Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

For many years I have owned two stereo audio systems. My 'secondary' one had, as its amplification equipment, an NAD-7020 receiver. After over 30 years, it 'died' and, rather than trying to have it repaired, I decided to replace it with a Yamaha A-S300 integrated amplifier. I was (and am) immensely pleased with this amplifier. (I have had some experience with Yamaha products. Prior to buying this one in 2013, I had owned two Yamaha home theater amplification units, one of which I still own and use. I also own a Yamaha Clavinova. So it was natural for me to buy another Yamaha product.) In my 'main' audio system the amplification equipment was a Hafler DH-101 preamplifier and a Hafler DH-200 power amplifier, both of which I had assembled from kits in 1980. These have served well for over 36 years. However some of the circuitry was starting to degrade: I could hear more and more 'hiss' through my loudspeakers (a pair of Klipschorns) and, especially, the balance was going off badly. Not owning (or even knowing how to use) the very sophisticated electronic test equipment necessary to determine the cause and the necessary repairs/replacements (nor the cost for such obviously necessary repairs/replacements), I thought it prudent to replace these devices (though I had a special place in my heart for them). I chose this Yamaha A-S701BL Natural Sound Integrated Stereo Amplifier (Black). I placed this unit in my Amazon Wish List when the model was first introduced in 2014 and I started tracking its price which was $799.95. That price was consistently kept - until November 29, 2016 when the price suddenly dropped to $511.14 (plus sales tax). I didn't wait - I ordered it immediately! (The next day the price was back up to $799.95 where it has remained.) Now don't get me wrong - this amplifier is well-worth its standard price. It's just that, being what they are, my finances necessitate caution in what I buy. (And I wouldn't even consider buying such an expensive unit any place other than Amazon.) Plus, after all, the Haflers were still working so a 'good price' was a major consideration for me. But I have to tell you that I am as immensely pleased with this integrated stereo amplifier, the A-S701BL, as I am with my earlier one, the A-S300. I'll tell you why I was interested more in the '701 than the '801. The '801, which costs $100.00 more, comes with a built-in USB DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) connection. As I already have a couple of DACs, I really had no need for the one in the Yamaha. Plus DACs are evolving all the time; a built-in one cannot be upgraded but external ones can be changed. Everything else on the '701, including the sound specifications, is exactly the same. So I am glad that I purchased the '701 rather than the '801. Now how is the sound quality? In a word, superb. It is EASILY the equal of my Haflers (when they were new, not as they are now). Especially from LPs, the reproduced sound is full and rich, with no obvious attenuations or exaggerations in any frequency bands. I find the phono section in the amplifier to be fine. However, there is only one phono input and I have two turntables. The solution to that 'problem' is an external phono amplifier, the BEHRINGER MICROPHONO PP400 which, despite its very low price, is as superb a phono section I as have ever heard. (Some reviewers have complained that it's noisy. Unless these reviewers got a defective unit which should be exchanged, this is nonsense. I cannot hear ANY hum or noise through my Klipschorns, the most sensitive speakers on the market and if there is no hum or noise audible via those speakers, there will be none through any speaker!) I have this second turntable connected via the Line 1 input. There are many other connections on the back of this amplifier. I am using all of them with the exception of the second speaker set binding posts. I have even added a Bluetooth receiver via the optical input. I have a CD player attached to the Coaxial input, an SACD player attached to the CD input, two cassette tape decks, and, as noted above, an external DAC running through the Tuner input. I suppose I could go on and on but, as this review is already far too long, I shall just say that if you are in the market for a positively superb stereo integrated amplifier, at a reasonable price (or even at an unreasonable price), you cannot buy anything better than this one. Over the years I have heard many esoteric (and ridiculously expensive) amplifiers and I can tell you that none sound better than this one. Technically an amplifier should have no 'sound' of its own - but they all do! At least that statement is from my own experience and is my own opinion. (You and some others may differ of course.) Anyway, and in conclusion, I am as pleased with this amplifier as I could possibly be and I HIGHLY recommend it. Thank you for reading my opinions and for considering them. Lawrence H Bulk