1 week with my "new" CR-1020

Sauternes

Sauternes

Vintage HI-FI newbie
7 days ago I brought home my "new" CR-1020 and I'm in love with it.
It has some issues: the tuner bulb must be replaced and sometimes it goes into protection so requires to be shut off and wait before turned on again.
So in the next days I will bring it to a laboratory for a check and some service.
But it is so magnificent I love it even when it is not playing!
 

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My 1020 and 2020 have made me get rid of most of my other receivers. The look and sound wonderful. But do yourself a favor and get it serviced soon.
 
bandg69 said:
But do yourself a favor and get it serviced soon.
Click to expand...

I'll do.
I live in a small town in Italy and I'm a total newbie to vintage hi-fi, so it is not easy to find a trusted technician not too far, but after some time spent reading forums I think I found the right one.
Thanks!
 
I like the euro case. It really lets that clean faceplate stand out. Next time mine is opened up I'll take some measurements of the case and post them.
 
Have always wanted one...I'm jealous! Or a 2020 or dare I say a 3020!!!
 
turnitup said:
Have always wanted one...I'm jealous!
Click to expand...
Keep looking!
here in Italy big receivers weren't very popular, so now they are pretty hard to find, so I got the first (and only) one that appeared on eBay.
Now I'm planning to buy a CR-1000 from a friend of a friend, let's see!

turnitup said:
Or a 2020 or dare I say a 3020!!!
Click to expand...
actually I found a 3020, but the required price (€1900!!!) was out of my reach and probably out of reason!
 
There are so few 3020s that I'm not sure that they really have a market price. Supply/demand...
 
You (the OP, that is) were looking for one of these a little while back, yes? Glad to see you found a nice one! FWIW, I, also, very much like the aesthetics of the "Euro-style" case on the Yamahas; more elegant, I'd opine, than what we got in Amurrica.

let's see if we can borrow a couple of images; source is http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...ha-cr-1020-what-should-i-expect.363579/page-2

imagemagic.php


vs.

yamahacr1020.jpg


The big receivers weren't really that common in the US either -- they were expensive, and the US economy in most of the 1970s was... well... it was interesting.

Indeed, it surprises me how easy it is, at this late date, to find the bigger massmarket receivers (i.e., in the US).
 
Fantastic choice!

My CR-1020 was in perfect working condition, but AKer '39cross' generously offered to recap the power section in it for me recently. That made a significant improvement - it is now filled out nicely in the mids and bass. Overall it sounds more energetic and punchy, whereas before it was slightly lean-sounding and polite. It also is better able to drive my AR4x's now.

Ordinarily I'm a tubes guy, but my CR-1020 has given me a new appreciation for quality solid state.
 
mhardy6647 said:
You (the OP, that is) were looking for one of these a little while back, yes? Glad to see you found a nice one!
Click to expand...

Yes!
I was buying a CR-1000, the only "big" receiver I could find here in Italy when the CR-1020 surfaced.
I knew from the sellers of the issues but I decided to buy it nonetheless and having it repaired/serviced.

mhardy6647 said:
FWIW, I, also, very much like the aesthetics of the "Euro-style" case on the Yamahas; more elegant, I'd opine, than what we got in Amurrica.
Click to expand...

I think you are right, but the USA case gives to the receiver a more massive look, IMHO perfect if it is going to sit alone on a cupboard.

mhardy6647 said:
The big receivers weren't really that common in the US either -- they were expensive, and the US economy in most of the 1970s was... well... it was interesting.
Click to expand...

very interesting in EU and in Italy too, as a kid I remember when the government banned private car usage on sundays to save oil!

mhardy6647 said:
Indeed, it surprises me how easy it is, at this late date, to find the bigger massmarket receivers (i.e., in the US).
Click to expand...

Same surprise here.
But I will be much more surprised to see some of the 9.1 AV receiver of today still working in a 40 years time!
 
Today I brought the Yamaha to the service shop.
I found it searching on the web, I hope it is OK and that the CR will come back home soon and in perfect shape!
(I also hope the service will not be too expensive...)
 
We hope that the service is not too expensive, as well! :)

Remember, though, you're paying for a pretty high level of skill and expertise, so it won't be inexpensive... but it should be (or it may be) a good investment!
 
Last edited:
The CR-1020 is a beautiful receiver and you will definitely enjoy it. Good luck with it!
 
Thank you everybody for the kind words!
Yesterday I brought home the receiver after the service, now it is besides me playing some crappy FM stuff, everything sounds and looks OK.
The tech guy replaced several capacitors, cleaned all the moving parts with de-oxy spray and replaced the burnt lamp.
He was pretty amazed by the "interiors" of the receiver, both for the quality of construction and for how packed it is.
So, crossing fingers, I'm ready to enjoy my 40 yrs old CR-1020 for the next 40 years!
 
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