From Yamaha to NAD to...? What's my next move?

Thanks Savatage1973. I'm going to try to go through it myself first and see if I can't locate an issue. For whatever reason, it's coming out of protection consistently now, but the longer I run it the more it begins to distort in the right channel.
 
Currently, there are limited power amp options on my local Craigslist. There's a Classe Stereo Seventy, a few NAD 2200 PEs and a McIntosh MC2100 which appears to have a power/filter cap replaced. There's also a Fisher X-100-B that happens to have been recapped by the same tech I mentioned above for a reasonable price. Decisions, decisions. Christmas is approaching....
 
although sibilants were an issue with my Dual 606/2M Red combo, and generally the high end could be a bit grating in my lively room.

The sibilance issues with your TT/cart is most likely totally unrelated to the amplifier, and may just be a matter of "tweaking" the cart alignment, or changing to a different cart/stylus that may be more compatible with your TT/arm combo.

My options appear to be: 1) Repair the Yamaha 2) run the 3140 as a preamp and upgrade to a more robust power amp in hopes of regaining the lost heft delivered by the Yamaha 3) start over and buy a new integrated. I'm leaning towards option 2, but am looking for advice on whether the difference in sound might plausibly be attributed to the disparity in power between the 3140's 40 watts and the Yamaha's 120 watts. Or do the units just sound fundamentally different and no addition of power will change the 3140's preamp sound signature?

I doubt the power differential between the two amps is a major factor in their "sonic signature" with your speakers. Although I am one of those in the camp of "you can never have too much power", in reality, most people rarely listen at levels requiring more than a few watts.

In reality, the difference is as you stated--the units just sound fundamentally different. In a perfect world, all an amplifier (just the amp section) should do is take the small signal it is fed and amplify it to a useable output signal for driving speakers--we all know this is not entirely true, but (in general) the amplifier section has little to do with the overall "sonic signature". Sources and preamplifier stages have the greatest impact on the "sonic signature"--some manufacturers even "tune/design" their preamplifier stages to a "house sound" that is fairly "unique/identifiable" to their brand.

Unless you are really committed to a vintage system, I would recommend option 3 above. Go check out the new Yamaha integrateds--I don't know what your budget is, but the A-S501 should probably fit the bill for your needs (and then some). They can be had for ~$500-550 from a lot of different vendors (most of which have very generous/hassle-free return policies), are available in either silver or black, still have a rather "vintage" look, a phono stage, as well as a built-in DAC to accomodate modern digital sources. At 85 wpc, it should be "healthy" enough for your speakers (its "bigger brother" the A-S701 is 100 wpc, but the price jumps to ~$800--so I don't consider that as much of a bargain).

If you go that route, you can sell the NAD to recoup some of the costs, and keep your current Yamaha as a "winter project"--it would be cool to be able to do an A/B comparison of the old Yammie vs the new one.
 
The sibilance issues with your TT/cart is most likely totally unrelated to the amplifier, and may just be a matter of "tweaking" the cart alignment, or changing to a different cart/stylus that may be more compatible with your TT/arm combo.

Great input, Savatage1973. I'm sure you're correct - the 2M Red is likely the culprit behind the sibilance, as I wasn't having trouble with other input sources.

If you go that route, you can sell the NAD to recoup some of the costs, and keep your current Yamaha as a "winter project"--it would be cool to be able to do an A/B comparison of the old Yammie vs the new one.

There's actually a silver Yamaha A-S501 on CL right now for $350 that includes the bluetooth receiver. I've read that the amp can be a little bright, but perhaps I can make it work. I certainly like the vintage appearance of that series. There's also a Rogue Sphinx V1 for $700.
 
Sorry to drag this deliberation out ad nauseam, but I'm beginning to think that maybe now is the right time to upgrade rather than merely replace the Yamaha. How would a Fisher X-100-B sound paired with my ADS L520s (6 ohm, reasonably efficient)? Am I going to miss the power of the 120w solid state A-1000? I tend to listen to Britpop of the 90's, newer indie rock and classical. Is a low-wattage tube amp better suited for jazz and won't deliver the dynamic snap of a high-powered SS amp?

The other upgrade option that intrigues me is the McIntosh 2100, which looks like a monster. I'd run the NAD 3100 with that, I suppose.

Thanks again.
 
Have you considered Rotel?...they might not look "vintage" but I believe they have a warmer sound than most Yamaha's and people that own them tend to treat them well. You can find an integrated amplifier in the $200-$300, CL or ebay.
 
Have you considered Rotel?...they might not look "vintage" but I believe they have a warmer sound than most Yamaha's and people that own them tend to treat them well. You can find an integrated amplifier in the $200-$300, CL or ebay.

There's a Rotel RB-981 on CL for about $300. Might be a good option.
 
There's a Rotel RB-981 on CL for about $300. Might be a good option.
That is a solid amp with good audioreviews. You will need a preamp to make it work, a used preamp will be another $150-200 (Rotel RC970 or 980 come to mind)
In general I prefer separates (amp + pre amp) over integrated amps but I know separates require a bigger initial investment....that said you usually get better SQ and more options to play with your system down the road.

http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/amplifiers/rotel/rb-981/prd_116122_1583crx.aspx
 
You will need a preamp to make it work

I've got the NAD 3140 I can run as a preamp. Just unsure whether it will approximate the sound I was getting from the Yamaha A-1000 or if I'll end up with a more powerful 3140, whose sounds I'm not terribly fond of. I guess I just need to start auditioning some of these options.
 
