These any good?

[DwaneHollands]

Hi guys,

I have just been given by an engineer that does work for us the following:

Yamaha NS-690
Yamaha CA-1000
Yamaha Turntable

Anyone know anything about this gear? He said he paid $900 per speaker in the 70's and about $3k for the rest.

YamahaStuff.JPG

EDIT: Thought I had already written this.

It has some 'studio-esque' features on the amplifier. Kinda like a monitor controller. Mono, left or right, mono summing and what looks like stereo-reverse!

Normal or class A amplification. -20db muting. control 3 pairs of speakers, run A and B together or A and C, or choose A, B or C. Multiple sources. It all looks like unbalanced RCA on the back. There are two 'mic inputs' that look like 1/4" jacks. Not sure if that's TS or TRS. I wonder whether it has a mic preamp, or if that is the balanced inputs.

The speakers have mid and high level adjustments +/- 3db.

Man they look good though

[mylesgm]

Dont know anything about the amp other than mid 70's yamaha gear is pretty decent and that sounds particularly full featured. The turntable will be as better than anything you can buy today for under 1000 but you'll probably want to replace the needle and cartridge.

The speakers are very similar to the NS-10 but in a 3 way with a larger woofer but I believe the same tweeter. My Dad used to have a pair in his office and they were quite decent. Truth be told though I've never liked the sound of the NS-10 and never understood why others did.

Good score Dwane.

M

[Chris H]

Just been listening to a pair of the Yamaha speakers. They are quite different sounding to the NS10 as they are designed as a full range mid feild monitor. Ours are hanging on brackets in the schools orchestra room. on the wall.For what it's worth, they sound better here than they used to when positioned 10 feet from the wall. I find them to quite good and think they are worth keeping.

[DwaneHollands]

Dont know anything about the amp other than mid 70's yamaha gear is pretty decent and that sounds particularly full featured. The turntable will be as better than anything you can buy today for under 1000 but you'll probably want to replace the needle and cartridge.

The speakers are very similar to the NS-10 but in a 3 way with a larger woofer but I believe the same tweeter. My Dad used to have a pair in his office and they were quite decent. Truth be told though I've never liked the sound of the NS-10 and never understood why others did. Good score Dwane.

Hey Myles!

Yeah I didn't think it was going to be very exciting when he told me he had some old speakers that he wanted to give away. When he mentioned how much he paid in 1970, I got a little more interested. lol.

Man the power amp is heavy. He said one of the channels makes a buzzing noise, so I might have to try and get it fixed. Once I figure out how to hook these babies up, I'll see. I'm guessing they're not going to be the most accurate monitoring setup. Heck the power amp alone is going to colour it big time I'm guessing.

The tweakability of the midrange and top end is pretty cool though.

Cool that the turntable is decent. I've got some parts with it too. The head thingy. Never run vinyl before, barely be able to figure out how to play a record!

Is scratching something I should do on this player, or is that an abomination?

[DwaneHollands]

Just been listening to a pair of the Yamaha speakers. They are quite different sounding to the NS10 as they are designed as a full range mid feild monitor. Ours are hanging on brackets in the schools orchestra room. on the wall.For what it's worth, they sound better here than they used to when positioned 10 feet from the wall. I find them to quite good and think they are worth keeping.

Cool, my guess is I probably wouldn't mix through them much if all. Just checking the final mix on it perhaps. Maybe for the grin-factor.

Yeah crank those babies up now...

Probably have much better bass response with the 12" than my Truth B3031A's.

[SteveL]

Good score Dwane! Reminded me of an elderly client of mine who was moving house after remarriage to a much younger wife. She wanted to move him from his lovely old home into a modern apartment and wanted everything upgraded. She couldn't stand the sight of his bulky Nakamichi CD player (OMS-II) and Nakamichi amplifier (SR4A Stasis), and a pair of big 'ol floorstanding JBL three-way speakers (L80T-series, kissing cousins of JBL's 4410 studio monitors) - she had her eye on a brand new Bang & Olufson system with pole speakers etc to replace them . Lucky for me the old fella asked me if I would like to have his Nakamichi/JBL system gratis (with boxes and manuals). He knew I loved my audio and was happy to see the system go to someone that appreciated it rather than upset his new missus. God bless that old fella. I'm sure everyday his wife turns on that B&O system he gets a tear in his eye.....

