Remembering the famous Yamaha 10000 series

In 1987, the Japanese corporation was celebrating its 100th anniversary and to mark the occasion decided to launch a series of high-end audio components under the index 10000. In those years, the very concept of High End was still being formed, and it was models like those that Yamaha released for its anniversary, ensured the formation of a market for expensive and exclusive audio equipment. The cost of a complete set was close to three million yen, for those years it was very serious money.


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Yamaha CDX-10000

The first component in the legendary 10000 series was released in late 1986 and was a CD player of truly bulletproof construction. The power supply used two powerful shielded transformers, the complex metal transport was front-loaded and mechanically decoupled from the double non-magnetic chassis, and it weighed as much as 25.5 kilograms! The DAC unit used a proprietary dual Yamaha Hi-Bit chip, and the claimed signal-to-noise ratio for those years was unbelievable, reaching -115dB. For signal output, there was one digital coaxial output and one analogue unbalanced RCA output. The cost of this mastodon was ¥400,000 (about 2770 US dollars at the exchange rate for 1987).

Yamaha CDX-10000 Specifications

  • Frequency response: 1Hz to 20kHz
  • Dynamic range : 100 dB (EIAJ)
  • Digital converter: 2 x 18-bit, 4 x oversampling
  • Frequency response: 1Hz to 20kHz
  • Signal to Noise Ratio: 115dB
  • Total harmonic distortion: 0.002%
  • Line output: 2V
  • Dimensions: 457 x 157 x 406mm
  • Weight: 25.5kg
  • Year: 1986

Yamaha HX-10000

Not the most obvious member of the series, the unique twenty kilo phono stage. The decision to release an ultimatum unit for vinyl enthusiasts in 1987 is a welcome one, but at the time of its release the popularity of the CD was at its peak, and all other major Japanese manufacturers had already stopped producing high-end freestanding correctors. All the more precious was its appearance. The unit was enclosed in a heavy aluminium case with two separate chassis, totally insulated from each other. The first housed the power supply on a powerful transformer and six 100,000 microfarad capacitors, while the second contained the signal circuits, enclosed in shielded modules. All external connectors were hammered from solid bronze blanks and plated in gold, and the model allowed two vinyl turntables to be connected simultaneously. Correction and gain circuits were entirely discrete, and supported MC heads from 0.06 to 0.2mV sensitivity and MM cartridges from 2.5mV. The price of this amazing corrector was ¥350,000 (about 2430 US dollars at the exchange rate for 1987).

Yamaha HX-10000 Specifications

  • Input sensitivity / impedance MC: 60μV/10 or 30 Ohm MC: 200μV/30 or 100 Ohm MM: 2,5mV/47kOhm (100 or 330pF)
  • Maximum input (1Khz) 3,4mV (MC low) 12mV (MC high) 120mV (MM)
  • Output voltage/impedance 150mV/470 Ohm
  • Maxmimum output voltage 5V (20Hz…20kHz; 0,01% THD)
  • RIAA curve ±0,2dB (20Hz…20kHz; MM/MC)
  • S/N ratio (IHF-A) 94dB (MC; 500μV input shorted) 99dB (MC; 5mV input shorted)
  • Channel separation (1 kHz) MC: 50dB MM: 86dB
  • Power supply AC100V 50/60Hz
  • Power consumption 20W
  • Dimensions Width 475 x height 130 x depth 432 mm
  • eight 20kg

Yamaha NSX-10000

A vastly improved version of the famous NS-1000, released in late 1986. It was the first to feature drivers with diaphragms originally made from pure beryllium, while previous models used vacuum-assisted beryllium deposition on aluminium substrate. Such drivers are found in only one other Yamaha speaker model, the titanic G-F1 active speakers. The woofers featured 33-cm Carbon Fibre cones, the midrange and tweeter drivers had 8.8 cm diameter beryllium domes and 3 cm diameter all-beryllium coils, which increased the power handling. In the crossover filter, oxygen-free copper-wound coils were fitted, as well as quality paper-foil capacitors. The front panel of the enclosure was made of a single curved sheet of 12-ply plywood, finished in natural walnut veneer. The speakers had a sensitivity of 90dB, with a rated impedance of 6 ohms. Each NSX-10000 weighed 68.5 kilograms (54kg + 14.5kg) with the optional SPS-10000 stand. The price for a pair with stands in 1987 was 600,000 yen, and without stands was ¥400,000 (about 2770 US dollars at the exchange rate for 1987).

