Returned a home theater receiver for this model. Home theater receiver sounded like you were in the bathroom. Bright, harsh, over processed etc. The 501 sounds warm and detailed. You can hear things with the 501 you couldn't with the home theater model. This applies to music and tv.

Vintage look; Rugged build quality; Great sound; Simple operation

It's too deep to fit in my tv stand; I don't care; I'm keeping it anyway; It sounds great

I have had the Yamaha as501 for three weeks now and it sounds excellent to my 55 year old ears.This is partnered with mission sx1 speakers and a very old project 2 turntable. It has an excellent in built phono stage and I use it with the pure direct button for everything.

Right out of the box the balance knob did not smoothly transition from one channel to the other. There was some subtle variation on either side of straight up. But instead of smoothly going to zero on one side or the other, an abrupt cut-off occurrs on both sides after the lower-volume channel...

Fantastic at this price range. I have paired this with the Elac B6 2.0 and it is fantastic, Out of curiosity i tryed a set of 2006 sony MHC midi system speakers and even they sound good, but i highly suggest you invest in a set of booksheif speakers to get the most from this unit.

Yamaha A-S501 85w. x2 into 8 ohms. I use it to power Bose 251 outdoor speakers.This amp fills a huge soundstage with detailed depth. The controls are simple. The silver finish [in stock at B&H] is a clean smart look. B&H came through again. Great stock, the right price and swift delivery.

Superb

I have wanted to play my LP's for many years since I disposed of my old audio system. I went to an audio shop, gave them my needs and budget, and asked them to come up with a compatible system. They did, which included my Yamaha a-s501. I am very happy! Jim

Easy To Connect And Use

None

Overall the Yamaha A-S501 is a capable amplifier. It's built very well and is packed with useful features.The move to a more balanced sound is welcome but compared to the best at the price it falls short of enthusiasm and a little composure.

Excellent build and finish; Good features list; Spacious and detailed sound; Good power

Lacks the composure and excitement of the best