Vintage Yamaha A-2000

[Guest jakeyb77]

It has the couplers for the pre out unlike the A-2000 that has a switch. But I'm reluctant to use another pre as I'm wanting the remote function to be honest. Squeeebox into here then to the 1000's and I can be lazy haha

[Guest jakeyb77]

@@The Fez... a boy can dream

Wonder what those FX-3 are worth

[The Fez]

Indeed dream on.

[Guest jakeyb77]

So she got dropped off today.... Hoping for a good outcome and repair. More news to come

[Guest jakeyb77]

Diagnosis is the Class A circuit full of dry joints. Got right channel working and other bits failed. Consensus is amp would have been presenting problems and was kept in use. Anyway may be fixable. Otherwise preamp section works good and may become a huge pre amp. Sigh.

[The Fez]

Argghh -- Not a good initial diagnosis -- but all is not lost at this stage...

[Guest jakeyb77]

Argghh -- Not a good initial diagnosis -- but all is not lost at this stage...

I know mate. I think he's confident that it will work again. Schematic is in Japanese also so I'm thankful that he has a very good knowledge of repairing Yamaha's.

[The Fez]

Trevor? -- yes he's had a few of my amps over the years...He resurrected a CA-2010 that was dead....With the laying on of the hands...

[Guest jakeyb77]

Haha no I'm lucky to have Trevor on the AX-2000 but was given this gentlemans details by a few people regarding Yamaha. Took me a long time to twist his arm so better not out him. But was local too so makes transit easy.

[The Fez]

Hang on there -- You have the AX & A - 2000 with techs? --- 

[Guest jakeyb77]

Yep! Gonna be a fun shoot out when they all come home.

[Guest jakeyb77]

Just been advised that amp is fixed and running like a dream. Just got to pick it up.

And the B-2 arrived today. The heavens are helping me

Edited July 25, 2016 by jakeyb77

[The Fez]

Just been advised that amp is fixed and running like a dream. Just got to pick it up.

And the B-2 arrived today. The heavens are helping me

 

B2 --- 

[Guest jakeyb77]

B2 --- GotPics1.gif

A-2000 has been repaired. 3 days and a bottle of single malt later. Just waiting for it to get home. But....

[Guest jakeyb77]

Sublime

A-2000 in the wife's car on route

Edited July 25, 2016 by jakeyb77

[Guest jakeyb77]

@@Zaphod Beeblebrox you'll like this. Mike Smith's response to my Yamaha purchase.

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[The Fez]

Blue? 

 

[Guest jakeyb77]

Yep. I hate Yamaha speaker terminals and the RCAs need new ones for input. Took a bit get her going but all good now

[Guest jakeyb77]

Oh my.......

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[Ooogh]

Oh my indeed.  Looking forward to the results of this battle of the Titans. Will the magic button best the v-fet........all into NS1000s, yes please!

[Guest jakeyb77]

Hmmmm. Ok. So totally enchanted with the B-2. Dire Straits Why Worry is beautiful in this combo. My soundstage feels huge that was the biggest shock. Mids and trebles do what other VFET reviews say. They just sound like they should.

As for The A-2000 the left channel sounds beautiful. Right channel is as loud but distorted. Halfway there. Back to the tech or if not fixable I don't know where. I've swapped out everything back and forth and right output channel is problem with amp. We did say due to age this may be the case. I'll check the pre in the morning just to make sure. So as it stands the B-2 is winning.

As for my first impression VFET impression is have to say they are different from anything else. A mesmerising different.

[Guest jakeyb77]

Late night thought to see if "B" speaker terminals worked. Nope.

But that left channel is still something. Now to get the right one the same. There is something magical also about the A-2000.

Not surprising as both amps had these speakers in mind.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

@@Zaphod Beeblebrox you'll like this. Mike Smith's response to my Yamaha purchase.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

That sounds like Mike's characteristic subtlety. 

[Guest jakeyb77]

Tech has advised to bring back and he'll get it going again.... The A-2000 will live to fight another day. 

[Guest jakeyb77]

Okey dokey after another thorough going over the A-2000 is fully fixed. Whoever attempted the work on this thing was not great. A couple of resistors were found to have been replaced without taking the boards out. They just snipped the legs and soldered the new resistors onto the old legs!!

Anyway right channel has now been put under a microscope and every joint re soldered and new parts put in.

My B-2 is also getting a thorough going over. I don't think I can keep both so after I get a month or so living with both then one of these beasts may go in the classifieds.

(I think due to rarity the A-2000 will be staying, sorry @@The Fez)

Edited August 3, 2016 by jakeyb77