Yamaha A-S501 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2

Yamaha A-S501 Amplifier Rear

I finally bought my amplifier and speakers. Initially I had ordered a Denon PMA-510AE for the price of S$511 but the shop had no stock at hand and was only able to deliver 2 months later. So I cancelled the order. The Denon amplifier has a 50W per channel power rating and I wanted to find out if quality could last long. I knew electronics product like amplifier would probably not last long.

Ultimately, I purchased the Yamaha A-S501 amplifier for several reasons (1) power rating of 85W per channel, (2) the availability of bass and treble control which I like (3) reasonable price at S$610 for 85W of power (4) loudness control which reminded me of my old Pioneer amplifier (5) the ability to connect a subwoofer to the amplifier. It has A and B speaker setting which means 2 pairs of speakers could be connected although this would reduce the power rating of the amplifier. Currently connected to the amplifier is my Philips CD/DVD player bought more than 15 years ago and still working. My only worry on the Yamaha amplifier is how long it would last. I had a Yamaha DSP(Digital Sound Processor) purchased at a relative high price in the early 90s. It did not last very long, Less than a decade and the Yamaha DSP was not working.

I had tested the Onkyo 9010 amplifier which was given a 5 stars rating by What Hifi magazine. The price of S$475 was attractive. The only problem was that it didn't sound as good as the Yamaha amplifier even though What Hifi had rated the A-S501 as 4 stars. The bass and treble controls were not responsive. It just doesn't sound as good.

I love bass and treble control as they allow me to slightly change the music to my likings. I told the salesman of my pair speaker that I love bass. Even in my car which I had said was one of the best listening environment, has its base adjusted higher. Of course audiophile would consider altering the original intent of musician as not advisable. If music equipment manufacturer would produce sound equalizer nowadays, I would definitely consider purchasing it. The focus now is theatrical sound and sound processor for consumer grade music/movie entertainment system.

I am still trying to run-in the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 speaker. Current assessment is that the pair of speaker is clear in its mid to high frequency sound production. The bass is not as strong as Dynaudio Emit M20 speaker. But Bronze 2 has the advantage of clarity and a lower price than the Dynaudio. The Bronze 2 is made in China which could explain the price difference. The bass can be enhanced via my amplifier.

I have a very antique pair of speaker from the 80s, the American Acoustics D5550E which I have earlier discussed in my blog. Comparing the American Acoustics and Bronze 2, I would say that the former has a smooth and simple sound which a listener could listen for a long period of time with little ear fatigue. This is after all a pair of more than 25 years old speaker. The Bronze 2 has a impactful sound which is well driven by the amplifier. But the focus on mid to high frequency may lead to fatique after long hours of listening. In the meantime, I am enjoying this amplifier and speakers.

I have tried the SVS SB2000 subwoofer which was paired with a SVS SB1000 in the sales office. With the paired speakers, the sound was balanced and good. But the price of the pair was more than S$2000. This pair is played in a calibrated acoustic controlled room which makes the sound fantastic. But this may not be so in a non-acoustic treated room. When the SVS SB1000 was played in a single unit, the balance was diminished and it didn't sound as good. This makes me reluctant to purchase the subwoofer. I may reconsider it again. A well balanced subwoofer creates a sound environment in which the presence of the subwoofer would not be detected.