Yamaha P2201 power amplifier

[Seth=L]

Well my fellow Audioholics, I have scored a big one (well not as big as I thought, but still pretty darn good). This amplifier is massive.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetailPF/0,,CNTID%253D2003%2526CTID%253D227600%2526LGFL%253DY,00.html

And pictures inside and out from another person.

http://www.ampslab.com/yamaha_p2201.htm

I can't imagine needing more power than this thing can crank.

 

[Haoleb]

Nice find. If only Yamahaeeeaaaaa didnt go and muck the face plate up with those volume pots

 

[zildjian]

43 pounds, is it heavy enough for you?
Nice looking amp! KEEP THIS ONE!!!!! Can you bridge it? If so, find more and run them mono!!! MORE POWER!

 

[Seth=L]

Nice find. If only Yamahaeeeaaaaa didnt go and muck the face plate up with those volume pots

I like having them on the front and I like how they feel. I need them because at the moment I have no preamp. The amp will take up to 100 watts via unbalanced input, way more than I would ever put into it.

 

[Seth=L]

43 pounds, is it heavy enough for you?
Nice looking amp! KEEP THIS ONE!!!!! Can you bridge it? If so, find more and run them mono!!! MORE POWER!

Unfortunately it is not bridgeable. I think that one is enough for now, 200 watts per channel.

 

[davidtwotrees]

Man, you're a smart shopper, Seth! The amp Lab listing shows it as proaudio gear-is that correct? Is this from the eighties?

 

[adk highlander]

Nice Find That is one serious looking amp. Like others have said. Keep this one!

 

[Seth=L]

Yes it is a pro amp, and yes it is from the late 80's when Yamaha first started doing pro audio. I haven't had a chance to really use it other than to test it in the store to be sure it worked.

 

[Seth=L]

Nice Find That is one serious looking amp. Like others have said. Keep this one!

I'll try to keep it, but if I decide not to you guys will be the first to know.

 

[no. 5]

Well, that thing looks fun.

 

[zildjian]

The amp will take up to 100 watts via unbalanced input, way more than I would ever put into it.

There might be a typo or a misunderstanding there. Using an amplified signal as an input isn't a good idea, and I doubt that ever was intended in the amps design, so whoever told you that, should double and triple check. If you HAVE to do it for a while, you'll prob be OK, but you certainly wouldn't want it to be the equivalent of a 100 watt signal. That's a good way to damage either amp; the one trying to drive an amplified signal into an amp's input would likely fail first, if it has protection circuitry on board it would hopefully just shut down after a while. The first amp designed for 8 ohm or so output would be pushing a signal into either an unbalanced input (commonly 600 ohm) or a balanced input (much higher impedances, spec depends on the input transformer). Either way, just check on that being possible before doing it because I don't think that's intended, but if you have to do it, just don't have the output of your amplifier that you're using as a preamp very high. It will have to be higher than you would think since again it would be pushing a signal into a WAY higher impedance than intended.

 

[Seth=L]

I will be using a headphone output, which is higher output than preamp outputs, so it shouldn't be a problem. The amplifier says it can take up to 100 watts via unbalanced on the back panel of the unit itself. It says "OdBm FOR 100W/8(omega) UNBALANCED". Let me know if this means something else. It is pictured in the second link in the first post.

 

[zildjian]

That means that with an input signal of Zero dBm you would get 100watts output into 8 ohms from the amp, just a reference level to help you match the input level to the optimum point for the amplifier to produce the specified output that it should. Likewise, more than 0 dBm input will yield more than 100 watts at 8 ohm output. It's there way of putting the input sensitivity value on the back of the amp. The actual power value of 0 dBm depends on the specified impedance. I can see how that can be a confusing label above the input, but long story short, it's not saying that it accepts a 100 watt at 8 ohm input signal.

 

[Haoleb]

I will be using a headphone output, which is higher output than preamp outputs, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Not Entirely.... Most headphone outputs can do something like 250 or 350mv vs a 2v signal on most sources and many preamps which will do 10v or more peak to peak before clipping.

 

[Seth=L]

Well thanks for all the input received, but alas I am weak. The amp didn't even make it home. Everyone can boo me now. I landed a Yamaha DSP-A1000 and my JVC RX-DP9 back in a trade. The speakers I have don't need that much power, and my neighbors don't need that much power. I know I will find another great amplifier at some point, so not a huge deal. I feel like I made out alright on this deal. If I had a dedicated preamp I might have kept it, but I don't at the moment.

 

[Adam]

Well thanks for all the input received, but alas I am weak. The amp didn't even make it home.

Must...fight...back...the...tears.

Congrats on the other equipment, though!

 

[Seth=L]

Must...fight...back...the...tears.

Congrats on the other equipment, though!

I am waiting for an avalanche of "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?"

 

[zildjian]

I am waiting for an avalanche of "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?"

After what you did, maybe we just don't want to talk to you right now Seth... (read that in a scolding parental tone of voice...)

 

[Seth=L]

After what you did, maybe we just don't want to talk to you right now Seth... (read that in a scolding parental tone of voice...)

What do you guys really think, do you think it was a mistake to make the trade?

 

[yettitheman]

I don't know, but this Yamaha hums with the TV on

Maybe time for a power conditioner?