Yamaha A-S3000 Natural Sound Integrated Amplifier (Black)

Description

Profoundly accurate sound with the full expressive power
of the music. Exceptional sonic purity, elimination of signal loss — in an
exquisite, elegant design. The supreme culmination of the Yamaha line —
the A-S3000.

• Rigid
  streamlined construction — provides strict anti-vibration protection and
  enables shortest cabling routes

• Large
  toroidal transformer, solidly mounted with independent three-dimensional
  inner frame

• Comprehensive
  low impedance design, shortened signal paths and copper-plated chassis

• 1/4″
  thick top panel made of non-magnetic aluminum plate

• Left-right
  symmetrical design for independent pre amp and power amp blocks

• Floating
  and Balanced Power Amplifier with MOSFETs

• All-stage
  balanced transmission

• Direct
  drawing toroidal transformer for complete elimination of signal
  transmission loss

• Exceptionally
  low impedance through secure screw connections

• Superior
  quality electronic volume control for optimum sound

• Discretely
  configured phono amp

• Exquisite,
  large level meters reflect the dynamics in the music

• Meticulously
  designed and beautiful in appearance — just like a musical instrument

• Original
  speaker terminals for high sound quality, as well as beauty and ease of
  use

• Obsessive,
  meticulous switch design — elaborate, richly textured, easy-to-use

 

Rigid Streamlined Construction — Provides Strict
Anti-vibration Protection and Enables Shortest Cabling Routes

The A-S3000 has adopted a newly designed highly rigid double
structure construction in order to achieve profoundly pure and accurate audio
amplification. The bottom chassis and insulator ward off external vibration and
provide each circuit board a floating structure supported by an independent
inner frame, thoroughly eliminating the impact of vibration. And the power
source unit, which consists of a power transformer and capacitors, which are
major sources of internal vibration, is fixed firmly with a three-dimensional
structured inner frame and is supported solidly by the front panel and the rear
panel. The power amplifier circuit board and the weighty heat sink are attached
to the left and right inner frames. The power supply unit and amplifier
circuits are thus structurally isolated, achieving an ideal chassis structure
which thoroughly blocks the transmission of vibration. Moreover, the inner
frame that supports the power transformer is shaped with ample space below it,
allowing passage of the wiring to each circuit over the shortest possible
route. The newly developed chassis with this innovative structure helps to
minimize the length of the signal paths and achieve low impedance, as well as
providing high rigidity and anti-vibration benefits. The result is a dramatic
reduction in signal loss, for remarkably pure audio amplification.

Large Toroidal Transformer, Solidly Mounted with
Independent Three-dimensional Inner Frame

An independent three-dimensional inner frame has been
employed in order to provide a more solid mount for the large toroidal
transformer, which is installed in the center of the A-S3000, considering the
ideal weight balance. The completely copper-plated inner frame has a structure
which integrates the front-back and left-right frames with a convex-shaped
highly rigid main frame as its base, reducing vibration coming from all
directions. For the base, to which the power transformer is installed on the
inner frame, brass was selected by strictest examining the particular sonic
properties of various materials by exhaustive listening tests. This material
effectively reduces vibration caused by the power transformer, helping to
create sound of greater clarity and spaciousness.

Comprehensive Low Impedance Design, Shortened Signal
Paths and Copper-plated Chassis

In order to achieve the absolute purest signal transmission,
capable of communicating even the most subtle nuances of the music and its
powerful dynamism—for example, reproducing powerful, agile low frequencies and
portraying all the emotional nuances of the human voice—we’ve methodically
pursued low impedance throughout the A-S3000. Using a double construction
design creates space for cables under the bottom of the chassis, enabling the
shortest cable path for the supply of power from the transformer to the power
stage and for the audio signal transmission path. This helps to eliminate
signal transmission loss and to smoothly supply power, even during high-volume
transients, and allows more direct audio reproduction without even the
slightest adverse effect on the music. Also, the three-dimensional inner frame
to which the power transformer is mounted is copper-plated. Extremely low
impedance is assured by lowering the ground potential. This sharply lowers the
impact of noise and delivers a profound and richly emotional sound—one that
perfectly communicates all the original expression of the artist.

1/4 Inch Thick Top Panel Made of Non-magnetic Aluminum
Plate

The top panel and the front panel are made of aluminum, a
non-magnetic material, in order to eliminate any adverse effect on the audio
signals. In the course of strictest examination of the sound quality, the front
panel thickness was set at 0.28” and the top panel was set at 0.24” . This
helps to realize an exceptionally natural, spacious sound by providing a highly
rigid chassis structure and at the same time, skillfully controlling the impact
of vibration. Moreover, heat dissipation openings on the top panel were formed
by high precision cutting from both sides—front and back—of the panel and
finished with thorough scrupulous attention to every detail. Stylish slits in
the center, matching the companion CD-S3000 and its design, strongly emphasize
the powerful power source unit inside by having the same width as the power
transformer.

Insulators Allow Use of Spikes or Pads

The insulators are crucial parts that block outside
vibrations. They adopt Yamaha’ s original metal legs in order to maximize
vibration control performance. The user can select point installation by
applying the supplied spikes or plane insulation with the supplied pads and use
these combined with an interlocking rack if desired.
Left-right Symmetrical Design for Independent Preamplifier
and Power Amplifier Blocks
The amplifier circuit design features independent
preamplifier and power amplifier blocks and perfect left-right symmetry.
Separation of the preamplifier, which handles low energy signals, from the
power amplifier, which handles high-energy amplified signals, greatly reduces
sound deterioration caused by mutual interference. Moreover, the left-right
symmetrical design, which keeps the left and right power stages completely
separate, ensures greater channel separation and enhances clarity of the stereo
image.

