• 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

Information on Yamaha Components

fruggiedesh

fruggiedesh

New Member
Hi All,
Through my YP-D10 turntable I have caught the Yamaha bug and am interested in obtaining more like gear. The weak point in my current system is an integrated amplifier, and I am looking at a variety of vintage amps/pre's. The B-1/UC-1/C-1 is out of my price range, but I am looking for more info about slightly more affordable Yamaha gear. On my radar so far is the B-2/C-2, M85/C85, M80/C80 & M70/C70. Any opinions about these and other Yamaha amps would be greatly appreciated. I currently am using B&W CDM1NT speakers, and will be using this system for 99% vinyl listening. Thanks in advance.
 
Register to hide this ad
Any one of the pieces mentioned are pretty damn good performers.
 
I LOVE my c-70 preamp and m-70 power amp. also my t-70 digital tuner is the best digital tuner I've used in my life (out of a few dozen).

the c-70 needed (and still needs more) cleaning of the annoying relay switches inside and physical button switches inside it, sometimes my left channel fades out and I have to engage/disengage the eq bypass or similar. Originally the left channel was totally dead, after my first attempt at cleaning everything else is good now except it still sometimes dies on the left. So I need to try a second time. power amp is bloody amazing.

and both are incredibly accurate and detailed yet musical, very punchy too. more power than I'm used to in my small home recording studio where they have become my new reference monitor system.

I also owned a relatively entry level yamaha 2 channel receiver back around 1990 (got it new then), that had great specs and similar sound, but at a much lower power rating. So I can safely say that the low end stuff from that period had a similar sound and great better-than-spec performance to their totl stuff from that period. Something many companies can't say is true. Also something that some people would disagree with I think, I've read some people dissing yamaha low grade stuff. But from the 1985 C/m/t 70 gear to the 1990 receiver I had, the tone was similar enough to call it part of the same family.

Nice nice quality gear, overachieving I'd say.

not the warmest though, has a ton of power and a ton of presence and highs and deep lows, it's a different sound than I was used to, but is EXACTLY what I was looking for in my accurate studio monitoring system as an upgrade to the sony amp I used there before.
 
by the way, although I say it's not the warmest (which is true), it's not dry either and far from sterile. just not that vintage sound some people crave. like my technics receiver from 1978, it sounds very modern and exciting yet full and rich and musical.
 
Good to know, especially because my current integrated is an old Technics from that era. I like the general sound quality, I just am looking for a moderate upgrade.
 
they're in the same family of sound if you ask me, although the yamaha will be a little bit more detailed and punchy while retaining the same overall balance to the sound that the technics has. IMHO technics from late 70s was a very forward thinking design, not only in their actual component choices but in the sound they went for.

And I mean that in a good way, not a negative way. There were many other companies moving the same way in their sound as technics, but many others that were intentionally not doing so (such as sansui for example, or scott, both of which I've owned from around the same era and both had very different sounds from technics/yamaha).
 
the c-70 pre doesn't have the variable loudness ring (or any loudness setting at all), where the c-80 and many other slightly later models did have it. For better or for worse I guess. I had that variable loudness thing (separate knob though) on my yamaha receiver back in the day, was very cool, but very easily misused which I think is why many dislike it. some say it's never out of the circuit, which is very very unlikely but who am I to say? I liked it, but I prefer my c-70 for my uses now which are accuracy and knowing that there's no eq going on behind my back LoL. Otherwise it wouldn't be so useful to me in a recording studio.

by the way, also my main music listening room once I'm done setting it all up in the next couple of weeks :-)
 
IMO, the Yamaha pieces to get are the B-2, M-2, M-4, or PC-2002M. The M-70, M-80, and M-85 all sound decently good but all run hot and are trouble waiting to happen. The M-4 and PC-2002M are the best dollar per watt values.
 
If you're 99% vinyl you have to go hunting for a C-2x, if it's too hard on the budget look for a C-2a. Now if the budget is below the C-80/85, go for a C-60/65. The phono section of the C-60 is the mother of the later bigger brothers, for vinyl lovers this is the best value/money pre from Yamaha.

If you stumble upon a CX-1000, that one fits between the C-85 and C-2x. A really nice pre, but with a lot of circuits you will never use.

Amp wise any of the above mentioned are top seperates from there lineups, so they will do fine :) If you like the sound from the X-power line (M-70, M-50 R-2000/1000/960), I would add the B-6 (it would also look nice with you're speakers).

The later MX- line is also interesting, especially the MX-1000 and 850. The bass is supposed to be stronger and more defined than the M-85, but do not have the class A option due to the HCA circuit.
 
Last edited:
Looks like I'm going to begin my journey into vintage Yamaha with an M-60. Wish me luck and thanks for all the info here and in private messages.
 
