Speakers for Yamaha A-S1000

goose

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Hello,

I'm looking at buying a pair of floorstanders for my Yamaha A-S1000.

Budget ~30-40k

Currently, based on reviews only, I'm thinking of auditioning the Tannoy V4s. Would appreciate some views on how this pairing would work? Will it accentuate any nasty weakpoints of either the amp or spkr?

My secondary set-up is a Yamaha A-S500 paried to Usher S-520s with an entry level 10" Yamaha Sub (think SW216) and I find the combo interesting.

Had a Wharfedale Daimond 9.2s paired with the above, however based on reviews I went and auditioned the Ushers and I really liked them. So sold my Wharfs off and got the Ushers.

Back to the original question, I would apprecaite some guidance on what other speakers I can consider for the A-S1000 apart from the Tannoys pls.

Edit: Source for the S500 is a Denon DVD player 1940CI, don't have a source for the AS1000 yet, so pls feel free to suggest one. The CDS1000 costs the earth though. Any ideas what other source can be considered pls. Budget for source ~INR20-25k

thank you much
 
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How much did you get the A-S1000 for? I would be really keen to know your impressions of the amp, the SQ, etc. .

Cheers
Kartick
 
@ csd508868306kant, the 6004 is a good player but it's well over my budget @ 36k. Not sure what your impressions are on the 5004 or better still the UD5005?

@kartick: I've listened to the amp only paired to the Ushers. To give you a reference point, I note you've got a AS500, this AS1000 ofcourse drives the Ushers with much less effort than the AS500. The sound is a lot more smooth (noticeable difference as I kept doing back to backs). Infact I liked the AS500 so much and that's what forced me to look at the AS1000. (The AS700 did not have much positive reviews and when I auditioned it, I found the AS500 better sounding).

I would say the AS1000 is a fair bit more detailed than AS500. There are times when the AS500 can be a little forward sounding (depending on the source and loudness levels), this character is ABSENT in the AS1000, it somehow balances the freq spread better.

That said I'm yet to see what more it's capable of once I get it paired to the right speaker.

Re pricing, I bought it overseas (Aus) while on an assignment for A$1250.

tks

G
 
Looks like not many suggestions or recommendations. Ok, I'll go try the v4, tkts anyway
 
Hello,

I'm looking at buying a pair of floorstanders for my Yamaha A-S1000.
My secondary set-up is a Yamaha A-S500 paried to Usher S-520s with an entry level 10" Yamaha Sub (think SW216) and I find the combo interesting.

Edit: Source for the S500 is a Denon DVD player 1940CI, don't have a source for the AS1000 yet, so pls feel free to suggest one. The CDS1000 costs the earth though. Any ideas what other source can be considered pls. Budget for source ~INR20-25k

thank you much

Looks like not many suggestions or recommendations. Ok, I'll go try the v4, tkts anyway

The AS 1000 has subwoofer outputs. I would go 2.1 or at least plan for 2.1 so that the present budget is used for a pair of stand mount speakers similar to the Usher 520+ Yamaha sub you use with the s500.

B&W 685 is one option.

The only floor standees I know in the 30k price range is the Monitor BX5. Yet I would strongly suggest a bigger budget for this speaker ( for the S1000) in line with the relative price of the Usher 520 and S500. The 520 has been favourably compared to the Monitor RX1, Dyn Audience 42/52 and other such speakers. These are a step above the V4 or BX5 when it comes to midrange and hf.

Hence for the S1000 the floor speakers I would look at would be RX6, Focal 7xx, Dali Ikon 6 ii, Paradigm Studio 60/100, etc...all in the 60k + price range.
 
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I'm looking at buying a pair of floorstanders for my Yamaha A-S1000.

I have very recently heard the A-S1000 with the Yamaha CD-S1000 used as the source.

