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Yamaha A-S700
Integrated Amplifier
Yamaha is now one of the only large multi- The Equipment watts per channel (into 8), which is exactly
national manufacturers that continues to offer Visually, the A-S700 is almost a clone of the the same output it specifies for the A-S2000.
an extensive range of high-quality two-chan- flagship model A-S2000, with what appears To skip ahead of myself slightly, the reason
nel amplifiers and if the incredible success of to be an identical front-panel layout. How- Yamaha has been able to pull this trick is
its flagship stereo amplifiers, the AS-2000 and ever, when you investigate more closely, you found on the rear panel, where a user-adjust-
AS-1000 are any indication, the other compa- will see that although the control locations able speaker impedance selector must be man-
nies are already ruing the day they decided to are identical, different front panel controls ually switched between Low (for speakers
exit the two-channel market. The good news are fitted to those locations. If you look at with a nominal impedance rating lower than
for everyone else is that Yamaha is now offer- the photograph above, the two switches be- 6) and High (for speakers rated at 6 or
ing even more of the same, in the shape of the low the input selector are for CD Direct and higher). This switch ad-
A-S700, at less than half the cost of the award- Pure Direct, whereas on the A-S2000 these justs the circuitry inside
winning AS-1000 (it picked up a Best Product front panel positions are used for phono stage the amplifier for either
Award 20089 from the European Imaging switching (MC/MM) and audio muting. And maximum current drive
and Sound Association). whereas on the A-S700 the small rotary con- or maximum voltage, so
trols to the right of the headphone socket its an either/or propo-
are for speaker selection (Off, A, B, A+B) and sition, whereas the A-
record output switching (Line 1/2/3, CD, S2000 doesnt have a
Phono, Tuner), the two on the A-S2000 are for switch, so you get both
headphone volume and record output switch- maximum current and
ing. Take your ruler to the amplifiers and maximum voltage, no
youll find that although the A-S700s front matter what the imped-
Newport Test Labs
panel is the same width (435mm) and a little ance of the speakers you
higher (151mm), its not nearly as deep (the connect.
A-S700 is only 382mm deep, compared to the Activate the Pure
A-S2000s depth of 465mm). And if you resort Direct switch on the A-
to weighing the two amplifiers to differentiate S700 and the signal at the
them, youll discover that the A-S700 is only CD input goes through
half the weight (10.9kg vs. 22.7kg). the input selector switch
Despite this difference in weight (which and the volume control
Power Output: Both channels driven into
8-ohm and 4-ohm non-inductive loads at would seem to indicate at least some econo- but bypasses the tone
20Hz, 1kHz and 20kHz using High-Z mies in the A-S700s power supply), Yamaha controls, loudness con-
speaker output setting. [Yamaha AS700] rates the power output of the A-S700 at 90- trol and balance control.
22 | Australian Hi-Fi
Activate the CD Direct Amp switch and the by means of a single button all fall way short amplifier is supplied in two different finishes
signal at the CD input bypasses the input se- of what is most desirable. Yamahas rotary (satin black or brushed aluminium), the re-
lector as well, so that only the volume control loudness control is the best implementation mote control for both is brushed aluminium.
