We were burgled and one of the units stolen was our Cambridge Audio Azur 840
I am still very much in the analogue realm and while there was a NOS CAA 851 going cheap those are digital only and I didn't want to go with a full set of patch boxes for A2D.
So at the moment we are using one of my old Rotel H/T preamps and some old gear and due to the sudden demise of the NAD in the shed I have no music in there either.
I have a feeling that the insurance company is no going to come to the part with an honest "New for old" replacement.
Looking for some advice on possible replacements.
New, NOS perhaps and second hand very possible especially if I could get a rebuilt Yamaha C-80
No budget as yet but I have an advisory letter from the local Hi-Fi dealer [ where we bought the unit] that the closest comparable and available unit is the new Yamaha C-5000 but the dealer thought our old unit was superior. I actually thought the old Yamaha C-80 was better but my ears are old.
Advice and please no commiserations as we feel pretty rotten as it is, but at least they left my Trio monoblocks and the Rotel 1070
I am still very much in the analogue realm and while there was a NOS CAA 851 going cheap those are digital only and I didn't want to go with a full set of patch boxes for A2D.
So at the moment we are using one of my old Rotel H/T preamps and some old gear and due to the sudden demise of the NAD in the shed I have no music in there either.
I have a feeling that the insurance company is no going to come to the part with an honest "New for old" replacement.
Looking for some advice on possible replacements.
New, NOS perhaps and second hand very possible especially if I could get a rebuilt Yamaha C-80
No budget as yet but I have an advisory letter from the local Hi-Fi dealer [ where we bought the unit] that the closest comparable and available unit is the new Yamaha C-5000 but the dealer thought our old unit was superior. I actually thought the old Yamaha C-80 was better but my ears are old.
Advice and please no commiserations as we feel pretty rotten as it is, but at least they left my Trio monoblocks and the Rotel 1070
Sorry to hear about your dilemma. Was that a 840A or 840E?
Preamps are becoming a rare beast these days and hard to find. Even the old NAD C165 has disappeared but I think Rotel have one. What's available tend to be very pricey. All my commercial preamps are streamers with pre capability. Other than that I DIY simple ones.
The easiest solution is a good integrated amp with pre outs as it makes another power amp available and these days have digital inputs as well as analogue.
Preamps are becoming a rare beast these days and hard to find. Even the old NAD C165 has disappeared but I think Rotel have one. What's available tend to be very pricey. All my commercial preamps are streamers with pre capability. Other than that I DIY simple ones.
The easiest solution is a good integrated amp with pre outs as it makes another power amp available and these days have digital inputs as well as analogue.
The Quad Artera Pre is an all analogue preamplifier.
Artera Pre - Quad
Quad has an Australian distributor in Kirrawee.
The UK price is £999.95
EDIT: I've just clocked the price of a Yamaha C-5000 - £6,500 - in a different league!
Artera Pre - Quad
Quad has an Australian distributor in Kirrawee.
The UK price is £999.95
EDIT: I've just clocked the price of a Yamaha C-5000 - £6,500 - in a different league!
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It was the 840E
I do have digital sources but I usually use the DAC integral to the computers and use the simple stereo out functions of the mini plug and the Tape In / Tape out functions of the preamps.
Our local store is pushing the current Rotel units, recommends the new Michi if the insurance pays out or the 1590, but these only have a single phono input and those aren't MC and I was thinking of swapping the other TT for a moving coil unit.
Although modern cartridges are now very good and maybe that isn't needed
I do have digital sources but I usually use the DAC integral to the computers and use the simple stereo out functions of the mini plug and the Tape In / Tape out functions of the preamps.
Our local store is pushing the current Rotel units, recommends the new Michi if the insurance pays out or the 1590, but these only have a single phono input and those aren't MC and I was thinking of swapping the other TT for a moving coil unit.
Although modern cartridges are now very good and maybe that isn't needed
Here's a thought'
What would the cheap 951 be like with a full patch box ?
Do analogue to Digital converters work well enough to use with older audio input stuff?
The NAD compact disc player has a couple of digital outputs even tho I've never used them
What would the cheap 951 be like with a full patch box ?
Do analogue to Digital converters work well enough to use with older audio input stuff?
The NAD compact disc player has a couple of digital outputs even tho I've never used them
Had a Rotel 1570 a few years back before downsizing my several systems. It was quite a satisfying piece, with both an excellent phono stage and pretty decent DAC. You could do far worse.
