Question 1

Why usually a stereo amplifier costs more than a stereo receiver with much more options and similar spec?

Accepted Answer

Right now, Amazon has the RS500 for about $200 less than the AS501. Given the similar model designations, you might think the "RS" designator is the receiver version of this integrated. However, dig into the specs, and you'll see it's not the case. This unit has higher RMS power (85 W vs 75W), lower distortion (0.019 vs 0.04), and specs like peak power, SNR, and freq response are not provided for the receiver (presumably because they're not worth noting). You also need to look at how power is calculated. Manufacturers are notorious for cheating AV receiver specs by reporting power over very narrow bandwidths (sometimes just a single freq!) whereas the power for this integrated unit is over the entire usable bandwidth. So, in short, the specs are not identical.

Question 2

Do these amps have a quality headphone amplifier that would be able to properly drive headphones with a somewhat high impedance? Ex. Sennheiser HD 650

Accepted Answer

The headphone jack is connected through a voltage divider to the output of the power amp and its impedance is about 450 ohms. This guarantees that HD650 will have a bump in the vicinity of 100 Hz, the headphones’ resonance frequency, which will be hard to correct with the amplifier’s bass control. For headphones, I have a separate DAC/Amp pair (Topping D30 and JDS Atom).

Question 3

Does the Yamaha A-S501 have a pre-amp out? If not, can one of its two recorder-outputs be used in lieu of a pre-amp out?

Accepted Answer

The above answers are somewhat confusing, here's a straight forward answer : IF the external amp is a 'power amplifier', the answer is NO, you cannot use the rec out output as a preamplifier.   Power amps always output at the rated power, say 300 watts rms.  You will blow yr speakers.  Examples of power amps would be the Crown XLS and the Benchmark AHB2.  They have no controls, and you need a true preamp to use them.  Not this unit.  Now, if the external amp is a 'variable amplifier', the answer is YES, you can use the rec out as a makeshift preamplifier.  Variable amps always have a volume knob, or control, which, of course, controls the power of the amp.  A good example of this would be the Topping LA90, one of the best made.  Keep in mind that if you decide to use the rec out output, you will bypass the tone controls and volume of the integrated amp.  And yes, the phono input and selector switch will work just fine, no worries.  Finally, the AS501 is a splendid unit, why use an external amp at all?  If you need more power, simply buy the 701 or 801 and sell that external amp!  Anyway, hope this helps.

Question 4

Are the knobs plastic or metal?

Accepted Answer

All knobs are plastic. I own this unit.

Mounting Type	Plug Mount
Material	Metal
Model Name	A S501SL
Speaker Type	Surround Sound
Special Feature	Hi Res Audio
Recommended Uses For Product	For Surround Sound Systems
Compatible Devices	Projector, Laptop, MP3 Player, Gaming Console, Television, Desktop, Home Theater
Net Quantity	1.0 count
Surround Sound Channel Configuration	2.0
Colour	silver
Included Components	Amplifier, Remote Control, Power Cord
Product Dimensions	38.7D x 43.5W x 15.2H Centimeters
Age Range (Description)	Adult
Item Weight	10.3 kg
Is Waterproof	FALSE
Number of Items	1
Control Method	Remote
Wireless Communication Technology	Bluetooth
Speaker Size	54.13 Centimetres
Power Source	AC
Manufacturer	Yamaha Electronics
Country of Origin	China
Model number	A-S501SL
Specific Product Use	home audio systems, home theaters
Item Weight	10 kg 300 g
Batteries	2 AAA batteries required. (included)
Item model number	A-S501SL
Cooling type	Air cooled
Frequency Range	20 Hz - 20,000 kHz
Audio Input Line	Auxiliary
Speaker Output Jack	Wired
Output Wattage	85 Watts
Battery Charge Time (in hours)	20 Hours
Are batteries included?	Yes
Optical input	1

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Yamaha A-S501SL Natural Sound Integrated Stereo Amplifier (Silver)

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