The Yamaha PX3, PX5, PX8 and PX10 are the same 2U, two-channel Class-D amplifier with the same DSP, connectors and front panel. What changes is power. At 8 ohms per channel, Yamaha rates them at 300 W, 500 W, 800 W and 1000 W. Choose by the speakers you will drive and the load you will run, not by the biggest number.
Quick verdict: the PX3 suits a pair of 10 or 12 inch passive tops for small halls and cafes. The PX5 is the most flexible pick for 15 inch tops or a passive subwoofer in Power Boost Mode. The PX8 and PX10 are for 4 ohm loads, such as two speakers per side, in banquet halls and outdoor events.
On proaudiobrands.com in September 2026, each is priced per single amplifier: PX3 ₹38,160, PX5 ₹43,530, PX8 ₹66,310 and PX10 ₹76,060.
At a glance: Yamaha PX series compared
| Model | 8 Ω per channel | 4 Ω per channel | 2 Ω per channel | Power Boost Mode (1 channel) | Weight | Price (Sept 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PX3 | 300 W x 2 | 500 W x 2 | 300 W x 2 | 600 W at 8 Ω, 1000 W at 4 Ω | 6.9 kg | ₹38,160 | Two 10 or 12 inch passive tops, small venues |
| PX5 | 500 W x 2 | 800 W x 2 | 500 W x 2 | 800 W at 8 Ω, 1400 W at 4 Ω | 6.9 kg | ₹43,530 | 15 inch tops, or one passive sub in Power Boost |
| PX8 | 800 W x 2 | 1050 W x 2 | 600 W x 2 | Not offered | 7.2 kg | ₹66,310 | Two speakers per side at 4 Ω, mid-size events |
| PX10 | 1000 W x 2 | 1200 W x 2 | 700 W x 2 | Not offered | 7.4 kg | ₹76,060 | Largest PX headroom, bigger halls and outdoor gigs |
Power figures are Yamaha's ratings for 220 V to 240 V models: 1 kHz, non-clip, 20 msec burst, both channels driven (Power Boost figures are single channel). Prices are as listed on proaudiobrands.com in September 2026.
What every PX model shares
Before comparing power, it helps to know how much is identical. All four models use the same Class-D amplifier engine, which Yamaha builds around a single custom LSI chip. All are 2U rack units measuring 480 x 88 x 388 mm, cooled by two 16-step variable speed fans with front-to-rear airflow. The weight difference across the range is only 500 grams.
Inputs and outputs
- Inputs: 2 x XLR and 2 x 1/4 inch TRS, line level.
- Speaker outputs: 2 x Neutrik speakON NL4, 2 pairs of binding posts, 2 x 1/4 inch TS phone jacks.
- USB Type-A port for saving and loading amp settings, speaker presets and logs, and for firmware updates from a USB memory stick.
These are line-level inputs. Plug a mixer, DJ controller or speaker processor into them, not a microphone, keyboard or phone directly. A mixer such as the Yamaha MG12XU sits in front of the amp and handles mics and instruments.
Built-in DSP
This is the main reason to pick a PX over a basic power amp. Every model includes a speaker processor with 6-band PEQ, limiter and delay, high-pass and low-pass filters adjustable from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with polarity control, delay from 0 to 74 msec, and D-CONTOUR multi-band dynamic processing with FOH/MAIN and MONITOR settings.
In practical terms, you can set a crossover between a passive top and a passive subwoofer inside the amp, cut the low end that a small top cannot reproduce, add delay for a second pair of speakers further down a banquet hall, and limit output to protect speakers from an overenthusiastic DJ.
Yamaha's Config Wizard loads presets tuned for its passive speaker lines, including the CBR series. Eight user presets can be stored and copied to other PX amps by USB stick. There are Basic and Advanced setup modes, and a panel lock stops anyone at the venue from changing your settings.
Routing
Input routing offers Dual, Parallel, Single and SUM. Output structures include FULL+FULL, SUB+SUB, FULL+SUB and Bi-Amp, plus Boost Full and Boost Sub. Yamaha says there are 15 routing patterns in total.
Audio performance
Yamaha quotes a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz within ±1.0 dB at 1 W into 8 Ω, and THD+N of 0.1 % at 1 kHz, 10 W. S/N ratio is 101 dB for the PX10 and PX8 and 100 dB for the PX5 and PX3. These are practically the same, so sound quality is not a reason to pick one model over another.
