• 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

Another "Natural Sound" convert

Merrylander is the Yamaha master around here and could probably give you a list of things to look for. Right now, mine only needs a re-bulb as the controls all work smoothly and I can detect no static or weakness in either channel and all the inputs and outputs and switches function as they should. I'm hoping she stays stable for a while. I've got other ways to spend my vintage dough at this time.
As to whether I would have her worked on in the future, a very distinct possiblity as I would like to keep this one around. It's a real keeper.
 
My experience with Yamaha extends only to preamps. I have a C-4 (in reserve) and am currently running a C-2a. I love the sound I am getting through my system, clean and dead quiet.:thmbsp:
 
Yamaha fans have probably already feasted eyes upon these babies.:drool:

Love the return to the vintage styling. Also comes in black. Sadly, they aren't mine but I did try them out and while the tone controls seem a little glitchy (they switch out with a relay at FLAT which mutes the sound briefly and they do weird things when they are switched back in) all I can say is :thmbsp::drool::drool:
 

Attachments

  • yamaha.jpg
    yamaha.jpg
    42.2 KB · Views: 175
  • 2000y.jpg
    2000y.jpg
    73 KB · Views: 122
  • feature_img06_big1.jpg
    feature_img06_big1.jpg
    73.3 KB · Views: 86
willyrover said:
Yamaha fans have probably already feasted eyes upon these babies.:drool:

Love the return to the vintage styling. Also comes in black. Sadly, they aren't mine but I did try them out and while the tone controls seem a little glitchy (they switch out with a relay at FLAT which mutes the sound briefly and they do weird things when they are switched back in) all I can say is :thmbsp::drool::drool:
Click to expand...

I would practially give an arm for those....:music:
 
Yes, the "Yamaha" sound is one I would describe as "refined" without spending the megabucks.

I have the following-

CR1020, CA810, CT810, C2, P2200, K2000 (cassette) TC 800GL (Bellini cassette) YH-1 headphones, NS1000M, NS200Ma ...and I probabaly missed a few.

The Nippon Gakki stuff is first class.
 
At the risk of being shot...

A couple of months ago I bought a pretty nice CR-1020 that was tripping the protection relay, and had to spend abut $75 to get a new power supply. The tech did the usual cleaning and tuner alignment as well.

I was really excited to hear this baby because it sure is a beautiful looking unit. When I got it home I swapped out the Marantz 2270 that is my daily driver and listened to the Yammie for two weeks. Sadly, I was disappointed. The sound really didn't do much for me. I don't know how to describe other than to say that it didn't seem like there was much there. It was a little "thin?" and weak sounding. It had volume, sure, but no presence, for lack of a better term. Also, the tuner sucked. Reception was mediocre at best and the auto lock or whatever you call it is a pain in the patoot. Give me the straight analog tuning of the Marantz or my TU-717 any day.

I'm not trying to hijack this thread or troll or anything like that. I really wanted to like this unit. I'm wondering if it was a bad speaker pairing (PSB Image 2Bs) or old caps or what?

Thor
 
That Sound!!

You picked the right receiver ( CR 1020) To introduce yourself too the Yamaha experiance.:yes: It is a VERY impressive unit, And there is nothing little about it:no: The layout is muscular and smooth as with all of the CR models.
I've picked up a Cr 440 and TWO Cr 840's. The sound is incredible and those "Green Hornet" colored bulbs are a sight to behold:banana:The turner on my
Receiver is very sensitive and picks up all of the stations clear as a bell.
 
Yggdrasill said:
A couple of months ago I bought a pretty nice CR-1020 that was tripping the protection relay, and had to spend abut $75 to get a new power supply. The tech did the usual cleaning and tuner alignment as well.

I was really excited to hear this baby because it sure is a beautiful looking unit. When I got it home I swapped out the Marantz 2270 that is my daily driver and listened to the Yammie for two weeks. Sadly, I was disappointed. The sound really didn't do much for me. I don't know how to describe other than to say that it didn't seem like there was much there. It was a little "thin?" and weak sounding. It had volume, sure, but no presence, for lack of a better term. Also, the tuner sucked. Reception was mediocre at best and the auto lock or whatever you call it is a pain in the patoot. Give me the straight analog tuning of the Marantz or my TU-717 any day.

I'm not trying to hijack this thread or troll or anything like that. I really wanted to like this unit. I'm wondering if it was a bad speaker pairing (PSB Image 2Bs) or old caps or what?

Thor
Click to expand...


A PM to merrylander should be of order to get your unit properly repaired. $75 dollars for a "power supply" sounds like a patch job to me. The unit needs to be serviced, obviously. If it does not sound 'top notch', something is wrong.
 
Yggdrasill you are closer to avionic who also does Yammies. For the other 1020 owners the heat you feel is most likely from the two TO-220 voltage regulators (2SD234) and more heatsink would have been nice, but if you contemplate that use the mica insulators, just as it is they are at opposite potential. There is no DC Offset adjustment just Idle current. This is measured across the first two pins on the power amp boards, one with no connection and the second will have either a yellow or brown wire. Pleas do not use alligator clips, get some mini grabbers, why in Heaven's name they ship those &^%$# alligator clips with a meter designed for electronics work I will never know. At the other end of the amp board is a variable resistor, with no input, volume control at minimum, amp warmed up for at least 5 minutes adjust the VR for a 10 millivolt reading.

As for thin sound, all I know is that our play room system has seen Sansui, Marantz, and Pioneer and you will have to kill me to take away the CR-2040 and the NS-690s. I will put Copeland's "Fanfare for the common man" on my PX-2 and you will feel the drums as well as hear them. Think "wire with gain".

