Chris999

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 7.00 votes

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Beko

Summary:
I have purchased AX-496 for my second system. I am using this amplifier with JBL tlx510 speakers(s-92db), cd players Yamaha cdx-496, Denon dcd-480, tuner Sony st-se920. AX-496 has solid look like many Yamaha units. The sound quality is very impressive, especially for modern music. The controls are very convenient. With loudness knob you can adjust the sound in the wide range, compensating for room acoustics, not like many other amplifiers quite unable to do so. The high and mid ranges generally are OK, though sometimes treble can be a little harsh. The bass is very well controlled, dynamic but a little soft and not so solid. Anyway the general presentation of music remains fresh and enjoyable. Opening the cover of amplifier i looked inside. It is very well done indeed. Where necessary are used high guality components like for example ELNA capasitors. Of course there is done some economy, otherwise price could be higher. All in all the AX-496 is good and effective amplifier, which manages to make music impressive.

Strengths:
The solid look, impressive, fresh sound.

Weaknesses:
The treble sometimes can sound harsh, the bass is good, but not perfect.

Similar Products Used:
Yamaha AX-396, Harman/Kardon HK-630, Harman/Kardon HK-670, Marantz PM-34.

ayakano

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $380.00 from Darty

Summary:
Powerfull ... I can hear some distorsions in the sound ... Bass is ok ... This amp is not expensive ...

Strengths:
Very Powerfull ... Natural sound ...

Weaknesses:
Distorsions ...

Price Paid:  $310.00 from Staffhorst Electroni

Summary:
I used a Denon PMA560 for 9 years. While buying some CD's at my local HIFI dealer I listened for a while to some great sound, it came from some Infinity speakers powerd by a Yamaha AX 496 amp. One weak later I bought the amp and connected them to my Bowers&Wilkins V204 speakers. And ... the AX 496 performs in a great way. I love music from classical to hard-rock and it handles all in a great way. Most of the time I use the CD-direct function, sometimes I use -3 Loudness for listening at low levels.

Strengths:
Powerful, clean, very tight sound. Very good controlled bass.

Weaknesses:
.. a little LED on the volume knop to see it turn ... but ok not that important !

Similar Products Used:
Denon PMA 560.

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Vink Audio Groningen

Summary:
with cd/dvd direct button switched on it developes a very rich, natural sound. for my B&W dm305 speakers it has more than enough power. nice design. and the powersystem for other equipment on the back is really superb! with my old system i always had to switch on 2 cd players, 2 turntables and a mixer in the correct order, now the yamaha does it all for me :-)

í just have it a few days, and untill now i haven't found one. i only had a problem with conecting the speakercable, the conectors didn't seem to fit, altough they had to according to the manual. removing the conectors solved the problem for now.

Strengths:
very good, natural sound. easy handling,nice design.

Weaknesses:
none untill now

Price Paid:  $500.00 from shopping in mi city

Summary:
Un amplificador con el típico sonido de Yamaha, con una gama muy amplia y limpia de sonido. Notorio es tambièn el poderoso volumen a que se puede escuchar sin distorsión perceptible notoria. En síntesis un excelente amplificador de hogar, que mas allá de sus nobles prestaciones, en otras partes del mundo,toma más valor aún por su precio muy accecible.Evidentemente con las mejoras de diseño y la opción de selección de cd/dvd, es la versión mejorada del también notable ax 492.

Strengths:
una máquina sólida muy funcional

Weaknesses:
precio alto en mi país

Similar Products Used:
viejo receiver Akai av 45