Understanding the power ratings: 8 ohm, 4 ohm, 2 ohm and Power Boost
A passive speaker's impedance tells you how hard it asks the amplifier to work. Many passive PA tops, including all three Yamaha CBR models, are 8 Ω. Connect one 8 Ω speaker to a channel and you use the 8 Ω rating. Connect two 8 Ω speakers in parallel on the same channel and the load becomes 4 Ω, so the amp delivers its 4 Ω rating, shared between the two boxes. Four 8 Ω speakers in parallel make 2 Ω.
Notice the 2 Ω figures on the table. Output at 2 Ω is lower than at 4 Ω on every model, and for the PX3 and PX5 it drops back to the 8 Ω figure. So 4 Ω is the practical sweet spot for these amps: most output, sensible load.
What Power Boost Mode does
The PX3 and PX5 include a Power Boost Mode that combines both channels into one, in the way a bridged mode works on other amplifiers. You lose a channel, but single-channel power rises. On 220 V to 240 V models, Yamaha rates the PX5 at 800 W into 8 Ω and 1400 W into 4 Ω in this mode, and the PX3 at 600 W into 8 Ω and 1000 W into 4 Ω. Yamaha does not list a Power Boost rating for the PX8 or PX10.
Power Boost is useful for a single power-hungry passive subwoofer. A common setup is one PX5 in Power Boost for the sub and a second PX amp for the tops.
Matching a PX amplifier to Yamaha CBR speakers
Passive speakers quote three power ratings. Yamaha lists them for the CBR range as follows:
- Yamaha CBR10: 10 inch, 8 Ω, 175 W noise, 350 W program, 700 W peak, 94 dB sensitivity.
- Yamaha CBR12: 12 inch, 8 Ω, 175 W noise, 350 W program, 700 W peak, 96 dB sensitivity.
- Yamaha CBR15: 15 inch, 8 Ω, 250 W noise, 500 W program, 1000 W peak, 96 dB sensitivity.
Program power is the most useful figure for matching an amplifier for music. Peak is a short-term ceiling, not a target. Having some amplifier headroom above program power is safer than running a small amp into clipping, because a clipping amplifier sends distorted signal that is hard on tweeters. The PX's limiter, which Yamaha lets you set by wattage or speaker preset, is what keeps a larger amp from overdriving a smaller speaker.
Sensible pairings
- Two CBR10 or two CBR12, one per channel: PX3 (300 W per channel at 8 Ω) sits just under their 350 W program rating. The PX5 (500 W at 8 Ω) gives more headroom; set the limiter or CBR preset.
- Two CBR15, one per channel: PX5, at 500 W per channel into 8 Ω, matches the CBR15's 500 W program rating.
- Four CBR12, two per channel (4 Ω): the combined program rating per side is 700 W. The PX5 gives 800 W per channel at 4 Ω, or the PX8 gives 1050 W with more headroom.
- Four CBR15, two per channel (4 Ω): combined program rating per side is 1000 W. The PX8 at 1050 W or the PX10 at 1200 W per channel at 4 Ω fit here.
If you would rather not manage an amplifier at all, the powered Yamaha DBR12 has its amplifier built in. Our guide to Yamaha DBR vs CBR speakers explains when passive plus PX makes more sense.
PX3 vs PX5: the small venue decision
The price gap between the PX3 and PX5 is ₹5,370. For that you get 200 W more per channel at 8 Ω, 300 W more at 4 Ω, and a stronger Power Boost Mode (1400 W vs 1000 W into 4 Ω). Both weigh 6.9 kg and share all DSP features.
For most buyers the PX5 is the better value. It covers 15 inch tops, gives headroom with 10 and 12 inch tops, and can later move to sub duty in Power Boost Mode when you add a passive subwoofer. Choose the PX3 if you only ever run a pair of 10 or 12 inch speakers in a cafe, church hall, classroom or small restaurant.
PX8 vs PX10: the bigger event decision
The PX10 costs ₹9,750 more than the PX8. At 4 Ω it gives 150 W more per channel (1200 W vs 1050 W), and at 8 Ω it gives 200 W more (1000 W vs 800 W). Neither offers Power Boost Mode.
