This classic Yamaha CR-1020 receiver was sold by us in the late 1970's. It sold for $895, at a time when a Holden HZ sedan went for $2150, so it was a serious bit of gear in its time.
Recently we were contacted by its new owner, who had picked it up at auction, possibly from a deceased estate. The unit was in near-mint condition, sounded beautiful and the only main problem was the little lamps illuminating the displays had passed away years ago.
Being an electronics engineer, the owner was able to replace these to make the unit like new again, and he also undertook a full teardown of the unit with an analysis of his findings as he went. This will likely appear in an upcoming edition of Silicon Chip magazine soon.
In an era when much of what consumers buy is close to disposable, it's nice to get reminders like this that quality design and manufacture stands the test of time.
This model sells for over $US1000 when they appear for sale, which is a further recognition of the importance of design. Not that the owner plans to sell...it's going to stay in his family for a long time to come!
