Integrated Tube Amp approx. $2,500

@br3 , thank you for your impressions. I've been eyeballing the 1200 and the 2200 for another system.  Your comments help.  Congratulations and hope it brings you years of pleasure.  

 

I received the A-S1200 yesterday and within two songs I knew I was going to keep it. I've put about 10 more listening hours in since then, and I haven't heard anything to change my mind. One of my biggest concerns was that it would be too forward, but I've found the presentation to fill the room more than pound my face. I think that the instrument seperation is really good, and they sound more realistic and clear than the tube amps I had been using (this may be because I haven't ventured into high-end tube amps yet). Obviously, it's not as warm as a tube amp, but it's not harsh at all. It's kind of like a tube amp in ultralinear mode, but better (I'm not quite sure how to explain it). I've read that the sound improves after approx 50 hours. If that's the case, then it's just icing on the cake. I couldn't of hoped for better thus far.

Congrats on your new acquisition. 

FWIW, I compared my previous A-S1100 to quite a few tube products, both integrateds and separate pres/amps. The 1100 acquitted itself quite well against all of them. In most cases it bettered them considerably. Even when used solely as a preamp, the 1100 sounded better than all tube pres I’ve owned, even the $5500 Allnic L-1500 and $3500 Bel Canto SEP-1. It was laughable the first time I conducted an A/B between the 1100’s pre and the Allnic. I stand by the assertion I’ve made elsewhere that the Yamaha integrated’s pre sections alone are worth the retail price considering the performance of competitors. The only preamps I’ve owned that sound marginally better (and only in terms of outright resolution) are squeaky-clean measuring models like the Benchmark LA4 and Bel Canto Pre5. But those don’t do the tube-like lushness. In my opinion, the MOSFET Yamaha integrateds provide what most hybrid tube/SS products promise but fail to deliver. One thing for certain is that after having lived with the 1100, 2200 and now the 2100, I have zero interest in ever returning to tube-based products of any sort. 

It’s also worth mentioning that I’ve yet to own an amplifier that manages bass depth/extension as well as these Yamahas. With full-range speakers, the Yammies seem to add a whole half an octave of bass extension compared to every other I’ve owned, including powerhouses like the Parasound A21 and Coda No.8. 

Back in Jan this year I bought a lightly used A-S2200 from here on agon.  Seller was a classical guitarist who upgraded?  to a Denon A110.  I read all 90 pages of the Yammy AS series on hoffman forum.  It's a great thread if you sort through the bs vs real audiophiles.  Helom/Helomech swayed me the most there and I see he's here too.  He seems to have done all our testing for us with all the swapping testing of his.  His descriptions of the AS series are pretty much how I would write them too. So I'll just say "What he said" when I see his posts regarding the these amps.  

The Klipsch forum seems to like the AS pairing too.  

I am not surprised at how you find the Yamaha paired with the Cornwall ivs.  I just sold my Cornwall Ivs. I was shocked at how great they sounded with very fine sounding solid state amplification.  What is more, your Yamaha and is a superb product and very musical. Great choice!