Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.
Out of sheer nostalgia, I developed a desire for the kind of sound I enjoyed when I first started playing around with audio setups. Commercial brands today, but cutting edge at that time - Hamlin Kenwood tube amplifier, TEAC deck, AKAI spool deck, Arphi speakers. In ignorance, I gave them away when I left India to go abroad. I would happily trade my current setup for that deep musicality from 50 years ago.
In an attempt to recreate that magic, began a hunt for a vintage amp. A good knowledgeable friend and on the forum helped me come up with a shortlist of sorts. The challenge was to find a reliable seller and an amp running on 230V. Amps made for Japan and the USA run on 100-110 V, and using a step-down transformer was likely to degrade the sound. What came up was a Yamaha CA 1010 from 1978 in pristine condition. The seller was Audio Antiquary in Italy (audioantiquary.com). The dealer confirmed that the amp had been fully checked out for functionality by their technical staff.
The amp arrived a few days ago. As promised – immaculate condition. As promised – fully functional. As anticipated – divine sound!
It is a very transparent but rich sounding amp, with a host of superb features. These include:
- Class A and B switchable
- VU meters that display wattage, db and REC OUT volume
- Stereo/Mono switchable
- Balance/Tone adjustment
- Superb MM/MC phono stage
It is beautiful looking too, with the wood finish cabinet matching very well with those of my Spendor speakers.
As expected, it lacks the resolution and imaging of modern gear. My Kinki EX-M1 has better resolution, better imaging and is sweet sounding. In comparison, the Yamaha is more dynamic with a ‘big’ sound. Weighty bass, live presentation. The best comparison is perhaps a statement made by my caretaker, “The Kinki sound reaches the ears,’ she said “ but this new amp touches the heart.”
The moral of this story, the moral of this post, is “don’t go mistaking paradise, for that sleek store across the road.” If you get a chance, before your next purchase, do listen to some vintage gear that FMs in your city may have. And if you are ever in Goa, it will be my pleasure to have you come over. As for me, I’ll probably move towards more vintage gear and let go of some of my current components in due course.
Cheers!
PS: Any other CA 1010 users here? Please post your impressions.
