Yes,
Victor JM-S7 is a Vfet amp (sse above)
Victor JP-S7 It is not a Vfet pre-amp
Sony TA-5650 has a vfet in the pre-amp section, but I can't really call that a vfet preamp
@kitr,
The Yamaha C-1 is the only vfet preamp ever made, all the way to unique vfets made for, used only in the C-1 and nothing else.
The C-1 it is also an absolute statement piece in terms of sound and it is my ultimate preamp and the frame of reference I use, when I compare anything else I get to listen to. While I did not try every preamp on the face of the earth, I did try a few...and to date, none gave me more pleasure of listening to, than the C-1. IMHO, the C-1 is really in a class of its own and even at 40+ years old, there are very few amps (new or vintage) that can equal its sound performance.
Side note:
I have restored more C-1s than very much anyone else except the Yamaha centers and one tech in France.
The restoration process is an adventure of its-own. Extremely intense from an effort perspective and there is ZERO room for error.
Most of the units I restored were fully working even after 40+ years which is a statement on its own, considering the C-1 is a complex beast in terms of the many options it has....all working just fine, if you ever need them, or bypass if you are a wire-with-gain seeker. Some units needed repair and some were of the worse case scenario, but all C-1s I restored are now singing like new, or better :)
The C-1 is built like a tank, but some of the ancillary components are ill-fated and when they fail, they could take out a vfet or more. That said, any piece of audio equipment would need restoration after 40+ years and while the failure rate of the C-1 or other Yamaha vfet units is actually very low comparing to that of any manufacturer, it is still a good idea to provide preventive maintenance.
It is amusing to see how some manufacturers use something like a 20-years warranty as a sale's pitch and also sad that many consumers fail for it. Maybe for newer equipment that is full of digital stuff is a valid pitch, but for the analog stuff that is alive and kicking after 40+ years, what good would a 20-year warranty do?
