Yamaha CT-7000 FM Tuner - Incredible Build Quality and Performance

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General:

It's a shame the CT-7000 is the only piece in this series that Yamaha built.

We've yet to find another piece from this era with the same outstanding build quality, parts selection, and performance. A matching Yamaha preamp and amp would have been a killer combo!

This particular unit essentially looks super clean inside and out. This is a true survivor piece and is priced accordingly. Only produced from 1974 through 1978. 

The included wood cabinet has a gorgeous patina, and looks amazing with the typical Yamaha anodized aluminum look. The wood cabinet has some surface scratches we took care of by lightly refinishing in our shop.

On the bench it performed up there with tuners like the McIntosh MR78 and the Tandberg 3001. Seriously. 

Lastly it's featured on The Vintage Knob website, so you know it's something special.

Brand Background:

Yamaha kabushiki gaisha, /ˈjæməˌhɑː/; Japanese pronunciation: [jamaha]) is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate with a very wide range of products and services. It is one of the constituents of Nikkei 225 and is the world's largest musical instrument manufacturing company. The former motorcycle division was established in 1955 as Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., which started as an affiliated company but later became independent, although Yamaha Corporation is still a major shareholder.

Ownership:

Second Owner

Connections:

RCA fixed and variable outputs, and Coax antenna inputs

General Sound:

Accurate to the recording

Cosmetic Condition:

7 - Some Wear and Light Scratches

https://skyfiaudio.com/pages/our-rating-scale

Working Condition:

Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:

Just the unit and power cord

Packing:

Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.

Dimensions:

17.17" x 5.67" x 13.86"

Weight:

25 lbs.

Age:

1974

Reviews:

https://vintagesonics.com/reviews/radio-tuners/yamaha-ct-7000-review/

Recommended Cables:

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Testing Process:

We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR. Vintage analog tuners also have moving parts related to the tuning gang and dial string. These parts are inspected for smooth operation.

If the unit passes visual inspection it is bench tested for a handful of key performance parameters using a Sencore SG80 AM/FM Stereo Analyzer. The SG80 allows us to “simulate” an ideal radio station using precision test signals instead of music. This device, in conjunction with an oscilloscope allows us to properly evaluate the following parameters:

1.  AM Reception (Where Applicable)

2.  FM Mono Reception & Tuning Meter Function

3.  FM MPX Reception (Stereo)

4.  Dial Tracking - How accurately the tuner dial or display indicates the actual frequency of the broadcast being received.

5.  Stereo Separation - A properly working stereo tuner will have minimal crosstalk between the left and right channel.

6.  Sensitivity & Signal Strength Meter Function - By lowering the output of the SG80 we can simulate weak stations and determine how well the tuner will be able to pull in weak distant stations. This adjustment also helps us verify signal strength meter function.

If the tuner has acceptable performance related to the parameters above we connect the unit for listening tests with a simple dipole antenna. We listen for audio reproduction quality of local stations and evaluate how many stations the tuner can receive while we sweep through the dial. We are looking to verify that the tuner can decode stereo on strong local broadcasts and pick up a wide variety of local stations at the bottom, middle, and top of the frequency band. At this point we also test convenience features such as muting, filters, built in oscilloscope function, etc.

We finish up with an extended listening test on our long term test rig. We tune in a strong local station and monitor for drift over a 2-3 hour period.

Specs:

Type: Mono/Stereo Tuner
Tuning Bands: FM
Tuning Scale: Analog
FM Tuning Range: 88 to 108 MHz
Sensitivity: 1.6uV (FM)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 75dB (FM)
Distortion: 0.2% (FM)
Selectivity: 80dB (FM)
Frequency response: 30Hz to 15kHz (FM)
Output: 775mV
Semiconductors: 108 x transistors, 12 x FET, 7 x IC, 33 x diodes