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Just when I thought I was never gonna get some tubes! MARANTZ 7c 8b

tyler477

tyler477

Active Member
Banned
:banana::banana::banana::banana:

got these 2 units with some copper quad esl 57's for cheap!

Look great, I'm scared to turn them on without a variac....


check out the pics... exactly as I got them home!
http://flickr.com/photos/32780673@N02/

p.s. the 8b has amperex!



telefunken in the 7c.

tomorrow I go back to the guys' house (he has some NOS tubes for the 8b, also the OG manuals!!!!):thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:
 
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Great Score!
Once you start with tube Marantz is gets really hard to stop.
I already have four (4) 8Bs!!

The tubes on yours appear to be RFT/Siemens (3) labeled Amperex from the 70s. There's also a single Sylvania "Fat Boy" 6CA7.

The small tubes appear original.

Check the Model 7. It may still have the original smooth plates in it!

As for the Quads, man I hope to hear a pair of them someday. Should sing with the Marantzes! :thmbsp:
 
Wow they look in excellent shape too. Nice
But resist the temptation and build yourself a "light bulb" PM variac for a few bucks
It might prevent destroying such rare gems
Congrats!
WopOnTour
 
crooner said:
Great Score!
Once you start with tube Marantz is gets really hard to stop.
I already have four (4) 8Bs!!

The tubes on yours appear to be RFT/Siemens (3) labeled Amperex from the 70s. There's also a single Sylvania "Fat Boy" 6CA7.

The small tubes appear original.

Check the Model 7. It may still have the original Telefunken smooth plates in it!
Click to expand...

Crooner, have I told you lately how envious I am of your setup? :D
 
re Variac:

I'm using a Powerstat brand Type 116B that I got from a friend for around $100 brand new. It's rated at 10A, more than enough for powering your typical tube amp.

Much better than the dim bulb. And a great investment! :D

Another recommendation is to add a thermistor either inside the unit or in a switch box. It will reduce incoming line voltage and extend the life of tubes and parts.
 
Tyler,

I'd say the Vintage gods have been looking after you over the past 6 months. First the JBL's and now the Quads, and some of the best Marantz tube gear.

:drool::drool::drool::thmbsp:

Having a variac would be great to get them up slowly IF they have not been run relatively recently. If the units have been on within the last month, then probablhy no need assuming they have been operating correctly and playing.

Will be fun to get them tuned up (getting more closely matched tubes and doing the general cleaning (although from the looks of things, they seem pretty clean as they are).

Might recommend taking them down to Fred Longworth's shop for a good checkout (everything) and get them professionally evaluated and tested. They'll treat you right and the cost will be well worth it in years of trouble free service.

Regards,

Bart

BTW, and no offense to anyone else. I'm glad you got them, there are so many buyers/flippers advertising in San Diego and SoCal, they're getting on my nerves. Glad to see someone who will appreciate these units get the score! These are literally once in a lifetime, hang on to them as they are all pieces of history.

Bart:thmbsp:
 
I also hate those ads on Craigslist.

The Audio Gods only smile at you once in a lifetime. Or at least to me, they did. Most of the time I have to fork some good $$$ to get the stuff I want.

The Marantz pieces, if working properly, will rival anything made today.

I know the 8B smoked a $5000 Audio Research amp I was using before.

Not only that, all the 8Bs I've come across have been super reliable, with rock stable bias. They run cool too!
 
Fantastic score there. CONGRATULATIONS! :thmbsp: The kind of "lifetime score" that dreams are made of, for audio nuts like us.

My place looks a bit like a Marantz museum, but only for solid-state; none of that gorgeous tube Marantz stuff, yet. There is some around here in Hong Kong, and occasionally I hear it and dream, but the prices are, well... a wee bit higher than what you paid! [Said with enormous understatement, of course.]

Do get a variac, and bring them up slowly, just to be safe. In fact, for THOSE things I'd use BOTH a regular variac AND a "poor man's variac" (light-bulb version), just for added security.

In fact, I'd second the recommendation to take them to a trusted expert for a checking. These things are just too precious to mess about with, if you don't really know what you are doing.

Pardon me now, while I go wipe the drool off of my keyboard... :drool: :D
 
There are some Variacs with built in Ammeters. Those would be ideal since they provide slow gradual voltage build-up and monitoring of current draw.

In my case, I always put a smaller fuse when first powering up with a Variac. I also measure resistance between the AC plug blades. It should be a few ohms. If lower, a short may be present...
 
tyler477 said:
What do you mean door stops??

I added a nudie of the 7c
Click to expand...

I was referring to the score on the other linked thread. The pair of Marantz 9s from a swamp or something! :D

The 7C appears to be from a later run (circa 1965), which is actually nice. According to my investigations, these later Model 7s have lower noise resistors and more reliable selenium rectifiers. Yours appears to be totally original, which is a BIG plus!

The Sprague "bumblebee" caps (those with zebra like stripes) on the main turret board account for a big chunk of the Model 7's gorgeous sonic presentation. I would try to preserve them at all costs!
 
crooner said:
I was referring to the score on the other linked thread. The pair of Marantz 9s from a swamp or something! :D

Your stuff looks awesome!

The 7C appears to be from a later run (circa 1965), which is actually nice. According to my investigations, these later Model 7s have lower noise resistors and more reliable selenium rectifiers. Yours appears to be totally original, which is a BIG plus!

The bumblebeee caps (those with zebra like stripes) on the main turret board account for a big chunk of the Model 7's gorgeous sonic presentation. I would try to preserve them at all costs!
Click to expand...

Oh man I wish you would have told me! I recapped the whole thing and threw the bumblebees away!!!!!



psych!
lol

yeah, the SN is in the 20k's
 
The highest serial number I have recorded in my database is 22014, which places it just before the 7T was released. Very late 1965.

The earliest is 10039, the 39th made, from December 1958.

An outstanding run!
 
crooner said:
Really? hahahahahahah

When is trash collection day in your neighborhood? (putting Dumpster Diver suit). :D

The highest serial number I have recorded in my database is 22014, which places it just before the 7T was released. Very late 1965.

The earliest is 10039, the 39th made, from December 1958.

An outstanding run!
Click to expand...

this must be a really late unit, SN is 214xx
 
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