[BoilermakerFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cool, thanks. I'll be darned if that class A switch hasn't got me absolutely mesmerized. The VU meters don't hurt, either. I'll wait.

Yep, and that makes me think my estimate was low. They'll probably be in the $450-$550 range and I bet the CA-2010s are in the $700-$900 range. Maybe $100 less for both, but not much since the CR-3020 goes for $1100-$1300+.

 

[iQEM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iQEM /img/forum/go_quote.gif so, who's the one that won that T20v2 on listing ? i'm so close, but being sniped on 0 sec... oohh well, let's continue to another listing...shall we ?

being lost again on another T20 this day, being sniped (the winner beat me 1 U$)...so, who's the lucky guy ?

 

[wualta]

If we're talking about the most bang for the buck for the ortho owner who feels the need for robust, even hairy, amplification but doesn't have the money and/or skills for DIY amps, then the dodgy $100 CR-2020 would be my recommendation, especially after my CR-620 experience. A little atmos-crud could easily account for the dodgy problems the Craigslister described.

You get out your can of DeoxIT and hold it like Carrie-Ann Moss held the gun in The Matrix and you say to the switches and pots in your most threatening tone "Dodgy, eh? Dodge this! "

Not trying to mess up the decision-making, just trying to stay true to thread. By sheer coincidence, I have a friend who wanted a good vintage receiver and I steered him toward the CA-1010, but the last one on that auction site went for about $315. Not that the amp isn't worth it, but the question of whether it'll give him (or an orthodist in dire need) 4 times the enjoyment of a CR-620 arises.

I know, it's too confusing.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif If we're talking about the most bang for the buck for the ortho owner who feels the need for robust, even hairy, amplification but doesn't have the money and/or skills for DIY amps, then the dodgy $100 CR-2020 would be my recommendation, especially after my CR-620 experience. A little atmos-crud could easily account for the dodgy problems the Craigslister described. You get out your can of DeoxIT and hold it like Carrie-Ann Moss held the gun in The Matrix and you say to the switches and pots in your most threatening tone "Dodgy, eh? Dodge this! " Not trying to mess up the decision-making, just trying to stay true to thread. By sheer coincidence, I have a friend who wanted a good vintage receiver and I steered him toward the CA-1010, but the last one on that auction site went for about $315. Not that the amp isn't worth it, but the question of whether it'll give him (or an orthodist in dire need) 4 times the enjoyment of a CR-620 arises. I know, it's too confusing.

For an ortho amp, the CR-x20 series up to the 2020. Hands down I'll definitely agree. But, there is a small chance the right channel output transistors are bad on that dodgy one, more than likely it's a short or broken speaker terminal as even mine are loose, or the input selector switch is oxidized. But how bad can it be that the right channel doesn't work at all? You can work the switch enough to break through most oxidation to at least get a weak signal through. Merrylander could fix it if the ortho'ist can't, but then the price is back up into the auction site price range... Heck there was one 2020 on there two nights ago with a BIN price of $225., but it looked a lot rougher than described with funky mildew on the vent screen so I let it go.

But for MPI, who already has a 620, the 18W of Class A power from a CA-1010 is better money at the same price point, IMHO, especially for his Maggies at quiet volume. I only wish the Yammie was Class A / ClassAB so you could get the best of both worlds.

 

[mypasswordis]

My future Maggies.

Was going to save up for a pair of BOTL Maggies like a used MMG but ended up using those funds to overpay for a pair of Beyer ET1000. There's no need at all to go for a 2020 unless I have speakers that demand a large output, so this is all just future-proofing anyway.

wualta, more impressions on the CR-620!

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis /img/forum/go_quote.gif My future Maggies. Was going to save up for a pair of BOTL Maggies like a used MMG but ended up using those funds to overpay for a pair of Beyer ET1000. There's no need at all to go for a 2020 unless I have speakers that demand a large output, so this is all just future-proofing anyway. wualta, more impressions on the CR-620!

If you make the meet next month, bring the Beyers. I've always wanted to hear them.

 

[mypasswordis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you make the meet next month, bring the Beyers. I've always wanted to hear them.

They're actually going to stay at DAC's for a bit since he helped me wire funds to the seller who is in Germany and doesn't take PP. I should have them before Xmas but still too late for the December 5 meet.

I'll definitely bring them next time, though, whenever that may be.

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

I expect that the wire transfer will take some more days. It's slow.

 

[mypasswordis]

Oh wow, didn't expect it'd take anymore than... well, an instant. Yeah, if DAC isn't even going to get these until beginning of December, it definitely won't arrive in time.

I was really curious about the ET1000, and the combination of it seeming to be in perfect condition and smeggy's infatuation with his after I realized he was right about the SR-X mk3, I felt I couldn't let this one go. Still love my SR-X to bits, even though it tears bad recordings apart and has little soundstage. Those are the only two things I can fault it with, soundwise.

 

[wualta]

Thanks be to DAC for facilitating another [difficult? sometimes] German auction win by one of the Orthogemeinschaft. Orthobroderbund?

Magneplanars, eh? Don't be afraid of getting a used pair, but audition before you buy. I can see we're going to have to meet up on AK fairly soon.

RE: the Yamaceiver: Lemme get the overhead crane to hoist the CR-620 into position to dock with the SACD player... wheeeeeeeeezzzzzzz... glunk!... whirrrrrrrrrr whomble whomble... bonk. Okay, now to get some power up there... Gimme a minute..

