Recently, two friends with lovely vintage Yamaha CA-610 and CA-710 integrated amplifiers sought my assistance to have them repaired. One was dead, the other was not working well.
The Yamaha CA-710 had blown one channel. One of the original output devices, a Sanken 2SA745, had a collector to base short and it had taken out one of the driver transistors.
The CA-610 was exceptionally dirty and greasy inside and working intermittently due to this contamination of switches and rotary controls.
I fixed both of them and their respective owners were extremely happy, they had probably both not sounded so good in years!
Full writeups coming soon…
Edit, 2024: Well, like so many pieces Ive worked on, articles are the last thing I get around to in many cases and I guess these are a good example!
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Fantastic looking pieces! Can’t wait for the full story.
Hi, I have the same problem with my 710, is there a follow up to this repair?
Hi Edgar, yes I repaired both of these a couple of years ago, no problems with either after repairs, both were dead when they came in and each needed slightly different surgery, but nothing massive. I’d suggest the next step if you are local to Perth is to give me a call and we can book her in for a proper inspection and repair.
hello im working 2 ca 610 2 yamaha amps both had a blown channel fixed the blown channells but bias issues on both all checks fine any ideas thx ed
Hi Ed, thanks for your enquiry and yes I have many thoughts on this. Technical assistance can be accessed through our consults, should you need it. This caters for extended technical discussion, tools, procedures, T&M equipment etc. I’m closed now until early January, have a great Xmas though and get back in touch once we reopen if you need me.
I have a Yamaha CA-610 everything works except the AUX port. The AUX has very low volume output and hums. Any suggestions on what the problem might be. I really want to fix this to pass unit on to my grandson.
Hi Dan, without seeing and testing her, it’s hard to say, but testing will reveal the issue. She will need other age-related maintenance anyway, so I suggest taking her to a reputable vintage hi-fi repairer in your city. Lovely amps, well worth keeping in good health!
Hi Dan- I have a Yamaha CA610-ll I bought new back in the late 70s that has been used since then. You think its time to recap,etc? What brand caps would be an upgrade? Thanks.
Hi Ray, it’s Mike by the way and thanks for stopping by! Our advisory service is available for enquiries like this, but briefly, a full service is the minimum I would recommend at this age, along with any overhaul work, as required. Every piece is unique and should be assessed and worked on by an experienced specialist as this will provide the best result and minimise the risk of damage. There is no one brand of capacitor that I recommend, I use various premium brands/series here @ Liquid Audio, dependent on customer budget and requirement, equipment type and role in-circuit.
Full write-up coming — sooner, or later?
Given how long ago this was, I guess much, much later Anton! Like so many hundreds of pieces I need to write articles about.
Well, what a pity, because your write-up of the CA 2010 was the best in class. Have been looking all over the wwwwww (pronounced wahwahwahwah) for such stuff and yours is really top-notch pro. Photographs are excellent quality too.
Anyway, you have ‘sold me’ on the CA 1010 or 2010 for my next amp. I have the CA 710 now but since 2018 it has been in for repairs twice and those pricey spot repairs are very far from being a restoration job. Almost makes me wish I went for the surfing lifestyle and ended up on the rocks in Perth instead of the rainy beaches of the UK!
Thanks Anton, very kind of you and I’ll endeavour to put something together before too long. You’ll enjoy the 2010 in particular I think, but that whole series is lovely. I’m familiar with those rainy beaches!