AudioChainsDB

YamahaA-S301

amplifier

New retail price (MSRP)

$549

Used market: $395*

Check price at ThomannManufacturer datasheet

Specifications

2 of 7 values have a recorded source
Amp type
Integrated Stereo Amp·
Channels
2·
Speaker outputs
·
Power output per channel
60 W into 8 Ω, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.02% THD · 70 W into 6 Ω, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.04% THD✓
Minimum supported impedance
4✓
Release year
2014·
Indexable Locales
en·

Expert Audio Engineering Commentary

Headroom notes

A rare case of an honest spec sheet: both ratings are full-bandwidth minimum RMS power with both channels driven — 60 W into 8 ohms at 0.019 % THD and 70 W into 6 ohms at 0.038 %. Yamaha does also print IHF dynamic power of 100 / 120 / 140 / 150 W into 8 / 6 / 4 / 2 ohms, but labels it as dynamic, which is what makes those numbers usable instead of misleading.

Thermal behavior

A physical IMPEDANCE SELECTOR switch on the rear, not a menu item. In LOW it allows 4 ohms or higher on Speakers A or B; in HIGH the requirement is 6 ohms or higher. Driving A and B together requires 8 ohms or higher regardless of the switch, because the two pairs sit in parallel. Yamaha warns not to move the switch with the amplifier powered on.

Setups using this gear

90 dB/W/m against 88 dB at 2.83 V: the gap is 3.2 dB, not 2

* Estimated with the depreciation fallback (~72% retained value).