrated circuits of the 70,80 and 90s where huge, so there was nothing micro about them. Integrated circuits were used in the 70's and plenty were used in the 80's and 90's. s I think the (mass market) manufacturers just changed to suit the change in people. I don't like compressed music, but a lot of people do these days. I have noticed a dramatic difference in compression over the last decade on UA-cam music videos. Artists are increasingly compressing their recordings, because the masses like it better. I think most people would have a higher appreciation of more dynamic (less compressed) recordings/sound, if they weren't listening on phones, ipads and boomboxes. Higher end 90s and 2000s amps sound great. Better components and not all the gimmicks of the 70s and 80s. Even the loudness button is a tone control. Adding a mono button still has to send the signal through the contacts of a clunky switch, whether it is on or off.
So when you say compression on the radio my understanding is they are trying to make their record sound louder but still conform to the regulations does that sound right
@@stereoreviewx I'm referring to compressing the dynamic range when making recordings in the studio. The more a song is compressed dynamically, the less difference there will be from the softest whisper to a thunderous bass slam. This is what causes the vocals to sound too loud on new music (very compressed). Especially if you turn it up a bit, the vocals sound shouty and get harsher the more you turn up the volume. A good recording (very little compressed dynamics) from the 70s or 80s sounds just as clean and clear at full volume. Basically the dynamic range is determined by the difference between voltages. For example a good recording might have 0.01 volt signal for the quietest part of the song (whisper) and 20 volts for the loudest part. While a highly compressed recording might only have a 5 volt spread between the quietest and loudest sounds. This is why compressed music sounds muddled together (all instruments and vocals are not supposed to sound at the same or near levels). The recordings don't have enough dynamic range. It's not natural sounding, because reality has no compression whatsoever, allowing for a huge dynamic range.
Hi Dont Know, I think if you play a mono record through stereo you just get mono surely you do Curiously, I know a very old record producer and he likes mono. He thinks stereo is still a gimmick.
Hello from france and thank you for your vidéos. I have a question, is it possible to do biamplification with vintage receiver ? If yes, do they have to got the same power ? Thank you 😊
Hi. I own a Yamaha ax492 and I play it with a pair of vintage Tannoy Cheviot speakers. One guy is selling here a Yamaha ax 450 of his own. Do u think it is worth the change? I mean the ax 492 has a lot of bass pulse, a good midrange range reproduction but it lacks finesse on extreme treble frequencies, though I play it with my wonderful Tannoys...tell me do u recommend me the ax 450 for better???? Thank u. I will apprecciate your comment a lot.
Well if I was to say anything I would say the tannoys demand a better amp Not that I know exactly what but I think you can improve on the Yamaha sound generally speaking and those are nice speakers
@@stereoreviewx thank u. I know I can play them with a better amp. But it is difficult to trust in someone here when you buy vintage equipment. Like I said before the only thing I don't like about the ax 492 is extreme treble thing. Thank u.
About to pick up this AX550 this week for about 35 pound (40 euro). Unfortunately no remote with it. Anything to look out for? Are there any weak points in build quality?
Have a Arcam 8 integrated and love it, you think the NAD is better but would it drive modern speakers though at that rating, I've Dali Oberon 5s and I only need volume at around a quarter to get a loud volume?
I wouldn’t worry about it driving the speakers at all Sound wise the Arqam would sound clean more digital more etched if it was me and they were both in great condition I would prefer the Nad
Should I trade a mint condition NAD C352 integrated amp for a new Yamaha AS1200 amp? I am running Monitor Audio Silver S6 towers which are the last of the UK hand made Monitor Audio speakers. What do you think?
Amidst the vintage craze instigated by bearded hipsters, the gear from the 80s and 90s most of the time gets overlooked based on a single premise - the looks. Well, what can I say, more for us the HiFi bargain hunters. I love the gear from the late 80s and mid 90s and own some of the best specimens from that era that sound good to my ear. The industry never stopped making great gear, what happened was, the middle class that was able to afford the silvery shiny stuff of the 70s was slowly disappearing, hence the manufacturers were adjusting to the market and lets not forget the progress and evolution in the field of electronics, which also played its role.
Hi i have noticed that older Yamaha integrateds had high max power consumption (looking at the label on the back of the amps). Even like 400W and up of max power consumption. This ax550 has 230W only. This suggests to me that older amps like for instance ax400 (with 430W of max power consumption = mains transformer VA rating) have sturdier power supplies. Moreover peeping inside these older amps i have found that often high current paths are realized with too much thin wires ... this is a bottleneck for power that can hold back performance. The current must be flow freely like in bigger section good copper wires.
got one of those and it suffers from the shitty alps input selector, some other amps seem to have a similar problem. Afaik there are no replacement parts
My 550 suffers from that problem too, I plan to take mine apart and clean the many contacts that there are inside, might even make a video of it as there doesn't seem to be a detailed video of the job on UA-cam. If you do attempt it yourself be sure to mark the contact discs order and position before you take them out for cleaning!! The ax-596 is what I'm using now, bloody good amp also.
Fantastic review of this Yamaha AX-550 amplifier, made in Japan says alot.
I have 5 x Yamaha AX-550's
1 x Yamaha AX-450
1 x Yamaha AX -750
1 x Yamaha AX -1050.
