A mid-tier AM/FM stereo receiver from Yamaha’s early 1970s CR series, delivering 22 watts per channel with low distortion and advanced tuner design.
Overview
It belongs to Yamaha's CR series of receivers, a lineup known for solid performance and innovative engineering during the early 1970s. Though not as high-end as the CR-800 or CR-1000, the CR-500 shares core design philosophies, including a focus on low-noise reception and stable signal processing. It delivers 22 watts per channel into 8 ohms and features a microphone mixing circuit, loudness switch, and muting circuit—uncommon in many receivers at this level.
Specifications
| Power output | 22 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo) |
| Rated output | 22W/22W (1kHz) |
| Dynamic Power | 60W (IHF, 1 kHz) |
| Frequency response | 30Hz to 30kHz |
| Power band wiz | 18 Hz to 46 kHz (0.5% distortion, IHF) |
| Harmonic distortion factor | 0.05% (1 kHz, 35W) |
| IM distortion factor | 0.1% (70 Hz : 7 kHz = 4 : 1, 20W) |
| Channel separation | 50dB (1kHz) |
| FM Tuner Receiving sensitivity | 2.0 μV |
| FM Harmonic distortion factor | mono: 0.3%, stereo: 0.5% |
| FM Signal-to-noise ratio | 70dB |
| FM Effective selectivity | 70dB (1kHz) |
| FM Capture ratio | 1.5dB (1kHz) |
| FM Image interference ratio | 55dB |
| FM Stereo separation | 40dB |
| AM Tuner Receiving sensitivity | 20 μV |
| AM Image interference ratio | 40dB |
| AM Effective selectivity | 25dB |
| Tuning range | FM, MW |
| Power supply voltage | 100 VAC, 50Hz/60Hz |
| Power consumption | 120W |
| External dimensions | 420 x 300 x 140 mm |
| Weight | 9.0 kg |
Design
A low-noise FET is used in the tuner front end, a solid-state filter with high stability and no misalignment is used in the IF amplifier section, and a high-gain monolithic IC with a differential amplifier is used for the IF circuit. The MPX circuit uses a transistor switching method unique to Yamaha. The unit includes a muting circuit, a loudness switch, a selector switch for preamp and main amplifier, and a microphone mixing circuit.
Context
The Yamaha CR-500 was developed using Yamaha's latest technology at the time, positioning it as a capable mid-range receiver in the early 1970s. It shares design and engineering principles with other models in the CR series, which became well-regarded for performance and reliability.
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