Audiophilepure

Yamaha’s A-S3200 Integrated Amplifier

Yamaha’s A-S3200 is a flawless performer. This product is even more stunning in person than our photos or the ones from Yamaha suggest. This is a quality product in every way: great sound, rock-solid build, fantastic execution. The level of sonic quality on tap with this and a few other excellent choices in this price range is staggering compared to 5 or 6 years ago, when most audiophiles would have turned their noses up at the suggestion of a single box doing everything. All but the most obsessed can live happily ever after with the Yamaha A-S3200.

There is one thing to take serious note of, should you buy an A-S3200 for yourself. The idea of component break in is somewhat contentious, and anything dreadful out of the box doesn’t transform into wonderful 1000 hours down the road. These aren’t butterflies. However, the A-3200 is slightly dry and stiff sounding out of the box. Not a deal killer, but after about 200 hours of continuous play, it opens up tremendously. Further than I’ve experienced with other solid-state amplifiers, which makes me wonder if my test unit was up on a shelf in a warehouse for some time before it made its way here. So, my only suggestion is that when you take delivery on your A-S3200, give it a couple of weeks play time before you judge it completely.

I love being able to revisit a manufacturer after years between products. In the case of Karan, it’s clear the advancements made to the KAS 600 amplifier and the KAL REF MK3 preamplifier have been more evolutionary rather than revolutionary. The essential character of the combo definitely harkens back to its lineage. I like that. Why mess with the secret sauce? The areas of improvement heard by these ears while wracking my failing memory are to be found in transparency and speed from top to bottom. They seem more efficient and effortless at passing the signal than their ancestors. It strikes me it would be very difficult to find precisely what the Karan duo offers in other products. At least that’s how I hear it. The Karan sound remains unmistakable, yet very difficult to pin an overt coloration too.

As I always do with any component I review, I let my fangs out and try to come up with a reason for someone who can afford the asking price not to add the components to their system. In this case, I simply can’t come up with anything. The lack of remote input switching? The lack balance control? No, those are not not game changers when such wonderful sound is provided by the Karan KAS 600 amplifier and KAL REF MK3 preamplifier. I cannot imagine a scenario where this combo would need to be replaced for years  to come if enjoying music, all genres of music at the highest level of fidelity, not obsessing about gear, is the priority. 

The front panel of the Antileon Evo is mostly acrylic and has six buttons. The far left button is an ON/STANDBY button that, when pressed, activates the amp and reveals a red display behind clear acrylic. This also initiates a self-check that takes approximately 15 seconds and lets you know if there are issues with the amp. The CHECK button at the far right allows you to run the self-check while in full operation. There is also a MUTE button that does exactly that — mutes the sound — which is handy when you want to change out some cables without turning the amp off. However, the remaining three buttons are the most interesting to the dedicated audiophile.

The remaining three front-panel buttons allow you to choose between three bias settings: Bias L (low), M (medium) and H (high). Bias L provides 25 wpc of class A power. This setting is fine for listening at low levels or when simply playing background music, and to my ears sounds better than the vast majority of A/B amps. I mostly used this setting to keep the Evo warm during the day so that it would be ready to play in Bias M or Bias H mode at a moment’s notice in the evening. Bias M and H were the settings I used for serious listening. Bias M delivers 50 wpc of class A power, which I use when blasting certain rock or other highly in-your-face music. Bias H delivers a sumptuous 150 wpc of class A power. I used this for most really serious listening sessions, even most rock, but especially when the music is vocal, orchestral, moody or sophisticated (I’ll expand on this below).