I absolutely love these series of Yamaha amplifiers, (1991-1992)
All my Yamaha amplifiers are in rotation in my bedroom System.
Amazing built quality and sound quality. 30 years old and all working perfectly.
If you've got any space left get yourself a AX-596 from 2001, you won't be disappointed!
I have listened to the Yamaha AX 596, in my personal opinion I prefer the sound of the Yamaha AX 550, maybe because it's built in Japan, just not a fan of the Yamaha audio that is made in Malaysia, IMO.
What is your favourite Amp of the amps you own?
@ishakozdemir5583 Hey,
My favourite Yamaha integrated amplifier would have to be the AX-1050, it's 145 watts @ 8oms.
I also own the Yamaha MX-1, CX-1, MX-2 and CX-2, they are pre amp power amplifiers.
The MX-1 is 200 watts @8 ohms, it really does sound incredible. And all made in Japan. 🎶🎼🎵🎼🎶🎵🎼
I have the AX900U. It's a powerful amp stable with 2 ohm loads. It sounds wonderful.
Robert Keefer I'm not trying to knock your amp, but you might want to know the true limits of your amp so it doesn't go up in smoke if you give it a 2 ohm load. If you look at the back, it can't even handle 4ohm loads (hence the "8 ohm min A or B speakers"). If you are running A and B channels then it is only 12 ohm stable.
I'm driving four Speakerlab Wave Aperture 7s with my Yamaha AX900U and it sounds phenomenal. Love the Yamaha AX series amps.
I had one back in the day! Loved it. I feel a trip to eBay in order.
Nice! I love the Yamaha Amplifiers. I own AX-892 and AX-490.
I have the AX-500. Terrific amplifier. Bought new with some KEF speakers. Great 2 channel system.
I’m a big fan of JJ Cale, tons of great songs. These helpful reviews are definitely a big bonus.
Cajun Moon is my fave.
I commented on "Does vintage stereo sound better" about this Yamaha A-400 amp I just got for $30 US, made in the mid 80's. I got it as a stop gap, because my Crown IC-150 pre amp has had a channel out for a long time now. So far I am liking it. It has a variable loudness dial which is interesting and can handle 2 sets of speakers and headphones. It is 40 watts and has 2 settings for phono input. Nice to see your review on a similar Yamaha. Running JBL Control 1 satellites with a JBL Control SB2 subwoofer.
The entire AX serie of Yamaha,is actually very good. I have an AX 1070,and is fantastic for the money(200 euros used). Hooked up with VDHul Clearwater cables on my Dali Zensor 1.Replaced factory jumpers(in/out),with rca-Audioquests(recommended),wich immediately improved all 3 sound ranges: deeper lows,thicker mids,clearer highs.Also when connected my PC souncard with Wireworld Luna 7 IC to amps AUX, couldn't believe the soundstage improvment. The 5xx,7xx have tendencies to be a little sharp,so go with the silver jumpers/interconnects( Chord C-Line is a good choice).So,if anyone buying a Yamaha AX series,change the jumpers with some good brand,and enjoy the results.Good review,by the way.
What thickness audio cables did you use?
@@tess6499 Sorry for late respond.For speaker cables 2mm(prox14 gauge)
I picked up the AX-450 (65w per channel) the other day, with a CD Player, Cassette Deck and Tuner (all matching Yamaha) for £60. Keeping the amp, it's working well with my B&W DM602s (£30).
I find the sound to be really clear, I agree with what you say about picking every instrument out. I like the 2 phono stage option, which gives me some room for expansion down the line
That’s a bargain K
Absolutely interesting and entertaining reviews, i would like to suggest one improvement. Currently you are sitting beside the device, it would be nice if you, half way the review, lift the lid of the device so we can take a peek inside. Would be nice especialy with vintage equipment.
zeker waar, very true
I bought the AX400 back in the 80’s still have it
I have a AX-770U that I purchased for $100.00 recently. I have been very pleased with the sound quality.
Great reviews , thanks a lot for sharing this, nice authentic presentation and recognise the sound taste ....we do love an impressionist painting over a sharp photograph....its the same in sound
I have same Yamaha+ monitor audio RS8 ( before run b&w 601) .... that amp blow off much more expensive amplifier,it's absolutely crazy quality for the price,I paid 75£ second hand I still can't believe how good it's, only mid range it's a bit not that vividly rich but it's ok for what I paid
Thanks Kelvin a pleasure to watch as always
Great review!
I recently acquired a refurbished AX-570 which is like new(all capacitors renewed) for a mere 85 pounds.
The only downside of the amp is that it is a bit "dead" sounding(I prefer Denon) but on the other hand one has silky, controlled and very powerful amplification at hand... encased in quite a tasteful chassis.
For the price - a real steal.
Very interesting review, as always, from a non-guru hifi heavy user. Thanks for sharing.
BTW, I actually miss some close-up shots, to watch the cover, knots, buttons, etc, of all the equipment you review. That's just a suggestion. Grretings from Spain!
By the 2000's...everyone was into selling AVR's for theatre use, surround sound, Dolby, etc...Not many kept listening to 2.0 stereo or phono. Movies using new technologies were the focus...and the music died...
