Yamaha? Welcome back!

"Hows the bass/low end?"

I can’t speak for the A-S3000 but I can sure tell you that the A-S1000 has bass drive in spades.  Punchy, fast and detailed.

Bill

In terms of bass, I have owned several class D integrated amps with their characteristics being about speed, tautness and clarity that I thought were ideal, though they always seemed lacking in mid-bass, lower midrange fullness (that's not an exhaustive evaluation of class D, just comments on the ones I've owned.)  In comparison, the as3000 is bolder and more visceral, you just expect this thing to have a higher power rating than it actually does.  I guess I've been of the mindset the last few years that if it wasn't class D then the lower bass wouldn't quite be to my liking (I really valued bass speed and taughtness) but the 3000 has sort of shattered that preconception.  At low volumes natural and poised come to mind.  At higher volumes big and powerful.  But always with a fullness to the sound.  Keep in mind too all of my comments are based on two days worth of use, so clearly I'm in the honeymoon stage.

(BTW speakers are Tyler Acoustcs D2's, Acoustic Zen Absolute cabling, CD player is a cheap'o Yamaha bluray player while I wait for my DAC to come in.  Listening room is 25'x21'x8'.)

I have Zu Omen Defs and this caught my eye

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/i-heard-yamaha-a-s2100-wow.484875/

My CA-2010 is right at home with my Druids in Class A mode.

https://instagram.com/p/_s2vsdiRic/

For those counting, that’s 30 watts of FET Class A into 8 ohms (so theoretically 15 watts for a 16 ohm person like me). I’m usually using a single watt and I’m getting large dynamic orchestral performances In my living room, as well as lifelike singer-songwriter duos. The mono switch helps make the soloist pieces more intimate. The phono stage is amazing. Running a soundsmith MI cart on my YP-D8 TT. I had my amplifier cleaned by Analogique in NYC they do great work.

For years I was running systems that excelled in rock, but failed in jazz, that could do solos but not orchestras... Those days are gone. This old girl has articulation, separation, and speed with a very mild FET class A bloom that makes instruments glow.

Is is it the first word in transparency? No. But it has a very balanced top to bottom. There is a very mild veil... Albeit a pleasant one... And far less a veil than many other systems that have graced my ears. I have run this amplifier main in, bypassing the preamplifier, but the pre stage adds a softness and warmth that takes the edge off of city life. I would love to hear how it stacks up with the venerable AS3000!

I've always respected Yamaha, back in the 80's, I had a receiver called,  the R-100, that was a really good sounding receiver, still to this day,  best sound for a receiver.