Pairing was with Axiom Audio M80 v3 floorstanders. Though I admit I had no knowledge about these loudspeakers, I immediately liked the sound, it was vibrant & energetic with very good soundstage. Timbre was excellent, I will say even better than Musical Fidelity A5 with the same speakers.

The A-S1000 effortlessly pulled those 4 ohm floorstanders, there was no distortion even at 75% plus volumes.

All in all these three makes a formidable package. I will advice you to look at these M80's if they are available in India.

No idea about their price though.
 
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The AS 1000 has subwoofer outputs. I would go 2.1 or at least plan for 2.1 so that the present budget is used for a pair of stand mount speakers similar to the Usher 520+ Yamaha sub you use with the s500.

B&W 685 is one option.

The only floor standees I know in the 30k price range is the Monitor BX5. Yet I would strongly suggest a bigger budget for this speaker ( for the S1000) in line with the relative price of the Usher 520 and S500. The 520 has been favourably compared to the Monitor RX1, Dyn Audience 42/52 and other such speakers. These are a step above the V4 or BX5 when it comes to midrange and hf.

Hence for the S1000 the floor speakers I would look at would be RX6, Focal 7xx, Dali Ikon 6 ii, Paradigm Studio 60/100, etc...all in the 60k + price range.


Thanks Navin.

BTW the AS1000 does not a dedicated sub-out though it has L&R pre-outs.

The AS500 has a dedicated sub-out but.

I was really tempted to go for the larger Usher BS, but even that would be close to 50/60k at the least?

Do you know of a place where I can audition the Focal and Paradigm in Chennai pls?
 
I have very recently heard the A-S1000 with the Yamaha CD-S1000 used as the source.

Pairing was with Axiom Audio M80 v3 floorstanders. Though I admit I had no knowledge about these loudspeakers, I immediately liked the sound, it was vibrant & energetic with very good soundstage. Timbre was excellent, I will say even better than Musical Fidelity A5 with the same speakers.

The A-S1000 effortlessly pulled those 4 ohm floorstanders, there was no distortion even at 75% plus volumes.

All in all these three makes a formidable package. I will advice you to look at these M80's if they are available in India.

No idea about their price though.

Rishiguru, thanks much.

Don't think the Axioms are available in India I guess?

Yes, agree with you it's one mighty amp, when I look through the grill the internals are really built like a tank with massive EL Core power transformers and 4 huge caps. The amp weighs in at 22kg and the spkr binding posts, knobs and the overall build of the amp is top class, just like how it sounded (atleast to me). I auditioned this amp with BA A360 and I like it much. Just want to audition a few more FS before taking the plunge. It's a real pleasure this audition/spkr hunting job!
 
Yes, agree with you it's one mighty amp, when I look through the grill the internals are really built like a tank with massive EL Core power transformers and 4 huge caps. The amp weighs in at 22kg and the spkr binding posts, knobs and the overall build of the amp is top class, just like how it sounded (atleast to me). I auditioned this amp with BA A360 and I like it much. Just want to audition a few more FS before taking the plunge. It's a real pleasure this audition/spkr hunting job!

Yamaha A-S1000 is a great amp, actually the Yamaha CD-S1000/A-S1000 combo won the famous EISA award for the Best European 2-Channel System in 2008.

For the price/ performance ratio perspective it is one of the best money can buy. In my recent audition for Yamaha DSP-Z9 it went on hand in hand with the mighty Musical Fidelity A5 & DSP-Z9.

At the end A5 & DSP-Z9 was better but then look A5 cost two times A-S1000 while Z9 cost four times. Comparison between A5 vs A-S2000 vs DSP-Z9 would have been a real treat to see & hear.:)

Few months back I created a thread of Yamaha's Centennial Series which was released back in 1987 or 1988. As a proud owner of A-S1000 you deserve a look into this:

Does anybody here owns any of these beauties?

If you ever have the opportunity to own one of them, do not even think just grab them!!!
 
