Yamaha A-1 Vintage Amplifier Review

[JJB70]

When I was at sea, even in the 1990's a short wave radio was pretty much my only link with the outside world between mailbag when visiting Port. Almost everyone I knew at sea owned a Sony SW7600 radio, it was an iconic product among seafarers of a certain age. It was a universally shared point of view of the time on every ship I sailed on, if you want a radio don't mess about, buy a Sony SW7600. They were lovely bits of kit. It makes you realise how much the world has changed and how quickly, the pre-internet world seems like the dark ages.

 

[RickSanchez]

When I was at sea, even in the 1990's a short wave radio was pretty much my only link with the outside world between mailbag when visiting Port. Almost everyone I knew at sea owned a Sony SW7600 radio, it was an iconic product among seafarers of a certain age. It was a universally shared point of view of the time on every ship I sailed on, if you want a radio don't mess about, buy a Sony SW7600. They were lovely bits of kit. It makes you realise how much the world has changed and how quickly, the pre-internet world seems like the dark ages.

But did it support MQA?

/sarcasm

 

[JJB70]

But did it support MQA?

/sarcasm

Better than that, you switched it on and it made noise!

 

[RickSanchez]

Ripper:
Were you ever a prisoner of war?

Mandrake:
Ah yes I was. Matter of fact, Jack, I was.

Ripper:
Did they torture you?

Mandrake:
Ah... yes, they did. I was tortured by the Japanese, Jack, if you must know. Not a pretty story.

Ripper:
Well what happened?

Mandrake:
Oh... well... I don't know, Jack. Difficult to think of under these conditions. But, well, what happened was they got me on the old Rangoon HNRR railway. I was laying train mines for the bloody Japanese puff puffs.

Ripper:
No, I mean when they tortured you, did you talk?

Mandrake:
Ah, oh no, I ah... I don't think they wanted me to talk, really. I don't think they wanted me to say anything. It was just their way of having... a bit of fun, the swines. Strange thing is they make such bloody good cameras.

I feel like @Neddy would appreciate this post ...

 

[Ceburaska]

Reading Amir's review on this A-1 got me to do some research on my own Harman/Kardon hk670. (I threw my findings up here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ceiver-amplifier-stereo-review-apr-1979.9639/)

The fun discovery for me was coming across AmericanRadioHistory.com and all of their back issues of Stereo Review magazine. I'm in no way qualified to talk about Julian Hirsch, Hirsch-Houck Laboratories, the testing equipment they used, or how it compares to Amir's equipment + testing process. But my point is that there are some measurements out there for older equipment. It's limited for sure, but worth doing a little digging.

And while I'd love to send my hk670 into Amir for measurement that's a bit beyond my budget at the moment ...

Thumbs up for Americanradiohistory.com, lots of fun reading back issues of Stereo. Less fun wondering how they disappeared and we got left with the short stories from TAS etc. I mean, they can be interesting or amusing, but they’re fiction, not reviews.

 

[Neddy]

I feel like @Neddy would appreciate this post ...

I'll have to ask Eckles about it, sounds familiarity

 

[Herbert]

Everyone: Read this review from page 61 onward - from this day on they HAD TO WRITE FICTION and not reviews!
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1982-12.pdf

 

[Herbert]

Kudos, they did not necessarily write fiction:
"In the end, the main conclusion seems to be that audible differences do exist,
but they don't matter unless you think they matter. Perhaps that will make everyone happy."

Read from page 52:
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1986-01.pdf

 

[RickSanchez]

Everyone: Read this review from page 61 onward - from this day on they HAD TO WRITE FICTION and not reviews!
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1982-12.pdf

I'm confused. What is it you're saying about Stereo Review? (Or about CD players?) From the second link that you mention, the January 1986 issue:

"As it happened, the 'differences' weren't there to begin with. In spite of the comments in the room at the time and on the panel members' response sheets, the choices were entirely random. In straining to hear some sort of distinguishing characteristic in the sound, the listeners believed they had done so, but their responses proved that no such characteristics were consistently found. Because this was the first session, and because the results were at variance with the panel members' beliefs, the Technics was retested the next day -- again with entirely random results."

 

[cjfrbw]

Kudos, they did not necessarily write fiction:
"In the end, the main conclusion seems to be that audible differences do exist,
but they don't matter unless you think they matter. Perhaps that will make everyone happy."

Read from page 52:
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1986-01.pdf

Wow, the ad is in there for the Walkman Pro cassette player. I have one sitting right here in my desk drawer. been retired for years, but can't let it go.

 

[Herbert]

I'm confused. What is it you're saying about Stereo Review? (Or about CD players?) From the second link that you mention, the January 1986 issue:

That their reviews were not always fiction. And that in 1986, with first and second generation R2R 16 bit DACs
no one was able to tell a difference in listening tets. The DACS were:
Sony CDP-101: Sony CX20017
Sony CDP-650: Sony CX20152
Technics SL-P3: Burr Brown PCM53
Emerson CD150: (I assume also a first gen Sony CX20017)
Meridian MCD-Pro: Philips TDA1540
Carver DTL-100: Burr Brown PCM53.

Besides the CX20152 all first gen. Dacs...
As far as I remember, only the TDA1540 allowed 4x oversampling with 14 bit, the CX20152 2x oversampling...

 

[RickSanchez]

That their reviews were not always fiction. And that in 1986, with first and second generation R2R 16 bit DACs no one was able to tell a difference in listening tets.

