6 Of The Highest-Rated Yamaha Amplifiers For Your Home Theater

A quality amplifier can make a big difference to the Hi-Fi setup in your home theater. These devices generate and regulate the power that is sent to your speakers, providing them with the means to amplify volume. Many receivers, stereos, and other audio devices come with amplifiers built-in, but they aren't all of equal value. Some may be sufficient for the average user's sound system without necessarily being the best options available. True audiophiles know that different kinds of amplifiers can make a dramatic difference, not just in volume but in the overall depth of sound. A dedicated integrated stereo amplifier can offer more power for filling larger rooms, superior sound quality, and a more nuanced degree of control to the listener.

Yamaha is one of the most prolific sound system manufacturers in the world. The company makes a wide range of sound bars, speakers, stereos, and other audio equipment-–including integrated stereo amplifiers. You might be wondering which of these amplifiers are the best, though. There are a few different ways to go about quantifying the ideal piece of equipment, but one of the most reliable ways is to take a look at both user and professional reviews and to see which of them is the most highly rated.

Starting off the list, we have the Yamaha A-S1200 Integrated Amplifier, one of the larger and more powerful amplifiers that Yamaha offers. It has a 625VA Toroidal power transformer, which grants it a rated output of 20 Hz-20 kHz and produces 90 W ＋ 90 W at 8 ohms or 150 W ＋ 150 W at 4 ohms. This means that it's able to produce more volume with fuller sound than most of the other amplifiers in Yamaha's lineup while also providing options for sound quality.

The device has a perfect 5 out of 5 stars on Yamaha's website, though there have only been five reviews there so far. Coincidentally, there have also only been five reviews for it on Amazon, though it only has a 3.7 there, due to some buyers who reported that they were less than impressed with its brighter sound production and lack of Bluetooth.

Ed Kobesky of Positive Feedback reviewed the amp as well and generally seemed to enjoy it. "The A-S1200 puts on a show in every respect, from looks and tactile feel to versatility and performance," he said. "Provided you're not searching for warm and fuzzy, or conspicuously detailed and analytical, it'll play great music for you, living up to Yamaha's long-held promise of "Natural Sound." It's punchier and more powerfully articulate than some, and yet more forgiving than others, making it a real crowd-pleaser across the long term." He acknowledged the high price tag of $2,999.95 but argued there would be many who would be pleased with the purchase.

The Yamaha A-S801 is a step down from the A-S1200. It's a midsized amplifier that balances price and performance nicely. It runs on a custom power transformer with 12,000 µF block capacitors and extruded aluminum heat sinks, giving it a rated output of 20 Hz-20 kHz and 100 W + 100 W at 8 ohms. Additionally, it has USB DAC functionality Pure Direct and CD Direct Amplification, ToP-ART (Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology), and several other features.

There are currently 26 reviews on Yamaha's website, which are mostly positive, giving it a weighted score of 4.6 out of 5. The few complaints it did receive were primarily about the interface buttons being small and difficult to manage. Meanwhile, it has over 1,100 reviews on Amazon, but the story there is similar. It has a 4.5 out of 5, with reviews praising its sound quality, value, connectivity options, power output, clarity, and ease of use.

Gene DellaSala of Audioholics gave the amp a 4.5 out of 5 in his review as well. He ran a full spectrum of tests and was impressed with just about everything it had to offer (except for the remote control.) "The A-S801 has a nice meaty amp section that is honestly rated and sounds great driving a wide diversity of speakers even at high sustained output levels," DellaSala stated. "Whether you're playing analog or digital audio, you can rest assured the A-S801 will bring your system to new sonic heights."

Next up is the smallest and most affordable integrated stereo amplifier in Yamaha's lineup, the A-S301. This unit also has a custom-made transformer, though it has 6,800uF block capacitors and extruded aluminum heat sinks, allowing it to produce a modest 20 Hz-20 kHz with 60 W + 60 W output at 8 ohms. It doesn't have all the same features as its larger, more expensive siblings, but it does have digital audio inputs, Pure Direct mode, ToP-Art, and a few other modern bells and whistles.

The A-S301 has a weighted 4.7 out of five based on 29 reviews on Yamaha's site. Reviewers there like the sound quality, ease of use, and value but don't like that there's no volume knob indicator, no USB input, no Trigger or signal wake-up functionality, and no network connectivity options. On Amazon, it has a 4.5 out of 5 and there are several reviews giving similar praise to its value and sound quality, though there are a few that note the remote control is strangely labeled and difficult to use, and some appear to have received defective units.

