1983 Kyocera Lineup
- Thread starter xxbentoboxx
- Start date
The Kyocera stuff is great. I have an R-651 receiver here that sounds excellent, though the FM tuner is screwed up (won't receive stereo even at full signal strength). Have a DA-510 and DA-710 that both work after rebuilding the power supplies, and sound excellent as well. Also sitting on a DA-310 and 410 that are mostly likely parts units.
Be advised the DA-810 and 910 are excellent CD players when working but almost all that show up seem to have failed laser blocks now. Finding replacement for those models is basically impossible. The same is true of the DA-P1. A fairly high percentage of the other CD models (310, 410, 510, 610, 710) also have weak or failing laser diodes unfortunately, but some replacement laser blocks are still available. Can't deny they are great looking units, which makes their lack of reliability at this age even more disappointing.
I can't speak to the cassette decks, I've never owned one to try them out. I will vouch for the turntables being very good. A fellow HiFi collector buddy of mine locally, who unfortunately passed away about a year and a half ago, was a great admirer of Kyocera's turntables, and owned two of the top line models. I sat in with him for multiple listening sessions at his place back when he was still healthy, and can't deny they sounded very good. Of course he spent a small fortune on cartridges to outfit them with, as well.
One other thing to be aware of if you're a real stickler for putting together a true matched set: the earliest production models in this series from 1983 had a different logo that was a very strange looking script typeface, instead of the more commonly seen white black letter logo with the stylized red letter K insignia next to it. This isn't a huge cosmetic difference, as the rest of the styling of the front panel was consistent to the later production. That said, if I were building a complete set myself, I would probably seek to avoid the really early build units that had the frilly looking typeface for the logo, as I think really it looks out of place on this gear.
Be advised the DA-810 and 910 are excellent CD players when working but almost all that show up seem to have failed laser blocks now. Finding replacement for those models is basically impossible. The same is true of the DA-P1. A fairly high percentage of the other CD models (310, 410, 510, 610, 710) also have weak or failing laser diodes unfortunately, but some replacement laser blocks are still available. Can't deny they are great looking units, which makes their lack of reliability at this age even more disappointing.
I can't speak to the cassette decks, I've never owned one to try them out. I will vouch for the turntables being very good. A fellow HiFi collector buddy of mine locally, who unfortunately passed away about a year and a half ago, was a great admirer of Kyocera's turntables, and owned two of the top line models. I sat in with him for multiple listening sessions at his place back when he was still healthy, and can't deny they sounded very good. Of course he spent a small fortune on cartridges to outfit them with, as well.
One other thing to be aware of if you're a real stickler for putting together a true matched set: the earliest production models in this series from 1983 had a different logo that was a very strange looking script typeface, instead of the more commonly seen white black letter logo with the stylized red letter K insignia next to it. This isn't a huge cosmetic difference, as the rest of the styling of the front panel was consistent to the later production. That said, if I were building a complete set myself, I would probably seek to avoid the really early build units that had the frilly looking typeface for the logo, as I think really it looks out of place on this gear.
Bone Yard
Super Member
Rare stuff, I've never seen it in person, thanks for sharing.
Just noodleing around Japanese Websites, they're still in audio, if you were wondering, tweaking piezo speakers for the ultimate sound. Unfortuately I can't translate the entire page, I have to cut and paste the paragraphs.
camp-fire.jp
Just noodleing around Japanese Websites, they're still in audio, if you were wondering, tweaking piezo speakers for the ultimate sound. Unfortuately I can't translate the entire page, I have to cut and paste the paragraphs.
京セラ×月刊stereo共同企画 スピーカーのエア感が向上するツイーター試聴会
オーディオ評論家 山之内正先生と月刊stereo吉野編集長の対談形式の試聴会への参加募集です。京セラ（株）が開発中（製品化前）のセラミックスとフィルムを組み合わせたアドオン型スーパーツイーターです。ピュアオーディオ用途で一般的なスーパーツイーターよりも広い指向性と高い解像度が新たな音を提供します。
camp-fire.jp
RVT1K
Super Member
I never owned any of their gear but I have always liked the styling.
And I LOVE that amp at the bottom of the stack. I love my Adcoms but in a perfect world they would have some big-ass meters like that.
Yes, the styling on these was quite good, and very unique with the pewter/gunmetal type finish on the aluminum. No one else did anything quite like it. I especially like the user interface design of the DA-710 CD player with the backlit track selection buttons.
I'm surprised no other manufacturer of CD players adopted that approach, at least to my knowledge. It was both useful,and stylish. It's just a shame the Kyocera CD players haven't generally aged as well as many of their contemporaries, in terms of failures of the optical blocks. I have a working DA-710, DA-410 and a non working DA-310 that has been a parts donor.
I'm surprised no other manufacturer of CD players adopted that approach, at least to my knowledge. It was both useful,and stylish. It's just a shame the Kyocera CD players haven't generally aged as well as many of their contemporaries, in terms of failures of the optical blocks. I have a working DA-710, DA-410 and a non working DA-310 that has been a parts donor.
Ok. I'm not familiar with those particular Yamaha components, I'll have to look them up. My DA-710 came to me with a roached power supply. Fully rebuilt the PSU board, cleaned and lubed the tray and optical mechs, and it has worked well ever since.