lies between it and the output. of loudness compensation, and I am pleased
As you have probably realised from my de- that its fitted to the A-S700. In Use and Listening Sessions
scription of the Record Output selector, the A- The A-S700 still sports bass and treble con- Setting up the A-S700 is relatively straight-
S700 isnt short of inputs! There are three Line trols. Many audiophiles dont favour these forward, but there are some things you do
inputs, a CD input, a Tuner input and a Phono because when you use them, some distor- have to remember. The first of these is that if
input (this last being for a moving magnet tion is inevitable, but my view is that if you you choose the satin-black finish, you should
phono cartridge only). The input selector is a need to add a little treble lift to compensate make sure your hands are absolutely clean be-
rotary encoder type, with LEDs indicating the for an overly-damped room, or roll off some fore unpacking and positioning the amplifier,
selected input. To the left of the input selector bass because you have no other option but to because the surface shows fingerprints quite
is a rotary loudness contour control. As most put your speakers too close to a wall for what- easily, and if you mark it, you will need to ap-
readers of Australian Hi-Fi Magazine will al- ever reason, its better to correct the frequency ply some elbow-grease to remove them. The
ready know, the human ears sensitivity to low response with tone control and put up with second is that for whatever reason, I found the
speaker terminals quite difficult to turn (per-
haps because of their diameter and the prox-
the best implementation of loudness have been improved, particularly given the A-
S700s price. Luckily, the terminals will accept
compensation, and I am pleased that standard banana plugs, as well as dual Pomo-
na plugs, so Id suggest wiring up your speaker
its fitted to the A-S700. cables with either of these fittings rather than
frequencies varies depending on the volume a tiny increase in distortion than to endure
level of the music youre listening to. At nor- an unbalanced frequency response. (Note,
mal listening levels, the ear hears a properly however, that I am talking about very small
balanced sound, and detects the low frequen- movements of the bass and treble controls
cies in the correct balance with the midrange away from the midway position. If you have
Australian Hi-Fi | 23
equipmenT review Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier
feel that is typical of motor-driven volume need. The A-S700 is so powerful, in fact, that
controls, however the benefit is that the con- even with inefficient speakers in a large room
trol actually rotates when you press the vol- I dont think youll ever be hungering after
ume up and down buttons on the remote, more power than it can deliver. It really is an
LAB
so you can always see the volume setting on amazingly powerful amp! Even when youre
the front panel. The input source selector has not running it full tilt (and you wont be), the
a lovely action under the fingers, thanks to power that is available on tap means that the
Readers interested in a full technical
the encoder circuitry, and the LEDs are bright, bass is really solid and well-defined, so that
appraisal of the performance of the
so you can always see what source youve se- there is a real sense of authority in the lowest
Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier
lected from quite a distance away, but I was frequencies. More importantly, even if theres
should continue on and read the
slightly perplexed that although the action of a lot going on in the bass region, the power
LABORATORY REPORT published on
the control is contiguous, in that you can spin available means that there are no unwanted
the following pages. Readers should
it in either direction without ever reaching modulations of the very highest frequencies,
note that the results mentioned in
an end stop, the actual switching stops once so the treble sound is as pure as it is when
the report, tabulated in performance
you have reached the Line 3 input when going theres very little happening down low. But
charts and/or displayed using
anti-clockwise, and the Phono input when go- the bass isnt just big, its also so rhythmic and
graphs and/or photographs should
ing clockwise. This isnt a problem, it simply bouncy that you dont even start to question
be construed as applying only to the
means that although its an encoder, it works pace and timing: theyre right there vibrant
specific sample tested.
like a mechanical selector. I imagined that per- and on the go.
haps this was deliberate, considering that the Midrange sound is crystal-clear and beauti-
styling of the A-S700 echoes the styling of the fully transparent. Theres a lovely sense of clar-
amplifiers Yamaha was designing way back in ity and ease of listening that comes through
the 70s. at all times though it is particularly obvious
After experimenting every which way when auditioning lighter works that are heavy
with the Yamaha A-S700s impedance selector on human voice and just a few higher-pitched though I could hear tiny differences between
and a variety of different loudspeakers, every instruments (think typical demo track at any the normal mode and the two direct modes
one of which I knew the exact impedance of hi-fi show). However, extended auditioning when music was playing, I couldnt hear any
(thanks to graphs of the impedance modulus- with complex orchestral and/or choral works differences at all in noise levels between the
es, and lists of the actual measured nominal will show that even when presented with such three when no music was playing, even when
overall impedance supplied by Newport Test sonic difficulties, the sound of the Yamaha A- the volume level was advanced. This ultra-
Labs), I eventually concluded that if you are S700 doesnt ever become compressed, or even low noise capability, combined with the high
using just a single pair of speakers with the congested, so that its very easy to appreciate power output level, and the speed with which
A-S700, you should set the impedance selec- the multiple threads that are usually woven the amplifier was able to respond to even
tor to the high position, even if the label on by composers, as well as the professionalism the fastest transients, meant that the overall
the rear of the speaker says 4. It is only if of the musicians in teasing out those threads sound is highly dynamic, which in turn gave
you have connected TWO pairs of speakers to into a performance. musical performances the lift they need to
the A-S700, and will be using the A+B mode The air around the high-frequencies is a propel them to the upper levels of the repro-
regularly that I would recommend using the joy. Individual notes seem to suspend them- duced sound stakes.
