[60 V] My 40 year old Sony amp needed a rest. I found this Yamaha and so far I am very happy with it. It does not have an AC outlet in the back which means my graphic equalizer stays on all the time. But otherwise, the controls are smooth and the sound is strong and clean.

[Class-AB] Listen music daily no problem good connectivity

[2] This unit replaces a 15 year old top of the line Harmon Kardon receiver which decided to die. Even my old dance mix tapes from the 1980s sound incredible. I believe the S-301 delivers better sound quality overall than my old Harmon... the highs are crisp, the lows deep and rich. It performs as well as the S-801 in my media room. Thank you Yamaha, all my components will be Yamaha going forward.

[2] I'm so glad I got this effective and beautiful piece of gear. The best sound I have ever experienced over headphones... ever. No noise while turning any of the pots whatsoever. I've had it for a little over a month now so it's fully 'burned in'. The crossfeed matrix is effective but not overly aggressive. Love being able to trim the center image down. If you want the best, here it is. Word of Warning: If you are a 'Gamer', listen to dudstep, watch my little pony, or use dr. beats headphones, this is not for you. It will scare, confuse, and intimidate you.

[> 290] Used sparingly, these functions can really add life to your mix. The key is to not overdo it. I've also used it in a live sound scenario and it worked well there as well.

[20 Kilohms ] I was fortunate enough to purchase this amp on sale (249.95) just before Christmas and am very pleased with it. The audio performance is very good and it had all the features I needed including a phono input, several RCA audio inputs, digital inputs, a nice DAC and a very good headphone stage . I'm using a 20+ year old Philips CD player and playing FLAC audio files through 80's era Boston Acoustics A70 speakers. The amp has brought new life to these older components and delivers a terrific audio experience. The remote control is very solid and will operate other Yamaha components.�
I do wish it had better visual options on the front panel to indicate volume level and input selection when in use. There are very small lights for each input, but they are almost impossible to read across a room. The volume dial does have a black line on it, but it is impossible to see from more than a few away.�
Overall I'm very pleased with the A-S301. Great stereo performance at a great price. Paired with a good set of speakers or headphones, it provides a terrific audio experience.

[Class-AB] I bought the Yamaha A-S301 to replace an aging 1998 Pioneer receiver. The Yamaha delivers more solid bass. Perhaps less treble, but less treble distortion. For example, you can distinguish between different crash or ride cymbals. Horn sections are very clear, without harshness. I listen mostly to CDs, so the optical input is nice.
I use efficient Klipsch R-820F tower speakers, so the Yamaha has plenty of headroom.

[IEC] A week into this amplifier and I’m pleased with its performance
and value.  The A-S301 replaces a Denon PMA-600NE which I had -- briefly.  The main problem with the Denon was the dodgy motorized volume control.  Like the motorized volume control on the A-S301,
it rotates clockwise from about 7:00 to 5:00 either by hand or by using the remote.  The problems with the Denon were (1) it had almost no volume between 7:00 and about 8:30, and then the volume came on with a rush and (2) the steps using the remote were too coarse (an online review of a Marantz amplifier – same parent company – noted the same things).  I was curious how the Yamaha volume control would work, but I need not have worried.  I stuck a little orange dot on the volume knob and it was easy to tell that both the knob movement and the volume levels were aligned, and that the amplifier was capable of fine adjustment manually or with the remote. 


The other nice feature about the A-S301 (and its siblings) is the loudness control.  I haven’t needed it much for contemporary CDs or FLAC files, but recently I got some FLACs and CDs of re-mastered Arturo Toscanini/NBC Symphony recordings from the early 1950s. These are mono, but adjusting both the volume and loudness greatly improved the listening experience.  Kudos to Yamaha for that feature at this price point. 

I’m using a pair of Polk ES15 speakers, which is a combination

that several online reviews recommend.  I also have a Polk XT10 down-firing subwoofer. My living room is not large, and the Yamaha/Polk setup makes for a very good listening experience. 


The only thing I miss from the Denon is the built-in Bluetooth for listening.  I like to play music from the speakers, and also use a pair of on-ear headphones around inside the house.  I still haven’t found a good solution for that, but it certainly wasn’t a deal breaker.

Taking all into consideration, and as others have noted, the A-S301 punches way above its weight.

[ 10.5 dBu ] This gig can be used to both headphone either speaker use! Versatile but perfectly.

[20 Kilohms ] Great unit, works perfectly with my turntable phono input and WiiM optical connection. Quiet, no overheating, smooth operation. No issues and great sound.