There was a modification Yamaha recommended for the CR-2020 that involved changing two 22 ohm fusistors and two 33 ohm resistors on the power supply board. On the 2020 it also involved changing the two TO-220 2SD234 to 2SD525 (the TIP41C is a possible sub) the fusistors and resistors were changed to 3 watt Ohmites (the old ones were 2 watt) and the final mod was to bridge the two sides of the power switch as it came from the factory one side of the DPST switch switched the receiver the other switched just the switched outlets on the back panel. For the 1020s that come through here I usually do this mod except on the 1020 the 33 ohm resistors are only 10 ohms and the 2SD234s are perfectly adequate.

If the OTS system acts oddly when tuning it is likely an indication that your unit could use an alignment. The majority of tuning heads in Japanese receivers were all made by Alps so I really don't expect a great deal of difference.
 
More on the 'thin' sound..

I will admit that my very first impression was that the sound was a bit "flat" if you will but after I settled in and played different stuff I found that the source of the "thin" sound was more a product of the source I was listening to rather than that actual performance of the receiver. It only gives what it gets and it does a very good job doing it. I too might recommend if any unit sounds substandard no matter which source you're listening to, sending it off to one of AK's Yammie specialists. Everyone raves about merrylander's work and I can now see why but if you're too far from him there are others that can help out.

Oh, my FM is superb and that's no small feat here in Manchester.
 
Speaking of FLAT.............

I followed Merrylander sugestion and I set all the controls of my CR-2020 to FLAT and I really like the sound...............

I was as impressed with Yamaha's Natural Sound as you are now when I first bought my CR-1020; Great receiver............

My Kappas never sounded this good before....

I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record but I was so impressed by Yamaha Natural sound that I had to tell the world.....:yes:
 
I have my eye on a cr-820 locally for 100 bucks. I need to stop buying vintage gear and start saving for modern Pro-ject TTs and new Mc Gear!!! (But this stuff sounds so amazing, I just know I'm going to snag the Yamaha! And you'll all hear about it!! ahaha!)

Good stuff, seriously.
 
I've got a Yamaha CDP that I love the sound of.. but I've also got a pair of NS50-T speakers I can't stand the sound of.. WAY too neutral or natural for me.. I like some coloring...

Haven't heard any of their amps in a long time, but remember I used to like their sound a lot..
 
Never heard a pair of Yammie speaks before but with Klipsch LaScalas, Ohm Walsh 2's and Sansui SP-1500's, I've got the whole box of crayons when it comes to "coloring" so to speak. Not that any of those colors is a bad thing. It's just a mood thing I guess.
 
I have a Yamaha CDC-655 and it is easily the brightest CDP I've ever heard. :) I'm using it in my bedroom rig which has some pretty warm amps and speakers, so it all evened itself out.
 
BillR mastering said:
A PM to merrylander should be of order to get your unit properly repaired. $75 dollars for a "power supply" sounds like a patch job to me. The unit needs to be serviced, obviously. If it does not sound 'top notch', something is wrong.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought too, that there may be some other service needed.

I have a CR-800 and the tuner is excellent.

The sound may be subjectively "thin" in a comparison to a warmer receiver like my Harman Kardon 330i. But what I am hearing is what sounds more like a live performance setting from the Yamaha rather than a warmer studio like sound from the HK. Cymbals, brass, vocals just seem more acoustically exciting, "lively" as it were. Just a matter of taste and mood.

I also did a bias/offset adjustment (found a thread with merrylander tips - thx!) and I think I am getting a more 3 dimensional cleaner sound. I don't know if that's what the adjustment does, but the sound sure sounds nice and clean.

And I suppose different speaker combinations could make a difference.
 
I concur that the Yamaha CR series receivers are very nice. I have had a CR-420, CR-620, and now a CR-640. All sounded excellent, and I found the tuners to be very good as well. The variable loudness is a great feature - I used it regularly at night when everyone is asleep.

The only thing I don't like about the larger Yamaha CR series receivers are their size. The CR-6xx and higher units are just huge. Some like it, but I personally don't. The CR-420 was to me just about the perfect size, but the 620/640 are substantially bigger. I've also heard that the 1020/2020/3020 are even bigger.

-Matt

One other poster also mentioned the Philips Lab Series receivers. I agree - they are also very nice sounding units. I have been rotating a Philips with the Yamaha CR-640 and am hard pressed to choose which one I like better.
 
yggdrasill said:
a Couple Of Months Ago I Bought A Pretty Nice Cr-1020 That Was Tripping The Protection Relay, And Had To Spend Abut $75 To Get A New Power Supply. The Tech Did The Usual Cleaning And Tuner Alignment As Well.

I Was Really Excited To Hear This Baby Because It Sure Is A Beautiful Looking Unit. When I Got It Home I Swapped Out The Marantz 2270 That Is My Daily Driver And Listened To The Yammie For Two Weeks. Sadly, I Was Disappointed. The Sound Really Didn't Do Much For Me. I Don't Know How To Describe Other Than To Say That It Didn't Seem Like There Was Much There. It Was A Little "thin?" And Weak Sounding. It Had Volume, Sure, But No Presence, For Lack Of A Better Term. Also, The Tuner Sucked. Reception Was Mediocre At Best And The Auto Lock Or Whatever You Call It Is A Pain In The Patoot. Give Me The Straight Analog Tuning Of The Marantz Or My Tu-717 Any Day.

I'm Not Trying To Hijack This Thread Or Troll Or Anything Like That. I Really Wanted To Like This Unit. I'm Wondering If It Was A Bad Speaker Pairing (psb Image 2bs) Or Old Caps Or What?

Thor
Click to expand...

Bang!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom