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Yamaha C-2 Review (Vintage Preamplifier)
- Thread starter NTTY
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Thanks, nice to visit all the old boys at the home.
Thank you
Still have a Mrantz 7 preamp solid state, it has input for a tv signal and a center channel speaker output....1968 ish.
it would benice to see some old marantz stuff tested should it come your way.
Thank you
Still have a Mrantz 7 preamp solid state, it has input for a tv signal and a center channel speaker output....1968 ish.
it would benice to see some old marantz stuff tested should it come your way.
The only thing missing IMO is a loudness control for low volume listening, although the Yamaha method of a midrange cut was not as effective as Denon's larger boost in the bass and smaller one in the treble.
Amazing performance for such an elderly component. According to HiFi Engine it was marketed from 1977 to 1983 making it at least 43 years old. Since you mention that you did not take the covers off, I'd guess you may not know if it has been refurbished? If not, its noise and distortion performance is quite impressive for a stock preamp of that vintage.
Come to think of it, I bought one of these at a local hamfest for $50. It worked fine but I did not need another preamp at the time so I sold it at a later hamfest. Now I am sorry I did!
Come to think of it, I bought one of these at a local hamfest for $50. It worked fine but I did not need another preamp at the time so I sold it at a later hamfest. Now I am sorry I did!
jareinertson
Active Member
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I sold this era of Yamaha gear back in my youth. I still miss the C2/B2 pair. Great gear!
I love these older preamps. I still keep a NAD 1020 and Nikko Beta 20 around for occasional use. The Nikko in particular is built like a tank, has nice components.The NAD is nice because it has headphone out. Still sounds pretty good for its age.
DSJR
Master Contributor
Did a quick look and the C2a (what's the difference, can you remember?) over here is around £550 to £600, so not totally outrageous until a few more switched-on punters see this review and go hunting
I don't recall myself but apparently the C-2a was an improved version of the C-2. From the Yamaha Make Waves site:Did a quick look and the C2a (what's the difference, can you remember?) over here is around £550 to £600, so not totally outrageous until a few more switched-on punters see this review and go hunting
"The C-2 (1976) was the first shot fired in the domestic thin-style control amplifier war, and the C-2a was an improved model released two years later in 1978..."
see: https://my.yamaha.com/en/audio/home...The C-2 (1976),-to-noise ratio specifications.
avantbored
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Great great great -- I had no way to prove what my brain and heart intuited and felt with my PC2002, M-65, and C80 rotations -- for vintage gear, Yamaha was still competitive with contemporary units regarding resolution and transparency. And as this forum has borne out, often better...
BUT this has not come without some cost on my end to refurb all the units I own. The infamous glue on the M-65 and C-80, various zener diodes and reflowed solder, as well as a dead relay in the PC2002. But none of them have burned up on me and they're extremely pleasurable to live with.
I hope more Yamaha gear can be reviewed and measured! Thank you!
BUT this has not come without some cost on my end to refurb all the units I own. The infamous glue on the M-65 and C-80, various zener diodes and reflowed solder, as well as a dead relay in the PC2002. But none of them have burned up on me and they're extremely pleasurable to live with.
I hope more Yamaha gear can be reviewed and measured! Thank you!
Outstanding for such an old device !
Tear down and additionnal measurements (in line with the measurements presented here)
Tear down and additionnal measurements (in line with the measurements presented here)
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OP
- Thread Starter
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Nice to see the same results from an alternative source
I did not say that Yamaha did not always and still produce high-end products, but that this manufacturer had not limited itself to only high-end products, which means that this brand is often not as well regarded as it should be, especially compared to Accuphase, which has never made anything other than high-end products. As if ...They did, with the Centennial series
Yamaha CX-10000 on thevintageknob.org
limited edition 1987 audiophile preamplifier - the Centennial Serieswww.thevintageknob.org
VientoB
Addicted to Fun and Learning
There's currently one on ebay, price doesnt seem too high, not clear if it works properly. Might be a good buy for someone with a bit of DIY skills.
Yamaha Preamplifier C-2 Junk Used | eBay UK
RANK AExcellent condition, lightly used. RANK CUsed condition with noticeable wear and stains.
www.ebay.co.uk
I have 2 C-2a (one doesn't work) collecting dust.
lini
Active Member
Can be nice to have as comfort feature, though - for scenarios like for example "some tone control for the speakers, none for the headphones" or "some tone control for the not so great kitchen speakers, none for the really good living room speakers" or "some tone control for phono, none for CD"...
Anyway, nice review (as usual) - and nice to see the Yamaha still doing so well.
Greetings from Munich!
Manfred / lini
I see what you mean. On the plus side it does mean Yamaha has stayed affordable on the used market even though many products like this pre-amp have high end measured performance.
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I owned a Yamaha C-50, which appeared a little after this one circa 1981. It performed well, but was a reliability nightmare because of those little orange Matsushita relays in the signal path. I had it paired with an Adcom GFA-535 -- but not for long. 
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