Minor quibbles aside, thus far the A-S801 has proven itself quite a delectable component but we must still look at one last feature that might have gotten lost in the process. With so much under the hood, one would be forgiven for assuming that the headphone stage was a throwaway stowaway. That would be a mistake. Everything already described applies. It’s the same DAC and apparently a feed from the same output stage. Additionally Pure Direct can be engaged for headfi. All the detail, dynamics and neutral tonal balance translate. I threw every headphone I had access to at it. In the end, the only thing I came away with was an appreciation for the different signatures inherent in the headphones, not any glaring flaws or performance inadequacies for the Yamaha. Since the Burson 160D and DA&T headphone amp/DACs were available and neither of them slouches, I gave them a run around the comparative block to see how they fared against the A-S801.

I also compared the Yamaha to the standalone DAC-2. With the right ancillaries, the Wyred DAC will outperform the Yamaha no question. But add the requisite amplifier and preamp to my $3’600 cable tally and you get the picture. With that in mind, I decided to pit the integrated against my full Tortuga passive pre/Bel Canto combination. The A-S801 had shown promise but could it withstand heavyweight competition? To put it bluntly, the Pure Direct path was much closer to the Tortuga LDR6 passive than should have been possible. The Yamaha approached its dynamic agility but ultimately lost out against the Tortuga’s lower noise floor where the LRD was both quieter and could maintain liveliness at slightly lower levels. I consider the Tortuga a reference-grade component so in realistic terms, that was impressive performance from the Yamaha.

The amplifier comparison between A-S801 and aged Bel Canto EVO 2004 was a study in character variation. In my system, the BCD is a deft combination of tube liquidity and dynamic fervour wrapped in a D-class amp. The Yamaha was outmatched on sheer power but resolutely kept pace in liveliness to within its limits. The Bel Canto can throw about 600 watts into my 4Ω load so assume a 4-5dB disadvantage for the Yamaha. Tonally, the A-S801 came off a touch drier and a bit less defined on depth. The Yamaha played its strong suits with detail and dynamics whilst the EVO translated a little more refinement. In absolute terms, the higher-priced separates brought a further layer of context to the already high-level of content the Yamaha could unleash. Is Yamaha alone with this product? The mid-tier players as well as a few others tread similar waters but currently nothing I’ve seen combines this power, digital ability and price. Separates offer ultimate flexibility and potential with an obvious cost disadvantage. A DAC/pre is another legitimate option in conjunction with a power amp but means more boxes, cables and coin.

There are units which try the full holistic enchilada by incorporating a streamer, ripper, music storage, DAC and integrated all under one hood. For anyone entering fresh, this could be an attractive alternative. That brings contenders like the Cocktail Audio X30 into the frame, albeit at a slightly higher cost and with a few comparative disadvantages. The relatively affordable all-in-ones come minus Yamaha’s stiffer power and latest formats. There are other single-box concepts, some with no onboard storage but streaming ability like the Naim SuperUniti; or those which add CD like April Music's Aura Note V2. Those are excellent options but don’t support 32/384 and DSD as yet and are more expensive. The fact of so many disparate choices proves no unified vision for audio’s digital future. And that works very much in favour of Yamaha’s A-S801. Yamaha have taken the conservative approach, hedging their bets on the fact that regardless of digital source or format, you will need a DAC and amplification. The headphone brigade have been mining that concept for years. By adopting the neutral role of digital hub, Yamaha appeal to anyone with an existing source by way of a computer, music server, CD player, portable source with Bluetooth or television with digital output. Even emerging sources that will stream may not incorporate a DAC to need one. Conservative may be the smart move. By sticking to fundamentals, the A-S801 stands ready to embrace the future, whatever form that may take.


In conclusion, Yamaha have created a product with wide appeal that acknowledges legacy support but moves boldly forward. This integrated not only gets the basics right, it manages points of performance generally reserved for the much higher spread. The A-S801 is a powerful, versatile component with the inherent character of a format-leading Sabre DAC and a detailed, energetic SS amp. There’s a whole lot to like. If the asking price were higher, it would still compete but Yamaha have chosen an extremely aggressive ask. At below $1’000 Canadian it could shake up the marketplace if people just paid attention. So audiophile snobs, you've been served. The A-S801 pounds hard on that HighEnd door. I think I hear the wood splintering.

Yamaha global website

Yamaha Canada website