I tested this amp but had to give it back after a week. I got it fully run in, but It never really could touch me. This is a very powerful piece, which sounds at best with the music turned up. In my system, it failed to sound enough transparent and clear, It was not dull tough, rather something in beetween . . . . and imaging was not a strong point. Pop / Rock was way better than classic or jazz ! Could perhaps work better in a system with a very explicit source along with ultra transparent or even aggressive sounding speakers ?

I bought this amplifier as the heart of 2.0 hi-fi kit for our listening room in Japan. I've also bought the CD-S1000 and matched them with Monitor Audio's GS20 floor standing speakers (which are absolutely sublime).

I had the opportunity to audition this amplifier along with about 30 - 40 other units at one location so narrowing down the list did take some time. I should mention that I have always enjoyed Yamaha sound so you could call biased but in my defense I would argue sound is nothing if not subjective.

Anyway, the major players in the competition were offerings from Marantz, Denon, Onkyo and Luxman. For this set up I wasn't interested in the surround sound experience but I'm supposing that if you are in the market for an amplifier like this one, neither are you. Acting on that assumption I have the following experiences to offer:

I liked the AS-1000's sound over some of the Denon products as they had the tendancy to sound a little pithy or hollow by comparision. The Marantz I auditioned was a nice unit but I got the unmistakable impression that it was on the electronic version of prozac as it seemed a little over-relaxed. Some Japanese amplifiers I have listened to do tend to veer towards what I consider overly-bright but I found that the AS-1000 offers very neutral, balanced tone that applies itself well to many genres of music. I especially like the fact that if the tone controls are set to '0' then they are disengaged entirely from teh circuitry. As far as I know all the models in this series have the same feature as they were desined to produce as little electrical distortion as possible.

Ultimately it came down to the choice of the Yamaha AS2000 or the AS1000. The differences that I can report is that the 2000 amp is a touch warmer with a little more bass coming out of it but only fractionally so. The biggest difference however is that with the 2000 you receive an XLR balanced input for the CD. I am something of a novice when it comes to this sort of stuff but my understanding of balanced connections is that they act in such a way to reduce the effect of electrical noise which can become an issue when the signal strength is very low - like 20mv. However CD outputs are in the range of 2000mv and as such I would argue that wth such a strong signal to work with; the effects of noise reduction are below the human level of perception. If you were to use a record player then it would make a difference but not from a CD.

Overall I am very pleased with this amplifier. I love its natural, unbiased sound. I found that its an amplifier that can be matched very easily with many different speakers. The controls are simple, chunky, and exceptionally well built. On that subject, so is the rest of the unit. Its built like a tank. 25 kgs. You really do get the feeling that this unit was built to last a lifetime. I was also pleased with the fact that the unit produces very little in the way of heat. My speakers are 6 ohm and I tend to use them for at least 2-3 hours a day at farily modest volumes and even with only a couple of inches of clearance above the amplifier in a wooden cabinet it only ever approaches 'mildly warm' to the touch.

To summarise though, you would have to be a purist/minimalist to enjoy this unit. It is a niche product and you have to recognise that before you set out. However, if faithful reproduction of the original material is what floats your boat and your budget does not stretch to pre-amp + power amp shiny goodness, then the AS-1000 would probably sort you out nicely. The tonal quality of this amplifier really is well above its price point. I wouldn't bother with the 2000 unless you really want the extra bit of bass (and it really isn't that much) or if you are going to use an XLR connected turntable.

Highly recommended.