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Power Rating: Onkyo vs Yamaha

Hi, everyone!

I am browsing for an integrated amplifier and I stumbled upon the Onkyo A-9150, that meets all my requirements (budget, good sound, discreet class AB design, internal DAC, pre-out, phono, the whole package), but I am really curious by its power rating.

Looking at the specs, it is rated as 60W/4-ohm and 30W/8-ohm with 0.08% THD from 20 to 20,000Hz. Okay, but the manual also states that it weighs 9.2 Kg, almost the same (even heavier) as the Yamaha A-S301, that weighs 9.0 Kg. Only the Yamaha is rated as 60W/8-ohm and 70W/4-ohm with 0.019 THD from 20 to 20,000Hz. Upon inspection of pictures over the internet, their transformers are pretty much identical, just like their chassis, and 

How come is this difference in power so big? Any ideas?

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PS.: If you look in their service manuals, I guess you will find that their topology is the same and that the Onkyo A-9150 amplifier transistors are even more powerful than the Yamaha A-S301's.
rafapb
mesch
3,391 posts
 
What speakers are you going to pair this integrated with? I suspect that these integrateds are similar in there ability to drive speakers, and neither are meant for speakers difficult to drive. I am not familiar with the Onkyo, only the Yamaha which I think to be very good at it's price point. Both are full function integrateds.
rafapb OP
5 posts
 
What speakers are you going to pair this integrated with?

I intend to pair them with Tekton Lore References. They should work great, but knowing they can handle so much more power, it is tempting to try and squeeze something more out of this Onkyo unit. I feel it should be able to output more than that, but I don't know why it can't.

rafapb OP
5 posts
 
I have only one problem with the whole Yamaha line: no pre-amp output!
willland's avatar
willland
846 posts
 
" I have only one problem with the whole Yamaha line: no pre-amp output!"

Assuming you are speaking about the digital equipped Yamaha integrateds.  I agree at least the upper models(701 and 801) of the A-S#01 line should have right/left preouts.  The higher end line analog only(A-S1000, A-S1100, A-S2000, A-S2100, A-S3000) all do have stereo preouts.

Bill
tls49's avatar
tls49
1,351 posts
 
rafapb

Sorry, but I think you're splitting hairs with the amps. For practical considerations, one is not any more powerful than the other. Also, with THD specs that low, the difference is meaningless. Years ago, some amps were manufactured with THD lower than these two, however there was an issue. They sounded horrible. One thing that is a negative for me about the Yamaha is that it uses an impedance switch when using 4 ohm speakers. This results in some type of limiting to prevent damage to the amp with a more difficult load. The Onkyo is built to be 4 ohm stable without the need for a switch. I would choose the Onkyo. I thinking it is likely the better sounding amp.

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