Recently picked up a Yamaha AX 496 at a good price. It can be set to bypass most of it's pre amp controls. Paired it up with some old KEF C10's, and it's a remarkable combination. Especially for old jazz recordings.
im thinking of getting one but i would would be exculsivly bypassing the pre amp controls. i am planning on plugging a schiit modi as its main input. how can i set it to bypass the preamp?
@@petermoore7796 oh, it's simple. There is a bypass button on front of the amp. And you still control the volume on the power amp. Got to give the amp a couple of seconds to start, as it has a delay while it starts up.
@@davebroad642 I have a 550 and my bypass switch works when used for just that. However, when I switch back to restore the tone / loudness adjustments I get signal in the right channel only. Have you experienced this channel drop? I would like to be able to use the variable loudness.
I’m liking this channel first amp I ever fell in love with was my dads Yamaha A1000 that started my journey.
I have a few Yamaha receivers from the early 90s late 80s they are always a bargain!
There not the best I’ve heard but man do they sound a lot better then many modern more expensive stereo equipment…
Love Yamaha!
Nice review, Kelvin. I've always loved the look of the Sansui AU217 MkII and your comments on your 317 are only making it more tempting! I loved my NAD 3020 and I rebuilt a 3120 earlier this year and gave it to a mate in exchange for some decorating work. He loves it and I'm jealous!
Thanks for checking out an older Japanese amp, Kelvin - they tend to get overlooked, and it's good to get your opinion on how they stack up. Where I find they shine is in purely electronic music, where there was never any 'live air' (I call it 'hearing the room') in the first place. Perhaps it's no coincidence that 80s amps coincided with the rise of synth-pop and 90s amps with dance/rave culture?
Wow ... all 80s amps did one thing and all 90s amps did another. How about that? I can listen blind and say, that my friend is a 90s amp because it suits dance/rave better than synth-pop. Wow ... what rubbish! Talk from experience. What 90s or 80s amp did you have? -None, you just read a magazine review right? Mr. thisisnev I don't believe you had any older Japanese amplifiers. I think you overlooked them all but hey, WE didn't! Tell us what equipment you had, don't waffle.
I mean this guy didn't even go into the specs this thing is stable with absolute linear amplification it was a breakthrough in the day there is no Distortion across the Spectrum and the fact that this thing is 8642 and 1 ohm capable you can put some monster speakers on this thing and it will slamming this thing is a Powerhouse it has to record out pre-outs before two input sources
Another thing this guy didn't bring up 801 own load this thing is capable of running 500 watt RMS into for channels tell me that other piece of crap happy had could do that he's playing it out those little Chinese speakers get some real meat on those speakers like some dual-voice-coil 2-ohm one on capable subwoofers and you'd be slamming had this amp for years and it destroyed my house I made neighbors move with this thing it rattled the windows and the walls listen to some Black Sabbath The Mob Rules the Metallica Black Album probably rattle the Dentures out of his head I've had tinier Sansui Toshiba Radio Shack you name it this was my final amp not had it for over 30 years you the Technics turntable for the ceramic magnetic cartridge slamming and that's why the app says natural sound amplifier I don't know what this guy's talking about obviously doesn't know much about amplifiers I do car stereos I'll tell you all about amplifiers
I had a Yamaha A1 .....extremely well build, it had a gorgeous MC phono stage...........and about the sound....Turning up the volume, ...no distortion but the music never comes.....like jam... the strawberries in a jar and not in a field...it's simply not alive. Clean sound and emotionless music.
ola, tem uma indicação de amplificador que soe com emoção? para books paradign 20 v5
As you say the Nads will break, I had a Yamaha Ax396 receiver for 20 years and it has worked perfectly every day and still does up until I sold it.
KELVIN,IT ALWAYS IS ABOUT THE SOUND 👂🤗and a bargain is a BONUS 🙂💚💚💚
So true , a lot of amps from the eighties onwards sound analytical and sometimes cold , lacking the warmth of older amps . The trade off with older amplifiers is a slight loss of detail but a more pleasurable sound is offered which is kinder on the ear and the most important aspect is the capture of emotion in the music which pre eighties amps do well , but like anything in life there are good and bad examples to be had , so choose wisely . Amps of this age would benefit from a service so factor this into the asking price .
No. You're not right there. The analytical 'cold' amplifiers used a type of electronic wizardry that had been changed. These used to offer very low distortion and this view of yours is complete nonsense. Stereo review X always reminds me of Norman Wisdom ua-cam.com/video/cNUINPxEuVg/v-deo.html These were the days when only important people were heard. Today any Tom, Dick, or Harry is able to get up on UA-cam and make sounds formerly heard only in public lavatories and just as offensive by nature.
@@keplermission4947 Strange analogy between Norman Wisdom & Public Lavatories , but never mind . You're welcome to disagree , but by doing so that doesn't make you right & me wrong , just accept that other people have opinions that may differ from yours , or is that something you have trouble with.
@@stephenhargreaves381 Well you know I don't think you have any trouble with your Audio system because, in my opinion, you've never had one. You're just one of those UA-cam loudmouths. I mean if you were an enthusiast you'd mention your favorite equipment and I say you've been reading UA-cam comments on videos and you've put your name to some. That's my humble opinion.