Another neat feature on these was the plain English alpha numeric message display, which wasn't really necessary but a nice touch nonetheless. Still, I worry about it having a laser failure, as all the Kyocera CD models seem to be plagued by such failure eventually; and typically sooner than most of the competing players of the same timeframe. I realize these are 40+ years old, and one cannot expect them to last forever. But they still command fairy high prices for a vintage CD player, and it's hard to justify that outlay on a player that is likely to fail in the foreseeable future.
Technics players, for example, have been quite surprisingly long lived, and are usually not difficult to repair the issues that do arise. There are replacement pickups being sold on eBay, but I've no idea of their quality, and they are pretty costly to take a risk on them, as I assume they are Chinese repro parts, not OE stock.
Another neat feature on these was the plain English alpha numeric message display, which wasn't really necessary but a nice touch nonetheless. Still, I worry about it having a laser failure, as all the Kyocera CD models seem to be plagued by such failure eventually; and typically sooner than most of the competing players of the same timeframe. I realize these are 40+ years old, and one cannot expect them to last forever. But they still command fairy high prices for a vintage CD player, and it's hard to justify that outlay on a player that is likely to fail in the foreseeable future.
Technics players, for example, have been quite surprisingly long lived, and are usually not difficult to repair the issues that do arise. There are replacement pickups being sold on eBay, but I've no idea of their quality, and they are pretty costly to take a risk on them, as I assume they are Chinese repro parts, not OE stock.
I also picked up this weekend an R-661 receiver which works and sounds surprisingly great. It came with a non working DA-810 cd player in nice condition. I hope i will be able to save that one somehow - too nice not to try. Too bad I am not really handy...hope my shop can give it a try...
The receivers in this line were quite decent. The seldom seen power amps were even better. Even the cassette decks were well executed, if you need/want one to match the system.
The DA-810 and 910 are very challenging units to get working again. They seem to have a near 100% failure rate at this point in time, owing largely to their use of the Toshiba/Olympus TAOHS-L laser pickup block, which is a design now known to have poor longevity. Admittedly, when these were made and sold, I don't think anyone envisioned them being in use 40 years on. As with most consumer products, they likely expected these units to see use for 7-10 years tops, and then be replaced by something newer.
If you aren't familiar, there is a YouTube channel, Spare Time Repair, run by a very capable gentleman named Graham, who has carved out a specialty of doing CD player repairs. He recently had a go at a DA-910, and was unsuccessful at getting it going again, despite putting in a Herculean effort. I tip my hat to him, because I've spent untold hours trying to get a few prize vintage players going again. I've been lucky in saving a few, but there are a couple that have dogged me in not being repairable, so far anyway.
The DA-810 and 910 are very challenging units to get working again. They seem to have a near 100% failure rate at this point in time, owing largely to their use of the Toshiba/Olympus TAOHS-L laser pickup block, which is a design now known to have poor longevity. Admittedly, when these were made and sold, I don't think anyone envisioned them being in use 40 years on. As with most consumer products, they likely expected these units to see use for 7-10 years tops, and then be replaced by something newer.
If you aren't familiar, there is a YouTube channel, Spare Time Repair, run by a very capable gentleman named Graham, who has carved out a specialty of doing CD player repairs. He recently had a go at a DA-910, and was unsuccessful at getting it going again, despite putting in a Herculean effort. I tip my hat to him, because I've spent untold hours trying to get a few prize vintage players going again. I've been lucky in saving a few, but there are a couple that have dogged me in not being repairable, so far anyway.
Yeah, I was watching videos over teh weekend. Not sure what the issue is - the CD spins up and then in a few seconds the drawer opens and sits it out - tried to restart 3 times, clean teh tray, several different CDs, same result.
I will at one point likely bring it to service as I think it would be worth saving - at least based on my 710cx quality...
I will at one point likely bring it to service as I think it would be worth saving - at least based on my 710cx quality...
Yes, these TAOHS-L pickups are the kiss of death for so many collectible first and second generation CD players. And unfortunately, these were used in MANY players in 1983-85, as probably the single most common optical block. Matsushita (Technics) , Sharp, and Philips developed their own in house, but many other makers relied on the pickup co-developed by Toshiba and Olympus, including Akai, Kyocera, Denon ,Toshiba, Kenwood, Phase Linear and Luxman, among others.
The proprietor of Vintage Audio Laser has successfully transplanted new laser diodes into these pickups, although they're also known to have issues with the photo sensor failing, and the internal prism being occluded with the formation of fungal contamination, both of which also render these pickups inoperative. I should probably establish contact with him (a bit of a challenge as he is in France, and I'd need to rely on machine translation to communicate) to see if I could pay him to restore some perished OPA31/32 pickups I have here. Shipping back and forth would also be complicated - and costly - which has left me reluctant to do so.
The proprietor of Vintage Audio Laser has successfully transplanted new laser diodes into these pickups, although they're also known to have issues with the photo sensor failing, and the internal prism being occluded with the formation of fungal contamination, both of which also render these pickups inoperative. I should probably establish contact with him (a bit of a challenge as he is in France, and I'd need to rely on machine translation to communicate) to see if I could pay him to restore some perished OPA31/32 pickups I have here. Shipping back and forth would also be complicated - and costly - which has left me reluctant to do so.