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Since you like usher, why don't you get the X-718? Its around 50k or thereabouts. Else if you are willing to extend the budget, there was a deal going for new in box old stock thiel CS1.6 going for around 80 odd.
 
Yamaha A-S1000 is a great amp, actually the Yamaha CD-S1000/A-S1000 combo won the famous EISA award for the Best European 2-Channel System in 2008.

For the price/ performance ratio perspective it is one of the best money can buy. In my recent audition for Yamaha DSP-Z9 it went on hand in hand with the mighty Musical Fidelity A5 & DSP-Z9.

At the end A5 & DSP-Z9 was better but then look A5 cost two times A-S1000 while Z9 cost four times. Comparison between A5 vs A-S2000 vs DSP-Z9 would have been a real treat to see & hear.:)

Few months back I created a thread of Yamaha's Centennial Series which was released back in 1987 or 1988. As a proud owner of A-S1000 you deserve a look into this:

Does anybody here owns any of these beauties?

If you ever have the opportunity to own one of them, do not even think just grab them!!!

Rishi, thank you much. Really salivating looking at all those yesteryear phenomenons! Really one can see that Yamaha (and for that matter other big corps of those time) made equipment with just one thing in mind, 'sound'...am sure the guys thought of business and profits later then! Unfortunately it's mostly about economics nowadays. I guess nowadays there aren't very many of such cos left? My cousin brother had a Yamaha A-1 that he had got brand new during his school days back in the early 80s. Unfortunately some IC went bad in it (I would think owing to voltage fluctuations) that he sold the amp then without realising the lifetime mistake he was doing then. To this date he keeps cursing himself for having sold it...he has been from that day searching for that A-1 benchmark sound, that all his auditions are done comparing to the A-1 sound. He then got himself an Akai UM-04, that I believe is still in sound working order. He's now settled down with the A-S2000 + Soavo 1, and he's all over his set up now and says it's the closest he's gotten to the A-1 sound since.

I don't know if it was his influence or if my ears were tuned to the Yamaha sound, I've become a major fan of Yamaha nowadays. I also especially like the sound of their 2009 series of AVRs.

I had the Denon 1609+Energy TC 5.1 to start with, the sound was sooper clean but their Bass handling was somewhat messed up. It was too fluffy and the sub used to struggle to produce a decent punch. But the mid and high freq of the Denon was excellent.

I sold it off and then got the RX-V663, one of the best receivers I've ever heard to date. Its a really well put-together unit, hardly gets warm after 8-10hrs of continuous use. I was so darn impressed with it that I went and got the RX-V1900 - a little monster, weighing 17.2kg! it's one mighty receiver, but cleary the sound signature is different to the 663s.

My 2-cents of impressions from the various Yamaha units that I have currently:

HTR-6160/RX-V663

Sound stage is good.

Highs are crystal clear and not fatigue inducing by any scale.

Mids are just right and do not sound recessed.

Lows are good and strong, but when compared with the V1900, the bass is on the weaker/slower side though it's got two sub pre-outs.

Heat: Given the chennai weather the receiver does tend to get warm , but stays that way even after 10hrs of running...

Overall a realy good mix and spread of the frequency spectrum. Good to keep listening for long hours and sounds very good for music.


RX-V1900:

Again highs are rendered superbly well inspite of treble set at 2dB. (on a scale of -6 to +6dB)

Mids are clearly recessed when compared to the 6160

Thhe strongest area of the V1900 is the incredibly strong Bass. Well controlled, fast and tight. It sounds as if it would rip the sub-off , but I'm yet to watch a movie like the Transformers on BD. Think it would make enemies of my neighbours!

There is no hint of boom in the bass and the low frequency is very well controlled by the receiver.

The receiver does become hot, that being said it does not get hot to the extent that u can't put your hand on it or something.

Overall this receiver is more inclined to play movies at almost theatrical levels than reproduce a piece of two channel music true and deep.


A-S500:

Controls position:

Treble & BAss: 2clock position
Loudness: 10clock position.

