Yamaha R-S500/700

[pawanharish]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this Forum. Just joined, however, have been visiting as a non member for quite some time. I love this Forum and the amount of quality discussions here.

I am planning to setup a stereo only system for my home with descent quality. I was looking for a good stereo receiver (with AM/FM) and came across the Yamaha R-S500/700 units. Does anyone know where can I get these in India and for what price (preferably in Delhi or Hyderabad, I do not mind paying for shipping as well)? Also has anyone owned these units? I would love to get to know of someone's experience with them. I am planning to pair the receiver with Mordaunt-Short Aviano 6 Or Yamaha NS-555/777 speakers. Please share your views on this setup and/or on individual components. Thank you.

 

[S.P.KRISHNA]

I do not know about Yam but Marantz SR4023 is very good. Think before you buy yamaha.

Regards

 

[pawanharish]

Thank you S.P.Krishna for the quick reply. My first preference was a Marantz integrated amp. However, the prices for Marantz are quite high on ebay (most of them are imports) and I do not seem to find Indian prices for most Marantz equipment. Could you state the approximate price for this unit. I'm willing to spend about 25-30K on the receiver but not above that. This unit on Ebay India is about Rs. 44K. Yamaha A-S500 is a pretty good amp (HiFi best amp or the year award, 2010), however, does not have AM/FM. It costs about Rs. 26K. I needed AM/FM, and R-S500 is comparable to A-S500 in sound quality and also includes a tuner. This is why I opted for this unit. Also I see you are from Hyderabad, I'm also situated in Hyderabad (doing PhD at IIIT-Hyderabad). Could you point me to some hi-fi showrooms in Hyderabad where I may audition the Marantz and similar units. Thanks.

 

[rishiguru]

Thank you S.P.Krishna for the quick reply. My first preference was a Marantz integrated amp. However, the prices for Marantz are quite high on ebay (most of them are imports) and I do not seem to find Indian prices for most Marantz equipment. Could you state the approximate price for this unit. I'm willing to spend about 25-30K on the receiver but not above that. This unit on Ebay India is about Rs. 44K. Yamaha A-S500 is a pretty good amp (HiFi best amp or the year award, 2010), however, does not have AM/FM. It costs about Rs. 26K. I needed AM/FM, and R-S500 is comparable to A-S500 in sound quality and also includes a tuner. This is why I opted for this unit. Also I see you are from Hyderabad, I'm also situated in Hyderabad (doing PhD at IIIT-Hyderabad). Could you point me to some hi-fi showrooms in Hyderabad where I may audition the Marantz and similar units. Thanks.

Well you can search Yamaha India website.

Home - Yamaha - India

Look that the Yamaha R-S500 is available there or not. Go to the Dealers tab and search for authorized dealers in your city.

Yes Marantz amps are costly in compared to Yamaha. I have heard one of their specific model the PM7004, very good stereo amp, with crystal clear mids & velvet silk smooth highs, the separation of instruments with this amp is spot on. Highly recommended but costly.

No experience with AS500, but they are considered to be good amps at their price. But I highly recommend that you have an audition before you settle for the amp.

Best of luck.

 

[pawanharish]

Thank you rishiguru for the link and sharing your experience of the Marantz 7004. I had already tried the yamaha site before posting in this forum. They do not have the R-S500/700s listed in there, thus I decided to ask on this forum. I will however take your advise and go to the dealers listed on the site.

I agree with that Marantz are much better amps than Yamaha. But the price is again a factor for me. Being a student I cannot afford very expensive equipment yet . A-S500 also looks like an option for me, it has a matching T-S500 tuner, that I can maybe buy separately later. Currently I wish someone could share there experience with me on R-S500/700s. Also what do you think of NS-555/777s and/or Aviano 6s?

 

[rishiguru]

I agree with that Marantz are much better amps than Yamaha.

That is not true. I will say both are in the same level.

Read this hot debate : Yamaha vs. Marantz sound??

Ever tried the Yamaha AS2000? This stereo integrated amp I think costs over INR 1 Lakh plus.

