C-4 Preamp Any Good?
- Thread starter HypnoToad
- Start date
Very good. As mentioned in the "best pre for under $200" thread in VSS, it's a bargain for a pre with so much TT control.
PacificStereo
Super Member
It's a good preamp. Definitely a candidate for a recap. I did one of these about a year ago and it came out very nicely.
It's one of the most convoluted pieces we ever made, from a topology standpoint. Signals go from board to board to board to board and back again. This is made worse by the fact that in those days, we did not mark components on the boards with reference numbers. Finding Rxxx could be quite a challenge.
But definitely a good-sounding piece. I liked the one I did after it was finished.
It's one of the most convoluted pieces we ever made, from a topology standpoint. Signals go from board to board to board to board and back again. This is made worse by the fact that in those days, we did not mark components on the boards with reference numbers. Finding Rxxx could be quite a challenge.
But definitely a good-sounding piece. I liked the one I did after it was finished.
When mine was re-done a couple of years back I had it reassembled with the boards soldered directly together rather than with the seeming millions of clip connectors. There was even an intermediate board that became superfluous if I remember correctly. This made a very noticeable improvement to the clarity and especially the openness. At the same time all of the burned out bulbs were replaced by LEDs. I love the thing....
Dr. Ear
Super Member
I have two C-4. A nice sounding preamplifier and very versatile for vinyl lovers. It gets a bit warm in the area of the voltage regulators and usually suffers from a lot of bad solder joints. The selector switches are a culprit, too. I desoldered them and cleaned them in an ultrasonic device. Recapping is not a big job.
aidynphoenix
Super Member
i think the c-4 is sexy, delicious and beautiful.. oh and it looks cool too.
but i think i would have to get a divorce with mine if i ever found a C-1
BTW: thats the only way it would ever go up on a shelf out of my main rig.
but i think i would have to get a divorce with mine if i ever found a C-1
BTW: thats the only way it would ever go up on a shelf out of my main rig.
I picked it up tonight for a really good price and it's a very fine unit.
I love the look of it and it's needs some deoxit on the controls but it worked very well.
I found the first set of phono inputs were a bit dodgy so I switched to the second set and it sounds fine.
Can't wait to hear it after a full recap and deoxit, would replacing the resistors on the phono board with 1% metal film ones be worthwhile as well?
I love the look of it and it's needs some deoxit on the controls but it worked very well.
I found the first set of phono inputs were a bit dodgy so I switched to the second set and it sounds fine.
Can't wait to hear it after a full recap and deoxit, would replacing the resistors on the phono board with 1% metal film ones be worthwhile as well?
aidynphoenix
Super Member
my volume controll was dirty and i had to unsolder all 13 or 14 legs to get deoxit in there.. it doesent have manny holes.. but the ones it does have are on the bottom where it meets the board.
you will have to remove all the knobs. (requires a hex thinggy) and remove the face to get the nut off that holds the pot to the face of the unit..
(if the volume knob is the one that needs the deoxit) the other ones you can get to without all the work.
Luckily by the sound of it the volume control is fine, it's the balance control and the phono selector paddle that are bad, have to wiggle them to get rid of the static. The rest seem okay, I think the left channel phono RCA input 1 either has a bad joint or needs a good clean as it cuts out if you touch it.
After I listen to it a bit more I am going to lift the lid and tally up the caps for ordering. Panasonic FM/FC's should be the ticket.
This thing really rocks, what power amp would you recommend? I have it connected to the main on my CR-1020 at the moment and it's a major step up from the internal one.
aidynphoenix
Super Member
avionic recaped mine.. i think he used several different types of caps..
i have a yamaha m-4 poweramp.. it has never been recaped. i think it sounds good but it doesent blow me away.. i hope that changes someday when i get the money to have it recaped.
from what i have seen on here. the majority of people are saying your preamp makes more of a difference than the poweramp..
i have a yamaha m-4 poweramp.. it has never been recaped. i think it sounds good but it doesent blow me away.. i hope that changes someday when i get the money to have it recaped.
from what i have seen on here. the majority of people are saying your preamp makes more of a difference than the poweramp..
Here's a peak at the innards, looks like new. A lot of caps, Elna's and others. I spent a little while deoxiting the controls, the balance and phono switches were scratchy but are quiet as a mouse now. I thought the #1 phono input just needed some as well but it's still a bit dodgy, it's obviously a bad solder joint like Avionic said. So back to using #2 inputs, I will attend to that later as I am too busy listening to it. It sounds so smooth I never want to shut it off