Sounds like you are set on the M-60, then when/if you are looking for a pre, here are some ideas on some good 80's gear (I own the first two myself, both have an MM/MC Cartridge Load Selector):

- CX-1000 (already mentioned, serious quality w/ digital inputs)
- CX-830 (excellent quality and value)
- CX-630

Let us know how your M-60 sounds!
 
Yamahalic said:
Sounds like you are set on the M-60, then when/if you are looking for a pre, here are some ideas on some good 80's gear (I own the first two myself, both have an MM/MC Cartridge Load Selector):

- CX-1000 (already mentioned, serious quality w/ digital inputs)
- CX-830 (excellent quality and value)
- CX-630

Let us know how your M-60 sounds!
Click to expand...

Even the lowly CX-630 has MM/MC.:yes:
 
SoCal Sam said:
Even the lowly CX-630 has MM/MC.:yes:
Click to expand...

So true, but in addition to an MM/MC selection feature, the 1000 and 830 models have added MM/MC subselections, as follows:

MM
- 1 kohm
- 47 kohms/300pF
- 47 kohms/220pF

MC
- 1 kohm
- 100 ohms
- 10 ohms

I know nothing about these subselections, maybe someone can chime in and let us know as to their value?
 
The capacitance and resistance selections allow better matching of the phono eq to the cartridge.
 
So far the M-60 sounds awesome! Much more clarity overall than the SU-V9 that preceded it. Highs are brighter and a bit more punchy. Clear midrange & lows. Lows are not as warm as other vintage gear I've owned but for clarity the new Yamaha is the best I've ever had. Can't wait to get a real pre to go with it.
 
dkelley said:
they're in the same family of sound if you ask me, although the yamaha will be a little bit more detailed and punchy while retaining the same overall balance to the sound that the technics has. IMHO technics from late 70s was a very forward thinking design, not only in their actual component choices but in the sound they went for.

And I mean that in a good way, not a negative way. There were many other companies moving the same way in their sound as technics, but many others that were intentionally not doing so (such as sansui for example, or scott, both of which I've owned from around the same era and both had very different sounds from technics/yamaha).
Click to expand...

I have to chime in on this... I have a Yamaha M70 amp, c70 pre and a technics sa-5770a reciever and the yamaha gear performs considerably better in all areas. I just recapped the 5770 and although its performance was cleaned up it just isn't anywhere near the Yamaha setup especially where detail is concerned.

In the defense of the Technics receiver I will say two things. I believe its tuner to be superior to my Sony XDR-f1hd tuner in both sound and reception. I pull several more stations from Portland Oregon that don't share frequency with any station in Seattle. With the stations that are received by both the sa-5770 and the XDR-f1hd be it Portland, Oregon or Victoria, BC, Canada I can say definitively the Technics is clearer and just plain nicer sounding. No dig on the Sony, its a great tuner. Second I would argue that the turntable performance with my cheapo MM cartridge is even money with the vaunted C series Yamaha Pre's. It could very well be the lack of quality where my Turntable setup is concerned but as it stands it is on par with my C70 and C60 pre amps.

I believe the SA-5770 is from '78 if memory serves.

Just my two cents:music:
 
fruggiedesh said:
So far the M-60 sounds awesome! Much more clarity overall than the SU-V9 that preceded it. Highs are brighter and a bit more punchy. Clear midrange & lows. Lows are not as warm as other vintage gear I've owned but for clarity the new Yamaha is the best I've ever had. Can't wait to get a real pre to go with it.
Click to expand...

I don't know if it would affect the warmth of the lows, but it could be that the speakers you're using don't play that deep. They're only rated down to 60 Hz (+/- 3 db).

I would think that the speakers, more than the electronics, are going to affect your perceptions as far as warmth goes.

Check out this (if you haven't already): http://bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=773&pid=1902
 
SoCal Sam said:
IMO, the Yamaha pieces to get are the B-2, M-2, M-4, or PC-2002M. The M-70, M-80, and M-85 all sound decently good but all run hot and are trouble waiting to happen. The M-4 and PC-2002M are the best dollar per watt values.
Click to expand...

i'm not sure the M-xx are exactly "trouble waiting to happen" if the owner is somewhat responsible. as long as they aren't run in Auto Class A for extended periods of time, especially with poor ventilation, they shouldn't be any trouble. the m-70 doesn't have Auto A anyway (that model was introduced after the 60 and 80).

i will say that the M-4 sounds as good or better than the M-80/85, especially if you don't need the extra power, so a big +1 on the last quoted sentence. it's not as good as the PC-5002M or BX-1 i have, though. haven't heard the rest mentioned above, but i'd like to get my hands on a B-2 at some point.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom