My New Yamaha Phono/Preamp

[Hypnotoad]

I have been looking for a separate SS phono/preamp for a while, I read a few reviews on the Yamaha C4 that were promising. When I saw one for sale really cheaply locally I just had to snap it up. It had some minor issues such as scratchy controls which I took care of with Deoxit a must for anyone using vintage gear. One of the phono inputs was not connecting and proved to be a cracked solder joint.

This unit has three turntable inputs with MM and MC, variable impedance and capacitance settings, two preamp outputs, tone bypass, variable turnover bass and treble controls. It's built really well, I was really impressed when I looked inside and sounds superb especially for the price, $100.00 US.

The phono section is better than phono preamps costing many times what I paid. If you see one around give it a try it might surprise you.

My camera isn't the best and I have since cleaned it up as it had a lot of dirty marks on it. It looks like new now.

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww297/Hypnotoady_photos/002-4.jpg

[DSJR]

There may be the odd one or two in the UK, but the Brit invasion in the "in" hifi shops back then tended to relegate items like this into the "also ran" category. I understand from people who knew the general market "out there" better than my blinkered views at the time that there was some stunning Far Eastern made gear that the UK mag readers almost totally ignored :(

[John]

Just got a CA 400 for £12.50 worth a go at that price

[Rare Bird]

I used to have a 'B2' bought it for peanuts, they fetch such a lot nowadays..

[Reid Malenfant]

Interesting :) This just reminded me of a blown Yamaha integrated amp that was thrown my way a good while ago, it was the power amp that was faulty, some chip used as a kind of input stage, VAS & driver but with seperate output transistors. The amp was pretty well known & respected from what i remember? :scratch:

The thing that makes it interesting is that the phono stage used some very high quality components, if i recall correctly i was shocked to see black gate capacitors being used on what amounted to a standard integrated amp :)

[Rare Bird]

Well the 'B2' was a V FET.. Was a very good amplifier, why did i flog it! cos i'm an idiot at times...

[Hypnotoad]

Interesting :) This just reminded me of a blown Yamaha integrated amp that was thrown my way a good while ago, it was the power amp that was faulty, some chip used as a kind of input stage, VAS & driver but with seperate output transistors. The amp was pretty well known & respected from what i remember? :scratch:

The thing that makes it interesting is that the phono stage used some very high quality components, if i recall correctly i was shocked to see black gate capacitors being used on what amounted to a standard integrated amp :)

I was shocked at how good this things sounds, it is best described as having a very detailed 3d image with a touch of warmth.

I saw some polystyrene caps in this one, they weren't mucking about when they made it.

[Rare Bird]

I was shocked at how good this things sounds, it is best described as having a very detailed 3d image with a touch of warmth.

I saw some polystyrene caps in this one, they weren't mucking about when they made it.

You need the matching 'B4' now :eyebrows:

[Hypnotoad]

You need the matching 'B4' now :eyebrows:

I would love a B2 like the one you had, but they sell for a fortune now. The M4 is the amp that matches this, I have a line on an M60 which is the newer model with more output at the moment. Trying to strike a deal as we speak.;)

[DSJR]

The CA400 was a bit short on power, but sounded very good as I remember, unlike a CA1000 mk2 I had. The acres of wiring and loads of sub boards really took their toll on this one and even Class A couldn't save the blandness of the preamp section. A shame, 'cos the controls are total heaven to operate.

[theophile]

I sold my C2x,B-2and PX-2 turntable to a friend(AK member timofred)last year.He uses them with KEF Cantatas.Sounds nice.

Those Yamaha preamps have good phono stages.The one in the C2x is very good.