Choose the PX8 for two passive speakers per side in a banquet hall or for a DJ rig with 12 or 15 inch tops at 4 Ω. Choose the PX10 when you run 15 inch tops two per side outdoors, where there are no walls to help the sound, or when you want the most headroom the range offers.
A practical note: two PX5 amps (₹87,060 together) give you four channels at 500 W into 8 Ω, or two Power Boost channels. One PX10 gives two channels at 1000 W into 8 Ω for ₹76,060. For systems with separate tops and subs, splitting across two amps often gives more routing freedom.
Using a PX amplifier in India
Voltage and power supply
Yamaha builds the PX in 100 V, 120 V and 220 V to 240 V versions, depending on where it is sold, and verifies operation within ±10 % of the rated voltage. In practice, a 220 V to 240 V unit is specified down to 198 V. Many Indian venues, farmhouses and marriage lawns run on generators or see sags well below that during peak load. Use a servo stabiliser or a properly rated online UPS, and do not share the amp circuit with lights, heaters or catering equipment.
Yamaha lists power consumption at one-eighth maximum power into 4 Ω with pink noise as 160 W for the PX3, 230 W for the PX5, 280 W for the PX8 and 310 W for the PX10, and idle consumption of 55 W to 60 W. Size your stabiliser or UPS with margin above those figures, since music peaks draw more.
Heat and dust
Yamaha's operating temperature range is 0 °C to +40 °C. Summer afternoons at outdoor events in much of India pass that, and a closed rack in direct sun gets hotter still. The PX has thermal protection that limits output and then mutes if it overheats, so plan for airflow: keep the front and rear vents clear, since the fans pull air front to rear, and do not stack gear against the back of the rack. Wipe dust off the front intake regularly in dusty venues.
Cables
Use speakON cables for speaker runs at events. They lock in place and cannot be pulled out by a guest walking past. Keep speaker cable runs as short as possible and use thicker cable for long runs, because thin cable wastes amplifier power as heat.
Service and warranty
Buy from an authorised dealer so the Yamaha warranty is valid in India and firmware, spares and repair support are available. The PX's USB log export helps a service centre diagnose a fault faster.
Which one should you buy?
- Cafe, restaurant, small hall, two 10 or 12 inch passive speakers: PX3.
- Mobile DJ or church with two 15 inch tops, or a system that will add a sub later: PX5.
- Driving one passive subwoofer from a single amp channel: PX5 in Power Boost Mode.
- Banquet hall or event rental with two speakers per side: PX8.
- Outdoor events and the most headroom in the range: PX10.
Browse more amps and speakers in our amplifiers collection and speakers collection.
FAQ
What is the Yamaha PX5 price in India?
The Yamaha PX5 is listed at ₹43,530 for a single amplifier on proaudiobrands.com in September 2026. The PX3 is ₹38,160, the PX8 ₹66,310 and the PX10 ₹76,060.
How many watts is the Yamaha PX5?
Yamaha rates the PX5 at 500 W x 2 into 8 Ω and 800 W x 2 into 4 Ω. In Power Boost Mode, the 220 V to 240 V model delivers 800 W into 8 Ω or 1400 W into 4 Ω on a single channel.
How many watts is the Yamaha PX3?
The PX3 is rated at 300 W x 2 into 8 Ω and 500 W x 2 into 4 Ω. In Power Boost Mode it gives 600 W into 8 Ω or 1000 W into 4 Ω on one channel.
What is the difference between the Yamaha PX8 and PX10?
Only output power. The PX8 gives 800 W x 2 at 8 Ω and 1050 W x 2 at 4 Ω; the PX10 gives 1000 W x 2 at 8 Ω and 1200 W x 2 at 4 Ω. Both have the same DSP, connectors and 2U chassis, and neither has Power Boost Mode.
Can the Yamaha PX10 be bridged?
Yamaha offers Power Boost Mode, which combines two channels into one, only on the PX3 and PX5. The PX10 and PX8 specifications list no Power Boost rating.
Can I connect a microphone or phone directly to a Yamaha PX amplifier?
No. The XLR and TRS inputs are line-level amplifier inputs. Connect microphones, instruments and phones to a mixer, then feed the mixer's output to the PX.
Which Yamaha PX amplifier is best for CBR15 speakers?
For one CBR15 per channel, the PX5 matches its 500 W program rating at 8 Ω. For two CBR15 per channel at 4 Ω, choose the PX8 or PX10.