Yamaha M-85 good? Please bear with me!

Kuja

Active Member
Hi,

Please bear with me!

So many auctions popping out on eBay!

I'm still trying to decide what amp to get for my ARs...
( http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=436042 )

I almost decided to get a Kenwood KA-907 - a friend of mine has one and it works really well with his AR9s

Now I saw a Yamaha M-85. Some people on the Internet seem to like it a lot.
All the reviews at www.audioreview.com are raving, but many reviewers used it as DJ gear in army barracks and praise its ability to "pump watts".

What about "audiophile" aspect of it (if any)?

How would it compare soundwise to Kenwood KA-907?
...or to other vintage 100W+ amps from the 70's?
It is from the 80's and has these ugly bouncing power displays...
Lots of manufacturers started making crap in the 80's.

So many choices...
 
Last edited:
So you are saying that I shoud forget about the Kenwoods?

Any recommendations for the preamp?

Before I get one, can I just connect my CD player to M-85's inputs and use level controls as volume control?

If this is not a good idea, I can always use pre outs from my Cyrus III for a while.

How reliable M-85s are?

Should I replace any parts due to its age? Capacitors, ...etc.?

Can I find a service manual somewhere?

Thanks a lot!
 
As to a preamp, any good preamp would do. The matching Yamaha preamp, the C-85, would be fine. I have the previous model C-80, and it is a great preamp.
Whether or not to forget the Kenwoods' depends on how deep you want to get with this hobby.
I have said that the Kenwoods are very nice gear. They still are, but going to separates of the quality of the Yamaha M-85 is a different league.
I cannot speak directly of the M-85, but would presume it is very similar to the M-80. The M-80 is an iron fist in a velvet glove. It is a very high quality sounding amp.
The M-85 does have "volume" controls for each channel, so you could connect a cdplayer directly to it.
An advantage of a integrated amp like the KA-907 is that it simplifies things a bit--you've got the amp and preamp in one chassis.
 
One advantage to using the matching Yamaha preamp (or any other their better preamps) will be that they all have excellent phono-stages should be a vinyl person. And, any of the ones newer than the C-85 also have a remote, should that be important to you (as it is to me). You probably would get some gain with a recap. Especially with the preamp. I say that as I listen to my B-2 come into its own with about 50 hours of play after a recap. Stunning! The M-85 would be a great choice for an amp. You can read all about it and some of the preamps here: http://www.yamaha.co.jp/manual/english/index.php
 
Another idea for getting some good watts. Yamaha C-70 preamp (for sure and probably others higher up the line) can handle separate amps one for each side. You could get your megawatts fairly cheaply by using two M-50's (one right and one left). The M-50's are rated at 120wpc so when pushing just one side they'll let loose with a couple hundred watts.
 
yes forget about the kenwoods i have an m-80 and a m-85 love them. perfect reproduction of sound. yes you can hook up a cd player and use the level controls as volume.
 
Lots of manufacturers started making crap in the 80's.
These amps were NOT crap.And put out some serious, almost distortion free, power...Bout the only thing that I don't care for is the cheesy speaker wire binding posts-they were and still are crap.
 
...but I like the binding posts on my M-85..... I'm not entirely positive but the sound produced by the M-85 is higher quality than my MX-800 which doesnt actually suprise me but I didnt think there would be that much difference.
 
...but I like the binding posts on my M-85..... I'm not entirely positive but the sound produced by the M-85 is higher quality than my MX-800 which doesnt actually suprise me but I didnt think there would be that much difference.

Most of the ones I see..Are broken or cracked...Not yamaha's fault ,most are due to poor handling and packaging for shipment By shippee's and shipper's..
 
yes forget about the kenwoods i have an m-80 and a m-85 love them. perfect reproduction of sound. yes you can hook up a cd player and use the level controls as volume.

I like when an answer is well thought thru, but 4 years might just be overdoing it a bit.

You answered a quistion from year 2005 :)
 
Never Dead

These forums are great for looking up stuff, no matter when.
I just saw a Yamaha M85 for sale in my area and this was one of the first places I looked.
 
Well when the night is really dark and the sound just not good enough, then the thread of the loong gone M-85 wakes up... once again.

See you in a few years :bat:
 
Im thinking about buying a m-85, I found this thread, waiting to be revived...any good?
 
Back
Top Bottom