Low position. (I know this is somewhat at selves just long enough to allow you to enjoy
odds with Yamahas recommendation, but I the harmonic relationships with what lies be- Conclusion
think Yamaha is playing it super-safe.) As a low, yet not hang around so long that they I can unhesitatingly recommend Yamahas A-
result of my investigations, all my listening confuse the issue by extending into unrelated S700 to anyone whos after superior sound re-
sessions were conducted with the A-S700s multi-layered puffery. Sonic purity was at the production from an integrated amplifier, not
impedance switch set to the High position. highest level. just because of its sound quality and overall
The A-S700 proved to be very powerful, as What you certainly wont hear from the performance, but also because Yamaha has
it was easily able to over-power even the larg- Yamaha A-S700 is any unwanted electronic such a great reputation for its product qual-
est and most inefficient speakers I had avail- noise, because Yamahas engineers have ex- ity and its customer support in the unlikely
able, in the process creating louder sound celled themselves. There is absolutely no back- event that youll ever need it, which I doubt
pressure levels than most people will ever ground circuit noise or hum at all. And, al- you ever will. greg borrowman
24 | Australian Hi-Fi
equipmenT review Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier TesT results
Laboratory Test Results
The Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde nature of the
Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier - Test Results Serial No: Y011018TV
Yamaha A-S700s power supply/output stage
Test Measured Result Units/Comments
management has meant that when its driving
Frequency Response @ 1 watt 2.5Hz91kHz 1dB
loads greater than 8, using the High setting
Frequency Response @ 1 watt 1.2Hz159kHz 3dB
of the impedance selector, its power output
Channel Separation 86dB / 64dB / 40dB (20Hz/1kHz/20kHz)
is very high indeed. As you can see from the
tabulated figures, and also from the bar graphs Channel Balance 0.076dB @ 1kHz
accompanying the main part of the review, Interchannel Phase 0.27 / 0.03 / 0.59 deg (20Hz/1k/20k)
when only a single channel is driven into a THD+N 0.0006% / 0.004% 1 watt/rated o/p
4 load, using a 1kHz test signal, the A-S700 S/N Ratio (unweighted/weighted) 87dB/93dB dB re 1 watt output
puts out a stunning 256-watts continuous S/N Ratio (unweighted/weighted) 98dB/103dB dB re rated output
per channel. Under such load conditions the Input Sensitivity (CD input) 18.4mV/177mV (1 watt/rated output)
power output drops a little at the frequency Output Impedance 0.0371 OC = 2.8292V
extremes, but its still greater than 200-watts Damping Factor 215 @ 1kHz
per channel. Using the usual both channels
Power Consumption 0.82/23 watts Standby/On
driven into 8 criteria that is the accepted in-
Power Consumption 53 watts /303 watts 1-watt/Rated O/P
dustry standard for measuring power output,
Mains Voltage Variation 242252 volts MinMax
the Yamaha A-S700 delivers a minimum power
output of 115-watts per channel at 20kHz, but
can manage a little more at higher frequen-
cies, to the tune of 130-watts at 1kHz and 127- Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier - Test Results for Power Output
watts at 20kHz. The only situation in which Channels Driven Load () 20Hz (watts) 20Hz (dBW) 1kHz (watts) 1kHz (dBW) 20kHz (watts) 20kHz (dBW)
the Yamaha didnt deliver at least 90-watts per 1 8 (HiZ) 145 21.6 153 21.8 153 21.8
channel into the test loads was when its im-
2 8 (HiZ) 115 20.6 130 21.1 127 21.0
pedance selector was set to Low and it was
1 4 (HiZ) 240 23.8 256 24.0 232 23.6
being driven by a very low-frequency (20Hz)
test signal, under which conditions it fell a 2 4 (HiZ) 162 22.0 190 22.7 182 22.6
little shy, returning just 82-watts per channel, 1 8 (LoZ 100 20.0 100 20.0 100 20.0
which as you can see by comparing the dBW 2 8 (LoZ) 82 19.1 90 19.5 90 19.5
columns, is just 0.4dB down on rated output.
