Marantz Imperial 9 Speakers $1250 Wayne County, MI)

Yeah, looks like at least two woofers have been replaced. But were these things any good? They look like half studio monitor, half Kabuki.
 
Long time lurker here. Was wondering when this would pop up on audiokarma. This guy has also been trying to sell these on eBay for the past few months under the username "garagefullofjunk". He originally listed them for $500 and the description stated that they were 100% all original, which is as bald-faced a lie as I've seen told on eBay. I sent him a polite message letting him know that two of the woofers had been replaced and offering to pick it up if he would negotiate on price (I was thinking $250 tops), and he said he would "hold out for now" and "add more information to the listing", by which he apparently meant continuing to lie in the description, add a Marantz 4400, and jack the price up to $2000. The eBay listing also sold a couple of times, only to be relisted, so I am assuming he reneged on the sale or annoyed the potential buyer to such a degree that they cancelled.

Given his constant lying and what 4400s go for I wouldn't trust that deal. Typical, likely insane online seller that can't be reasoned with. Just wanted to offer additional info in case some cash rich and sense poor buyer rrreally wants an Imperial 9 or 4400 or both.
 
I believe this is one lucky pair of Imp 9s that have a set of blue woofers and a set of gray woofers. Both appear to have been available in the imp 9 from new. With this lucky pair, it probably lowers the value considerably, add to that the need to redo all the drivers and someone can get these and follow the rebuild thread here on AK. Seems those that have a good working set like the rock and roll ability of the speaker. When I refoamed the mids in a pair of Imp 7s, I got the surrounds from MainElectronics in Vancouver but they are gone and the foams were bought for a business that does speaker work so no chance of getting those. I would think the usual sources might well have a foam to fit.
 
I'm not so sure that one set of woofers has been replaced. As Blue Shadow noted, Marantz used black cone CTS drivers at some points (assuming when they ran out of their custom blue cone units), but it also looks like those top woofers might be badly sun-bleached blue. Eight tiny mid surrounds and four woofer surrounds are going to take a while to replace, though.

Grilles are very much not original, but that's not a surprise. The original molded foam grilles disintegrated long ago.
 
I had a chance at a restored pair about 6 or 7 years ago. The guy who was selling them knew his stuff and had them paired nicely. I decided to pass because of their size and because they just didn’t appeal to me. He wanted $400 for them at the time.
 
I'm not so sure that one set of woofers has been replaced. As Blue Shadow noted, Marantz used black cone CTS drivers at some points (assuming when they ran out of their custom blue cone units), but it also looks like those top woofers might be badly sun-bleached blue. Eight tiny mid surrounds and four woofer surrounds are going to take a while to replace, though.

Grilles are very much not original, but that's not a surprise. The original molded foam grilles disintegrated long ago.

I bought mine new in 1975 (and still have them). The foam grills disintegrated when Reagan was president.
 
I have the Imperial 8 and the gray woofers are a later year in the Imperial line...still a legit replacement. I did it for mine and I don't consider it inappropriate, i.e. still 100% Marantz Imperial.

Also, fyi, the Imperial line are better speakers than many online detractors give them credit for.
 
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