I had to get a remote-controlled amplifier in place of the old one, which didn't have this convenience and was already having problems, especially with the volume potentiometer, which made noise and distortion during use (dangerous for the speakers), and sometimes there was also a hum in one channel or the sound almost disappeared in it, or only treble came out, perhaps distorted too, so that I could give it in for a proper touch-up and make it like new, which was done.
But I will stick with the remote-controlled one, of course, because it makes life easier.
I bought this budget Yamaha, which has received quite good reviews and had all the connections I wanted (I've had it for a year and a half, but I connected it only a few weeks ago because it was a big process and I kept putting it off, but I couldn't go on with the previous amplifier).
And now my opinion.
Flat, or (even worse) with pure direct, it doesn't sound as good as it should, i.e. it doesn't convince you (I changed my original wording so as not to be so harsh). It is a somewhat small, narrow, flat-surfaced, and a little empty sound (very clean, of course, but that is not enough; it lacks body, size, and the feeling that what you hear is real, authentic), especially at low volumes. Turning the bass knob 75 to 90 degrees (or even quite a bit less) to the right, everything falls into place and it plays VERY WELL. It fills out, gains substance, becomes sweeter, and pleases you.
I had read in some review that this helps, but it doesn't just help, it is necessary, as far as I can see.
If you have some huge speakers that dig up bass where there isn't any and have a massive sound with a three-dimensional, vast soundstage, it will probably play without problems even flat, but that will be due to the speakers.
Its treble is not of the best quality either, but there is no particular problem (better, though, if your speakers are a little gentle in the high frequencies).
So, a budget amplifier with almost all the conveniences and connections, which needs bass support. Yes, for its category, good, but with the extra bass. I have no problem with it (my old one was more expensive and clearly on another level, but I don't mind at all).
It has a freshness in its sound and a good midrange.
One more thing: this loudness is really baffling. In classic loudness, simply with a blessed little button you press, the bass and treble are boosted and, in the end, the volume too (since two ranges are boosted). Here, because it is adjustable, the more you turn it up, the more the output power drops, i.e. the sound gets quieter, and if you read on the amplifier, at the maximum loudness we reach -30 dB. What is this thing? Apart from being incomprehensible, that is, if you set the loudness high and play at a high volume, if you make the mistake of turning it off suddenly, you will bring down the apartment building and the whole block, and you will also destroy your eardrum and burn out the speakers too; a small matter, of course, since the entire apartment building will have been destroyed. Unless they have foreseen such a case and have safety systems (and on that Yamaha is very good, don't ask me why I say so, I have verified it anyway) or something I don't know or don't understand well (at -30 dB there may no longer be the concept of "loud enough"-high volume, but there will be (logically), suddenly, "extremely loud," if you can cancel loudness abruptly), I tried loudness only a little but I say I won't risk it.
And I forgot: build quality, remote control, appearance, all seem excellent to me.
Although I don't like an amplifier not playing the way I want flat, I have no reason not to consider it a good purchase since it plays the way I want it to, well, with bass boost. If some people absolutely want pure direct for the best, unobstructed, and unaffected transfer of sound to the speakers (which gives another kind of clarity, that is undeniable), for me they should get another amplifier. Unless they accept its sound as it is, which, as I can see, is what happens. I, on the other hand, find it hard to listen to it flat, and I have no issue as long as I hear it well enough to convince me, with bass boost (and I am not even a bass fanatic; the midrange is the critical area for me, so I will play a little more with the bass boost, i.e. reduce slightly the increase I have made, to help the midrange area (the amplifier's strong point), maybe it will be better, to find the best compromise between body and midrange). Still, flat, whatever we say, the bass is somewhat downgraded and does not fill out the sound so that you feel body, substance.
In general, don't expect miracles in a budget category and be disappointed. It is a truly VERY GOOD effort from YAMAHA (no one disagrees with that), worth the money, and yes, I am satisfied. It is an amplifier for 4 stars. Not for 5, though; it needs something more for that.
- 08/08/26
Incredible match with the Kef Q150. It does want the extra bass, of course, but everything changed: timbres, realism, body, soundstage, etc. I will try it with other speakers too, but with the Kef it sounds almost like another amplifier; it is actually the same one, but the Kef make it sound like that because they fit it like a glove. Whatever a device is, in hi-fi the matching is very essential for the final result.
S.D.