Adding Yamaha A-S500 to Yamaha RX-V667 7.1 - Benefits?

[admin_exported]

I currently have a Yamaha RX-V667 partnered with Monitor Audio BX2 system. I play a lot of music and was wondering if the Yamaha A-S500 would add anything to the system?

I notice it doesnt have an optical in and all my music is played via a Popcorn Hour A200 (which i assume doesnt have a great DAC on board)

Would I see any benefit from adding the A-S500 Amp to my system and how would it intergrate?

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone know if the A-S500 Stereo Amp has a better stereo performance than the RX-V667 Receiver? How would it integrate?

 

[lesmallett]

I have a similar question to you. I have the RX 1065 and not overly impressed with the stereo performance. I imagine the A-S500 will be a noticeable improvement but not sure how well it will integrate with the rest of the system.

It also hasn't got Unity Gain so could become a pain to use. I wonder if any £300 amps have unity gain?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

Ive used the 667 with a separate stereo amp (old yammaha cr-1020) for the front L and R, the stereo amp sounded great on its own with a cd player, but no better fed a signal from the 667.

The issue is its a preamp into a preamp so anything other than with pure direct mode on the as-500 won't really have any benefit if your going to run 5.1 all the time.

A separate power amp would be better for a full time 5.1 set up but the pre amp is still going to shape 90% of the sound.

I just used the 667 + cr-1020 for films and the cr1020 for music.

Even then the volume setting on the second amp will be a max volume

so if the 667 is at say 50% and the cr-1020 was at 50% volume on the dial that's only 25% actual to the fron L&R so expect to be messing with levels a lot.

think that's why the pre out have been removed from the later models.