@@keplermission4947 Thank you for your humble opinion . Equipment collected > Quad 50e pair , Sony Ta 3140 pair, Sony Ta 2000f preamp , Sony Ta1120 2 off , Sony Ta 1130 , Sony Ta 1150 Sony Ta 500es' Sony Ta 3120 , Kenwood Ka 7002 Quad 303 pair Sony cdp302es Sony Cdp3000es Pioneer PL61 Pioneer Pl 40 Pioneer A25 Ariston RD80 Hitachi Ps38 Hitachi Ps 48 pioneer Sa 7100 Sony str 500fw Akai GX210d Reel to reel Sony SS 3000 BWDM2 Goodmans dimension 8 Goodmans Magister Monitor Audio MA3 Celestion Ditton 11 Musical Fidelity A1 Sony Ta 73 Sony TA70 . These are my favourites , collected over many years .
I recently picked up a 10 year newer, not made in Japan anymore, Yamaha receiver with very similar specs and internal design and parts. It was at a pawn shop marked $10 and said "no sound". I took a gamble and long story short, it works great! Only have it in the basement, but it sounds as good as a couple Nakamichi receivers from the 80's I have down there. My main system has Yamaha separates.
I find this era of good middle of the range amps sound great with good, rich vintage speakers. The clinical soundstage is warmed up and brought to life with a classic pair of Dittons for example. Especially if you're a gen xer like me who loves his 80s and 90s music.
I had a power amplifier in this series, I think is was 165 watts channel 4 ohm drive capability had a nice sound
I bought it this year in Poland for the equivalent of 90 pounds, it's really good for the price
For mid 80's amp try out the Luxman R (404). Very nice sound, smooth, detailed, homogenous, tonally right, well balanced.
great and honest review! greetnigs from Croatia!
Very nice Yamaha integrated amplifier and I heard it has a very nice sound. Depends on which speakers, but Yamaha amps are mostly as I noticed neutral. So neither the high nor the low frequencies are excessive, but they have the same solid bass. I have a new Yamaha A-S701 integrated amplifier with 2 × 100 w per channel at 8 ohms, and I'm very happy with the sound paired with my Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 speakers and I have a Yamaha CD-S700 CD Player and a network player NP-S303. And I can say that the sound is solidly good for my desires.
I love your reviews! You have the very same taste for sound as I do. By no means the best specification amplifier has a better sound. Maybe that Yamaha has better specifications, better clarity, better frequency response, better sound-noise separation....but not always has this whole-rounded vivid air of sound, this liveliness and juice.
How come that you Londoners are very often so down to the earth, good humourred, easy going, playful behaviour...? As if you were some very ordinary peasant people...I appreciate this very much on Londoners.
I wish you had some oldschool mic setup for these reviews as well... otherwise great review! Keep it up!
Thats a good idea!!! UPVOTE!!
Great detailed review as always. Love your channel kelvin
Thanks mate
This looks about the same vintage as the Denon pma350se. Now that is usually available at bargain prices on ebay and it built to last. Has a great phono board as well.
I had an earlier Yamaha integrated amp (A1020 I believe) that drove a pair of KEF 104/2s so well that neighbors three doors down came by to tell me I was playing David Lindley (ua-cam.com/video/ahe8qFmlxGQ/v-deo.html) too loud while indulging in spirited listening.....As if there where such a thing as Lindley too loud. It gave great service for 30 years before I moved on. I'm enjoying your efforts here. I love that so many have moved from 2.0 to 5.1, 7.1, 11.1 and whatever else, only to leave a glut of proper 2 channel vintage or near vintage components at fire-sale prices at eBay and other places. MORE REVIEWS, PLEASE!
I love control buttons on the pre-amp sections also... (another reason I still kept my vintage SONY pre-amp). The SONY has a LEFT/RIGHT/STEREO/MONO/REVERSE & left only, right-only (for wiring check) rotating switch. That versatility comes in handy. It also a has a tone "cancel" switch. The actual tone controls are part of a separate 20db voltage amp section so its good that you can cut them out. You're right about Steely Dan...Love the Mo/Fi versions of AJA..both the CD and the LP. Also like the Mo/Fi version of "Dark Side of the Moon". Those are my go-to test sources.
Just another great video that you can enjoy watching from beginning to the end!!! Superb! I also chose the Nad 3020 series 20, still trying speakers to find that good match for my 30x10 office, tried DCM XK10, Mission 773 two way, Infinity Alpha 20 with 10” sub , now hooked up to Infinity Alpha 50,... the choice of speakers is based on my thin wallet and what I can find near me. If anyone can recommend, from experience what could be that good match warm sounding vintage speaker...please do so. Thank you, and again I really enjoy music and watching your videos. Cheers!
Old Yamaha AX-750/550 is extremely better than modern Yamaha A-S700. I had technical problems with AX-750, tried A-S700 and will have to sell it back and go back to AX-750 and repair it or look for another vintage. New Yahama amp is disaster.
Kelvin, your reviews are great - but you are raising the prices of these items used! Yamaha AX550 is now £318 on Ebay!
Definitely don’t buy it and that has to be a buy it now which I normally just wild hopes
nice B&W DM4 in the back! Just enjoying music sound!
Great review as usual. :) Many thanks sir.
I've just bought an AX-500, which looks to have identical specs and features, but a different front panel and controls (eg button source selector, not rotary, etc).
