VFET in da house!

[Yamaha B-2]

Youse guys are so 'old-fashioned'. Knobs? They went out with Commodore computers. And quaintly named websites (Help!! Someone please tell me how to add the 'smilies' to my posts! - before someone takes me seriously). Have both the CT-1010 and ST-5130 to spin knobs on, so won't have to do without. Believe the term for the VFET line, including the ST-J75, is 'understated elegance'. Not too busy. Not too sterile. Just about right, IMHO. Might have to hang on to it just for its looks.

Will be doing some serious listening over the next week. Should be an interesting contrast.

ilimzn/Axel - If you are reading, any tricks to checking/setting bias and offset on these Sony VFET amps that you are aware of? I don't have the manual for the TA-5650 and want to give it a fair test if anyone has the info from the service manual. Thanks.

 

[ByrdWyngs]

YB2 re: smilies, if you are doing a "quick reply" you can just do it the "old fashioned" way and enter the key strokes - colon (or semi-colon), hyphen, and right parenthesis. If you click the "post reply" button you'll have a whole collection of color animated smilies to chose from right next to the text entry window, just click on the one you want to add.

 

[axel]

YB2,

Waddaya mean "quaintly named websites"?? :wave:

I don't have the service manual for the 5650 but ilimzn should be able to help - no doubt.

btw, the audigon TA-N7B got listed on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39783&item=5751475478&rd=1
(no affiliation - I just got one in Germany

 

[ilimzn]

YB2, don't have a service manual for the 5650, but I may have a reverse-engineered schematic. Not sure it has a DC offset pot... bias is fairly high if I recall right, something like 80-100mA, but I'd trust a manual over my fading memory
I did have two of these... changed the input pairs on one as it originally came with dead VFETs. A dead VFET and an output permanently stuck at one of the rails WILL destroy the input pair and the DC block capacitor in the feedback loop. The transistors themselves will not fail completely but will leak, so DC offset will be high. It definitely works better with a new input pair, that I can tell you for sure.

 

[Yamaha B-2]

It definitely works better with a new input pair, that I can tell you for sure.

Is the input pair also VFET? :yes: If I recall from from the VK website, there is an odd number of VFETs in this integrated amp. Is that the extra VFET?

 

[Yamaha B-2]

YB2 re: smilies, if you are doing a "quick reply" you can just do it the "old fashioned" way and enter the key strokes - colon (or semi-colon), hyphen, and right parenthesis. If you click the "post reply" button you'll have a whole collection of color animated smilies to chose from right next to the text entry window, just click on the one you want to add.

Got it! Geez. Talk about slow. :worried:

Now I have to learn how to quote more than one post in a reply. :yes:

 

[ByrdWyngs]

Now I have to learn how to quote more than one post in a reply. :yes:

It would be handy occasionally, but I don't know if there is any way to do that without several copy and paste operations.

 

[Yamaha B-2]

Hopefully I'll end up somewhere between the two systems pictured (probably less the R2R, but if one falls into my lap I suppose I could make room for it somewhere).

Yamaha-B2 - I'm in Vancouver, WA USA

Check 'vintage' under 'consumer electronics' on eBay. Usually have a couple of dozen Sony RTRs listed. Some at 'give-away' prices.

I spent a couple of years in the mid-'90s building and starting-up fabs in your area (Intel, Mitsubishi (Salem), Fujitsu, Komatsu - $200MM in cost and only opened part of the epi plant for about a year, and TSMC). Great area of the world. Was sad when the work dried up (silicon market went to hell) as I really enjoyed the area. My nephew owns a coffeeshop/restaurant in Portland so will be out this summer. Need some McMannimon's and Sail and halibut. Nothing like fresh halibut. Will look forward to hoisting one with you when I get there. :thmbsp:

 

[ByrdWyngs]

There are, as you say, lots of R2R's listed most of the time. The same could be said for turntables though, they're just not usually the ones we would be interested in. And it would probably have to be local because the shipping would be a killer. I don't really know what I would do with one now but I always wanted one, they're just so cool. Might get around to it one of these days, it's just way down on my list of priorities at the moment.

Much as it pains me I'll have to pass on the halibut (long story), but I'm always up for a frosty McMenamins.

 

[Yamaha B-2]

McMenimins it is! :thmbsp: I'll give you a shout in early June when I am packing. Driving out in my bother's '96 Fleetwood Brougham. Plenty of room for the stereo gear and generator for tunes on the way.