Two channel music sounds best when played via a stereo amplifier. Though receivers do try and hit above their legions. The frequency and control of sound is always best when played on a stereo amp as demonstrated by the A-S500.

This is not an audiophile amp by any scale, but it's sound is smooth and mellow and all frequencies are up there and played out by the speaker.
However clearly pairing the right speaker AND the right input source is very important as I realised.

The same amp with a Panasonic BDP sounded too forward and mids were too dominant.

Change the player to a Denon and you immediately
notice the difference. The highs and mids are reigned in and well controlled. The lows are a smooth but strong thump emenating from the speakers.

What spoils the show here is, the sub. Invariably there is a phase lag with the lows coming of the sub as compared to the speakers.
 
Since you like usher, why don't you get the X-718? Its around 50k or thereabouts. Else if you are willing to extend the budget, there was a deal going for new in box old stock thiel CS1.6 going for around 80 odd.

RoC: Thanks. I'm a little reluctant to go for yet another BS as I feel that I might need to supplment it with a sub for bass? I want a pair of speakers that would negate the need for a sub. I just want two speakers and no more...

Please can you share your experience with the BE-718s. thanks
 
He's now settled down with the A-S2000 + Soavo 1, and he's all over his set up now and says it's the closest he's gotten to the A-1 sound since.

Why don't you get yourself a Yamaha Soavo-1. It will cost you at around INR 1.14 lacks after discount + TAX included.
 
Why don't you get yourself a Yamaha Soavo-1. It will cost you at around INR 1.14 lacks after discount + TAX included.

For one, I don't have that sort of money now to blow...but if I were to spend so much money on speakers, don't u think there are a lot more speakers that could be considered?
 
Goose,
I am playing yamaha AS-2000 with ATC scm11, quite happy with the performance.
Why don't you try ATC scm11,though you may need to stretch your budget a bit but you may end up with something which may sound beyond your expectation :)
 
Goose,
I am playing yamaha AS-2000 with ATC scm11, quite happy with the performance.
Why don't you try ATC scm11,though you may need to stretch your budget a bit but you may end up with something which may sound beyond your expectation :)

Bobby thanks much, had never heard of the ATC brand till I read your post and then went and did a search and found they are some fine sooper hi end speakers, I'm not sure if I can afford them yet, but would see if I can at least audition them.
 
If you ever have the opportunity to own one of them, do not even think just grab them!!!

I agree. I have 2 A-S2000 in my closet waiting for their speakers to be built (which are currently in design stage).

old stock thiel CS1.6 going for around 80 odd.

The CS 1.6 would make a great combo with the AS 1000. Only issue I had with the 1.6 was that they are a bit SPL limited for my room/needs. The 1.6 and (Sonus Faber) Liuto make excellent bedroom speakers though. Smooth, clear and articulate at most volumes.

He's now settled down with the A-S2000 + Soavo 1, and he's all over his set up now and says it's the closest he's gotten to the A-1 sound since.

This is not an audiophile amp by any scale, but it's sound is smooth and mellow and all frequencies are up there and played out by the speaker.
However clearly pairing the right speaker AND the right input source is very important as I realised.

The same amp with a Panasonic BDP sounded too forward and mids were too dominant....Change the player to a Denon and you immediately notice the difference.

Must hear the S2000 with the Suavo 1 then.

What you described about the AS 500 was exactly what an "audiophile" amp should be - transparent. If the source is forward the amp presents that, if the source is mellow the amp presents accordingly. Yamaha has always been consistent with what they call "natural sound". I would grab the S1000 or S2000 as from what I am told these amps are not going to be manufactured anymore.

I just want two speakers and no more.... thanks

In that case I strongly suggest waiting and investing more in the speakers. As per page 10 of the manual the pre outs can be used to drive a subwoofer.

Bobby thanks much, had never heard of the ATC brand till I read your post and then went and did a search and found they are some fine sooper hi end speakers, I'm not sure if I can afford them yet, but would see if I can at least audition them.

goose, as we know there are 1000s of brands of speakers out there. Many will serve well with the S1000 - Proac, Spendor, Theil, SF Liuto, Monitor Audio, Dali, Focal the list is endless. It is not possible to hear even half the list. My usual advice for streeos used to be was to break up your budget into a 20-25-40-15 ratio. 20% for source, 25% for the amplifier, 40% for speakers, 15% for cables. This was not a fixed ratio and at the high end these ratios don't be nessecarily work but for my novice friendsat least it provided a good yardstick.

Why so much for speaker? Well they have the difficult job of converting energy from electrical to mechanical energy. That costs.
 
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Overall this receiver is more inclined to play movies at almost theatrical levels than reproduce a piece of two channel music true and deep...................................Two channel music sounds best when played via a stereo amplifier.

GENERALLY

Though receivers do try and hit above their legions. The frequency and control of sound is always best when played on a stereo amp.......

Actually, I have seen stereo amps half the price of any A/V amp will play better music.

BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.

Ultra high end A/V amplifiers like Yamaha DSP-Z9 belongs to a level in which stereo amps like awesome Musical Fidelity A5 even bows down in music.

A/V amps like DSP-Z9 will cost you $4,500 in US and weighs 30 kilos. These monsters do have an amazing jackal and hide character in music/ movies and will have different sound signatures when listened in pure direct stereo mode and then in 7.1 channel THX ultra 2 mode in movies.

In my recent audition of DSP-Z9, I compared it with A-S1000, A5 just for stereo performance. While A-S1000 was just brilliant, A5 had something more in hand to add in the end, Z9 even more.

The biggest difference was in soundstage and Z-9 was the king of that. Pairred with those mighty Axiom M80 floorstanders, A-S1000 with his big 500 watts EL core transformer produced incredible soundstage and gracefully hit the limit, A5 had 200 watts still left. Then Z-9 came in and with its 1500 watts toroidal transformer and silenced both.

There was simply no answer to 580 + 580 watts dynamic power output of Z-9 in stereo mode.

Z-9's greatest strength was in percussion's (you heart will stop beating those times) & the thump it can produce without a single drop in detailing of mid & top end in pure direct mode. I will say in texture, imaging & refinement all were neck and neck.

But then again an A/V amp needs to very special in order to challenge amps like A5 in stereo. DSP-Z9 is one of those rare ones.

DSP-Z9 happens to be the masterpiece of the legendary engineer Mr Izumi Ozeki who for the past quarter of a century was responsible for designing & developing Yamahas top of the line A/V amplifiers. Z-9 is widely regarded as his masterpiece and the best A/V amp that ever came out of Yamaha's stable.

DSP-Z9's design architecture turned out to be so costly that it was abandoned & never followed by its successors due to cost reasons & not even the Z-11 was able to implement it. Z-11's design architecture is currently followed by top of the line Aventage series A/V amps of yamaha.

You should never mix the DSP-Z9 with other A/V amps of yamaha, not even the DSP-Z11. Period.

In the end I will say A-S1000 is a great investment, that you will never regret in your life.

Any advancement on your loudspeaker selection? You need to improve your budget to 60K atleast buddy else it will be just injustice to your amp.
 
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I have 2 A-S2000 in my closet waiting for their speakers to be built (which are currently in design stage).

navin how much those A-S2000 cost you in India?

Must hear the S2000 with the Suavo 1 then.

Please do and let us know.:licklips:

Z9 & A-S1000 have very similar sound signature in pure direct. In my audition both produced natural & flowing sound. So, what sound good with your A-S2000, will definitely sound good with A-S1000 and with Z-9 too.

I would grab the S1000 or S2000 as from what I am told these amps are not going to be manufactured anymore.

Extremely worrying comments. My dream to add a S2000 in my den later on seems to be vanishing.:sad:

Are you certain of this?
 
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