Got it, thanks for the clarification.

 

[anmpr1]

Everyone: Read this review from page 61 onward - from this day on they HAD TO WRITE FICTION and not reviews!
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1982-12.pdf

The deal with SR was that you often had to read between the lines in their equipment reviews. Not infrequently they used weasel-words in their reviews--that is, not telling a lie, but maybe not telling the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

For instance in that issue, their NAD cassette review, we read: When we taped interstation FM hiss (at about -20dB), the playback was indistinguishable from the original signal. We could not detect any differences in A/B comparisons between some CDs with maximum level peaks of 0dB and dubs made with Dolby C. One could hardly ask for more!

Well..., actually I think one could ask for more. At least one could ask, "Some CDs? What CDs are 'some' CDs? Was it by any chance an overly compressed and overly processed Rolling Stones recording?

This is not to say that their CD player investigation was lacking. It was done rigorously, and the findings of these controlled listening tests are since validated more times than is now necessary. The problem with Stereo Review is that the reader back then, putting it all together, was left scratching his head. Wondering, "If there is no difference between a mid-line cassette deck and a CD, why should I bother with CD?" The answer is, if you're listening tastes run between FM hiss at -20dB levels, or if some CDs include Mick and the boys' Some Girls, then probably there would be no sonic reason for you to switch.

As a result of this kind of copy, back then you'd hear people argue that if Stereo Review editors couldn't hear the difference between a cassette and a CD, when almost anyone could (given the right source recordings), then why should anyone believe them when they wrote that all amps sound the same? It was not, technically, a fair argument to make against them, but SR set themselves up for it by not being wholly forthcoming across the board.

 

[JRG]

What would be a good representative model of the brand?

It might be interesting to measure some of the models with FeedForward technology from the early 1980s. They promised very low distortion levels, and as far as I know there are not many amps with this technology even today (AHB-2 is the most representative without a doubt).

This week I gave myself a treat and I bought a Sansui AU-D33 from the UK and it cost me 80 Euros including shipping. We will see how it goes.
Unfortunately I can't take serious measurements, and sending it from Spain would be much more expensive than the amp itself

 

[LTig]

It might be interesting to measure some of the models with FeedForward technology from the early 1980s. They promised very low distortion levels, and as far as I know there are not many amps with this technology even today (AHB-2 is the most representative without a doubt).

Good idea.

This week I gave myself a treat and I bought a Sansui AU-D33 from the UK and it cost me 80 Euros including shipping. We will see how it goes.
Unfortunately I can't take serious measurements, and sending it from Spain would be much more expensive than the amp itself

See some measurements here.

 

[hapnermw]

If you have seen Mindhunter on Netflix you have seen the beautifully shot intro that features the setup sequence of a real-to-real tape machine. I had slow-mo'ed through it to attempt to see what machine was used; however, this was hidden. I was pleased to see that TechMoan has a segment on this which is fascinating ...

 

[JRG]

See some measurements here.

Thank you. Another review in that web is about the AU-D11, and they say this about the D11: "The ultra-low distortion of the Sansui AU-D11 was demonstrated by its performance into 8-ohm loads at 1,000 Hz, where the distortion was between 0.0005 and 0.001 per cent for power outputs up to 140 watts"
If that is true is a great performer even today. 0,0005% translates into a -105dB, that is near of NC400 and Purifi. And that amp is from the beginning of the '80s
I don't know why ther is not more amps with feedforward technology.

 

[restorer-john]

The answer is, if you're listening tastes run between FM hiss at -20dB levels, or if some CDs include Mick and the boys' Some Girls, then probably there would be no sonic reason for you

The standard 'no test instrument way' to test and set bias according to the tape in use was to use FM interstation hiss @-20dB. On a three head deck, one could instantly compare with the source/tape switch. On a two head deck you would rewind, hit tape monitor on the amplifier and toggle back and forth to the source (FM hiss) to compare. You'd tweak the bias until any differences were imperceptible.

As for "some CDs" being singled out, what else do you want them to say?

In my opinion, you are reading way too many lines between the lines.

 

[aarmath]

I only have gone through half the thread, but yeah, those old Yamahas were built. I still have my all original (cleaned and re-biased once) Yamaha B2 that I have been using routinely for over eight years on my bass panel. It must be at least forty years old now.

I have a spare amp to put in it's place whenever it breaks, but it is still going strong. It sounds so wonderful when I play it full range, that if you told me fully functioning Yamaha B2 were the only amplifiers that I could ever own any more, I would never feel deprived. Whenever I play it full range, it keeps me completely entranced and hypnotized about what is coming next in the musical agenda, and the needle seldom indicates power levels over 5-10 watts.

Absolutely Bang-on! Tbis is exactly my experience, mate!!!
For a relatively more affordable option compared to the Yamaha B1, the B2 was a stellar power amp and held out on its own in terms of raw & elegant performance & reliability.
Most of the decommissioned B2 amps resulted because folks didnt bother replacing the now old & weary power capacitors. Otherwise, those VFET transistors can sing. God, how they sing like those proverbial choir of angels ;-)

 

[ousi]

As for vintage amps... I have a Kenwood Supreme 600 integrated still in repair (was damaged during shipping). When it's done repairing I probably can ship it your way and have you tested it. Wanna see how an old TOTL integrated look like. And also a Sony TA-F3000. I used to also have a Kenwood L-03 but sold it a while ago. It got "sigma drive" which looks like some feedback channel back from speaker. Interesting designs back in the days....