 

[ByrdWyngs]

Between the Fleetwood and the generator I hope you've got stock in Standard Oil

 

[Yamaha B-2]

Between the Fleetwood and the generator I hope you've got stock in Standard Oil

Is SO still around? I'll bet not. The FW gets 24mpg at 75mph on regular. My '92 Roadmonster got 27. Sure do miss it. My Explorer gets 20. But, I can drive it up and down the beaches around here. And the infrequent ice/snow storm. And it hauled the LAs to Fedex with room for the seven slabs of black granite I had made for equipment bases. Want one? 17" x 19" and polished on five sides. Works great under your TT. Could have done the same thing in the Roadmonster, but would have been a pain in arranging everything to fit well. Can't beat those big open back ends.

 

[ilimzn]

Is the input pair also VFET? :yes: If I recall from from the VK website, there is an odd number of VFETs in this integrated amp. Is that the extra VFET?

No, BJTs in the input IIRC. The 5550 power amp had JFET inputs, though and is quite different in general despite the power rating being the same.

 

[Yamaha B-2]

I couldn't help myself. I fired up the TA-5650 on my sacrificial speakers and did just fine. No scratchy controls. Selection switches are not 'idiot-proof'. That is, I had to figure them out. Will move up to the next level of speaker tomorrow and let it run on FM for 24 hours and then will start listening for real with the NS-1000Ms after that. Its gonna have to be good to beat out the B-2. Especially now that I found a CX-1 that I should have in here by the weekend. Oh, mama!

 

[ByrdWyngs]

This talk of cars and time machines has just made me realize I own another rare piece of hardware from '76. I don't know why but apparently I am subconciously drawn to somewhat esoteric equipment from that year. It's way OT for this board (Italian iron instead of Japanese Silicon) but I thought I'd post a pic anyway. Anybody recognize this:

 

[Yamaha B-2]

Lancia. Is that the U.S. model Scorpion? edit - no, its a Beta. If those are stock Campy wheels it probably doubles the value of your car. Very Nice. We'll go in your car. That's gotta be a fun ride over the hill the back way into Hillsborough.

Just so we don't go too far off topic, I did hook up the TA-5650 on a pair of Polk R20 speakers and am listening to the local FM jass show on the ST-J75. Very smooth. Makes me wish I still had those Soliloquy 5.0s.

Damn - beat out by a minute.

 

[ByrdWyngs]

Man, you guys are quick. I'm surprised anybody recognized it at all. YB2 you had it right first time - it's a Scorpion, partially converted to euro-spec. They were part of the Beta line but all the other Betas were FWD the Scorpion (and the European Montecarlo) were mid engine RWD. Not Campy's unfortunately. although some of the contemporary Fiat's did offer them as an option none of the Lancias did.

 

[Yamaha B-2]

That's what I get for thinking too much. On second thought, I didn't think they brought in any Scorpions But after posting Beta, I realized I was thinking about the Renault Alpine coupe. The Alpine was one fast car and won the Monte Carlo rallye several times. What's your Scorpion got in it? 2.0L DOHC L4 with dual 40mm Dell'Ortos pumpers?

Cars used to be my first love until I got tired of getting dirty about ten years ago. Simply turned them off. Sold my '73 911E Targa and went straight in 1994 (the year I started working in Portland, actually - and straight was straight into the driver's seat of a MB 300CE). Was away so much I never got to drive the 911, so sold it. Always drove a Porsche from 1969 til sold the 911. Have never looked back. Stereo gear and bicycles are much cleaner. And safer, today.

Have now got the TA-5650 pushing the NS-1000Ms, now. Sounds a bit different from the B-2. More 'tube-like', if you will. Softer, may be a good way of putting it. No problem pushing them to my normal listening levels. Volume at about 9 o'clock. If I keep this for my second system I can see that I will own another pair of the 5.0s. Really a very, very nice sound. While lacking the authority of the B-2, my first impression is that it may be a bit more 'musical'. Need more listening.

Good night, all.

 

[ByrdWyngs]

I didn't think they brought in any Scorpions. What's your Scorpion got in it? 2.0L DOHC L4 with dual 40mm Dell'Ortos pumpers?

They didn't bring in many, 1806 to be exact. There is a 2.0 long block sitting in the garage, but the car still has the original 1756 in it now with a few bolt-ons and a single 36mm Weber.

Stereo gear and bicycles are much cleaner.

Funny you should mention bicycles. My first career, and I think I still have 12 or 13 in my collection.

Have now got the TA-5650 pushing the NS-1000Ms, now. Sounds a bit different from the B-2. More 'tube-like', if you will. Softer, may be a good way of putting it. Really a very, very nice sound. While lacking the authority of the B-2, my first impression is that it may be a bit more 'musical'.

Nice description, agrees pretty closely with my first impressions of the 5550. Maybe not as dynamic as the 6800SD, but tighter better controlled base and and a smoother more natural sound overall.

 

[dingus]

ByrdWyngs, are you using your Vandersteen's with this gear? if so, or not, how do they sound?