Yamaha A-S2000 Integrated Amplifier | Hi-Fi

And I highly doubt that PM7004 have a chance to stand against it. Maybe the Marantz Perl series amps will be its competitor.

Also read this review regarding Yamaha AS700. Much cheaper that AS2000, but still better than AS500.

Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amplifier | Hi-Fi

Its just that both the companies have different philosophies & thus different sound signature.

And if you have time read this thread who bought the 1998's Yamaha Centennial Edition, pre, power, & CD player combo from an ebay auction.

This combo can cause land slides to other ultra high level audiophile equipment's.

AudioKarma: Yamaha Centennial Edition

 

[denzong]

i have purchased the yama as500 for 22500 from mumbai.

 

[vinshar]

Thank you S.P.Krishna for the quick reply. My first preference was a Marantz integrated amp. However, the prices for Marantz are quite high on ebay (most of them are imports) and I do not seem to find Indian prices for most Marantz equipment. Could you state the approximate price for this unit. I'm willing to spend about 25-30K on the receiver but not above that. This unit on Ebay India is about Rs. 44K. Yamaha A-S500 is a pretty good amp (HiFi best amp or the year award, 2010), however, does not have AM/FM. It costs about Rs. 26K. I needed AM/FM, and R-S500 is comparable to A-S500 in sound quality and also includes a tuner. This is why I opted for this unit. Also I see you are from Hyderabad, I'm also situated in Hyderabad (doing PhD at IIIT-Hyderabad). Could you point me to some hi-fi showrooms in Hyderabad where I may audition the Marantz and similar units. Thanks.

Just check at Gurgaon Yamaha Square in MGF Metropolitan Mall, You will get all Yamaha audio products there. I visited couple of time, well behaved sales people.

 

[spirovious]

few details-
Yamaha HI-FI components

 

[pawanharish]

Thank you all for the quick replies and much appreciated help.

Dear spirovious I have read almost all the reviews and specifications for R-S500/700 before, however, I just wanted some hands on experience before ordering.

rishiguru, you are right in pointing out the various subtleties in both Marantz and Yamaha, sure most high end Yamahas are very good (A-S2000). I was just stating an average view on both brands.

denzong, what do you make of the sound from A-S500, it seems you got a pretty good deal on it. Also is the matching T-S500 Tuner available in India? I am either planning to go for R-S500 or A-S500 with T-S500. R-S500 is available for Rs. 26K on Ebay, does that sound a good deal to you? What speakers do you propose for A-S500, in 30-40K Range. I am looking at Aviano 6 or NS-555s

 

[rishiguru]

denzong, what do you make of the sound from A-S500, it seems you got a pretty good deal on it. Also is the matching T-S500 Tuner available in India? I am either planning to go for R-S500 or A-S500 with T-S500. R-S500 is available for Rs. 26K on Ebay, does that sound a good deal to you? What speakers do you propose for A-S500, in 30-40K Range. I am looking at Aviano 6 or NS-555s

We are all avidly waiting for the denzongs Yamaha AS500 review.

Hope denzong listens us.

 

[pawanharish]

We are all avidly waiting for the denzongs Yamaha AS500 review.

Hope denzong listens us.

Add me to the list too .

vinshar, thanks for the address in Gurgaon, I'm currently at Hyderabad, but will be visiting Delhi soon, will definitely go there.

 

[hemantwaghe]

We are all avidly waiting for the denzongs Yamaha AS500 review.

Hope denzong listens us.

NO I AM NOT.

waiting for visiting Denzong's place tolisten with some good "EXPEREINCE ENHACERS"
Also waiting denzong to visit my ( and dave's ) place as we want to review certain "enhancers" maybe a "shootout" between enhancers made in Scotland Vs made in Tenessy. ( to untrained eyes these "liquid enhancers" look like bottle) with good music of course!!

:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

Guruji the threads purpose is to get answer

And denzong ias dead busy ..HE DOES NOT HAVE TIME FOR ABOVE "TASTE'ING ACTIVITIES WHERE HE WILL FOR REVIEW?