Yamaha NSX-10000 Specifications

  • Type 3-way acoustic suspension
  • Bass driver 33cm pure long-fiber carbon cone
  • Mid driver 8,8cm giant-crystal Beryllium dome
  • High driver 3cm giant-crystal Beryllium dome
  • Nominal input power 125W
  • Music input power 250W
  • Nominal impedance 6 Ohm
  • SPL 90dB / W / m
  • Lowest resonant frequency 35Hz
  • Frequency response 35Hz-20Khz
  • Crossover frequencies 500Hz (12dB / octave) 5Khz (12dB / octave)
  • External dimensions 45 x 75,2 x 41cm
  • Weight 54 kg

Yamaha MX-10000

An incredible amplifier, capable of delivering up to 1,200 watts of power with a 1 ohm load. Moreover, it operated in a clever proprietary Hyperbolic Conversion Class A mode, which was an ingenious circuit that combined Class A output transistors with reduced overall power consumption. A similar solution can also be found in the creations of American designer Nelson Pass. Almost all the front panel area is taken up by stunning arrow indicators, the running amplifier looks fascinating. Power rating was 350 watts per channel at 8 ohms, the damping factor was 1,000. The unit was housed in a non-magnetic metal case with natural wood side panels, and the power supply had a huge toroidal transformer and four impressive filter capacitors. The amplifier weighed 43 kilograms and had a retail price of ¥800,000 (about 5555 US dollars at the exchange rate for 1987).

Yamaha MX-10000 Specifications

  • Rated output (20 Hz to 20 kHz) 8 Ω load: 250 W + 250 W (0.001% THD) 6 Ω load: 300 W + 300 W (0.001% THD) 4 Ω load: 400 W + 400 W (0.002% THD)
  • Dynamic power (1 kHz) 8 Ω load: 350 W + 350 W 6 Ωload: 450 W + 450 W 4 Ω load: 600 W + 600 W 2 Ω load: 900 W + 900 W 1 Ω load: 1200 W + 1200 W
  • Damping factor 1000 (1 kHz, 6 Ω)
  • Input sensitivity/impedance 1.5 V / 25 kohms
  • Frequency response 2 Hz to 300 000 Hz +0 dB -2 dB
  • Total harmonic distortion factor 0.0005% (20 Hz to 20 kHz, 150 W/ch, 6 ohms)
  • S/N ratio 132 dB (IHF-A correction)
  • Residual noise 10 μV (IHF-A correction)
  • Channel separation 90 dB (20 Hz to 20 kHz)
  • Power supply AC 100 V 50/60 Hz
  • Power consumption 600 W
  • External dimensions Width 475 x height 220 x depth 543 mm
  • Weight 43 kg

Yamaha CX-10000

The heart of the anniversary series was the preamplifier, which brought together all the best solutions and components of those years. It featured a digital soundfield processor, a built-in stereo DAC on Burr-Brown PCM-56P chips, and a universal phono stage with circuitry similar to that used in the HX-10000. Interestingly, the DACs in the sound processor unit were different – proprietary Hi-Bit chips were installed there. Generally, most of the preamplifier’s component base was the company’s own. There was also a three-band parametric equalizer for each channel with adjustable steepness of slope. The power supply included three separate transformers – one for the analogue part of each channel and another for the digital circuit. It was ideally matched to the MX-10000 power amplifier, which had to handle a vast array of signal sources. It weighed 25 kilograms and cost ¥800,000 (about 5555 US dollars at the exchange rate for 1987).

Yamaha CX-10000 Specifications

  • Inputs analogue:150mV/47kΩ digital:0.5Vp-p/75Ω composite video:1Vp-p/75Ω
  • THD 0.003%(20Hz … 20kHz, analogue input, EQs off)
  • Maximum output 3Vrms
  • S/N ratio 110dB(IHF-A)
  • Frequency response 15Hz … 100000Hz(analogue input, EQs off)
  • Power supply AC100V 50/60Hz
  • Power consumption 70W
  • Dimensions Width 475 x height 177 x depth 442 mm
  • Weight 25kg