• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

The Yamaha A1 - is it a great amp?

lordfoo

lordfoo

Active Member
I called up my friendly mole at my favourite 2nd hand audio store. I was looking for a CD Player. No dice. However, I've previously taken a Yamaha CA1000 from him and he reported that there is a Yamaha A1 in the store and another ca1000.

My cursory search here led me to the picture of the A1 in Axel's knob.
But.... how is this amp? Any one compared it before with the Yamaha CA1000? I only have experiece with the ca1000 (and the RXV740).
http://www.thevintageknob.org/YAMAHA/A1/A1.html#
Thanks in advance.


p.s. no new piss on my speakers so far.:banana:
 
Register to hide this ad
I used to own an A-1 and as far as I am concerned the only thing that differs from the CA-1000 is that the A-1 does not do Class A, so you will have to find another way to heat your house. It is one fine amplifier with an honest 70WPC of pure transparent sound.
 
merrylander said:
I used to own an A-1 and as far as I am concerned the only thing that differs from the CA-1000 is that the A-1 does not do Class A, so you will have to find another way to heat your house. It is one fine amplifier with an honest 70WPC of pure transparent sound.
Click to expand...

Does that mean the CA-1000 is better because it does Class A? Sorry i am a bit dense.
 
no, it just means that if you need to warm the house while listening to music, then the ca1000 is for you. i have an a-1 that i know i'll never let go of. superb amp.
 
Having recently landed one of these beasts (yes, it is HEAVY), I'll say mine won't be leaving the house anytime soon. :D

If you listen to lots of vinyl (as I do), the A-1 will hook the phono stage to the pre to the amp internally and eliminate all other electronics in the path. Yep, when it's set for "Disc", there are no other working inputs or tone controls - just as pure of a signal as possible making it from the cart to the speaker. All other signal paths are by-passed, switched out of the chain.

There are also cartridge loading plugs, which were a completely new thing to me. You can change the ohm load that the cart shows to the amp, and affect the EQ curve that's being applied to the phono stage by the resistance change. :music:

Todd
 
Got it.
:thmbsp:

Besides, since I already have a CA1000, the A1 will be new ground to me.

Thanks a lot Sir Ozmoid, Shrinkboy, fotno, and Merrylander.
 
oz-- can you say more about the cart loading plugs? mine has them, but i don't get it, or how they are used....
 
shrinkboy at 1,999 posts!! :banana:

The A-1 is a GREAT amp--I pined after one in 1978 and finally purchased one last year! A robust amp with wonderful clarity.

The amp originally came with two sets of cartridge load plugs (for various cartridge settings). No plugs for 100k ohm cartridges, and 47k ohm and 68k ohm for other cartridges respectively. I think the most common cartridges back then were 47k ohm, so these amps are often missing the 68k ohm plugs.

One caution with transport of these amps--be sure to remove the load plugs and shorting plugs from the back panel before packaging (store in a small separate plastic bag). Prevents damage to the Pin Jack CB, like this photo :D Um...I did fix this damage after my first A-1 arrived at my doorstep.

attachment.php


Interior shot:
attachment.php
 
shrinkboy said:
oz-- can you say more about the cart loading plugs? mine has them, but i don't get it, or how they are used....
Click to expand...
Your cart will have a recommended load rating, mine (Shure M91ED) is 47Kohms. (This is the most common for MM carts, as I understand it.)

By using a higher ohm loading plug, the EQ curve is increased in the higher frequency range. Lower ratings lower it. There is a great little chart illustrating and explaining all this in the A-1 owner's manual, available for download HERE.

I have the plugs and resistors to make a pair of loading plugs, I hope to assemble them this weekend. Mine did not come with load plugs or the shorting plugs (or the little flip-down door, for that matter! :D ) Running the amp without loading plugs installed is equivalent to running 100Kohm plugs.
 
If you read axels description of the amp you will find this quote "Had the A-1 had V-FETs in its power stages, it would have been a true masterpiece" Not many amps get this description.
 
Just might be my favorite integrated ever...:yes: ...Too bad I am a separates snob.:D great phono stage.
 
I did a bunch of equipment re-arranging this evening...so, now my A-1 is in the main part of the house--hooked up to my venerable ADS L-520s, B&O TX-2, CDX-900U, K-1020 and T-2. I live in a small house, so speakers much larger than the 520s would be overpowering (the Music Room is a different story :naughty: ).

With the controls set to flat the clarity and depth of this amp are quite special--a very pure, direct and relaxed sound. At last I can take full advantage of the DISC button (my other TT is hooked-up to my B-2). This only confirms why I wanted one of these A-1 amps in 1978.
 
ozmoid said:
Your cart will have a recommended load rating, mine (Shure M91ED) is 47Kohms. (This is the most common for MM carts, as I understand it.)

By using a higher ohm loading plug, the EQ curve is increased in the higher frequency range. Lower ratings lower it. There is a great little chart illustrating and explaining all this in the A-1 owner's manual, available for download HERE.

I have the plugs and resistors to make a pair of loading plugs, I hope to assemble them this weekend. Mine did not come with load plugs or the shorting plugs (or the little flip-down door, for that matter! :D ) Running the amp without loading plugs installed is equivalent to running 100Kohm plugs.
Click to expand...

How do you exactly assemble the resistor to the rca plug? I need to build a couple of 47 kohm plugs for my A-1.
 
gullaz said:
How do you exactly assemble the resistor to the rca plug? I need to build a couple of 47 kohm plugs for my A-1.
Click to expand...
Just solder the resistor across the center and outer contacts, essentially "shorting" the plug with the resistor. I folded the wires carefully and trimmed before soldering so that the resistor would fully fit inside the cover for the plug (It helps to have a "deep" sleeve!).
 
cableguy said:
and how is that A-1 treating you Todd?
Click to expand...
The A-1 has "bumped" everything else in the house as my primary power :D . I really like having the pre-outs, I'm running "dual stereo" for watching movies and rocking out until I can purchase a surround decoder :thmbsp: .

Phono stage is the best I've ever owned. :music:
 
ozmoid said:
Just solder the resistor across the center and outer contacts, essentially "shorting" the plug with the resistor. I folded the wires carefully and trimmed before soldering so that the resistor would fully fit inside the cover for the plug (It helps to have a "deep" sleeve!).
Click to expand...

Thank you Ozmoid, now I have something to do tomorrow.
 
Most of us, I think, are too drunk when we listen to music to tell the difference between Class A and AB and AB2.

An oscilloscope will tell the difference though.

Class A is a funny thing.

You have allot of things in place to realize the diff.

On the other hand, my yammie A-1000 which is 10 wpc class A and 140 wpc AB sounds way better in A, then AB.

But I'm special :D

No just kidding. You need allot of things to be just so for the A difference to come out.

Source, speakers, B.A.C., and so on.

e.g. my yammie is too pure for my klipsch. but this new boat anchor 9090 sounds great.

The Eico sounds great too, better then the 8B believe it or not. However the marantz needs just about new everything. So........


Class A:banana:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom