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Kenwood Basic C1 Preamplifier Restoration/Upgrade

Agree, both are quite good. I have a C1 and I think three C2's . I need to restore the C2's still. The voltage on the op amps I think factory is like 14.4 ( off the top of my head) but the factory op amps were not designed for the voltage of the factory power supply set up. Reading is your friend for sure. A separate power supply may even farther the gains like used on some of the high end Aragons and B&K PRO10's. Connectors are not at all hard to come by neither is the wire, rectification nor the torid style transformer. The schematic best I recall shows the factory voltages. Look at the op amps you decide on and see what they require as well. You do not need as hot of a power supply as the factory used with most of the op amps we have been using in these C2's and C1's.
 
I have re visited the C1 of late. I want to try different op amps. A reason to play... Op amp adapters are all around. I like the idea at least of trying the "The John Hardy Company 990 Discrete Op-Amp" 990C+ seen here. Any suggestions? Would this work at all? The factory IC Op Amps use four of the pins according to the schematic. I see these use five or six pins in the op amp adapter. Talk to me guys. Or, should I start another thread.... @Leestereo @rickl ? I still love my C1 by the way.
 
Well if I continue to listen to it something gotta change,,, Just the way it is. Pretty solid "mid fi" as is. Not at all bad but the Forte 44, Yamaha C4 and the B&K PRO 10 sound better. Thinking some new op amps may change my mind. Fact is I need to pull it down again after all these years and make sure all the switches are cleaned good again and check and make sure I put the newer op amps in this one. I have fooled with so many of these C1-C2's that I cannot recall for sure what all I did to this one. Getting old has its advantages. Now that I cant recall for sure what I did or did not do to this one I get to pull it down and play. Thanks for the comment @dave99.
 
Hey blue, I used a 2068 opamp in my c2. I never warned up to it but I have a lot of preamps (including a C4). It has gone down the road.

Currently a L-07c has my interest. Someday I hope to start a thread but kingbleu has a good one. I have my notes on the resto sticky.
 
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That L equipment is some damn good stuff Rick from Kenwood. I just bought another Audio Research pre. A LS 3 or something, I cant remember. I just like messing with these C Kenwood's. First preamp I ever owned is this very one... C1.
 
vsat88 said:
First preamp I ever owned is this very one... C1.
Click to expand...
<thread cr*p>
I had separates in college. I bought a hafler dh-101 for my SWTP tiger mono blocks. I thought it was nice. Got married and used the 101 and dh-200 for many years while the kids were growing up. Only once my wife had the girls over and smoked a pair of speakers. the amp didn't care (and that had to be LOUD).

I've since collected a couple of receivers but still use separates in the main rig. See sig :)
</thread cr*p>
 
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