Got this via a vintage Onkyo I've had for 6 months that I didn't feel was quite cutting it, that itself replaced a similar early 90s vintage Yamaha bought in Tottenham Court Road early 90s that conked out before I started paying attention to the model numbers!
I know what you mean about the Yamaha sound from that era, but found the detail useful cos I dabble in audio engineering. Anyway, I think my new AX-500 sounds different, better and more rounded/warmer. Am absolutely delighted at first blush, paired with some B&O Beovox MC120.2s I've just refoamed (the Onkyo was a little underpowered I suspect). Sounds sensational to my ears.
Anyway took the case off the AX-500 to give it a hover before setting up, and not much there in the way of chips and things that might explain the 90s era yamaha sound, and am thinking it is an earlier version of the one reviewed here, but potentially with a somewhat different design ethos. Check it out; highly recommended!
Final more quantitative thing on the AX-550 vs AX-500 difference; just checked the specs and the signal to noise (S/N) ratio on my late 80s Ax-500 is 100dB and 110dB on the newer AX-550. Quickly looking at a few other 90s models they also appear to have 110dB S/N ratios across the board regardless of output.
This does sound like a fundamental design/technology change may have occurred, and tho the additional 10dB S/N ratio might seem "better" on paper it is well beyond the practical limits of human hearing.
As such the lower S/N ratio might be perceived as better by the ear, and that is something I have found with soundcards, where older, lower specs can be perceived as having a warmer analogue type feel. Course it's all down to individual preferences!
Your brick wall is a great diffusor. Place your speakers 4 inches from block wall 66.5 inches apart, 2 foot off ground. Sheetrock wall require placing speakers 4 feet from wall.
Hi Kelvin,
I am from Sri Lanka. Great accurate review. Try the Arcam with Paradigm 5Se MK2. You will be amazed. Please see and if you like pass on to those who are using Arcam amps.
But my favourite Amps are SANSUI's
Happy listening.
Nice review! Keep it up
Edge enhancement is no substitute for natural detail and harmonics. That micro chip synthetic quality you referred to I call it "shrink wrapped". Ken Kesler of HIFI News called it clarity without detail.
Maybe the older amplifiers will need a technical check if there are any irregularities in frequency response. Normally there shouldn't be notable differences when you listen on equal volume levelled amps.
Great vid as usual, very interested in your take of a Yama amp as i run a yama mx-830 as my main amp (with its accompanying cx-830 preamp). Thought you were spot on with your take about how the cutting edge of the music is super clear and defined. I use the loudness feature on mine (only at +1-2) to tone down the treble peaks to try and bring out a warmer less analytical sound imo.
AT LAST! Cheers Max, someone who knows how to use that loudness control, i wish people who review Yamaha amps would read up, or even open up their ears, as to how this variable loudness control should be used, or even works, instead of, as in this review, bypass it's true tonal worth!
@@kinasc1575 Cheers mate, admittedly it is not the most intuitive feature, had to read up on it myself and glad I did!
Interesting presentation Kelvin -- was offered a Yamaha AX-350 Vintage Amplifier restored and in good condition for €100 - not sure how the AX-350 stacks up against the AX-550 -- anybody ??? regards from Ireland - Paul
You should try Tesla B73 reel to reel tape recorder which can be used as an amp. It has an incredibly vivid and joyful sound! I am an owner of NAD 3020i, Denon RCD M41 so I can compare. That Denon is exactly what you say about analytical sound and that blackness. NAD is quite tender, silky, honey sound. TESLA B73 from Czechoslovakia is very vivid, very rocky, woody kind of sound. I think you would appreciate it. I would borrow you one for the purposes of comparison if you like.
Precious information here.
Great review!
"The space between sounds, live air" - I like this way of thinking about Hi Fi. After all, Hi Fi is to create an illusion of reality. And we have plenty space and air in reality... 😉
poetry thanks
Hi Kelvin! Thanks for review! I feel exactly what you tell, but in a same time I was having an experience with Harman Kordon amp of same hi fi Era (80-90s) and it's seems like HK gives a much alive and natural sound in comparison to Yamaha (for the similar price). What do you think about it?
Well I’m guessing a bit but I know what you’re talking about.
So many amps seem to become undynamic into the 80s
I have this , it's a beauty, might not be best, but that's a rabbit hole I can do without.
Great show tks.
Could u recommend me a good sets of speakers.
Tks
Good test song Kelvin you should give a listen is Uriah Heap " The Wizard"
Nice review/analysis! I've just found your channel this week. Do you still reply to comments/points of view?
Try me
@@stereoreviewx
OK Chief, I'll tell you what I have and you can have a laugh first! Since 1986 I have been using a Dual 505-2 Turntable - Ortofon 20 Stylus./ Yamaha - K-220 Cassette Deck/ Yamaha A-420 Amplifier/ Tannoy Mercury Speakers. It all has regular use.
I switched the amp in 2021 for a change to a Yamaha AX 396(2001) which seemed to get better reviews than the AX-496 and AX-596. Changed the Cassette deck to Yamaha KX-580 SE (Special Edition) and a Nakamichi DR-10.
I wonder what you think of this Hi-Fi set up are and what are your thoughts on Cassette decks and would you consider ever doing a video on this topic?