Denzong do not waste time ,when we can "sit" at my place ---saala noone has time for crap?

BTW GURU YES YOU WANT TO PROVE YOUR SUPREMACY OF YAMAHA ...CAN WE COMPARE YOUR AMP WITH YAMAHA RD-350 AND YAMAHA GRAND G SERIES??

 

[denzong]

I didn't bother abt the tuner as of now so never inquired.
The sounds very rich and I am happy with it.
Honestly cannot suggest those speakers as haven't heard them with as500

 

[pawanharish]

I didn't bother abt the tuner as of now so never inquired.
The sounds very rich and I am happy with it.
Honestly cannot suggest those speakers as haven't heard them with as500

Thanks denzong, that is what I was hoping for. I need the tuner though, and I saw it available for 23K (just the tuner), which is a bit steep. Will stick with R-S500 then. Also I am inquiring about prices for both RS500 and AS500+TS500 from Delhi, if the difference is steep, will order RS-500. Regards.

 

[hemantwaghe]

Thanks denzong, that is what I was hoping for. I need the tuner though, and I saw it available for 23K (just the tuner), which is a bit steep. Will stick with R-S500 then. Also I am inquiring about prices for both RS500 and AS500+TS500 from Delhi, if the difference is steep, will order RS-500. Regards.

Yamaha AS 500 and RS 500 may not be in same league - maybe RS 500 Inferior in sound
R-S500 - Stereo Receivers - Hi-Fi Components - Audio & Visual - Products - Yamaha United States

A-S500 - Amplifiers - Hi-Fi Components - Audio & Visual - Products - Yamaha United States

Now R-S 500 despite having tuner US$ 50 Cheaper...??
AS- 500 is direct descendant od AS 2000 a which had rave reviews. I have strong doubts that RS 500 sound is not as good as AS 500
Check reviews of both BEST LISTEN BEFORE BUYING

BTW why not trying NAD or Rotel or Atoll??

Yamaha mass market speakers are not that great preferabally avoid , try dasic british floorstanders like Mission, Tannoy ,Wharfadale etc..

 

[pawanharish]

hemantwaghe, thanks for stating the differences between RS500 and AS500. I know AS500 is from the line of AS2000s, but so is RS500. It may not sound as good as AS500 but is from the same lineage. AS500 got the HiFi best amp of the year award. But reviews for RS500 are also very good. I'm not looking at NAD mainly because I could not find prices for it and also I already have a Yamaha cassette deck. I prefer the unaltered natural sound of Yamaha. Also Rotel is way out of my budget, its too expensive and usually not powerful enough to power the speakers I have in mind. Don't know much about Atoll though.

 

[harry1236]

I prefer Onkyo as I'm using it from long time without any problem.

 

[rishiguru]

hemantwaghe, thanks for stating the differences between RS500 and AS500. I know AS500 is from the line of AS2000s, but so is RS500. It may not sound as good as AS500 but is from the same lineage. AS500 got the HiFi best amp of the year award. But reviews for RS500 are also very good. I'm not looking at NAD mainly because I could not find prices for it and also I already have a Yamaha cassette deck. I prefer the unaltered natural sound of Yamaha. Also Rotel is way out of my budget, its too expensive and usually not powerful enough to power the speakers I have in mind. Don't know much about Atoll though.

Pawanharish have you confirmed whether Yamaha RS500 are available in India or not?

If yes, how much dough?

 

[denzong]

all are most welcome to my home to listen to the yamaha so that they can write their own review but honestly i dont have the time to do it and i dont want to a shoody work of just cut copy from google.
so if and when i have time i shall do it. hemant and some more know how my work schedule is and the kind of people i have to deal with....so honestly i dont see the review coming out of my profile soon.
as i stated earlier.....just go with you what you like to listen and what your budget allows. I MEAN NO ONE IS GOING TO BUY JUST A 25000RS MACHINE ON MY REVIEW OR IF ANYONE'S WAITING FOR MY REVIEW TO BUY THE PRODUCT.
sorry to dissapoint anyone