What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Five Stars
Awards 2010
" A clear class leader. It sounds strikingly clear" , " We get a fast, rhythmically taut sound that' s as exciting as it is informative" , " The sound is agile enough to resolve a complex mix like Eminem' s Not Afraid, while having the sophistication to make Beethoven' s Moonlight Sonata sound like the slice of magic it is" .

What Hifi Awards 2010
Best Stereo Amplifier up to £ 500
" Where the Yamaha moves ahead is in sound quality" , " The talented A-S500 is without doubt one of the major surprises of our year" .

Yamaha A-S500 has a semi- dual- mono construction; the two channels using separate transistors ( two for each) , “ mirror� construction until separate filtration, having in common only the transformer, a very rare construction in this price area. Yamaha A-S500 has a more than sufficient power for a home Hi-Fi system. It has an absolutely decent number of inputs and the amplifier also supports two pairs of speakers simultaneously coupled. Its construction is very solid; A-S500 gives the impression of an expensive device because of the metal front side and its dimensions, being built on the same pattern with more expensive models. The variable “ loudness� can prove to be useful for low volume and there is also a Pure Direct buttons, which completely eliminates the correction circuit.

The remote control is quite an important utem for many of us. First of all, the remote control offers a pleasant feeling, using a combination of soft plastic and aluminum very well integrated. The signal is very good, working from almost any position. A very important aspect is that the potentiometer’ s engine rotates very slowly, allowing to easily adjust the volume at night, when you want to hear the music in the background, for example. Yamaha A-S500 manages to control the speakers very well, proving dynamics and speed. It has ability to play high dynamic passages of songs with no apparent special effort, keeping instruments clearly separated and a correct and pleasant soundstage. In terms of specifications, Yamaha A-S500 Home Audio features 85 W + 85 W ( 0.019% THD) of minimum RMS Output Power and 120 W + 120 W maximum of power. It offers the Pure Direct function and has a rate of total harmonic distortion of 0.015% ( 42.5 W/ 8 ohms) . It also features 100 dB ( Pure Direct On, 200 mV) Signal-to-Noise Ratio and has a frequency response of 10 Hz-100 kHz ± 1 dB. Its dimensions are 435 x 151 x 387 mm, weighs 10.3 kg and the power consumption in standby mode of 0.5 W.