Integrated amplifiers — YBA Heritage A200S

The Heritage A200S is a DAC-equipped integrated amplifier from YBA, the French company founded by Yves-Bernard André, whose initials give the brand its name. It belongs to the Heritage line, which sits below the Passion and Signature ranges, and it succeeds the A200. Released in spring 2022, the S version keeps the amplifier section of its predecessor and adds a redesigned digital board with a newer converter chip and a higher-grade Bluetooth receiver.

Key specs that matter

Output is 110 W per channel into 8 ohms and 165 W into 4 ohms. Frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.5 dB, THD+N stays below 0.04% across the audio band and signal-to-noise ratio exceeds 95 dB. Analogue inputs comprise one balanced XLR and five RCA pairs, with one pre-output and a single pair of speaker terminals. The DAC is an AKM AK4493EQ that accepts PCM up to 32-bit/768 kHz and DSD512 over USB. Bluetooth 5.0 supports LDAC and aptX HD. The chassis measures 430 x 118 x 400 mm and weighs 10 kg.

Engineering and use context

Most of the change from the A200 lies in the digital section. The earlier model used an AK4490EQ limited to 384 kHz and DSD256, with Bluetooth 4.1 and aptX HD, while the S moves to the AK4493EQ and Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC. A linear power supply with a 330 VA transformer feeds the amplifier. When an external DAC or CD player is in use, the entire digital board can be turned off, removing its clocks and switching activity from the analogue circuit. A bypass mode turns one input into a direct feed to the power stage, letting the A200S handle power amplification for a home cinema processor. As on every YBA product, the chassis rests on three feet, two damped and a third in aluminium that acts as the drain point for vibration. The front panel carries only a source selector, a volume control and an oval display, and the remote is the classic YBA handset.

Pairing

With power in hand into both 8 and 4 ohm loads, the A200S drives floorstanding and stand-mount speakers of average sensitivity, from about 86 dB upwards. The pre-output can feed an active subwoofer, a second power amplifier or active speakers. A computer on USB covers high-resolution files, while a phone or tablet over Bluetooth handles casual streaming. For vinyl, an outboard phono stage has to be added.

Alternatives

The YBA Passion IA350 MKII is a larger integrated amplifier with a dual AD1955 DAC and a more developed digital input board.