Steve

[DwaneHollands]

Good score Dwane! Reminded me of an elderly client of mine who was moving house after remarriage to a much younger wife. She wanted to move him from his lovely old home into a modern apartment and wanted everything upgraded. She couldn't stand the sight of his bulky Nakamichi CD player (OMS-II) and Nakamichi amplifier (SR4A Stasis), and a pair of big 'ol floorstanding JBL three-way speakers (L80T-series) - she had her eye on a brand new Bang & Olufson system with pole speakers etc to replace them . Lucky for me the old fella asked me if I would like to have his Nakamichi/JBL system gratis (with boxes and manuals). He knew I loved my audio and was happy to see the system go to someone that appreciated it rather than upset his new missus. God bless that old fella. I'm sure everyday his wife turns on that B&O system he gets a tear in his eye.....

Steve

Haha cool!

Hey yeah, I didn't think those bang and Olufsen sound systems sounded very good at all! I went to the mercedes dealership where B&O were doing a display and they demo'd the sound system.

Man, talk about ordinary. No punch! ordinary highs. The guy though he was being impressive. Talked about the large sweet spot. I moved my head from left to right and could hear the sweet spot go and come back.

I just nodded my head, yeah no worries mate. Wasn't going to get into a argument that my low-end be!@#$%^& monitor speakers have more punch, clarity, imaging and even bottom end!

Some times I bring friends over to watch a movie in the studio, and they can't believe the sound. Best they have ever heard.

Imagine a pair of Barefoot's mm27's!

[mylesgm]

I reckon they'd make excellent large monitors for comparing mixes or impressing clients at higher volumes. I'd use the amp in the lounge room setup with the turntable for listening.

Modern B and O sucks badly. Some old B and O stuff rocked including the B and O ribbon mics that speiden and royer were heavily inspired by. Also linear tracking turntables and a bunch of excellent early innovations in processing but they are seriously lacking now in just about everything except arrogance and a hip kind of style.

[DwaneHollands]

I reckon they'd make excellent large monitors for comparing mixes or impressing clients at higher volumes. I'd use the amp in the lounge room setup with the turntable for listening.

Well it's the same room. lol. One room setup.

Well it'd be nice to have some mid-fields for cranking on.

Is the Turn table suitable for scratching. I was thinking of later getting one of those M-Audio setups (Torq software) and using those special vinyl records for triggering. (If I'm understanding it correctly)

Modern B and O sucks badly. Some old B and O stuff rocked including the B and O ribbon mics that speiden and royer were heavily inspired by. Also linear tracking turntables and a bunch of excellent early innovations in processing but they are seriously lacking now in just about everything except arrogance and a hip kind of style.

Yeah, they've got style...

[mylesgm]

I reckon the scratching will damage a hifi needle but if the headshell will allow a stanton 500al then scratch away.

[DarkSky]

These any good?

Well - regardless of how good they turn out to be... they sure *look* cool!

[DwaneHollands]

I reckon the scratching will damage a hifi needle but if the headshell will allow a stanton 500al then scratch away.

Haha. Great Myles. When I'm ready I'll do some research into changing/purchasing headshell thingys!

[DwaneHollands]

These any good?

Well - regardless of how good they turn out to be... they sure *look* cool!

oh man, they look awesome!

[DwaneHollands]

So......

I plugged them in. I'm having some distortion issues with the output of my daw overloading the inputs of the power amp.

The inputs I'm using is called, "mics" L & R. They are 1/4" connectors. No gain knob or anything, so I don't think there is any preamp.

So I trim my DAW's output majorly - just above 1 or whatever.

DAMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNN - these speakers are awesome!

They are very close to my BTtruth's for what that's worth. I was expecting very little from them. And man they're blowing me away. Personally I think they're very usable! The tops are great! I didn't expect them to be that clean on the top end. The knobs for adjusting them are very subtle, but you can notice once you've moved them, so a great tuning tool I think.

A good thump too! One piece that I had spent time trying to get the bottom end tuned well has translated beautifully. It thumps me during the crescendo which I can't wipe the smile off my face.

I was even giggling at one point....

EDIT: OH, and the imaging is pretty good so far! So usable. On stuff that I thought was sibilent, it has really shown that up dramatically too!

Oh here's a pic of my very messy studio, with the speakers in very un-optimable position. I intend to the bTruths under, horizontal maybe, and stack these babies on top. hahaha.

P1010108.JPG

[Chris H]

I think those amps have a preamp out/main amp in connection. If so go from your DAW into the main amp in. Phono to RCS should do the trick and you will be gobsmacked at the difference in sound quality compared to going into an aux input of the amp and the whole preamp tone circuitry.......and the mic in is definitely not the way into the amp from the DAW.
Is this the same amp?

image.jpg

[DwaneHollands]

I think those amps have a preamp out/main amp in connection. If so go from your DAW into the main amp in. Phono to RCS should do the trick and you will be gobsmacked at the difference in sound quality compared to going into an aux input of the amp and the whole preamp tone circuitry.......and the mic in is definitely not the way into the amp from the DAW.

