BETA
RADAR is in beta — expect errors. Accuracy and coverage improvements are shipping daily.
LIVE
Waiting for new listings…
0 other audiophiles online

Our Thoughts RADAR AI

Condition is unknown, so the price has to do the heavy lifting here — at £300 it lands just under the £302 median and inside the main market band, so this reads as fair value rather than a bargain or an ambitious ask. It is not cheap enough to call a steal, but it is also not priced beyond what recent comparables support.

What makes it worth a look is that this is a solid, well-liked integrated amp: plenty of clean power, good drive, and the kind of straightforward, reliable all-round performance that suits a wide range of speakers and systems. If it’s tidy, unmodified, and comes with the remote and original packaging, the listing has good upside; at this level, you’re mainly judging cosmetic condition and whether everything operates cleanly.

Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.

About Yamaha

Yamaha stands as one of the world's most storied audio manufacturers, with roots extending far beyond consumer electronics. Founded in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha in Hamamatsu, Japan, the company began as a reed organ manufacturer before expanding into pianos and eventually becoming a comprehensive musical instrument maker. This deep heritage in acoustics and materials science would prove foundational to its later audio ventures. The company operated under its original name, Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd., until 1987, when it was renamed Yamaha Corporation in honor of its centennial.

Yamaha's entry into high-fidelity audio proved transformative for the industry itself. In 1954, the company released the Yamaha Hi-Fi Player, widely recognized as the world's first audio component to bear the "Hi-Fi" designation in its name. The company subsequently built a comprehensive product portfolio spanning amplifiers—beginning with the acclaimed A-100 in 1960—speakers, turntables, and digital audio equipment. The NS-1000 speakers, introduced in 1974 with beryllium drivers, became iconic reference monitors. Yamaha also pioneered digital audio technology, shipping the world's first CD recorder in 1988.

Today, Yamaha occupies a distinctive position as a mid-to-high-end generalist rather than a niche specialist. The brand commands respect among both casual listeners and serious audiophiles, balancing accessibility with genuine engineering credibility. Its reputation rests on six decades of consistent innovation, proven reliability, and the unique advantage of applying musical instrument expertise to audio reproduction. Vintage Yamaha components remain highly sought by collectors, while current products maintain the brand's tradition of delivering performance and durability across multiple price tiers.

See all Yamaha listings on RADAR.

More A-S501 listings