Help regarding Yamaha AS500 Amplifier

[Ebenezer]

Hello,

Last week i have bought Yamaha AS500 Amplifier after reading lot of reviews and based on my taste (I like natural uncolored sound). I use it with two pairs of spekaers (A+B)Yesterday i connected it with my JBL Control Pro (Book Shelf) speakers and a pair of Craftel Floorstander. I felt that overal the tone was brighter. When i run only Craftel Floor stander, it was warm with good bass but lacking mid. When i tried running it only JBL Control Pro, it was too brigh (High & high Mid were too high) and very less bass. If i run both the pairs of speakers it sounds good but still i feel it is bit bright (bit harsh). I know the problem is with my speakers.

Is there any way i can reduce the volume of JBL speakers alone to reduce the harsh high mid with A, B terminals. How is the watts/Ohms being shared with both A & B speaker? Is there any way to reduce the volume of one pair of speakers alone in AS500 amp? My source of music is PC with M-Audio 2496 sound card. I am using a MX cables (16 guage)

I know for sure that i need to change my speakers to match it with Yamaha AS500. While i take some time to save the money for the replacement, would appreciate if any one has some interim suggestion. I believe we have quite a few Yamaha AS500 amplifier users in our forum.

Also would appreciate if you can suggest suitable speakers for Yamaha AS500 amp which i would buy after few months.

Thanks

 

[gannyboy]

paradigm titan monitors
MS aviano 2 or 6
KEF Q300

but please audition them individually, taking your amp and the source u listen to much and take a call.

cheers!!

 

[kartick]

Hi,

Many congratulations on your purchase. The AS500 is indeed a sweet and warm sounding amp. I had shortlisted too when I was auditioning for my amps. It paired very well with the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 bookshelves.

What I can suggest you here is that you could try placing the bright sounding speakers a bit farther from where they actually are currently so that the Highs don't attack your ears with the same force as they are right now. Positioning of the speakers could help you feel that the brightness has reduced by 10%. Also the room where you had auditioned the amp with the speakers might be very different in its dimensions than where you are currently placing your speakers.

Also it is all about pairing your speakers with the amp and matching the signature. I would like to tell you my own experience about the same. I have bought Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s recently which I had paired after auditioning them with my JVC amp. The place where I auditioned the speakers made the amp-speaker combo feel like it was made for each other. But once I got the speakers home and placed them in my room, I was shocked to notice how different were the speakers sounding. The bass was so boomy and I was really disheartened. I had to re-arrange the positioning of the speakers to get the boom go down. I have tried running those same speakers with Rotel as well as Pioneer Amps by placing them identically in the very same room and they sound so different as if they are of a different make altogether.

I am not very knowledgeable about the technical aspects of how to distribute the amp wattage differently for different pairs of speakers connected at the same time but it might be that crossovers could help you. I am just borrowing the concept of car audio here. Kindly excuse if my suggestion here is ridiculous.

Also if you are looking out for other speaker recommendations, the speaker which tops my list is the Cambridge Audio S30. Brilliant package. Staging is so fantastic that you feel the songs played via it are your personal concerts. Try auditioning it if you get a chance.

 

[murali_n]

Hi ebenezer,

To tame the brightness of Craftel, put a 20K Pot resistor in series with the Tweeter, adjust the value such that the brightness is reduced. Whats the Tweeter type? Metal tweeters sound a bit shrill compared to Silk dome or Polyamide tweeters.

Hope this helps.

N.Murali

 

[jaudere]

What I would suggest is that rather than using two totally different types of speakers together, use only one pair and try some settings with tone control on amp or graphic equalizers on the computer.
Playing 2 tonally unmatched pairs and getting good sound out of the combo is difficult.

Out of the 2 i would prefer to give Craftel the first try. JBL control 1 are small speakers and wont give adequate bass extension. I feel that they are harsh. Yamaha is known to be on brighter side. So the two wont pair well. I dont know if control pro is same as control 1.

Secondly I have stopped believing that any amp can be absolutely neutral especially the ones that I have heard(below 1 lac. Above that I dont know ). So the speakers have to be a complementary to the weakness of amp.

It is said that tone control/equalizers add distortion/coloration to sound but is it always audible? I wont bother about it if i cannot detect it. I choose any settings/adjustment as long as it makes sound pleasing to my ears. That is what matters in the end: Pleasing sound and not neutral sound. If neutral sound pleases someone then well and good but then what is definition of 'neutral sound'?:

 

[Ebenezer]

Thank you all for your suggestions & Help. IAppreciate it.

I placed the JBL control pro little far from the warm speakers (Craftel) and did little tweaking in EQ and now it sounds better. I looked at all the suitable speaker suggestion. I am not familiar with many speakers brand/model that is mentioned in this thread. I see the below suggestions.

1. Paradigm Titan Monitors
2. MS Aviano 2 or 6
3. KEF Q300
4. Cambrdige Audio S30
5. Whafedale Diamond 9.1

I have seen many reviews stating warm Wharfedale matches well with Yamaha Amps. I have also red many reviews stating Mission i34 is very much suitable for Yamaha Amps. Do we still get Mission i34 floor stander? I stay in chennai. Let me know where i can do adition of good speaker models in Chennai. I did the audtion of Yamaha AS500 with Dally speakers in Rakhi Walla, Waltax Road, Chennai. But they are very expensive. I am looking for either Book shelf or floor stander (preferably one pair of speakers; i want to get rid of running two paris of speakers) around 20-25K budget.