1 4 (LoZ) 156 21.9 169 22.3 167 22.2
Total harmonic distortion was very low,
as you can see on Graphs 1 through 4, which 2 4 (LoZ) 115 20.6 135 21.3 126 21.0
Graph 3: Total harmonic distortion (THD) at 1kHz referenced to 90-watts across an 8-ohm Graph 2: Total harmonic distortion (THD) at 1kHz referenced to 1-watt across a 4-ohm Graph 3: Total harmonic distortion (THD) at 1kHz referenced to 90-watts across an 8-ohm
non-inductive load using high-Z output impedance setting. [Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier] non-inductive load using high-Z output impedance setting. [Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier] non-inductive load using high-Z output impedance setting. [Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier]
26 | Australian Hi-Fi
equipmenT review Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier TesT results
dBFS dBFS
-80.00
Direct path, closely followed by the CD Direct -100.00
-90.00
strong point, as you can see from the traces -140.00 -120.00
0.00 Hz 4000.00 8000.00 12000.00 16000.00 20000.00 0.00 Hz 4000.00 8000.00 12000.00 16000.00 20000.00 24000.00 28000.00
crossing Graph 7. Channel separation is a good Graph 4 Total harmonic distortion (THD) at 1kHz referenced to 105-watts across a 4-ohm Graph 5: Intermodulation distortion (CCIF-IMD) using test signals at 19kHz and 20kHz, referenced
non-inductive load using high-Z output impedance setting. [Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier] to a 1-watt output (at 0dB) across an 8-ohm non-inductive load. [Yamaha A-S700 Int. Amplifier]
86dB at 20Hz and still a very respectable 64dB
at 1kHz, but it eventually decreases to just 40dB dBr
10.00
dBr
5.00
-30.00
quency hearing problem.) The curves shape 10.00 Hz 100.00 1000.00 10000.00 40000.00 10.00 Hz 100.00 1000.00 10000.00 40000.00
Graph 6: Loudness control action referenced to 0dB at 1kHz. [Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier] Graph 7: Channel separation referenced to a 1-watt output (at 0dB) across and 8-ohm
is excellent, giving a maximum 18dB boost at non-inductive load using high-Z output impedance setting. [Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier]
Yamaha A-S700s own sound will not change Graph 8: Tone control action referenced to 0dB at 1kHz. [Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier] Graph 9: Frequency response of CD input via CD Direct circuit path (red trace), via Pure
Direct circuit path (black trace), and through the standard CD input with both direct paths
switched off (blue trace). All measured using 8-ohm non-inductive load. [Yamaha A-S700.]
at the whim of the speakers you connect, so
you will be hearing the true response of what-
ever speakers are connected. The square wave
performance is excellent, with the 100Hz
waveform showing the tilt expected from a
frequency response that does not extend to
d.c. but no evidence of phase inaccuracies. The
1kHz waveform is close to perfect (a little snip
off the leading edge mars it) while the 10kHz
waveform reflects the fact that the Yamaha A-
S700s frequency response is only 3dB down
at 159kHz. There is quite a deal of overshoot
and some ringing evident when driving a se-
vere capacitive load, but the amplifiers output
stage settles down quickly and is demonstra-
bly completely stable.
I was pleased to find that the Yamaha A-
S700s standby power consumption is so low
that it already meets the Australian laws that
will come into force two years from now.
However you can see that the circuit is also
relatively efficient, as the amplifier draws just
a shade over 300-watts from the mains when
operating at its maximum output and mostly
will draw less than 100-watts even when its
working hard. Overall, Id have to say that
Yamahas A-S700 delivers a truly outstanding
level of performance. Steve Holding
28 | Australian Hi-Fi