Yamaha A-S801 Integrated Amplifier
A serious two-channel system can still be clean, practical, and easy to build around.
When Digital Music Deserves Better Than a Convenience Input
Many systems treat computer audio, TV audio, and streaming sources like an afterthought. The music plays, but the system can sound flatter, harder, or less connected than it should.
The A-S801 solves a very specific problem: you want the feel of a traditional integrated amplifier, but you also want a better path for high-resolution digital music.
The Yamaha Integrated With a Proper USB DAC Path
We chose the Yamaha A-S801 because it is the most capable model in this entry integrated family. It delivers 100 watts per channel, adds a USB Type-B DAC input, supports PCM up to 384 kHz/32-bit and native DSD 5.6 MHz, and still keeps the traditional pieces that make a hi-fi system useful: phono, optical, coaxial, subwoofer output, Pure Direct, and CD Direct Amplification.
That makes it a strong choice for someone who wants one amplifier to connect records, CD, TV, and a computer-based music source without losing the character of a proper two-channel system.
What the Specs Won't Tell You
Digital Music Gets a Cleaner Front Door
The USB DAC gives computer audio a dedicated path into the amplifier instead of treating it like a basic add-on. That can make files, streaming, and stored libraries feel more organized, detailed, and less brittle.
It Has Enough Drive for Better Speakers
With 100 watts per channel, the A-S801 is better suited to speakers that need more control. It helps the system keep its shape when the music gets dense or the room asks for more scale.
It Still Feels Like a Real Integrated Amplifier
The appeal here is not only the DAC. The A-S801 still gives you phono, analogue inputs, speaker switching, Pure Direct, and Yamaha's solid amplifier layout, so the system feels rooted in hi-fi rather than built around convenience alone.
The Audio Two Verdict
The A-S801 is the model we would choose when someone wants Yamaha's practical integrated-amplifier platform but also cares about digital playback quality. It is a clean way to build a system around speakers, records, CD, TV, and computer audio without scattering the setup across multiple components.
For online buyers, this is often the smart Yamaha integrated when the system needs to do more than one thing well.
Tech You Can Hear
| What You Hear | Why It Happens |
|---|---|
| Digital music sounds cleaner and more composed | ESS SABRE Premier DAC with USB Type-B input |
| High-resolution files have a proper playback path | PCM up to 384 kHz/32-bit and native DSD 5.6 MHz support |
| Speakers have more control and scale | 100 watts x 2 into 8 ohms |
| CD playback can take a shorter, cleaner route | Switchable CD Direct Amplification |
| The system can still handle records and TV audio | Moving-magnet phono input plus optical and coaxial digital inputs |
Technical Highlights
- 100 watts x 2 into 8 ohms, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
- USB Type-B DAC input
- PCM up to 384 kHz/32-bit and native DSD 5.6 MHz support
- Optical and coaxial digital inputs
- Moving-magnet phono input
- Pure Direct and CD Direct Amplification
- Subwoofer output and speaker A/B selection
Why Choose Audio Two
Audio Two ships across Canada. If you don't have access to a proper high-end dealer in your city, this is your way in — real expertise from people who've heard the system, matched the electronics, and can guide you through a decision this size.