Joe Burns
New Member
Hello, Forum. Been lurking for quite some time, figured I'd finally stick my neck out to get some thoughts on where to take my system next.
It began as a capture system; I had 1980s Fisher turntable with a mid-level Shure cartridge that I hooked up to an Art DJ Pre and capped to my computer from my Oliver Nelson vinyl collection (still some vinyl exclusives in his Discography). I replaced the table with a Yamaha P-750 (a circa 1977 direct drive fully automatic TT with quartz lock), loaded with a Shure M97XE, the stylus of which I replaced with the SAS from Jico (by far the most notable quality jump happened there). Around this time I added a vibrapod cone/pad combo under the TT, which really cleared up the low end like the SAS did for the high.
Then earlier this year I decided to have my dad's old JBL L-19 speakers refurbished, redone NOS crossovers and replacement NOS woofers put in. To match up with the TT I got a Yamaha CR-620 receiver on CL for $100. Now my system would be for filling my small living room with 2-channel analog sound.
I was initially disappointed with the quality, and went onto headphones to confirm it wasn't the speakers. So I bypassed the built-in pre on the CR-620 with the Art, and confirmed that the pre on the 620 was a big part of the problem (perhaps not inherently, but I don't want to spend money on the 620), but the Art didn't sound like it had when I was capping; it sounded clumsy and forced. So I plunked down for a Yaquin MS-23B preamp, and began my journey tubewards. I swapped the stock tubes for some Mullards, but this is essentially where things stand now.
Now my system finally sounds good and I've been adding to my record collection. Everything is relative, however, and I'm itching to make some improvements. I've read about the LesBox mod, but I'm not that handy with a soldering iron and see that Les no longer accepts units from the USA. I might have the guy who handled my JBL's take this on.
OTOH, I've been eyeing getting a Fisher 400 to replace the CR-620 (we had a 400 when I was a kid in the 70's– this was the first receiver the JBL's were hooked up to when new) and don't know if I'd benefit from the Yaquin modding in that case. How does the Fisher pre stack up to the Yaquin (post-mod)? I'm fine with retiring/selling the Yaquin if the 400 is all I need.
If I do get the Fisher, I'll doubtless undertake some of the many mods for that reciever described here (or pay to have done, really). At any rate, quality comparisons would be modded Yaquin vs modded 400 pre.
Getting to a third possibility, if I'm keeping the Yaquin but want to replace the 620, maybe I should be looking at a tube separate amp, in which case I'm starting from scratch, although I know Fisher made them back then, I'm not sure which would be equivalent to the 400's amp section. Radio is a minor consideration, getting the vinyl part right is paramount.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
It began as a capture system; I had 1980s Fisher turntable with a mid-level Shure cartridge that I hooked up to an Art DJ Pre and capped to my computer from my Oliver Nelson vinyl collection (still some vinyl exclusives in his Discography). I replaced the table with a Yamaha P-750 (a circa 1977 direct drive fully automatic TT with quartz lock), loaded with a Shure M97XE, the stylus of which I replaced with the SAS from Jico (by far the most notable quality jump happened there). Around this time I added a vibrapod cone/pad combo under the TT, which really cleared up the low end like the SAS did for the high.
Then earlier this year I decided to have my dad's old JBL L-19 speakers refurbished, redone NOS crossovers and replacement NOS woofers put in. To match up with the TT I got a Yamaha CR-620 receiver on CL for $100. Now my system would be for filling my small living room with 2-channel analog sound.
I was initially disappointed with the quality, and went onto headphones to confirm it wasn't the speakers. So I bypassed the built-in pre on the CR-620 with the Art, and confirmed that the pre on the 620 was a big part of the problem (perhaps not inherently, but I don't want to spend money on the 620), but the Art didn't sound like it had when I was capping; it sounded clumsy and forced. So I plunked down for a Yaquin MS-23B preamp, and began my journey tubewards. I swapped the stock tubes for some Mullards, but this is essentially where things stand now.
Now my system finally sounds good and I've been adding to my record collection. Everything is relative, however, and I'm itching to make some improvements. I've read about the LesBox mod, but I'm not that handy with a soldering iron and see that Les no longer accepts units from the USA. I might have the guy who handled my JBL's take this on.
OTOH, I've been eyeing getting a Fisher 400 to replace the CR-620 (we had a 400 when I was a kid in the 70's– this was the first receiver the JBL's were hooked up to when new) and don't know if I'd benefit from the Yaquin modding in that case. How does the Fisher pre stack up to the Yaquin (post-mod)? I'm fine with retiring/selling the Yaquin if the 400 is all I need.
If I do get the Fisher, I'll doubtless undertake some of the many mods for that reciever described here (or pay to have done, really). At any rate, quality comparisons would be modded Yaquin vs modded 400 pre.
Getting to a third possibility, if I'm keeping the Yaquin but want to replace the 620, maybe I should be looking at a tube separate amp, in which case I'm starting from scratch, although I know Fisher made them back then, I'm not sure which would be equivalent to the 400's amp section. Radio is a minor consideration, getting the vinyl part right is paramount.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
