Yamaha C-4 info needed.

[SEAWOLF97]

You will be very happy with the C4. I have a couple of the older Yamaha preamps (CX800 & CX2000) and they sound very nice, solid construction, reliable and well built with quality parts.

Got a chance to really listen to it today and start dialing it in. I never knew that the pre amp makes that much difference. The same system with only the pre change sounds much different. Turned off the EQ and only using Yammy tone control.

A little more "in your face" and warmer than the Hafler. Very heavy construction. Funny, as I've bought a fair amount of used Yamaha and every piece has been broken. Had a rather neg opinion of the comapany. Their small bookshelf speakers have terrible drivers and construction, bad as Boston.

I guess even an old dog can learn "new tricks" ?

[coherent_guy]

Got a chance to really listen to it today and start dialing it in. I never knew that the pre amp makes that much difference. The same system with only the pre change sounds much different. Turned off the EQ and only using Yammy tone control.

A little more "in your face" and warmer than the Hafler. Very heavy construction. Funny, as I've bought a fair amount of used Yamaha and every piece has been broken. Had a rather neg opinion of the comapany. Their small bookshelf speakers have terrible drivers and construction, bad as Boston.

I guess even an old dog can learn "new tricks" ?

Really, all broken? Well, sometimes I feel it's the parts that are used that is the culprit, not the circuitry. Like in a Phase Linear 400's, the output transistors of the day were not up to the stresses they were said to be able to take. Recently I've seen some PC mother boards go bad due to bad electrolytic caps, so who do we blame, the part or the user of the part?

I bet the Yamaha is all discrete circuitry while the Hafler uses op-amps. I've read that some high-end reviewers feel that preamps have been some of the most colored sounding (not neutral and thus bad) of all electronics. My experience tends to agree with that, a solid state Marantz pre I had was weird sounding, and an SAE pre was completely different sounding, and also cold and metallic and noisy, an Adcom unit was the first decent one I ever had, and two GAS units were different yet again. The Marantz had discrete transistors, the SAE and Adcom used op-amps, though different ones, with the Adcom running in class A. The GAS were all discrete parts, one with video transistors, the other running hot in class A, like a mini power amp.

There is a famous Yamaha speaker, I think called the NS 1000 or something like that, that is a legendary speaker in the pro world, from the 70's I believe. Parts for it can still be found at some speaker repair places.

Your experiences seems to run counter to the usual reputation of Yamaha. I hope your preamp "lives" a long time for you. Have you been able to bring your other Yamaha finds back to life?

[SEAWOLF97]

There is a famous Yamaha speaker, I think called the NS 1000 or something like that, that is a legendary speaker in the pro world, from the 70's I believe. Parts for it can still be found at some speaker repair places.

Your experiences seems to run counter to the usual reputation of Yamaha. I hope your preamp "lives" a long time for you. Have you been able to bring your other Yamaha finds back to life?

the NS1000 is famous , as I have read , not because its so good , but because its used as a "lowest common denominator". Representative of every mans speaker. Like in the old days of checking the final mix on a car speaker.

I'm sure the replies will start pouring in, IF I'm wrong about this.


Other Yam finds ?? Honestly I dont buy Yamaha anymore, this came to me in a trade, but I do like the C-4 and hope it lasts. I buy salvage and have SO MUCH stuff, that if something doesn't work correctly...it goes in THAT pile (room) and someday, maybe, I'll get done with the pile that does work and then get to the ones that don't.

[brutal]

I've been lurking here on and off for a few years, lusting over everyone's 250's, so I guess it's about time I post something worthwhile.

I just retired a C-4 I bought new in 1982 around the same time I bought my (since reconed) L112's. After many years of faithful service in my main, and then, 2-channel setup, the selector, balance and volume pots got so scratchy and worn out, it had to go. I also recently scored a set of working, original owner, L56's on CL for $40 (wohoo!) that deserved better treatment than the C-4 was giving the crappy blose 301's (old style) in my home office. Yea, don't laugh, someone gave them to me.

The frequency turnover controls are for the pre-amp's parametric equalization. The C-4 is a great, vintage mid-end Yamaha pre-amp. Good, clean specs. I'm sorry to see mine go, but it's not worth repairing. Just like our beloved vintage JBL's, I hold onto vintage Yamaha gear dearly and replaced the C-4 with a 10 year old Yami receiver (oldest I could find with a remote.) I still run it through the matching M-4 amp (120w/ch), and also route my Yamaha surround receiver main fronts through an old M-80 (250w/ch class a/b) amp that feeds the L112's. For mid range gear, it's tough to beat.

http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/...h/SepA/C-4.pdf

[jomina]

the NS1000 is famous , as I have read , not because its so good , but because its used as a "lowest common denominator".
I'm sure the replies will start pouring in, IF I'm wrong about this.

You're wrong :-) The speaker you're thinking of is the NS-10, although this wasn't exactly a lowest common denominator speaker, either (the auratone 5c might qualify for that dubious accolade).
The NS-1000 series is a classic that more than holds its own with modern speakers. Here is my pair (NS-1000X)



Quad-like transparency with JBL punch.
The only modern speakers that have the same kind of build quality are the big JBL studio speakers GT designs for Japan.

[GordonW]

C4? I'd expect it to have "explosive" dynamics.

Regards,
Gordon.

[SEAWOLF97]

C4? I'd expect it to have "explosive" dynamics.

Regards,
Gordon.

Its metal , not plastiqúe.

[brutal]

It's 24MB as I cranked up the res on the schematic page. Do you have an FTP site I can put it somewhere or will your e-mail accept such a large file?

You have a great 2-channel pre-amp there. I almost cried when the phono section on mine went out. Without the cartridge load and impedance matching, my AV amp just doesn't sound the same. I'm still looking to replace it.

[SEAWOLF97]

It's 24MB as I cranked up the res on the schematic page. Do you have an FTP site I can put it somewhere or will your e-mail accept such a large file?

You have a great 2-channel pre-amp there. I almost cried when the phono section on mine went out. Without the cartridge load and impedance matching, my AV amp just doesn't sound the same. I'm still looking to replace it.

WOW , thanx very much. I dont know where I can get that much space, no FTP site. Can I FTP directly from you ? Email wont hold it.

The replacement for the c-4 fell thru and I was going to put the Yam for sale. I was pissed when the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista seller broke his commitment and sold it out from under me.

[brutal]

You let me know if you ever want to sell that C-4. I've got a line on a replacement, but can always use another/spare. I'm really just using it for the phono section as it's:

1. Adjustable to match the cartridge.
2. My AV rcvr doesn't rec-out the phono so I can't loop in my EQ and DBX-3BX with it.

[SEAWOLF97]

You let me know if you ever want to sell that C-4. I've got a line on a replacement, but can always use another/spare. I'm really just using it for the phono section as it's:

1. Adjustable to match the cartridge.
2. My AV rcvr doesn't rec-out the phono so I can't loop in my EQ and DBX-3BX with it.

playing around with it, I found that it will do 2 pre outs simultaneously. Haven't had it long. All lights are out, But heck, I know when its ON, don't need a light, I know when its MUTED , don't need a light.

I run the EQ thru the SRS and on the tape loop.