Hey Chris!

Thanks for the info! I've actually just discovered that it appears the left channel 'mic in' is not working. (I've been listening to the right channel doubled:) The connection for mic in is dislodged and floating.

Oh man sweet! It has the Main In - Pre Out. I thought it was pretty transparent already! Can't wait to get some 1/4" to RCA and see how transparent this amp is!

Man, just been watching some trailers on itunes - Thor for example - man it sounds incredible on this system cranked.

I would hazard to say these are better than my behringers. If there is an improvement with the main-in approach - I think the behringers will be used less and less.

[Chris H]

Definitely a step up from the behringers i reckon. ........A word of warning about using the main in (if you haven't already sused it out) . The amp will be 100% power so you will need to turn down the output from your A to D converter or from within your DAW or else you might blow you tweeters!

[DwaneHollands]

Definitely a step up from the behringers i reckon. ........A word of warning about using the main in (if you haven't already sused it out) . The amp will be 100% power so you will need to turn down the output from your A to D converter or from within your DAW or else you might blow you tweeters!

oh, so the large volume knob on the amplifier will be bypassed completely when I go into the main-in connection. Thanks for the warning.

This thing even has a normal or class-a switch. When I use the class A, it overdrives the highs, over the 'normal' switch. Would that also be bypassed? Was kinda hoping to use that, when I get the phono to RCA jacks, to see what it's really capable of!

[DwaneHollands]

I think those amps have a preamp out/main amp in connection. If so go from your DAW into the main amp in. Phono to RCS should do the trick and you will be gobsmacked at the difference in sound quality compared to going into an aux input of the amp and the whole preamp tone circuitry.......and the mic in is definitely not the way into the amp from the DAW.
Is this the same amp?

image.jpg

Oh, I just saw the picture there - didn't notice before.

Yeah, it's looks like that amp. It only has 2 power outlets, not 4. Everything else looks the same. It's But it's a Yamaha CA-1000.

Serial No: 22739

[justin]

B&O did make nice telephones.

my 2c

[DwaneHollands]

B&O did make nice telephones.

my 2c

Haha, I hear ya Justin...

[DwaneHollands]

Hey Chris!

Yeah, I got me some cables (big chunky ones) and Phono to RCA adaptors and plugged it into the main-in, but no signal being put out. I've tried flicking to every imaginable setting on the system to get it to output audio, but no luck.

I input it into the Aux 1, but that's still using the preamp, right? I'm running my interface output knob at half now (12 O'Clock).

EDIT: Oh, and I've got true stereo happening now...which is nice.lol.

[Chris H]

Hey Chris!

Yeah, I got me some cables (big chunky ones) and Phono to RCA adaptors and plugged it into the main-in, but no signal being put out. I've tried flicking to every imaginable setting on the system to get it to output audio, but no luck.

I input it into the Aux 1, but that's still using the preamp, right? I'm running my interface output knob at half now (12 O'Clock).

EDIT: Oh, and I've got true stereo happening now...which is nice.lol.

When using the Aux input there would normally have to be a connector from the pre out to the main in for the amp to pass signal. This is usually a U shaped solid metal connector that plugs into the "hole" of the female RCA. If the aux in works without a conection from pre out to main in then i suspect it has been bypassed internally.

I use these leads to go to the main in, or female XLR to RCA.

IS353418-01-01-BIG.jpg

[DwaneHollands]

Hey Chris!

Yeah, I got me some cables (big chunky ones) and Phono to RCA adaptors and plugged it into the main-in, but no signal being put out. I've tried flicking to every imaginable setting on the system to get it to output audio, but no luck.

I input it into the Aux 1, but that's still using the preamp, right? I'm running my interface output knob at half now (12 O'Clock).

EDIT: Oh, and I've got true stereo happening now...which is nice.lol.

When using the Aux input there would normally have to be a connector from the pre out to the main in for the amp to pass signal. This is usually a U shaped solid metal connector that plugs into the "hole" of the female RCA. If the aux in works without a conection from pre out to main in then i suspect it has been bypassed internally.

I use these leads to go to the main in, or female XLR to RCA.

IS353418-01-01-BIG.jpg

Chris you legend!

I saw a little switch on the back called 'Coupler'. It was 'on'. There was a little plastic tab, with a hinging screw to prevent it from being switched off. I loosened the screw the other day, and rotated the tab out of the way, and then tried switching it off, but it didn't do anything.

Your post prompted me to look closer, and I noticed that the switch was still being impeded by the plastic and not allowing it to full switch off. I removed the tab and switched it across!

Works beautifully. I believe it's cleaner output. I can now run my DAW output knob at close to full (some sources like it backed off a touch) with no distortion.

Brilliant!