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Another "Natural Sound" convert

Finally got my CR-820 today. Gave it a small test run. Controls are scratchy & noisey (my weekend project). Overall excellent cosmetic condition. Only flaw is the missing bass control knob (already have one on the way). Everything works and looks good. No scratches or dents on the faceplate and the cover is in good shape. My first impression is good (ran with my pair of Dynaco A-25s)--I'll do some further comparison after I have her introduced to deoxit and a good general cleaning.
 

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jgmacv said:
Finally got my CR-820 today. Gave it a small test run. Controls are scratchy & noisey (my weekend project). Overall excellent cosmetic condition. Only flaw is the missing bass control knob (already have one on the way). Everything works and looks good. No scratches or dents on the faceplate and the cover is in good shape. My first impression is good (ran with my pair of Dynaco A-25s)--I'll do some further comparison after I have her introduced to deoxit and a good general cleaning.
Click to expand...

It looks like there is only about an inch differance in width between the Pioneer Sx D7000 and the CR 820!!! No wonder I had a hard time finding a spot for my CR 840, The cabinets on the retro gear take up a lot of space:yes: My CR 1020 is even wider.
 
Just reporting back on my CR-820. After a thorough cleaning yesterday and replacing two bulbs, I hooked her up today and gave her a thorough work-out. I plugged it into my main living room system (Pioneer(s) SR-303 reverb, RG-2 dynamic expander, SG-9800 eq, Klipsch KSB 3.1 speaks, Dynaco A-25 speaks and a Pioneer PD-F907 cdp). What I liked was the awesome sound quality--nice, clean and clear with more than adequate "thumpage". I also like the ability to control the loudness, and the presence control is also a plus. I enjoy the conservative, yet elegant overall look of the unit. Under the cover is also well laid out and easy to do routine maintenance/cleaning, control pots and switches are all easy to access for deoxit. What I don't like (and this is just personal preference) is the vinyl wrapped case (suppose veneer upgrade would be nice), and the case itself, is a little bit more of a pain to remove, than my Pioneer units. Overall, a very nice receiver, with awesome sound and great looks. Just may be a keeper. I based the comparison on my Pioneer SX-D5000 receiver. Again, just my opinion, but I am glad I got her. Pic is of the inards just after I got the cover off, with all the dust, looked worse in person, but cleaned up easy enough.
 

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Interesting thread.
1) There was a comment that the Yamaha was the top of the consumer lines. Not quite, in the audio chain for mainstream companies discounting the likes of McIntosh, ARC, etc, the top dogs were Tandberg and Revox but of the Pacific rim countries representatives, discounting Accuphase then Yamaha was the top dog.
2) The variable loudness control system is not unique to Yamaha. It also showed up on the tune Sherwood amps.
3) I have the CA610II (actuallly 2) and a CT610II. Probably not the best to represent the line in a shootout. The Yamaha makes no errors of omission but does not quite lacks the dynamic impact of the music. It is not the same as the voicing of say a Pioneer as the Yamaha sound is not punched up. I also love the Philips Lab Series previously mentioned and it too goes after a similar balance. In comparing my 610 pair to the 785 receiver as both are close in power the Philips maintains the music dynamics better and there in more air without sounding thin and more detail without going surgically analytical. I recently heard a CA810/CT810 combo and they do a bit better but still seem to not quite climb above the Philips. I'd describe the Yamahas I've recently heard seem very polite (a New England phrase, not sure it is still in audio use) and with a set of NE speakers would do extremely well in presenting the NE sound. I suspect if I had acquired higher end Yamaha and had it longer than the Philips my preference might lean more towards the Yamaha. However, as mine are tuner and integrated I have my Sherwood amp with less power that I prefer and the tuner leaves the CT610 severely wanting. The Sherwood betters the Philips 785.
4) These were all apple to oranges when new but today in order of approximate costs, the most expensive is the Yamaha at about $100 for a pair, the Sherwoods at about the same price while the Philips is about $30. The Sherwood amp I have in use was their botl at the time so I'm not comparing a botl Yamaha to a totl Sherwood except as to the tuner where Sherwood only had one SS FM tuner and one SS FM-AM tuner. I have a Sony tuner and 20 watt integrated amp that I could through into the mix but though nice well, are not int he same league. Comparing them to the 610 units is like comparing a Lincoln to a Chevy, both will do the job but no contest as to how well and nicely.
5) The sound between a JVC/Pioneer, etc represent one end of a sonic line and Yamaha/Tandberg/Philips/Sherwood the other end. Which end a person prefers is really dependent on what experience one has with live music, earlier systems and musical preferences. The Yamaha/Tandberg/Philips end of the track comes closer to some makes of high end while the Pioneer/JVC end comes close to others. Possibly the Yamaha/Tandberg/Philips grouping comes closer to the majority of high ended sonics.
5) Yamaha is not the only stereo maker that made instruments. Does anyone remember the Marantz player piano? Now that is maybe the rarest of all Marantz units for the audiophile.
6) One area where Yamaha excelled seems to be in ergonomics and visual. Where at best most of the Pacific imports look ho-hum almost from the same design team with few exceptions (thinking of my JVC), Yamaha went out of its way to be different but not odd and provide the feel that rivaled a McIntosh and specifically a tuner flywheel assembly that was better than anything from anyone. They may have been a bit over aggressive in inducing the buyer with what is under the hood, don't ever open a 610 amp or tuner or your jaw will fracture as it hits the floor. However they do fill the front panel with useful functions and controls that even on the low end were not compromised.
7) Though not a Yamaha follower as many here, I admit that when asked about buying by others it is one of the 2 or three I recommend as a brand.
 