@@SpyGuyUK Yeah firstly you haven’t wasted a ton of money buying a load of supposedly new best thing shit.
So you’re five grand Up already.🤪
I’m a big fan of autophon so clean and refined.
Cassette decks I guess for me I don’t see the attraction they always broken drove me mad I was always looking for a track on one side and it was on the other side.
And you’re on 1/8 of an inch tape instead of quarter inch on a real to real people say they sound great honestly it never happened for me also Dolby never really delivered would you agree it either made it duller I mean I’d have a little bit of hiss and not have the dullness what do you say about that
Try the yamaha with dali speakers, great combo
Hey Kelvin, love your show, long time watcher. Thanks for the content. I was wondering if you can review a technics receiver from the 70's and compare and contrast the sound to the other big players from that era. I just picked up an SA-700 and am happy with the sound. I don't have a lot of experience with Sansui, Pioneer, Marantz and such. Just wondering if I'm missing anything. Thanks. Stay safe. Greg
Hey Greg there is a video comparing Sansui Marantz and pioneer in general the sound I mean on my channel
Greg, 70s Technics is awesome. I prefere my SA404 to my Pioneer SX780 and SX838. Not as good as my Sansui 661, imo. Never heard or owned a marantz in the same wattage level. But so far in my experience, Technics only second to Sansui for the price. Pioneer prices inflated due to their popularity. The Technics also better than my 70s JVC and Kenwood. My 2 cents
@@stereoreviewx Thanks!
@@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458 Yes, I am happy with it. I was just wondering what the other experiences were like. Thanks for your feedback.
I agree had 2 Yamaha amps plenty of power but the so called "natural sound" imho seems to remove the warmth of the mid-range especially on vocals which no matter what i did could not correct.
Still waiting on an Onkyo review..Please.
If I get my hands on an onkyo you’re going to hear about it cheers from London
Quite opposite after honey moon period Im going to release from duty my very much like 3020 the NAD 306 and substitute with AX1000 or something like that.
Hi i realy like your Videos !!! which NAD Amplifier do you suggest to pair with Q Acoustics 3030i speakers , i like warm to natural sound , not too Forward and Sharp . with full body mids , and the most of all Big Sound Stage and depth !! Thanks in Advance Man .. keep going !
There’s one on EBay now, £50 buy it now. I’m running the AX430 at the moment - quite similar features, less power and no remote. Sounds decent to my untutored ear, but I’ve got upgrade itch so am looking around for something better. I’m torn between vintage and modern. I’m thinking of Audiolab 8000A for the vintage option. I want to experiment with a MC cartridge so am looking for a decent mc phono stage.
Hi Richard I own a Audiolab 8000a it is a great amp with a very good phono section I would recommend it to anyone, ive had mine for about 8 years and only paid £150 for it a real bargain.
@@robmills537 Thanks Rob. I think prices have gone up a lot in eight years. £275 seems not unusual now.
@@richardsinger01 Hi Richard have you thought about Marantz amps they seem to be not over priced from what I remember they were very good.
@@robmills537 not really, Rob. If I can find a decent looking 8000a on eBay I might go for it - but I am a little concerned about keeping an old amp running.
@@richardsinger01 Hi Richard I know what you mean I'm often thinking should I sell the Audiolab & buy a newer amp as the modern Marantz pm6005 or 6 seem to be well reviewed, happy hunting mate.
Still don't know whether to buy or not.
Would have preferred if reviewer had listened with the variable loudness dialled in at different levels, instead dismissing it, opting to chat about the stereo/mono button, possibly at +2 or +4,6?
The sound may have been fuller and less analytical ?
All i gained was not to buy an Arcam.
On the upsids, defined his view on sound quality clearly and to the point. i think my definition of good sound quality would be in the same ball park as reviewer , is a bonus.
Yamaha AX-570 or AX-570. Thanks. Nice video btw
There is no IC in Yamaha signal path when play in direct from CD source. Personally prefer clear open edgy sound of yamaha than blury, middle centric sound of nad. This last one is perfect for jazz but does not likes the modern music. Just a matter of personal preferences. Ps. this is not that I prefer what I owns, I own NAD and Yamaha and other amps.... Non of these amps is neutral.
Fair comment my friend K
My first hi-fi amp was an Arcam Alpha 8. Great detail but bass, punch and warmth was lacking...only 50W RMS from memory. It sounded good in the shop demo room.
You need its power amp
@@tiadanama1998 I regret not getting it back then. Now I have an Emotiva XPA-DR2. 👍
You've got a sweet deal at $50 quid, i just checked a 500 mile radius here in the USA on Marketplace. None available and the few to have on ebay are $300 and up. I will keep an eye though. Any recommendation on a First Vintage Receiver? I plan on purchasing a pair of OHM Walsh Speakers specifically the 2XO. I basically have nothing to compare to except my 1999 Kenwood AV receiver. I was thinking about a Pioneer SX-780
I would recommend an early (analogue tuning) NAD 7020, but it might be a bit underpowered for the Walsh 2XOs.
In general I normally say Sansui in front of pioneer Marantz
For vintage 1970s stuff
Nice
The Nakamichi stasis amp has 4 seperate power supplies to suppress noise.
That certainly sounds good
Thanks, Mr. When will you test a Technics Su - V series amp? Give them a try ;--)
You look and sound like Pete Townsend. Are you his brother? Anyway, I have a DSP-E492 (processor/amplifier) release years '97 to '99 and trying to chase down another Yamaha with (pre out/main in) I can loop it with. This AX-550 seems perfect. The first also features a switch allowing one unit to control all. Pretty nifty.
Your take on Yamaha is exactly why I did not buy one back in the 80s. It has that mid-fi "hi-fi" exaggeration you could hear in all the department store stereo departments.
Well spotted
Have you ever tried Realistic receivers? I got my hands on an STA-2100 recently, and I'm really amazed by the sound stage this thing produces.
Well not much experience what experience I had was very good but I think they changed manufacturers some people seem to rate them but I never heard anything good ample receiver wise
Who remembers Laskys Tottenham Court Rd Londons Hi-Fi heaven man
Yes of course and opposite on the corner was a shop where you go downstairs and they were darkened rooms filled with Marantz receivers it was a grown-up Santas grotto
Any opinion on vintage Hafler amps and preamps? They’re quite affordable...
nice, is it possible to make a video to compare different brands and their sound characters? what make yamaha different to for example sony?
There is one of my channel between Marantz pioneer and Sansui no Yamaha I’m afraid guess what the Sansui wins
Yamaha have a kind of light sound not quite so solid
K
Hi! How are you? Can you tell me about AX 550 vs AX 596? I will buy one of them two. Thank you!
I’m not familiar sorry but if it’s from the same range it’s going to have similarities
Hi, from Portugal!
Do you have any impression about Marantz PM 45 (59W) for this Yamaha?
All the best
Pedro
Which is best? My guess is the marantz is proberbly better.
I own a Yamaha ax 492 with a vintage Tannoy cheviots...Even with those speakers I notice what you said about synthetic sound. The treble energy level of my tannoys is set to -1 to better this. That's why I would like to get an old amplifier. Here in Argentine are too expensive and I dont trust in anyone who maybe had changed things inside of it...(I mean to replace original parts for bad parts or components). The more affordable old amps I found are 20/30/35 watts 8ohms. I guess they will not be able to "rock" my speakers properly. Maybe it will but I dont know.
Vintage amplifiers of 30 W are like a modern 60 W
@@stereoreviewx i bought an Akai AA 1050 two days ago and it sounds amazing.
Hi Kelvin,
I´ve just found an Yamaha ax-550 very cheap (20€) in proper working condition.
With only some minor scratches on the top. I have only one issue, my speakers are rated 4ohm and the amp says 8ohm output.
Can i run 4ohm speakers with this amp?
Nice review, keep up the good work
cheers
Luis
I will be honest with you hear Luis if it’s one set of speakers I always just plug them in I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem but I’m not being technical here I might be wrong you never know but I wouldn’t worry about it as long as this one set K
@@stereoreviewx Hello again, thanks for the advice. Have a wonderful day.
The great video but, I have for one question. If you were to use the Yamaha as a preamp, with a higher quality amplifier, will it change the sound of the higher quality amplifier?, Or will it enhance it in any way? I have a lot of Yamaha equipment from different eras, and I do appreciate Yamaha equipment more so than a lot of other brands.
Don't get me wrong I'm not a label whore , who will readily sell themselves for their favorite brand, like a lot of people do for pioneer, of which I'm not a very big fan of at all, but I do enjoy the natural sound and tight punchy base that Yamaha produces, even though they have been known to put out some bad stuff from time to time, especially in the line of CD players and tape decks, and let's not forget about their speakers which I'm not a particular fan of.
It’s hard to say whether the preamp or the power amp is the better thing of any particular unit I will always try them if you have the opportunity
With older vintage receivers like 1970s the power amp is the best part of them so modern preamp works well
Not sure what I would say about that particular Yamaha I’m going to doubt any side is significantly better than the other
K
Nakamichi Stasis receiver is bargain on Ebay. Me & my friend bought 10 of them. Get a remote & Japanese version if you can. with stasis feature designed by Nelson Pass. The SR & TA series. The TA Series makes u cut your speakers thin for hookup, I dont like doing that. The SR series doesnt make u cut your wires thinner. Not all of these amps are stasis. Make sure receiver is called Nakamichi Stasis. The best one with highest number has a great pre amp that costs more. Also there is a old company with old receiver that has a tube for pre amp part of integrated receiver. I forgot the name. It may be Luxman. It has great tone, but just a little grainy like most amps. Its tone is better than the old Nad 3020 amp.
Great detailed info appreciate that I want one of these amps now
The "manufacturing of components" has gotten better over time. Maybe what you are hearing is from the added (late 80s) digital circuitry (noise) getting on the analog signal path. Or, the change in a generation of people who increasingly like more compressed music. 90's music was more compressed than the 80s and 2000 was more compressed than the 90s. I can't even listen to most of the latest recordings, because everything just sounds loud, because the dynamic range has been compressed so much. My point is that the manufacturers follow what the people like.
It's not due to "microchips". The integrated circuits of the 70,80 and 90s where huge, so there was nothing micro about them. Integrated circuits were used in the 70's and plenty were used in the 80's and 90's.
s
I think the (mass market) manufacturers just changed to suit the change in people. I don't like compressed music, but a lot of people do these days. I have noticed a dramatic difference in compression over the last decade on UA-cam music videos. Artists are increasingly compressing their recordings, because the masses like it better. I think most people would have a higher appreciation of more dynamic (less compressed) recordings/sound, if they weren't listening on phones, ipads and boomboxes.
