More Yamaha 801 questions...

[1981rt]

It is likely an error in the SM, may be that page got mixed up with the A-S701 or some AVR that have some shared design and parts used, and those do use the TI PCM5101 or 5102 chip as well. There just don't seem to be any good reasons for the A-S801 to use a different dac for the optical/coax inputs.

For amps that have two zones and allows the user to use different sources for each zone then it might need to use a different dac for zone 2. That's what Denon, Marantz and Yamaha AVRs and AVPs do, but again, not for such entry level integrated amps. So, while I agree it is still clear as mud, but I think it is as least clear mud, that it is some sort of printer error. Keep in mind that Yamaha's integrated amp do share several of the ICs including volume controls, and circuitry with their AVR/AVP cousins, sort of standardization/or synergy, to minimize costs.

It is likely an error in the SM, may be that page got mixed up with the A-S701 or some AVR that have some shared design and parts used, and those do use the TI PCM5101 or 5102 chip as well. There just don't seem to be any good reasons for the A-S801 to use a different dac for the optical/coax inputs.

For amps that have two zones and allows the user to use different sources for each zone then it might need to use a different dac for zone 2. That's what Denon, Marantz and Yamaha AVRs and AVPs do, but again, not for such entry level integrated amps. So, while I agree it is still clear as mud, but I think it is as least clear mud, that it is some sort of printer error. Keep in mind that Yamaha's integrated amp do share several of the ICs including volume controls, and circuitry with their AVR/AVP cousins, sort of standardization/or synergy, to minimize costs.

you need to get on the blower to Yamaha and sort this out

 

[1981rt]

you need to get on the blower to Yamaha and sort this out

I’ve been going optical via Google Chromecast Audio for a couple of years. If they’ve flimped me re the ESS Sabre DAC not doing the work at the digital end I won’t be happy

 

[PENG]

I’ve been going optical via Google Chromecast Audio for a couple of years. If they’ve flimped me re the ESS Sabre DAC not doing the work at the digital end I won’t be happy

What you don't know won't affect you so let's leave Yamaha alone.

Or, if you must know that you are "listening" to a better DAC, just go grab an external one, such as the following:
Supposedly on sale for USD48 but Amazon's currently at $79.99 but 20% coupon brings it to $64
NEOHIPO DC10 Stereo DAC Review | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum

It has Optical, Coax and USB inputs just like the A-S801, but it uses much better ESS DAC IC as well as TI's opamps, the NE5532. The A-S801 does uses the NE5532 but it uses an AVR IC for volume control, that's not too bad, but is a real bottleneck, on paper anyway.

The A-S801 uses the premier class ES9010K2M, that has decent specs but far from being SOTA. The ES9028Q2M is nowhere near ESS's flagship DAC but again it is considered "reference" by ESS and its specs are still truly SOTA.

Unit price of the ES9028Q2M is $16.8, versus the ES9010K2M's $5, based on Mouser's. That's just the DAC chip: ES9028Q2M ESS Technology | Mouser

Can you hear a difference? Only you can know, but I bet in a blind test no one can tell the difference, enough said...

The ES9028Q2M

 

[highfigh]

I looked up that Parasound Hint 6. What's the price on that?
I checked their website and followed links to their listed dealers. Those don't even list products let alone prices.
They just say "contact us for a consultation."

Parasound was sold and the new owner doesn't know how to build a website, they cut off their small dealers and as a former dealer, I have no desire to deal with that kind of crap from a manufacturer. I liked their products and I have their P5/A23 preamp/power amp combo, but I'm done with them. If they think consumers want to talk to them when local dealers were the whole reason they stayed in business through the difficult times since they began, they're clueless. One of the reasons dealers liked Parasound was because the founder was frequently the one to answer the phone. How many company founders did that?

FWIW- I also use a Yamaha WXC-50 MusicCast as a source, but I used it as my system's preamp for a few years and I never had any problems with the sound but I also don't believe in the idea that miniscule differences are as important as many think. If you want to compare DACs, it won't be in real time and any time between listening will make fair/accurate comparisons impossible- humans don't have good enough sonic memory to do that.