I can't say I'm a convert exactly because I wasn't coming from anything decent and don't quite yet have anything else vintage for direct comparison but I will say I like the overall sound of my integrated amp a lot, through some fairly good but not full range NHT bookshelves. I'm just a bit dissapointed that it lacks the variable loudness control but I've left the tone controls at bypass anyway and it sounds great.
 
Audiokarma Manufacturers Forums

I am just getting into the Vintage Yamaha and just got a C-4 which BTW is very sweet indeed and amazing phono section and have a C-50 on its way.

New to this site but curious as why the site does not have a Yamaha section in the Audiokarma Manufacturers Forums?
 
Autobot,

Welcome to Yamaha "Natural Sound".

I am fairly new to vintage and this forum, and when I first heard my Yamaha CR-1020 I was blown away......Yes MY CR-1020 was my first vintage receiver.

I asked the same question when I first came here. A Yamaha forum would need a moderator and other resources to keep and It would also split people itno smaller groups and isolate them and their knowledge among other things.

You can find the thread somewhere here if you look.......
 
New to this site but curious as why the site does not have a Yamaha section in the Audiokarma Manufacturers Forums?
__________________
Click to expand...
We don't need no stinking section...:thmbsp:
 
Autobot said:
I am just getting into the Vintage Yamaha and just got a C-4 which BTW is very sweet indeed and amazing phono section and have a C-50 on its way.

New to this site but curious as why the site does not have a Yamaha section in the Audiokarma Manufacturers Forums?
Click to expand...

I use a C-4 on a daily basis..Excellent little control amp...:thmbsp:
 
You could break into new sections almost all makes. If Yamaha then why not H-K, Tandberg, Revox, JVC, Sony, Radio Shack, Lafayette, KLH, AR, Accuphase and so on. I could see possibly a RS and Lafayette sections as these companies had more than vintage stereo and it would allow discussions related to other products. Likewise possibly Heath and EICO though not stores they also mad more than audio units. Likewise Sony and Philips.

It would just be too fragmented and I'd suspect we'd start getting multiple posts and more confusion as to where to post as not infrequently a thread crosses manufacturers.
 
Another convert to natural sound

After picking up a Yamaha CA2010 1 month ago, decided to hook it up this evening, and having some issues with it losing the right channel...AND A BIG THANKS TO AVIONIC and PMSUMMER got it going. There seems to be something about the Yamaha which please's my ears. I can hear more of the music, the top end seems so much smoother than what I have been using recently. Now to the CR1020 which I got approx 6 months ago, and it has been sitting idle since. I havent hooked it up since I brought it home. Is this normal for or just me?? :scratch2: I have a habit of buying gear, and letting it sit for a few months before I decide to check it out.
 
avionic said:
I use a C-4 on a daily basis..Excellent little control amp...:thmbsp:
Click to expand...

The c-50 came in yesterday and I decided like the C-4 a lot better I prefer its warmer sound and I like its looks better too.

I took a pick of the C-4 last night
C-4b3.jpg
 
Autobot said:
The c-50 came in yesterday and I decided like the C-4 a lot better I prefer its warmer sound and I like its looks better too.

I took a pick of the C-4 last night
C-4b3.jpg
Click to expand...

:thmbsp: Photo's of my pieces..
 

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