YAMAHA Limited Centennial Edition 1887-1987 Series 10000

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Tipo : Impianti HiFi

YAMAHA Limited Centennial Edition 1887-1987
Series 10000

FULL COMPLETE SERIES

Check the whole serie on "thevintageknow"

NOTE Request is HIGH

Ph. number +39.333.7650672

A very rare chance to buy this world class system.
Probably the most remembered "Jubilee" or "Anniversary" series.

Yamaha spared no expense for the Centennial Series and could do so : this was before the 1987 crash and subsequent 1990s gradual retreat of all Japanese brands toward the mid-end and low-end segments of the market.

The production run for each Centennial unit still is a mystery but, contrarily to what one could believe, the three tenors of the series (CX-10000, MX-10000 and the CDX-10000) did sell very well - given their price tags that is. The NSX-10000 and HX-10000 are much more difficult to find.
Yamaha CDX-10000 (CD Player)
The CDX-10000 CD player featured Yamaha's Hi-Bit chip, part of the then-raging Bit-trek and Bit-tweaks, before the cheaper Bitstream wave hit just about everybody.

The CDX is built well enough too withstand an earthquake and a serial mom's fit of anger altogether - 25kg of steel and triple chassis structure. The loading assembly is, rather strangely, as in all of Yamaha's top end players incredibly complex and heavy. If you've ever seen a CD-1, you know what I mean.

Over-engineering would you say? Sure - but gloriously, lavishly, with style and grandeur! A true 1980s by product indeed.

Yamaha CX-10000 (Preamplifier)
The CX-10000 is a monster, a real monster with everything tripled - the chassis, the chips, the possibilities, the VCAs and... the rarity. The CX was highly reviewed in Japan back then, with a dedicated "Exciting Component" section in Stereo Sound. In other words: top of the pops and crème de la crème.

At least very exciting because DSP was a novelty.

Sound-processing-wise, the CX-10000 is divided in two: a digital parametric EQ plus associated side functions and a Digital Sound Field Processor; both parts have their own D/A converters: Hi-Bit Yamaha for the DSP and Burr Brown PCM-56P for the EQ part.
The other chips used are exclusively Yamahaâ€(TM)s:
3x YM3818 for DSP
3x YM3619 for 4fs digital filter (225th + 41st FIR)
1x YM3623 for digital i/o
2x YM3608 for DEQ, low/high filters & slopes
3x YM3901C for 16bit/48Khz a/d
2x YM3020 for 16bit/48Khz a/d
1x YM3615 for 18bit FS/H d/a
1x YM3023 for 18bit FS/H d/a.

The 3-band parametric EQ handles 4-step Q (0,7 / 1,4 / 3 / 6) while continuously variable low and high filters can see their slopes set at 6, 12 or 18dB/octave. All this per channel, of course!

D/A is arranged according to Yamaha's Hi-Bit fashion. Output opamps are JRC 5532D. Two transformers for the left and right analog channels and a third one for all things digital ; the six boxes (à la Accuphase or Sony TA-ER1) hold the VCA and LPF/HPF boards while the one at the bottom of the main board shields the A/D section.

The bottom plate is made of 5mm thick steel; gold-plated terminals (53 in Toto!) are present. No S-Video plugs, though - this is 1987!

Another touch to note is the balance ring which is exactly like that of Yamaha's 1st CD player. Made to feed the MX-10000 Hyperbolic Conversion Class A powerhouse.

Yamaha MX-10000 (Power Amp)
Up to 1200 watts output at 1 Ohm per channel, yes: your windows will rattle. And in Class A mind you!

That feat is possible by way of the Hyperbolic Conversion Class A circuit which you can read all about just by clicking the USER button below.

Also part of this extremely rare monster are 100µ thick copper film / glass epoxy boards, hi fT (power buffer amplifiers) and MOS-FETs (outputs), four ELNA Great Supply caps, strictly non-magnetic metals for the enclosure, chassis and 2.5cm extruded aluminum front, walnut sideburns, carefully designed heatsinks for optimal cooling and absence of resonance, gold-plated brass terminals, oxygen-free copper bus bars and large logarithmic compression peak level meters.

And even a photo coupler remote terminal so the MX-10000 can be powered on by the CX-10000.

And specs to die for.

And pity only around 250 MX-10000 were made.

