Question Yamaha A-S1200

suburbansky

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Does anyone own or have experience with the Yamaha A-S1200? I'd especially be interested in how it performs vis-a-vis the (cheaper) Denon PMA-1600? I like the looks of the Yamaha, and the option to not only connect two sets of speakers but being able to switch between them... But does this really justify the higher price tag, so does the Yamaha also sound better?
 
Does anyone own or have experience with the Yamaha A-S1200? I'd especially be interested in how it performs vis-a-vis the (cheaper) Denon PMA-1600? I like the looks of the Yamaha, and the option to not only connect two sets of speakers but being able to switch between them... But does this really justify the higher price tag, so does the Yamaha also sound better?
Pretty sure you can connect two pairs of speakers to the Denon as well.
Not heard the Yamaha but if you require any digital inputs you're going to have to go with the Denon.
 

suburbansky

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Pretty sure you can connect two pairs of speakers to the Denon as well.

Yes, you can... But seemingly there's no option to switch between the pairs, at least it's not mentioned anywhere (no button, no explanation in the manual), supposedly because the main target is bi-wiring, not running two sets of speakers.
 

suburbansky

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Odd, it clearly has speakers A and B sockets so you'd assume it has some means of switching between them

So I assumed... But there is indeed no documentation of such a feature.

Arguably, this is not the most popular feature - but for my new apartment it would make a ton of sense, with my office being right next to the living room and the option to just run a bit of speaker cable around the corner.
 
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So I assumed... But there is indeed no documentation of such a feature.

Arguably, this is not the most popular feature - but for my new apartment it would make a ton of sense, with my office being right next to the living room and the option to just run a bit of speaker cable around the corner.
You are correct, apparently when two pairs of speakers are connect the signal goes to both pairs simultaneously, they are not switchable.

Guess that leaves the Yamaha... :)
 

Gray

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...for my new apartment it would make a ton of sense, with my office being right next to the living room and the option to just run a bit of speaker cable around the corner.
If you're happy to run cable (good for you, others insist on wireless multiroom) you could make use of the 'line 2' output from that Yamaha.
Instead of what would have been speaker cables to passive speakers, some twin screened cable could feed some powered speakers (or a small, good, cheap amp and some passives).
One advantage being that the office would have its own, local, independent volume control.
 

Gray

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...the Amptastic (or Lepy 2020A) featured in the other thread would make the ideal extension amp, the single analogue input being all that's required;
 

suburbansky

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If you're happy to run cable (good for you, others insist on wireless multiroom) you could make use of the 'line 2' output from that Yamaha.
Instead of what would have been speaker cables to passive speakers, some twin screened cable could feed some powered speakers (or a small, good, cheap amp and some passives).
One advantage being that the office would have its own, local, independent volume control.
...the Amptastic (or Lepy 2020A) featured in the other thread would make the ideal extension amp, the single analogue input being all that's required;

Thanks for your suggestions - definitely options worth considering. Sadly, Amptastic seems to have gone out of business. I would have bought this little box in the blink of an eye but unfortunately, it isn't available anymore.
 
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suburbansky

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Still trying to wrap my head around the Yamaha A S-1200 v. Denon PMA-1600 question here...

What I currently need help with: Could I bypass the speaker problem the Denon presents (no switch between the A and B speaker sets) by using active speakers for my second speaker set, connected via the Rec Out / Tape output of the Denon? If yes, would that have any negative influence on the sound quality or, rather, hand over sound signal processing to the in-built amp of the speakers, leaving the Denon's muscle out of the equation?
 

Gray

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Still trying to wrap my head around the Yamaha A S-1200 v. Denon PMA-1600 question here...

What I currently need help with: Could I bypass the speaker problem the Denon presents (no switch between the A and B speaker sets) by using active speakers for my second speaker set, connected via the Rec Out / Tape output of the Denon? If yes, would that have any negative influence on the sound quality or, rather, hand over sound signal processing to the in-built amp of the speakers, leaving the Denon's muscle out of the equation?
Yes you could use a line output from the Denon to drive active speakers.
And yes, that would take the Denon power amp out of the equation (for those speakers).

(....depending on the choice of actives, you could actually get better sound than from Denon to passives, of course).
 
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