Yamaha CA-1000 vs CR-1000 vs CR-2020

[xoaphexox]

I acquired these three amps last week and performed a shootout pre and post recapping, and the results are in...


CA-1000 is the victor. In my opinion of course, the visuals of the CR-2020 are the best, but the sound of this CA-1000, whether it be class A or class AB, is great. I truely know now why they call it the "natural sound". The soundstage appears much wider than the Sansui's I have been auditioning lately.

In tone defeat mode, the Yamaha's midrange seems to be more prevalent than the Sansui G-8000, which as many have said, seems more sterile and cold.

I will post pictures soon but my GF took the digicam to a party.

Tracks used to A/B: Yes - Mood for a Day, Traffic, Neutral Milk Hotel, Steely Dan, and Morden's pic of Lynne Jordan (thanks).

I guess it's worth mentioning that I used stacked Pioneer HPM-100's to do the A/B. I will try out the Polk Monitor 10's and Sansui SP-3500's when I get more time this weekend, if I am not completely consumed with auditioning the Marantz 4400 and Pioneer SA-9100 that are sitting at the post office. (Don't tell the GF I spent my bonus on gear :nono: )

[BroonsBane]

Isn't that what bonuses are for? I mean, what else are you supposed to do with it? :scratch2:
Great buys you've had, that's a lot of new toys in a short period of time :thmbsp:

[wajobu]

CA-1000 is the victor. In my opinion of course, the visuals of the CR-2020 are the best, but the sound of this CA-1000, whether it be class A or class AB, is great.

When I first saw this thread (before I "clicked" the link), my immediate thought was the CA-1000, as well. I have all three and agree completely on the sound-side...this, despite the amp section of the CR-1000 being QUITE similar (essentially identical sans the Class A circuitry).

The CA-1000 has a VERY special sound quality to it--different from a Yamaha B-2 (VFET), but very tube-like, especially in Class A--clear and pure.

[xoaphexox]

Thanks, I plan on posting pics soon but my obsessive behavior is dictating that I recap and restore each of these units before I put them in full rotation. Just moments ago I found a discolored 47 ohm resistor on the CA-1000 power supply board. Must be replaced! Its a blessing and a curse to be so meticulous.

[BroonsBane]

Just moments ago I found a discolored 47 ohm resistor on the CA-1000 power supply board. Must be replaced! Its a blessing and a curse to be so meticulous.

No, it's a blessing that you have the ability to fix your gear yourself so go ahead, be meticulous :thmbsp:

[wajobu]

The CA-1000 has a certain awkwardness to its front panel layout, that was better resolved with the CA-2010/1010 era. One nice aspect to the CA-1000 is that it has the variable Loudness adjustment, missing on the later 2010/1010 (but NOT missing on the CA-810).

[Kptn Howdie]

The soundstage appears much wider than the Sansui's I have been auditioning lately.

In tone defeat mode, the Yamaha's midrange seems to be more prevalent than the Sansui G-8000, which as many have said, seems more sterile and cold.


i`m going to have to throw in my 2 cents here, maybe thats all my opinion is worth but i have to disagree with your analysis of yamaha vs sansui. i have a ca-2000. i also have a sansui g-7000 and 9090db. all three are recent aquisitions. after some valued demo time from all three units (the ca-2000 and the g-7000 side by side but with different speakers) i find your description that refers to sansui described "sterile and cold", the way i felt about the yamaha. the ca-2000 seems to have loads of bottom end power but i feel it lacks that rich magical sound of sansui`s. to be quite honest i had to turn the bass and treble to the max to get that sound i`ve grown to love from the sui`s.

although the sound of the yammie is crisp and clean, imo its very neutral leaning towards dull. i`m sorry to hijack this thread, maybe i`m just a little brainwashed over sansui these days.......:yes:

[xoaphexox]

Kptn Howdie, I totally see where you are coming from, and I would agree with you if not directly comparing the CA-1000 to the G-8000. Of the Sansui's I own, the G-8000, aside from being the most recently produced, is in fact the most sterile sounding of them. All my other Sansui's are rich and wonderful in the midrange, but alas, its apples and oranges! There are certain styles of music for which the G-8000 blows the Yamaha's out of the water, and for other musical types its vice versa. I did not intend to paint every Yamaha with the same brush, which is why I metioned specific model numbers and the songs I used to do the A/B. Were it not for my specific choices among these two awesome brands, the results could have been much different. I feel we are both right, because after all, not only do we own different equipment, we have different ears. I think the bottom line here is that regardless, vintage gear reigns supreme over this modern black plastic crap!!

[Kptn Howdie]

we have different ears. I think the bottom line here is that regardless, vintage gear reigns supreme over this modern black plastic crap!!

:sigh: your right........but the difference between our ears is mine has this ringing all the time, :dammit: fargin ipod!!!!!:music: