Yamaha CR-420 or CR-640??? Please help.

elgato8905

Nobody special.
Okay here's the deal. There's is a guy on CL selling both a Yamaha CR-420 and a Yamaha CR-640. I have been wanting to buy a decent smaller vintage receiver to send my daughter as I am setting her up with a vintage system. I know they are both good receivers but I've heard that the CR-640's have a lot of issues. Is there anyone here who has had or worked on either and can advise me as to the quality of each? The guy who is selling them is asking $50.00 for the 420 and $60.00 for the 640 so as of right now it seems the 640 would be the better value.

There is also one more issue that I'm going to have to deal with. I live 60 miles away from the guy who is selling them but my Mom and her husband live very close to him so they are going to check it out for me. I will be on the phone with them while they are there and I can instruct them to look for general things but is there anything significant to these receivers that I should have them check out? The guy said they are both hooked up so they will be able to try them out.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Thank you
-Greg-:thmbsp:
 
I would really go look at them myself, your parents aren't going to throw all the switches, see if the knob shafts are bent, wiggle the rca connectors, etc.
Maybe have your parents verify sound comes out both channels, buy both and deal with it from there.
 
I would really go look at them myself, your parents aren't going to throw all the switches, see if the knob shafts are bent, wiggle the rca connectors, etc.
Maybe have your parents verify sound comes out both channels, buy both and deal with it from there.

Ideally I would go myself but unfortunately I have other stuff I have to do. I'm pretty sure my moms husband will be able to test out a lot of the stuff. Especially considering I'm going to be on the phone with him telling him what to look for. He's actually owned some nice gear from when he was stationed over seas. My daughter will really only be using it to hook her ipod and a CD player up to. She will probably also be using the FM section too. I know cosmetically they are both in really good condition because I've seen pics of them.
 
As to what you should do I don't know.I can tell you that I did pick up a CR420 recently and it is a very nice little unit.I don't think I am a big Yamaha fan but I am impressed with this little 420.$50 might be kind of steep.
 
As to what you should do I don't know.I can tell you that I did pick up a CR420 recently and it is a very nice little unit.I don't think I am a big Yamaha fan but I am impressed with this little 420.$50 might be kind of steep.

$50 sounds steep for the CR-420. I just picked one up today for $35 from CL and it's in great shape cosmetically and functionally, just needs a bit of Deoxit for the controls and she'll be right as rain. For such a small unit power-wise, this thing can crank pretty loud.
 
The CR-420 is all discrete components, the CR-640 does have thick film hybrid power amps (still available) and pre-drivers (no longer available).
 
I would buy the CR-420 too (I have 2 CR-420, and 2 CR-620, and many other yamaha) for the reason Merrylander said, discrete components on the CR-420. This little receiver is a gem in his class.

I would stay away from amplifiers and receivers with power packs, from any manufacturers by the way...
 
I'd go CR-640, for the totally subjective reason that I think it's better looking and I think your daughter would too.

CR-640Angle.jpg


(Full disclosure: I'm a CR-640 owner and shameless shill for the x40 series)
 
Course the 420 is no slouch in the looks department:

CR-420a.jpg


It's probably a little more compact than the 640 too, which might make a difference if space is an issue.
 
If it helps I have a CR400 receiver & a CA600 amp very little difference in the sound just more power in the amp & more connections for other equipment

Loudness & balance controls on the 640 may be better - quite a price difference between the two originally
 
Thanks everyone... I ended up getting the CR-640. As far as I can tell from having them test it from over the phone everything works perfectly. My parents said the guys house was full of vintage gear (a lot of it still in it's original boxes) so that gave me some reassurance. I'm looking forward to getting it home and giving it the once over which will involve cleaning all the pots and switches and seeing how the synergy matches up with a pair of Paradigm bookshelfs that I also bought for my daughter. Then it's time to start packing it up!!!

Thanks again!!!:thmbsp::music:
 
As computer setup I am currently running a CR-640 through a pair of Paradigm mini 3SE bookshelf speakers - I think you will be pleased with this combo, which sounds nice and clean.

Congrats on the purchase! :thmbsp:
 
Course the 420 is no slouch in the looks department:

CR-420a.jpg


It's probably a little more compact than the 640 too, which might make a difference if space is an issue.

Nice Pic! I love my 420 too! I need to replace the lamps in mine. It's still plenty loud. and everything works as it should.:music::banana:
 
Nice looking 420.I am sending mine to my nephew in NJ.He wants to delve in to vintage.Hes been primarily a computer guy.Been waiting for a small receiver to send him.
 
Thanks everyone... I ended up getting the CR-640. As far as I can tell from having them test it from over the phone everything works perfectly. My parents said the guys house was full of vintage gear (a lot of it still in it's original boxes) so that gave me some reassurance. I'm looking forward to getting it home and giving it the once over which will involve cleaning all the pots and switches and seeing how the synergy matches up with a pair of Paradigm bookshelfs that I also bought for my daughter. Then it's time to start packing it up!!!

Thanks again!!!:thmbsp::music:

Good choice! Hope she enjoys it.
 
The 640 has two test points in the left front just between the protection relay and the heatsink. They are usually marked TL and TR and there are two variable resistors just to the right. With the reciever warmed up and no signal input, volume at zero. Use a mini-grabber NOT alligator clips as there is no room and if you short the two test points the magic smoke comes out. Measure between TL and the chassis and adjust the associated variable resistor to get a zero reading. Do the same for TR.
It is VR701 for TL (closest to the back) and VR702 for TR (closest to the front).
 
I know this is an old thread but please bear with me. I've recently been bitten by the vintage receiver bug and have a question for Marylander and your last response on adjustment. I have the CR-640 and would like to do the adjustment you mentioned but I'm clueless but willing to learn. o I use a multimeter that I have from Harbor Freight? What exactly do I set it to? If you're willing, can you message me more details please?
Much appreciated, Wally
 
I found a 420 nearby for $20 but it blows a 3 amp fuse when powered on. Any ideas if that could be a simple thing like a frayed power cord?
 
Personally if you are set on buying one of those two, I would go for the 420. The XX20 series was better made than the XX40 series. By the time of the 40's they had started cheapening them up and putting plastic parts inside. The 420 probably weighs about the same as the 640.
 
Back
Top Bottom