I've got the NAD 3140 I can run as a preamp. Just unsure whether it will approximate the sound I was getting from the Yamaha A-1000 or if I'll end up with a more powerful 3140, whose sounds I'm not terribly fond of. I guess I just need to start auditioning some of
Yes auditioning will be the only way to solve that riddle. Maybe the person selling the Rotel will let you bring your NAD to test them both.
 
I've got the NAD 3140 I can run as a preamp. Just unsure whether it will approximate the sound I was getting from the Yamaha A-1000 or if I'll end up with a more powerful 3140, whose sounds I'm not terribly fond of. I guess I just need to start auditioning some of these options.

As I stated previously, the biggest impact on the "sonic signature" is in the source/preamplifier stage. So you may very well end up with a louder NAD 3140 that you still don't like. Not to be discouraging, but I'd still fix the Yammie if you liked it before, you'll like it a lot more fully restored. Throwing money at "Band Aids" is just that--throwing away money.
 
Thanks, all. I've decided to attempt a basic refurbishing of the A-1000. I found a thread related to this topic that included a very helpful parts list. At this stage, I'm planning to only replace the 2 680uF and 4 330uF caps on the main amp board. Otherwise I'll just clean up the glue goop and re-flow fresh 80/20 into all the joints I can access. Are there any other components I'd be foolish not to replace at this stage? The user whose thread I linked to replaced dozens of parts, including the protection relay and a slew of resistors. He rebuilt the entire "BBQ board." Should I follow suit?

Finally, what should I use to dissolve/clean the glue goop?

Thanks.
 
You don't have to replace all of those components if you don't want to.
The one I'm running I pretty much did the same as your plans. I did do the BBQ board because mine was almost new and I didn't want the PCB to darken so I put the new resistors higher off of the board but this isn't necessary.
I replace the bias and class A adjustment trimmers with Bournes sealed replacements because they are less likely to give problems and with the multiturn pots it's a lot easier to dial it in. Again, not necessary.
You can use iso alcohol or acetone to soften the glue. If you use acetone just be careful because it can damage other plastic components. I usually soak a q-tip, rub it on the glue and then use a chopstick sharpened into a wedge to scrape it off.
 

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He rebuilt the entire "BBQ board." Should I follow suit?
Hell, NO! :no: Read the full thread - the unit is beyond economic internet repair. It requires professional repair.

Before replacing any parts and introducing new faults, it would be better to locate and repair the current fault(s).

Before resoldering ALL 4x big white 1k8/5W resistors, try wiggling them to see how far they move.

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Good Luck!
 
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Thanks OMGCat! Do I need to discharge these 85 volt caps before desoldering? Or will leaving a few days unplugged dissipate their stored voltage? I need to dig out a multimeter, I guess.
 
Before resoldering ALL 4x big white 1k8/5W resistors, try wiggling them to see how far they move.

White resistors seem pretty solid, although there is precious little solder on their joints. The 680uf caps have a generous amount of play, however, for what it's worth.
 
...Do I need to discharge these 85 volt caps before desoldering? Or will leaving a few days unplugged dissipate their stored voltage? I need to dig out a multimeter, I guess.
These capacitors should discharge quite quickly. If in doubt, measure the voltage across them with your multi-meter (essential tool).
...To clarify, I'm not getting the bursts of distortion while adjusting balance, EQ or volume - this isn't dirty pots - but just spontaneously and even without signal input. It's a horrible lacerating sound that I was certain would destroy my speakers.
Does the 'speaker-destroying crack' occur in both channels?

Refrain from using the Phono section whilst fault-finding.

As has been previously stated, check for cracked solder joints around the (stupidly) hot components. Check for broken/corroded components around the dried puddles of glue. Resolve any found problems.

Power on and check the + & - DC voltages (HB & 22) on Equaliser 14 (BBQ).
Exercise extreme caution when performing these measurements - a slip of the probe(s) will cause economically irreparable damage. :smoke: :yikes:

Give serious consideration to building/using a 'bulb limiter'.

OMGCat's work is a work of art!
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Good Luck!
 
This I don’t get. The OP just wants to listen to music. He has no training in electronics repair, no schematic, no ability to understand it if he did, no service or diagnostics equipment of any kind, and no parts on hand.

We should be encouraging him to get it repaired by a professional who does have all of the above - of which he has already received an estimate - or invest his money and time in something else so that he can get back to enjoying music.
 
Pioneer Elite Made some pretty smooth sounding units. But it sounds like your a candidate for tubes. And that ain't cheap. You could start off with a ST-70 and a PAS-3 from Dyna kit. I'd prefer a pair of MC 30's and a C-28 or a MA 230 from Mcintosh. But with your speakers you would need close to 100 watts per channel, That gets pricey with tubes. My choice would be to change speakers if you want a warmer sound.
 
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