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Yamaha CR 2020 Opinion Request

OisterMoist

OisterMoist

New Member
Hello everyone,

I'm looking to upgrade my current receiver to a Yamaha CR 2020 in great condition. I've been hearing that this model of Yamaha sounds wonderful, and it's a great addition to a setup. The price is less than $1,000 US.

My current receiver is a Yamaha CR 620 and a Pioneer VSX-5700S (I mostly use the Pioneer). I would like some opinions on whether it is worth it to buy the CR 2020 for the price. Does someone with a CR 2020 can let me know their experience with this model?

Thanks in advance.
 
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The Yamaha CR’s are quite good. All of them however that I have acquired have needed work. The power regulator’s and capacitor board should be gone through. Nothing that can’t be dealt with and when done are fantastic. Ideally, they should be fully restored to enjoy their full potential.
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Interesting, I would like to recap the CR 2020 completely as a personal project. I already practiced with partially recapping my CR 620, and the sound quality improved. Would you say that the CR 2020 is difficult to work on?
 
I have a cr-2020 also. Wonderful receiver. However, the Yamaha cr-2040 is the better sounding one. I have one too. Can't beat the looks of the 2020 though. To my eyes, one of the best looking receivers ever conceived by any brand. JMO.
 
I had a CR-820 and a friend has a CR-2020 completely rebuilt and it is an amazing sounding piece. Imo
 
OisterMoist said:
Interesting, I would like to recap the CR 2020 completely as a personal project. I already practiced with partially recapping my CR 620, and the sound quality improved. Would you say that the CR 2020 is difficult to work on?
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It has some differences, like the power filter and regulator board bridged together. But overall nothing difficult. I have restored a number of them.
 
jefferylhenr said:
It has some differences, like the power filter and regulator board bridged together. But overall nothing difficult. I have restored a number of them.
Click to expand...
If you unscrew the main power transformer and flip it out of the way, the capacitor and regulator boards come out nicely. Otherwise you will scratch your head and say this is nuts
 
Beware, pain and suffering awaits... :biggrin:

They are nice once they are fully gone through, powerful and neutral.

I've done two and took the second one apart at the chassis to make it easier to do the tone boards without unduly disturbing the wire-wrapping.

The latter are what makes this amp such an unremitting bastard to work on, many find that the unit will not come out of protection or loses after a restoration and it quite often turns out to be a broken wire wrap connection caused manoeuvring the boards about.

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I’m not sure what everyone else is doing, but you do not need to remove the transformer or the front plate.

The filter cap and the relay board fold out just fine if you disconnect the ground between them and remove the metal mounting plates that are meant to be removed. The sub cards can be unsoldered and removed if you swing out the amp modules, and ideally pop up the push button board above them.

Do it once, you’ll always remember. I’ve done like ten of them, and more of the CR-1020.
 
If you do a complete job desoldering the pins on the bottom of the main tone board they will wiggle right out.
 
OisterMoist said:
Hello everyone,

I'm looking to upgrade my current receiver to a Yamaha CR 2020 in great condition. I've been hearing that this model of Yamaha sounds wonderful, and it's a great addition to a setup. The price is less than $1,000 US.

My current receiver is a Yamaha CR 620 and a Pioneer VSX-5700S (I mostly use the Pioneer). I would like some opinions on whether it is worth it to buy the CR 2020 for the price. Does someone with a CR 2020 can let me know their experience with this model?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
If you are using this with a Turntable the CR-620 has a much quieter phono stage. If you have a phono pre then there won't be any difference. CR-2020 is a great piece.
 
cjkpkg said:
If you do a complete job desoldering the pins on the bottom of the main tone board they will wiggle right out.
Click to expand...
At that stage i find easier to take apart the chassis and leave the wire wrappings alone.

Wire wrapping is fine until touched, then becomes the most treacherous method of attaching wire to board ever invented. :biggrin:
 
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