Specs:

Minimum RMS power output (20Hz...20Khz, 0,001% THD) :
2x 250W (8 Ohm)
2x 300W (6 Ohm)
2x 400W (4 Ohm)

Dynamic power output (1Khz, 0,001% THD) :
2x 350W (8 Ohm)
2x 450W (6 Ohm)
2x 600W (4 Ohm)
2x 900W (2 Ohm)
2x 1200W (1 Ohm)

Damping factor : 1000 (6 Ohm, 1Khz)
Through-rate of pre-driver voltage amp : 500V / µs
Frequency response : 2Hz...300Khz (+0 / -2dB)
IHF-A S/N ratio : 132dB
IHF-A residual noise : 10µV
Channel separation : 90dB (20Hz...20Khz)
THD : 0,0005% (20Hz...20Khz ; 6 Ohm ; 1/2 rated power)
Inputs : 1,5V / 25kOhm
Dimensions : 47,5 x 22 x 54,3cm

Yamaha HX-10000 (Phono Pre Amp)
Very few "general" manufacturers produced such lavish phono EQ stages as the market was taken by a few "cottage" adventures: SME in Japan with the tubed and multi-awarded SPA-1HL (1981), Luxman with the contemporary E-06 (1987) or Audio Research, later on, with the PH-2 in 1992.

Pioneer didn't make one for its Exclusive series and even Sony, Denon or Victor stopped making such items before CD happened, leaving that tiny market to the Uesugi Bros. or even smaller brands - a dedicated, stand-alone, phono stage was a rarity, even when LP was king of the audio hills.

The HX-10000 "offers the epitome of sophisticated audiophile performance" : as in the CDX-10000, the HX enclosure holds two separate sub-enclosures, one with the power-supply, the other with the amplifying stages.

The global chassis is carved from 9mm (front), 5mm (top & bottom) and 3mm (back) extruded aluminum pieces. The four double-sided glass-epoxy amplifying PCBs are each supported by five 8mm brass posts ; OFC wiring (even in the thick AC cord), 1% film caps, aluminum caps, bypassing caps, gold-plated OFC bus bars and regulations throughout. The terminals are all cut from brass and gold-plated - grounding posts included.

The four shielding boxes holding the four EQ stages are like those used in the CX-10000. The power-supply is worthy of a power-amplifier with a beefy transformer (taken from the CX-10000) and six caps totaling... 100,000µF !

The EQ stages allow hookup of two separate turntables, each using either MC or MM cartridges, so the HX-10000 is in fact a quadruple EQ stage : phono 1L, 1R, phono 2L and 2R.

All the HX circuit rely on discrete component : no ICs, no op'amps.

HX-10000 Specs :

MC input sensitivity :
60µV / 10 or 30 Ohm
200µV / 30 or 100 Ohm

MM input sensitivity : 2,5mV / 47kOhm (100 or 330pF)
Maximum 1Khz input :
3,4mV (MC low)
12mV (MC high)
120mV (MM)

Output : 150mV / 470 Ohm (rec out)
Maximum voltage output : 5V (20Hz...20Khz ; 0,01% THD)
RIAA curve : ±0,2dB (20Hz...20Khz ; MM/MC)

20Hz...20Khz THD :
0,002% (3V output ; MC > pre out)
0,001% (3V output ; MM > pre out)
IHF-A S/N ratio :
94dB (MC ; 500µV input shorted)
99dB (MC ; 5mV input shorted)

MC channel separation :
50dB (1Khz)
50dB (10Khz)
86dB (1Khz)
66dB (10Khz)

Dimensions : 47,5 x 13 x 43,2cm
Weight : 20kg.

