Posted by BuckNQ [ 69.161.66.143 ] on June 17, 2005 at 20:15:46:
In Reply to: Anyone have experience wth the Yamaha ca-1010 posted by akhilesh on August 30, 2004 at 15:55:36:
I currently own a ca-1010 and a pair of ct-810 tuners. I am a solid state baby, class of '80. I have nothing but respect for tube gear mind you, just not the bank account for it.
I had my eye on an 810 amp and I knew I was headed that way so when an 810 tuner came up cheap on eBay I jumped on it and waited for a suitable amp. I ended up with a 1010 that came with its own 810 tuner. Now I have 2 CT-810's and all of a sudden they're flooding eBay! (But try and catch a 1010 tuner. Pffft!)
As for the amp, whew. Massive. Intimidating.
I've had it hooked up to a slew of speakers.
Klipsch: Heresy (v.1978), Synergy KSF 10.5's, KG 3.5, 3.2, 2.2, 1.2; Spica: sc-50; Realistic: Maximus-20; Tannoy: Mercury m20's and 605's.
The clear winner was the ca-1010. It handled all of them with finesse and grace. Granted it's 90 watts into a selection of bookshelve speakers for the most part. I'd pick the Klipsch KG 3.2's if I had to. They are pigs and they love that power. The CA-1010 drove them without distortion to a volume beyond my limits.
Led Zeppelin and Jeff Beck to Frank Sinatra. Berlin Philharmonic with Peer Gynt Hall of the Mountain King. Surprising performance by the Radio Shack marketed Maximus-20. Possibly the closest sound to the venerable Heresy's. Though I haven't inspected the drivers in the Maximus, I do suspect that this is a Pioneer (Japan) family product from the time of the famed sx-_50/sx-_80 of the late 1970's. Big enough to handle the power and true to the sound of the seventies.
I have a Mac1700 that will never leave my bedroom system unless it's to go to Audio Classics for a tune-up. It powers the Spica sc-50's. I will note here that the Spica's were the only speakers I auditioned on the CA-1010 that noticeably improved with the switch to Class A operation. I would rate the Heresy's as most disappointing in class A mode possibly due to their power hungry construction. My expectations were too high because the 18 watts just didn't cut it for me and the musicians from the Berlin Philharmonic.
The family room has a Harman Kardon AVR525 and matching DVD player with the Klipsch 3.2's front and 2.2v center, 2.2 side surrounds and 1.2 rears plus a pair of SW-10II subwoofers. The whole system is Oak Oil finish and looks spectacular.
My private listening room (study) is permanent home to a Pioneer sx-950 driving a pair of vintage 1978 Klipsch Heresy's in Walnut Oil backed by a pair of Klipsch KG 1.2's in matching Walnut Oil.
To compare the CA-1010 to any other system is very apples/oranges. The Yamaha achieves a unique voice and quality that is it's own.
Overall the CA-1010 is a keeper. The mating of the obviously Japan made Maximus-20's with the 810 tuner and ca-1010 seemed wholly natural. As new permanent members of the garage system they will be replacing an old Harman Kardon HK650 amp and matching tuner. Watch eBay for that deal. Tannoy's too!
until the next hot vintage piece comes along ... Buck
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