What Hi-Fi? gave the amp 4 out of 5 stars in their review, claiming that it had excellent presentation, balance, and features but had a lack of granular detail that made the overall audio experience a bit bland compared to some of its competition. "Its full body and range of features is a draw, and we're struggling to imagine anybody being disappointed if they took one home."

The A-S701 is the other midsized Yamaha amp that you might want to take a look at. This $799.95 machine. This runs on a custom power transformer with 12,000uF block capacitors and extruded aluminum heat sinks. It has CD Direct Amplification and Pure Direct, ToP-ART, and gold-plated speaker and RCA terminals.

This one has a 4.8 based on the 15 reviews on Yamaha's site. Reviewers here like the power, sound quality, and easy connectivity, though there were a few who didn't appreciate that the remote doesn't turn the tuner on. This amp has a 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon. Reviewers here also enjoyed the A-S701's power and audio quality. "Taking away the internal toine controls gives you a HUGE boost of volume and clarity in the mid and treble ranges," wrote one reviewer. "Turning these buttons off lowered the volume significantly but WOW! When you turned the volume back up, the bottom end was full without being boomy or muddy and the mids and highs were defined but not shrill or harsh. I have been running the variable loudness in the 'flat' position which really does all aspects of the music justice." There was one report that the transformers were too loud, but this appears to have been an outlier.

Professional reviewers seem to agree with this assessment. "As an amplifier, the A S701 can't be criticized," wrote HiFi Review. "It strikes a sensible balance between connectivity, user convenience, and sound quality."

The A-S501 is another smaller amp. Though it's still on the budget side of Yamaha's overall lineup–it marks a significant increase in both price and performance over the A-S301. This amp's custom power transformer has 12,000 µF block capacitors (the same capacity as the A-S701 and nearly double the capacity of the A-S301) and extruded aluminum heat sinks, bumping its power output to 20 Hz – 20 kHz and a respectable 85 W + 85 W.

This amp has a 4.9 out of 5 based on the 32 reviews on Yamaha's website. Reviewers almost unanimously praised its volume and sound quality. This unit also shares a 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon, where it received similar praise, with just a few critics who were less than satisfied with the look and feel of the device. "Obviously this is subjective," wrote one reviewer, "but as soon as you touch those dials you really feel how flimsy and plasticky they are, and the 501 even has a fixed (non-removable) power cord, which just feels cheap."

Audio Appraisal wrote a review comparing it to Yamaha's previous edition, the A-S500. "While the A-S501 offers several advantages over its predecessor, including a built-in DAC, upgraded components, and revised circuitry, it's still the same amp we all know and love," they said. "Its big, bold, and powerful sound is instantly likable, it's flexible enough to integrate well into almost any system, and it's built well enough to provide many, many years of musical enjoyment."

One of the highest-rated Yamaha integrated stereo amplifiers is also its most powerful and expensive–the A-S3200. This $7,999.95 amp uses the same 625VA Toroidal power transformer as the A-S1200, only it manages to squeeze out a bit more performance. Its rated power output is 20 Hz-20 kHz, 100 W ＋ 100 W at 8 ohms and 150 W ＋ 150 W at 4 ohms. This uses high-quality PPS capacitors and has speaker terminals cut from pure brass.

There are only three reviews on Yamaha's site so far, but all of them have been 5 stars. It has a few more ratings on Amazon, where it enjoys a 4.8 out of five, with the only negative comment being from a buyer who received a product with an open box. "This amp is a top-notch for serious audiophiles," said one reviewer. "Sound stage is wide both vertically and horizontally, also front and back. Very clear sound separation. It produces all the sound recorded the way it is meant."

What HiFi? Wrote a detailed review of the amp where they gave it a 4 for sound, a 5 for features, and a 5 for build quality. "If you're looking for a well-equipped high-end integrated amp, this Yamaha is well worth a serious look," they said. "It's carefully engineered and has a hugely appealing sense of sonic precision and clarity. There are certainly more robust sounding alternatives, but make no mistake, the A-S3200 is a classy performer."

To compose this list, we started by taking a look at the integrated stereo amplifiers that are currently available from Yamaha, examining the specifications and feature sets of the highest-rated models on the company's website. We then compared these scores and the statements made by reviewers to those that were available from the product listings on Amazon. This granted us access to a significantly larger pool of customer reviews and allowed us to verify that the consumer experience was comparable across multiple platforms. Once we had a reasonable list of prospects, we then turned to professional reviewers in order to see what they had to say. We paid particular attention to the professional reviews that did thorough testing of the product's sound quality and volume.