Higher end 90s and 2000s amps sound great. Better components and not all the gimmicks of the 70s and 80s. Even the loudness button is a tone control. Adding a mono button still has to send the signal through the contacts of a clunky switch, whether it is on or off.
So when you say compression on the radio my understanding is they are trying to make their record sound louder but still conform to the regulations does that sound right
@@stereoreviewx I'm referring to compressing the dynamic range when making recordings in the studio. The more a song is compressed dynamically, the less difference there will be from the softest whisper to a thunderous bass slam. This is what causes the vocals to sound too loud on new music (very compressed). Especially if you turn it up a bit, the vocals sound shouty and get harsher the more you turn up the volume. A good recording (very little compressed dynamics) from the 70s or 80s sounds just as clean and clear at full volume.
Basically the dynamic range is determined by the difference between voltages. For example a good recording might have 0.01 volt signal for the quietest part of the song (whisper) and 20 volts for the loudest part. While a highly compressed recording might only have a 5 volt spread between the quietest and loudest sounds. This is why compressed music sounds muddled together (all instruments and vocals are not supposed to sound at the same or near levels). The recordings don't have enough dynamic range. It's not natural sounding, because reality has no compression whatsoever, allowing for a huge dynamic range.
The mono switch is really for playing mono records.
Hi Dont Know, I think if you play a mono record through stereo you just get mono surely you do
Curiously, I know a very old record producer and he likes mono. He thinks stereo is still a gimmick.
Hello from france and thank you for your vidéos. I have a question, is it possible to do biamplification with vintage receiver ? If yes, do they have to got the same power ? Thank you 😊
Hi. I own a Yamaha ax492 and I play it with a pair of vintage Tannoy Cheviot speakers. One guy is selling here a Yamaha ax 450 of his own. Do u think it is worth the change? I mean the ax 492 has a lot of bass pulse, a good midrange range reproduction but it lacks finesse on extreme treble frequencies, though I play it with my wonderful Tannoys...tell me do u recommend me the ax 450 for better???? Thank u. I will apprecciate your comment a lot.
Well if I was to say anything I would say the tannoys demand a better amp
Not that I know exactly what but I think you can improve on the Yamaha sound generally speaking and those are nice speakers
@@stereoreviewx thank u. I know I can play them with a better amp. But it is difficult to trust in someone here when you buy vintage equipment. Like I said before the only thing I don't like about the ax 492 is extreme treble thing. Thank u.
About to pick up this AX550 this week for about 35 pound (40 euro). Unfortunately no remote with it. Anything to look out for? Are there any weak points in build quality?
Have a Arcam 8 integrated and love it, you think the NAD is better but would it drive modern speakers though at that rating, I've Dali Oberon 5s and I only need volume at around a quarter to get a loud volume?
I wouldn’t worry about it driving the speakers at all
Sound wise the Arqam would sound clean more digital more etched if it was me and they were both in great condition I would prefer the Nad
@@stereoreviewx Thanks, something to consider
Should I trade a mint condition NAD C352 integrated amp for a new Yamaha AS1200 amp? I am running Monitor Audio Silver S6 towers which are the last of the UK hand made Monitor Audio speakers. What do you think?
Amidst the vintage craze instigated by bearded hipsters, the gear from the 80s and 90s most of the time gets overlooked based on a single premise - the looks. Well, what can I say, more for us the HiFi bargain hunters. I love the gear from the late 80s and mid 90s and own some of the best specimens from that era that sound good to my ear. The industry never stopped making great gear, what happened was, the middle class that was able to afford the silvery shiny stuff of the 70s was slowly disappearing, hence the manufacturers were adjusting to the market and lets not forget the progress and evolution in the field of electronics, which also played its role.
What should I yours this Yamaha ore an Sony ta-f420A
Hi i have noticed that older Yamaha integrateds had high max power consumption (looking at the label on the back of the amps). Even like 400W and up of max power consumption. This ax550 has 230W only.
This suggests to me that older amps like for instance ax400 (with 430W of max power consumption = mains transformer VA rating) have sturdier power supplies.
Moreover peeping inside these older amps i have found that often high current paths are realized with too much thin wires ... this is a bottleneck for power that can hold back performance. The current must be flow freely like in bigger section good copper wires.
Is it worth buying Yamaha AX-530 (85W) to be used as a power amplifier as I have integrated amplifiers that I can use as a pre-amp? Thanks.
Well, maybe if it’s cheap I wouldn’t get too excited about it myself
got one of those and it suffers from the shitty alps input selector, some other amps seem to have a similar problem. Afaik there are no replacement parts
My 550 suffers from that problem too, I plan to take mine apart and clean the many contacts that there are inside, might even make a video of it as there doesn't seem to be a detailed video of the job on UA-cam. If you do attempt it yourself be sure to mark the contact discs order and position before you take them out for cleaning!!
The ax-596 is what I'm using now, bloody good amp also.
yamaha its great amp..if any need good bass ..if u need high tons buy ONKYo integra .