There is a Kenwood Basic2 Preamp on eBay I have been looking at for the last couple od days. It's from 1984 which is getting a little old but I thought it was an interesting unit. Anybody know anything about them as my Google-Fu doesn't turn up much
The local retailer did comment that Rotel could do nothing wrong at the moment and either of the current Pre-Amps would be his budget recommendation.
If the insurance company come to the party then a Michi would be what he would want to sell us
Ah, the 840E. Had one that lasted 10 minutes with the volume ramping up and down on it's own.... click click click click.... click click click click. Didn't have any luck with a 840A as the transformer was so noisy. Their CXN still works well though.
The Michi is too much money for a pre and their lower offerings would make more sense.
The Michi is too much money for a pre and their lower offerings would make more sense.
It's unfortunate that the Pre in the garage system has gone just now. But I read that this run of NAD amplifiers have the instability problem as they age and the unit was S/H and cheap. My lack of skills with electronics is holding me back from buying something old.
Over the years I have found Rotel products to be generally very reliable so either of the pre-amps would be what we get and good enough for us for the next ten years or so.
That Kenwood C-2 does have all the features we want but it is 40 years old. Several threads about rebuilding them but I don't have the skills or the gear to do a rebuild on something like that
Over the years I have found Rotel products to be generally very reliable so either of the pre-amps would be what we get and good enough for us for the next ten years or so.
That Kenwood C-2 does have all the features we want but it is 40 years old. Several threads about rebuilding them but I don't have the skills or the gear to do a rebuild on something like that
That isn't encouraging. I did just clean all the dust and spilt beer from the party mixer and I have been using that today as my pre but now I have a power amp that won't work all of a sudden. Old age, like me; everything seems to be breaking down at once. But it is an old single ended Kenwood amp, using the big double die transistors and had some real grunt for driving bass speakers
What I meant by that is there is no improvement to the sound with a lot of effort and usually bettered by some newer stuff that doesn't need to be touched. Different if a classic is being restored for nostalgia.
Two items not working in a couple of days could indicate a problem in the mains supply. I've just had a air conditioning DC fan fail and the possible cause was a faulty circuit breaker in the meter box.
Two items not working in a couple of days could indicate a problem in the mains supply. I've just had a air conditioning DC fan fail and the possible cause was a faulty circuit breaker in the meter box.
Ah One of those pre's I'm looking at is definitely a "Classic" but the NAD on the shelf is just an amplifier.
NAD at the low end are nothing special but having the Pre section not working is a PITA
Amp section still works fine but I have plenty of old amps here. As you say fixing it probably isn't cost effective
I'll pull the circuit breakers and have a play and get the Sparky to check the wiring when he gets a chance to come around
NAD at the low end are nothing special but having the Pre section not working is a PITA
Amp section still works fine but I have plenty of old amps here. As you say fixing it probably isn't cost effective
I'll pull the circuit breakers and have a play and get the Sparky to check the wiring when he gets a chance to come around
Anybody care to make a comparison between the Rotel alternatives?
Just reading the adverspeak I can't detect any real difference between the RC1590 and the Michi
Still waiting to hear from the insurance company
Just reading the adverspeak I can't detect any real difference between the RC1590 and the Michi
Still waiting to hear from the insurance company
I am so embarrassed.
Pre-Amp not stolen at all. I just found it in a wrong place and in a Rotel Power amp box.
I honestly do not remember doing that or moving from the "To be repaired" shelf.
Police informed and the insurance claim cancelled.
So I guess I now need to figure out if a repair is justified or buy the "Classic" I am watching on eBay or save really really hard for that Rotel RC1590 or sell a few grandchildren for medical experiments
Pre-Amp not stolen at all. I just found it in a wrong place and in a Rotel Power amp box.
I honestly do not remember doing that or moving from the "To be repaired" shelf.
Police informed and the insurance claim cancelled.
So I guess I now need to figure out if a repair is justified or buy the "Classic" I am watching on eBay or save really really hard for that Rotel RC1590 or sell a few grandchildren for medical experiments
Don’t feel bad.....I once reported my truck stolen the morning after I’d left it at the bar, handed me a ticket for expired registration after they found it. I backpedaled and said some fool musta took it and left it there! 
So the Azure has been repaired at what I think is a reasonable cost and I want to sell it.
What's a reasonable selling price for an Azure 840E with new rotator and new higher spec relays ?
I'd like to think at least $1200-
All things considered if I can't find a Yamaha C-80 I'd prefer either a Rotel or something in a higher end NAD
What's a reasonable selling price for an Azure 840E with new rotator and new higher spec relays ?
I'd like to think at least $1200-
All things considered if I can't find a Yamaha C-80 I'd prefer either a Rotel or something in a higher end NAD