AWHILE LATER: Okay, no problem driving something as inefficient as a damped YH-100. Not even a question of that. You could blow the headphones right off your head with sheer volume, and it stays clean. This is out of the headphone jacks. Haven't tried the JB-21 yet, but I imagine the sound from it would be identical or nearly so, since I bet Yamaha chose the resistor network in the headphone out to match the impedance (and efficiency) of the Orthos. I can't imagine any headphone being a problem for the 620.

For the record, source is the Yamaha S1700 DVD/SACD player.

 

[wualta]

I pulled out the T40RP mkII, whipped a pair of "n" earpads on it, and did a quick comparison with the damped YH-100. Stock, kinda midrangey and dull, but a good top end.

Here's where the eat-out-the-midrange (aka [size=xx-small]LOUDNESS[/size]) control on the Yama comes in handy, despite my grousing. It can't boost midrange like a real midrange tone control, but it can carve a wide chunk out of it, and that's just what the T40 needed. Not bad! Almost too much bass, and very nicely extended top end, better than the YH-100's. And that's stock, so I'm imagining some good sounds from a properly modded T40RP mkII.

I can't judge bass very well at the moment (still recovering from earlier illnesses), so it may better-balanced bass than I'm hearing, but it seemed pretty good.

Moving from my usual test CD to a newly-acquired DVD-Audio disc (my first) of BNL's Maroon, the bass seemed rolled off, but the Yama's tone control tilted it back up. Don't know what that's all about, but that particular hi-res disc sounds great.

Despite my ears being out of calibration, I'm going to go WAY out on a limb and say that after comparing the 620 to my aural memory (totally unreliable, as we know) of my other amps, I'm going to come over all audiophile and call this Yamaceiver a bit... "dry". White. Matte. I know, it's like totally unfair. This is all still preliminary, so don't get excited yet. It's just an impression. What the 620's sound also is, is very detailed. Nothing's loose or sloppy.

I think a tuber would call this classic solid-state sound, especially characteristic of its era, ca. 1977. ...Not that there's anything wrong with that.

.

 

[mypasswordis]

The CR-620 is definitely powerful enough for any ortho, or any headphone or earspeaker in existence. The volume knob never goes above 4 for me. Good first impressions... now I kind of know what to expect from a MOSFET amp. I'm the kind of guy that derives some kind of sick pleasure from flat frequency response and as real and uncolored sound I can get, so I like the transparent sound of the 620, but could probably warm up (pun intended) to the sound of MOSFET amps.

I'll be helping Dusty mod his T40RPMkIInqoeurh2308rhqourhaluhfeaoufha so that it can hopefully sound good even without any kind of EQ. Sorry, I just felt it necessary to add a bunch more letters.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis /img/forum/go_quote.gif The CR-620 is definitely powerful enough for any ortho, or any headphone or earspeaker in existence. The volume knob never goes above 4 for me. Good first impressions... now I kind of know what to expect from a MOSFET amp. I'm the kind of guy that derives some kind of sick pleasure from flat frequency response and as real and uncolored sound I can get, so I like the transparent sound of the 620, but could probably warm up (pun intended) to the sound of MOSFET amps. I'll be helping Dusty mod his T40RPMkIInqoeurh2308rhqourhaluhfeaoufha so that it can hopefully sound good even without any kind of EQ. Sorry, I just felt it necessary to add a bunch more letters.

I use the EQ during dampening, just to get a feel for how the can would sound with more or less bass/treble. It's not an exact match, but turning the bass down one (or two) and the treble up one (or two) in unison or vise-versa, helps initially, but towards the end, the single click is too much.

I just try to tune them to sound good flat and I don't use the EQ during playback. If the can is bass light, it's bass light, but my bass light cans sound amazing for acoustic folk or old classic rock like the early Beatles and Beach Boys where the original recording didn't have a lot of bass either.

Now on to pad adapters. I can no longer recommend polyester sheet for a pad adapter material. It's self-healing property is just too great, An Exacto blade will go in x deep, but the resulting cut is only about 1/4 x if that. Using a new technique with a coping saw and it's doing better, but not coping as well as I had hoped it would. The polyester is too flexible and it binds the blade so it's a very slow cutting process followed by a lot of clean up with the Xacto blade. But the first ring looks gorgeous!

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis The CR-620 is definitely powerful enough for any ortho, or any headphone or earspeaker in existence...

Oh yeah. No problem for the amp section in the 620. With the controls set flat, there's more than enough power. With extreme amounts of bass boost (ie, with the [size=xx-small]LOUDNESS[/size] control cranked way over), however, the bottom end gets woolly. That's to be expected.

One thing I should have mentioned is that my impressions are for my one lone example of a CR-620 and may only apply in the most general sense, if at all, to one that's been properly gone over and had its bias (aka idle current) and DC offset dialed in. Going by the layer of dust I saw when I shone a light inside, no one's touched this thing since it left its country of origin.

I like the 620; don't let my rheumatic grumbling put you off. I do think that though they're harder to find, an orthodynast seeking the enlightenment that comes from Moar Powar would also do well to seek out the baby Kyocera receivers, the R-451 and R-651. (45 and 65 w/ch, respectively). MOSFETs fear no load.

[size=xx-small]KYOCERA R-451 RECEIVER[/size]

 

[dBel84]

This is what the whimpish orthos need

nothing silver shiney l.e.d. ish , just college boy brute

..dB