Find the companion MX-10000 and you have one of the finest amp/preamp combos ever made.
And one that's built to last. I owned the MX-10000 / CX-10000 combo some years ago and am very sorry I parted with them. Blew the roof off of my house and my eardrums and did so beautifully. Very rare, yes (not as rare as just 100 units made though). If you search the net you'll see that there are those who will pay big $$ for units dead or alive. Yamaha made these wonderful monsters with the finest materials available at the time and built them to last. Very high quality engineering. The price point in the late 70s is what did them in along with the beginning of the move away from solid state (so I've read). There was not a large enough market for Yamaha to justify building these monsters. Same fate even occurred with the downsized, but still monstrous 1000 series which retailed for over $2k per unit in 1978 $$s. I believe the 10000 series retailed in the neighborhood of $3-$4k in 1978 $$s but can't remember for certain. After phasing out production on the 10000s and 1000s and the wonderful CR series of receivers,Yamaha began marketing to a broader market in order to follow the money. I do not feel Yamaha was ever quite as good sounding again audio-wise (to my ears). I very happily own a Yamaha MX-1000U / CX-1000U combo now and it stands tall to both the Krell(especially) and Mac I owned previously. Real natural sound with power that seems to never end, a terrific phono stage, and many other quality feature functions with a very serious no frills look in BLACK. The 10000 is even a couple of magnitude finer than the 1000s.
Lucky you!

STORY
In the late 1980s, Yamaha Electronics introduced the magnificent Limited Centennial Edition 1887-1997 line of stereo components in celebration of the companyâ€(TM)s 100 year anniversary.
They were designed to display Yamahaâ€(TM)s complete audio engineering technical ability, exhibit the most stunning industrial design of any audio components ever produced, and perform on a level exceeding virtually every other manufacturer of components in the world.
As a by product, they would be the most expensive Yamaha stereo components ever manufactured.
Yamaha began work on these components in the mid 1980s. The company put its most capable audio engineers to work on this project. Due to their limited production of less than 500 units, exact production numbers have been difficult to obtain, each and the inherent careful hand assembly, the cost of each component ran into the thousands of dollar each. Yamaha custom manufactured many of the internal parts and each one was hand-selected.

MX-10000
The design, construction and performance of the Yamaha MX-10000 Stereo Amplifier set it apart as the finest amplifier Yamaha ever built and offered for purchase. It also distinguished itself as one of the finest stereo amplifier in the world, more than able to compete with some of the most expensive and esoteric amplifiers available. This amplifier immediately made a visual statement with its masculine good looks of rich brushed aluminum and luxurious solid mahogany wood end panels. But it was the performance that made the Yamaha MX-10000 world class. The power capability of this amp was astounding, and required very special speakers to handle it, along with the ownerâ€(TM)s ears! The specification from Yamahaâ€(TM)s brochure tell the story. In keeping with its cost-no-object design, construction and performance, Yamaha gave a list price, in 1987, of 800.000 Yen! In todayâ€(TM)s U.S. dollars, it would cost $ 6,977.00. Using an online inflation calculator using the closest year available (2005), this amplifier roughly had a list price in the United States in 1987 of $ 4150.00. A price check in the 1987 or 1988 Audio Magazine Buyerâ€(TM)s Guide will be forthcoming. Audiophiles may never again see this kind of quality and power from Yamaha again, unless, of course, the company comes out with the Second Centennial Edition!

CX-10000
The Yamaha CX-10000 Control Amplifier displayed the thorough engineering and ergonomic planning that made it a pleasure to use and listen to for wealthy audiophiles. All functions could be controlled by the touch of the respective buttons, or any of the functions could be controlled using the infrared remote. The only knob on the face of the unit was the volume knob. Like the power amplifier, the CX-10000 featured a striking amber display. It had a list price to match MX-10000, of 800,000 Yen.

CDX-10000
The Yamaha CDX-10000 was the finest CD player up to late 1980s, and employed not only cutting edge technology but performance specifications that would eventually filter down to it consumer marker CD players. Like all audiophile CD players, it was a single CD drawer design. After all, one could only listen to on CDE at a time! It had a list price of 400,000 Yen, making it one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive, CD player in the world.
The interior layout and construction revealed this playerâ€(TM)s pedigree. The sonic performance of the CDX-10000 rivaled any player in the world. And it was built to last for thousand of hours of play. Just one example of the event of precision engineering can be seen in the CD tray and transport.

I would like to thank Janne Bjorklund of Finland for making available to me the high resolution photos of his equipment to use on this site. His Yamaha MX-10000 and CX-10000 were probably the only ones in Finland when he listed them on Ebay in 2005, which is how I first learned about them for sale. The other catalog photos of the various components were found on a Japanese website created by K. Nisi through an internet search. This site features pages from Yamahaâ€(TM)s 1987 brochure of the Centennial Edition stereo components.

Iâ€(TM)ve dozen and dozen of pages about the Yamaha taken from a lot of the most important HiFi magazine all over the world, a library!