Floating and Balanced Power Amplifier with MOSFETs

The basic design of the power amplifier circuit adopts
Yamaha’s proprietary Floating and Balanced Power Amplifier technology. Adopting
output elements with the same polarity on the plus and minus sides of the
output stage and also completely separating the NFB (Negative Feedback) circuit
and power supply into a total of four plus and minus sides of the left and
right channels, results in thoroughly symmetric push-pull operation of the
output stage. Completely floating the entire power amplifier circuit from the
ground removes any negative impact of minute voltage fluctuations or ground
noise. Moreover, the output elements are comprised of MOSFETs, which provide a
warm and natural sonic character. The use of MOSFETs, which have the same
polarity on the plus and minus sides, further evolves the ideal of a complete
symmetrical design, to eliminate sound quality variations due to difference in
polarity—a major distinguishing characteristic of the Floating and Balanced
Power Amplifier—resulting in sound with a superior signal-to-noise ratio and a
superbly well-defined sound field.

All-stage Balanced Transmission

The A-S3000 features fully balanced signal transmission.
Moreover, the control system circuits (volume, tone, etc.) of the preamplifier
feature totally balanced operation, realizing ideal balance in all stages.

Direct Drawing Toroidal Transformer for Complete
Elimination of Signal Transmission Loss

The cabling of the power transformer adopts an ingenious
method in order to significantly reduce impedance. The winding of the
transformer itself is directly connected to the terminal with a screw, unlike
with conventional cabling. This enables a power supply which thoroughly limits
connection loss and energy loss caused by soldering. The toroidal transformer
was selected with top priority on sound quality, contributing superior
strength, as well as a profoundly natural and spacious sound.

Exceptionally Low Impedance Through Secure Screw
Connections

In order to completely eliminate signal energy loss,
important parts of even the circuits employ screw connections. In addition to
wiring of the block capacitor of the power unit—which is the real heart of the
amplifier and as such requires high power—screw connections were adopted for
all crucial spots of signal transmission, including the connection of the preamplifier
circuit with the power amplifier circuit, and the cabling to the speaker
terminals from the output stage of the power amplifier. In addition to making
the signal path as short as possible, this significantly lowers the impedance
and greatly reduces signal loss.

Superior Quality Electronic Volume Control for Optimum
Sound

We’ve utilized a high quality digital volume control
specially designed by New Japan Radio Co., Ltd., which consists only of
ladder-type resistance, removing the impact of slew-rate decline or coloring of
the sound, delivering higher purity in the sound and excellent, fast response
to large volume changes and steep transients.

Discretely Configured Phono Amplifier

The phono amplifier is comprised of an MC head amplifier and
an equalizer amplifier, each of which are discretely configured, resulting in a
rich sound with pronounced musicality, when playing vinyl records with both MC
and MM phone cartridges.

Exquisite, Large Level Meters Reflect the Dynamics in The
Music

The A-S3000 features large level meters on the front panel,
giving a direct visual sense of the dynamics and pulse of the music. These
beautiful meters are softly illuminated by LED, lending a warm, lamplight look.
The meter indicators can, in addition to the VU display, be switched to peak
display, and can be selected according to the user’s preference. Moreover, the
glass window of the meters is diagonally cut and precision-fit to the back
surface of the front panel, leaving no gaps and using no screws for
connection—lending an exceptionally elegant appearance to the unit.

Meticulously Designed and Beautiful in Appearance — Just
Like a Musical Instrument

As befits a top-end audio component, the A-S3000 gives off
the presence of a fine musical instrument, with absolutely no screws or
fasteners that can be seen from the outside. Every single aspect of its
construction and design exudes master craftsmanship and reflects an obsession
with quality—a truly musical quality possible only for Yamaha, a world class
musical instrument manufacturer. The amplifier with its refined design has been
meticulously finished by the skillful use of advanced processing technologies:
integrating the top panel and side wood connection, leaving no gaps while using
different materials—metal and wood—for the connection.

Original Speaker Terminals for High Sound Quality, as Well
as Beauty and Ease of Use

The speaker terminals are the final link in the audio chain
of this amplifier and have also been designed with meticulous obsession. The
screw-type terminals have large handles and feature an original design that has
been crafted by cutting pure brass to enable a secure connection with no
reduction in sound quality. Moreover, the shape conforms nicely to the human
fingers—not only creating an elegant visual impression, but also allowing users
to turn them easily and to firmly tighten them with minimal force.

Obsessive, Meticulous Switch Design — Elaborate, Richly
Textured, Easy-to-use

Since the controls—the volume dial, switches and so on—are
the parts of the amplifier which users actually touch and feel directly, their
surface texture and design were created with the strictest attention to detail.
Individual controls such as the volume or input switching dials, emanate a
richly elegant feel thanks to the use of cut aluminum knobs. Switches,
including the power switch, were made with obsessive attention to texture in
every detail; they were shaped with refined craftsmanship so that when they are
raised or lowered, the gap between the switch and panel surface is impossible
to see.

Remote Control with Simple Design and Superior Texture

The supplied remote control features a design
complementary to the aluminum panel of the amplifier itself, with a simple,
easy-to-understand button layout and gorgeous metallic texture. In addition to
the basic volume adjustment and input switching controls of the A-S3000, it can
also be used for operation of the companion CD-S3000.