I like KG's with their sexy Gold Tunes eye candy label. I've installed them but often wonder if their just KW's stuffed in a bigger can with extra lead spacing. As they sound similar to me. 
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Yamaha M-60 amp restoration planning
- Thread starter Brad1234
- Start date
You're Jonesing all over the place dude !!!I like KG's with their sexy Gold Tunes eye candy label. I've installed them but often wonder if their just KW's stuffed in a bigger can with extra lead spacing. As they sound similar to me.
I love it
lol
M-60's make me horny...Best 80's budget amp ever with minimal unobtaniums! Beautiful build, service panel, class A jones ckt, super low THD, love it!
Most OP's just wanna hear sensei Avionics words so...I'll try and stop squirting.
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I have an M70 that I fixed but did not restore it yet, still working on my B-1 , that amp intimidates me
I'd help ya if I could brotha but M-70's are a whole other animal unfamiliar to me. 60's and 80's I can do.I have an M70 that I fixed but did not restore it yet, still working on my B-1 , that amp intimidates me
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Brad1234
Active Member
That’s another question I had, on the M-65 SM, the electrolytics are grouped by FZ, UH and UJ for part numbers. Are the FZ’s the signal path and UH and UJ are ok just using regular Nichicons like the PW’s? I am planning to use Elna Silmic II’s in the signal path, but dont want to waste what is left in my stash on locations that dont need audio-grade caps.
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Brad1234
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I have used the KG gold tune (super through) main filters in a lot of rebuilds, they have a classic look and sound awesome. I only have a few pairs left and they are getting really hard to find, and more expensive! I am working on a Harman Kardon 630 that is going to get all new super throughs.I like KG's with their sexy Gold Tunes eye candy label. I've installed them but often wonder if their just KW's stuffed in a bigger can with extra lead spacing. As they sound similar to me.
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Absolutely use those discontinued Elna's in the signal path if available, by all means yes. C100, C117, C118, C103, C104. Ignore the black gate cap in the protect ckt, throw in whatever there.
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If ya wanna save an Elna I guess a guy could throw a bi-polar Nichicon muse in C100. I didn't notice a huge sound difference either way. At the end of the day original design on these beats my redneckisms on these. I'm no engineer.
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Not in the M-60/65.
Simple. I don't second guess the engineers at Nippon Gakki.Please help us understand this sensei...dudes are throwing BP's everywhere nowadays and I wanna understand.
I put the best 85C caps available in the signal path, including C157 & C158. Outside of that I focused on a 105C temp theme throughout the piece without too much thought. Nichicon UKT's & Panasonic FM, FR, FC series in that order cuz I use the class A function often. Old thing worked well with 85C's throughout for a long time so, that's just what I did. Glue & black gates & light solders were the main killer on this one. All solders were sweat shop cold, like in a soldered at gun point kinda way. I reflow all points 4-6 hours at least. Last of the good Nippon Gakki's IMO.
Glad ya caught it before it smoked.
Brad1234
Active Member
So it really is advisable to go over the boards resoldering each connection to improve reliability? Does sound like it could be hrs, you meant spend like 4-6 hrs resoldering all joints across all boards? I could use the hakko desolder vacuum to quickly remove some solder and add new solder in zones broken up across the board with masking tape. Oh this sounds lovely! What else are weekends for though?
I didn't resolder per say. I just added a little solder to every solder point that needed it on every board. Ended up being 90% of the piece reflowed I'd say. Heck, 4-6 hours was a guess, probably took triple that.
Some might frown at that but I'm more a hobbyist redneck than a pro, lol. Settled for a quick in & out solder time to cause no harm.
All that fuss work allowed me to see things I would have overlooked, like broken gas tight wire wrap strands at their posts for instance.
Brad1234
Active Member
I got the M-60 mostly recapped, the main caps will take some creative rewiring to reinstall. What are some of the best options for installing the newer, shorter caps? They have to hover in the brackets since there are so many connections on the board under them I guess. Any suggestions on where to buy the type of hook up wire/braid I should use to connect main caps to board?
I put a new relay in and I am replacing the zeners thru-out. I know the diodes are usually left alone but I figured while I am in there I would refresh the 40 yr old zeners since they are so cheap. Here are pics of my progress so far. Caps used are Elna Silmic II’s in signal path and Nichicon PW’s mostly for all others.
I put a new relay in and I am replacing the zeners thru-out. I know the diodes are usually left alone but I figured while I am in there I would refresh the 40 yr old zeners since they are so cheap. Here are pics of my progress so far. Caps used are Elna Silmic II’s in signal path and Nichicon PW’s mostly for all others.
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Is there anything wrong with the four big filter caps? If not, I wouldn't be replacing them. If you've measured them and they are knackered, then ignore me!
Brad1234
Active Member
I am doing a full restoration and all 40 yr old electrolytics have to go no matter what they measure. Plus I love the way new main caps sound. And if they test fine today, who knows about next yr, or 5 yrs from now? Not like I am going thru the trouble to retest them then. Just better to replace them now while I am doing the labor.
Brad1234
Active Member
I wouldn’t say no point in replacing them, how about long term reliability and restoring the originally intended sound and performance? Sure the 40 yr old main caps will “measure” fine and work, but it does not mean they are performing as they originally did. All electrolytics degrade, most people opt to leave the main caps due to expense related to perceived returns on sound quality. So many people say to never replace them in even early 70’s equipment, even though new ones are night and day difference in sound quality. It all just depends on the type of sound you can hear and want to hear. So I wouldn’t say there is no point to it, maybe just no point for you.