Yamaha
Yamaha A-S801
$1099Cheaper
Best Integrated Amplifiers · head-to-head
Yamaha A-S801 vs McIntosh MA252
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Yamaha A-S801 is cheaper at $1099. Every spec and price links to its source.
McIntosh
McIntosh MA252
$5000
Which is better: the Yamaha A-S801 or McIntosh MA252?
The Yamaha A-S801 wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Yamaha A-S801 is the cheaper at $1099. The Yamaha A-S801 both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Yamaha A-S801 | McIntosh MA252 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1099 | $5000 |
| Brand | Yamaha | McIntosh |
| Released | — | — |
| Power per channel8 ohm (W) | 100 | 100 |
| Power per channel4 ohm (W) | — | 160 |
| Amplifier class | — | tube-hybrid |
| Thd percent | 0.019 | 0.03 |
| Snr (dB) | 99 | 97 |
| Built in dac | Yes | No |
| Phono stage | MM | MM |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Analog inputs | — | 3 |
| Digital inputs | — | 0 |
| Headphone output | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (kg) | 12.1 | 12.7 |
Sources — Yamaha A-S801: europe.yamaha.com (verified 2026-07-13). McIntosh MA252: mcintoshlabs.com (verified 2026-07-13).
What's the difference between the Yamaha A-S801 and McIntosh MA252?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 12). Matching specs are omitted.
- Thd percent: Yamaha A-S801 0.019 vs McIntosh MA252 0.03
- Snr (dB): Yamaha A-S801 99 vs McIntosh MA252 97
- Built in dac: Yamaha A-S801 true vs McIntosh MA252 false
- Weight (kg): Yamaha A-S801 12.1 vs McIntosh MA252 12.7