Description
Beautiful, fully functional Yamaha CR-1000 Stereo Receiver
Introduced in 1974 the Yamaha CR-1000 was a high end receiver that was offered in both the U.S. and Japan markets.
An audio magazine of the time said:
One significant aspect of the CR-1000 is its surprisingly affordable price, considering all the excellent features it offers. This makes the CR-1000 a truly unique proposition in the world of stereo equipment.
The CR-1000 is rated at 70 watts per channel. While this is somewhat low for a top end receiver of the time, Yamaha chose to focus less on power output and more on reducing distortion. This concept was incorporated in their tagline “Natural Sound”. Their marketing quote was:
By virtually eliminating IM’s (intermodulation distortion) brittle dissonance, we’ve given back to music what it’s been missing. A clear natural richness and brilliant tonality that numbers alone cannot describe. A new purity in sound reproduction.
Yamaha claimed that their heritage of producing fine musical instruments such as pianos, organs, guitars, woodwinds, and brass is what drove them to reducing distortion in their audio equipment.
The minimalist but handsome wood cabinet was included in the base price of the CR-1000.
One interesting choice that Yamaha’s designers, and I assume marketers, made was to omit AM tuning. They apparently believed that most music lovers would prefer to do without it. So, the CR-1000 is FM only.
The CR-1000 controls include a rumble filter with a steep roll-off, switchable treble filter options, a rotary volume control, and a slider for microphone gain control.
FM Tuner Section
The FM tuner in the CR-1000 has exceptional reception quality, thanks to its elaborate 5-gang tuning capacitor and a triple tuning circuit with dual-gated MOS-FETs. In fact, it achieved the highest level of FM reception possible for a tuner, regardless of cost, at time of production. The FM tuner is characterized by precise and accurate tuning, complemented by signal strength and tuning meters.
With its super-sensitive front end, selective IF amplifier, and advanced FM multiplex demodulator, the CR-1000 has an extremely well designed FM tuning section. Yamaha even introduced a groundbreaking feature in the FM demodulator – the adoption of negative feedback in its transistorized switching circuit. This was a first of its kind feature. This innovative circuit takes part of the switched left-channel and right-channel signals and feeds them back to the original composite signals, effectively reducing distortion in the multiplex demodulator to an impressive low of 0.05%.
The FM IF amplifier in the Yamaha CR-1000 is an intricate design that set new standards at the time. Its components include a discrete differential amplifier, two specialized high-gain integrated circuits containing six differential amplifiers, and three ideally phase-linear bi-resonator ceramic filters. These components contribute to the IF amplifier’s exceptional phase linearity and extraordinary band-pass characteristics.
The IF amplifier boasts an impressive 80dB selectivity, meaning that your favorite FM station remains undisturbed by neighboring stations. With a capture ratio of 1.0dB and low distortion of 0.15% at 400Hz for FM mono reception (or 0.3% at 400Hz for FM stereo reception), the IF amplifier delivers excellent clarity. Even in challenging urban areas where station jamming is common, the CR-1000 performs at a high level.
Tone Controls
The bass and treble controls, like the balance and loudness controls, are slider-type adjustments, with a choice of two switch-selectable inflection points for each as well as a DEFEAT position. The high and low-cut filters have 12 -dB-per-octave slopes and a choice of two cut-off frequencies.
Auto-Touch Tuning
To select your desired FM station, you simply touch the Tuning knob and the built-in AFC (Automatic Frequency Control) circuit shuts itself off for accurate tuning. Once you have “tuned in” the station, this AFC circuit activates as soon as you release the knob, guaranteeing steady, drift-free reception regardless of fluctuations in the power supply voltage or changes in the temperature of the tuner circuitry.
Yamaha used LED lamp indicators for power, automatic switch over from FM mono to FM stereo reception, and the automatic AFC/STATION selection. The AFC/STATION indicator glows in half-brightness when a station is tuned in; it changes to full brightness as you release the Tuning Knob, indicating that the AFC circuit is working.
The wide, frequency-linear FM dial, has a slide rule type design. Yamaha claimed to have devoted extra research to what they called “this important feature” to develop a smooth, over-sized flywheel and precise tuning mechanism.
The signal strength meter of the CR-1000 has some unique features. Unlike traditional meters found in other receivers and tuners, this meter incorporates an AGC (Automatic Gain Control) circuit that enables it to accurately indicate input signal strengths up to 100dB. Rather than easily deflecting the entire length of its scale, this meter provides more precise measurements. As a result, aligning your FM antenna for optimal reception becomes a straightforward task. Additionally, the center-of-channel meter, positioned next to the signal meter, deflects to the center of its scale when the tuner is precisely tuned to the center of the FM discriminator output. This center point represents minimal distortion and maximum stereo separation, ensuring an enhanced listening experience.
This one has been internally cleaned and is in perfect working order.
From Yamaha catalog:
Yamaha CR-1000
AM/Stereo FM Receiver • THe top unit in Yamaha’s newly re-
styled receiver line is the
Model CR- 1000. rated at 70 watts per channel con- tinuous power. both channels driven into 8 ohms across the full 20- to 20.000-Hz
range. Harmonic and intermodulation distortion, specified for all audio circuits of the amplifier including the phono preamplifier. do not exceed 0.1 per cent at any level up to rated output. Signal-to- noise ratios are 80 and 90 dB for the
phono and high-level inputs. respective- ly. IF sensitivity for the FM section is 1.7 microvolts (55 JB of quieting is achieved at 5 microvolts). with a capture ratio of 1 dB. 80 dB alternate-channel selectivity, and stereo separation of 35 dB from 50 to 10.000 Hz. Image. i.f.. and spurious-response rejection are all
110 dB.
The Yamaha CR- 1000 has a number
ofunusualelectricaland
control fea-
tures. Loudness compensation is con- tinuously variable at the front panel. permitting user adjustment of the com- pensation to suit the
actual listening
levels. The threshold of the FM inter- station-noise muting circuit is also con- tinuously variable. Grasping the tuning knob automatically deactivates the FM automatic-frequency-control circuit to permit greater tuning accuracy; releasing
the knob switches the circuit back in. One of the two magnetic-phono inputs
has switchable input impedance (30,000. 50.000. or 100,000 ohms): the preampli- fier employs FET’s at the input. and it is
specified
as conforming to the RIAA equalization characteristic within $0.2 dB. The bass and treble controls, like the balance and loudness controls, are
slider-type
adjustments.
with a choice of two switch-selectable inflection points
for each as well as a DEFEAT position. The high- and low-cut filters have 12-dB- per-octave slopes and a choice of two cut-off frequencies. There is a front-pan- el microphone input that feeds a separate high-gain amplifier with its own volume control. permitting input mixing. The receiver has the
necessary jacks and tape-monitor switching for two three- head stereo tape decks. with dubbing
possible from either deck to the other. Two pairs of speakers are accommodat- ed. Dimensions of the Yamaha CR-1000
are 20 x 6¾ x 13¼ inches.
Price:
$799.95.
The price includes the wood
cabinet shown.