Thanks

 

[Ebenezer]

I also see 'Wharfedale Vardus 300 Floorstanding Speakers' on Groupbuy now in our forum.
The price of 16K is attractive. Let me know how well it pairs with Yamaha AS500.

 

[avidyarthy]

If you are a bit of a risk-taker could suggest you the DIY Transmission Line FS speakers made by Mr. Hari Iyer (a Forum member here) from Mumbai. Yes, getting them transported to Chennai would be a task! Nothing .... believe me ... nothing can come anywhere close to them in SQ, in the 20-25 k budget.

 

[pupupuchi28]

@ Ebenezer: I auditioned Varus during my AVR purchase and found them absolutely waste. They are like DSE speakers ( I guess Dick Smith) wholle lotta bass with no refinement. Rather I would suggest you can extend your budget to 19k and get WF 10.2 (black ones look lovely, currently on group sale) and sounds way better than Vardus. BTW there are whole lotta good bookshelfs at 16-19k range. Check them out with your amp so that you dont have to change them again

 

[Ebenezer]

Thank you Avidyarthi & Pupupuchi28 for your feedback. I dont want to transport speaker from Mumbai as the possibility of damage is more.

@Pupupuchi28: Thanks for your suggestion on WF10.2 i was eyeing on it. How does WF10.2 sounds compared to WF 9.1? You mentioned that there are lot of good Bookshelfs at 16-19K. Can you tell me what are those; so that i will try audition them before deciding what to buy?

Thanks

 

[satyajit]

Created a new thread so deleted the post. "Yahama AS500 with KEF Q300 Suggesations!!.."

 

[pupupuchi28]

Since your amp has a nominal rms of 85w/c therefore why not exploit its full potential with good speakers, i.e speaker with slightly lower specs than amp ( although you will rarely use half the power). May be 65-70w RMS continious. CA S30 & Wf 9.1 would be less configured. Although SQwise they are good but not for complete sound response (low frequency). 10.2 goes all the way down to 40hz and is a good alternative for floorstands aswell. You can get Tannoy BS starting 10k (I'm planning one for my surrounds), Morduant short as suggested above. I'm not very fond of entry level BS for music, as they fail to deliver complete frequency response and adding a sub to stereo set-up is waste. What are your music preference? That will also say which speakers you should purchase.

BTW, I guess Yamaha's entry level floor stands would sound good with Yamaha AS500. Typically all yamaha products match well. I have NS8390 and I love them for the work they do at just 13k. If you are into Jazz then you will hear the lowest extended note of the bass guitar, in the songs. Also changed the wire to 12AWG and then the mids and highs were into a different level altogather.

Audition with you amp!

 

[Ebenezer]

Thanks for you suggestion. I will try to audition WF10.2 and Yamaha speakers. Yamaha speakers i can do a demo in yamaha Music square in chennai.
My music preference would be Acoustic, Western classical & Pop. I am looking for balanced Hi freq & mid and tight bass.

In many reviews i read a lot of Bi-wiring capability or bi-amp. Can some one explain what it is and what is the advantage of having Bi-wiring speakers?

 

[josedandrew]

Thanks for you suggestion. I will try to audition WF10.2 and Yamaha speakers. Yamaha speakers i can do a demo in yamaha Music square in chennai.

In many reviews i read a lot of Bi-wiring capability or bi-amp. Can some one explain what it is and what is the advantage of having Bi-wiring speakers?

Also try monitor audio M2. MA speakers are very popular. priced at 14K, its better than wharfs according to some who auditioned it.
no idea how it pair's with yamaha.
dealer is in chennai (audio people), so worth an audition.

 

[Ebenezer]

@jonedandrew: Can you give me the address/contact detials of Audio People? I will try to audition Monitor audio M2. Thanks

 

[josedandrew]

@jonedandrew: Can you give me the address/contact detials of Audio People? I will try to audition Monitor audio M2. Thanks

here it is...
Worldwide Distributors | Dealers | Monitor Audio

 

[S.P.KRISHNA]

I also see 'Wharfedale Vardus 300 Floorstanding Speakers' on Groupbuy now in our forum.
The price of 16K is attractive. Let me know how well it pairs with Yamaha AS500.

Do not fall after those cheap boxes for the price. The best match is DALI ikon MK2 / 5 though expencive but will be one time investment.

 

[Ebenezer]

@Jose Thanks for sharing the info.

I am planning to do a demo of WF Diamond 10.2 in Grand Cinema (cost 20K) and Monitor Audio M2 (cost 14.5K) in The Audio People in Chennai.

Please suggest if i can demo any other speaker model in chennai.

Thanks

 

[Kittu]

Audition Paradigm titan monitors and PSB Image B6. I guess you can audition these brands at Decibel.

 

[Ebenezer]

I did a demo of Diamond 10.2 and Monitor Audio M2 with my amp (Yamaha AS500). Both are excellent speakers. WF 10.2 was sounding more musical to my ears. I was so amazed to hear the kind of Bass that you get out of this book shelf speakers (WF10.2). I also tried WF 9.5 FS. It was very balanced and had a puchy bass. But out of my budget (35K).

Thanks Kittu for your suggestion. I saw Paradigm speakers in 'Grand Cinema'. However i didn't audition that as i am seeing your post only now. However that guy told me that Paradigm speakers are very expensive. Book shelf speakers starts with 37k or so. I didn't check the model that you have mentioned. I will try do an audition in Decibel as well.

I did a demo with Marantz CD player. It was sounding slightly bright with all speakers. Is that normal with Marantz (brightness?)?