Marantz 7C repair advice - San Francisco Bay Area

[tommysully]

Hi all,

I recently inherited a Marantz 7C. After being assured it worked, I foolishly went to turn it on and the light on the front won’t turn on and doesn’t seem to work.

Here are the internals/externals.

Would anybody know of a place I can go in San Francisco (or the Bay Area generally) to have them take a look?

Thanks so so much for the help!! I really appreciate it as I get this up to speed.
Tommy

 

[Lavane]

Did you check the fuse on the back? I still wouldn't just turn it
on if the fuse was bad and you replaced it with at leased a dim bulb tester.
Do you know how long it sat without being used?

 

[tommysully]

Did you check the fuse on the back? I still wouldn't just turn it
on if the fuse was bad and you replaced it with at leased a dim bulb tester.
Do you know how long it sat without being used?

Thanks for the reply! Yep, checked the fuse and looks like it’s all good. It sat for likely 15+ years, however it was turned on about a year ago and appeared to be working.

 

[Lavane]

Ya, you should have it looked at. Hopefully someone chimes in with a shop near you. Someone in the Marantz form here on AK may be able to help if you don't find one here in the tube forum. I know some of the folks that frequent that forum do have 7C's and have restored or had it done for them.

 

[tommysully]

Ya, you should have it looked at. Hopefully someone chimes in with a shop near you. Someone in the Marantz form here on AK may be able to help if you don't find one here in the tube forum. I know some of the folks that frequent that forum do have 7C's and have restored or had it done for them.

appreciate the advice, will do!

 

[tommysully]

Hi all,

I recently inherited a Marantz 7C. After being assured it worked, I foolishly went to turn it on and the light on the front won’t turn on and it doesn’t seem to work. It was working about a year ago but before that sat around for 15 years or so without use.

Here are the internals/externals.

Would anybody know of a place I can go in San Francisco (or the Bay Area generally) to have them take a look? And/ or something I can try? I checked the fuse and it looks good.

Thanks so so much for the help!! I really appreciate it as I get this up to speed.
Tommy

 

[Jalousie]

Going by 3 rough pics, that looks completely original. Oh. Man.
I'm not saying just fire it up again, but I have a working Marantz 7 with a dead pilot light. The light is just that, an on-off indicator. Replacement bulbs can be found. I think GE #49, not uncommon. I have one, but never installed it.
If you find a tech, just determine if it is safe and works. Then take it home and listen to it. Don't automatically sign up for any work on it.
You're going to hear that the bumble bees need to be replaced. Not arguing that, but listen to it first. (Some of them in my 7 were replaced with similar NOS. And I had to replace the volume pot.)
Marantz 7 has a weird light around it. Wonderful preamp. gorgeousness and gorgeosity.
Stand by for a bunch of incoming from guys with different views. (Who I respect. Just saying my own experience.)

 

[MarantzRefrb]

In looking at the 7C Service Manual, it would suggest that your C101 capacitor, or the largest of the multi-capacitor cans - that is closest to the front panel - may have gone entirely bad.

From Marantz 7C Service Manual:

This could help explain why there is no Pilot Lamp, and also why no tube filaments are lighting up.

It would be best to have this 7C powered up on a current limiter the next time it's tested or plugged in, a Dim Bulb Tester, or DBT would allow you to verify some voltages, and do this yourself, if you're inclined.

I'm in Walnut Creek, CA, I do this for a hobby, but am hoping you can find someone who addresses this for you correctly and professionally. I thought @ChrisMarantz was a pro in the area, not certain about that though.

Congrats on your 7C pre! It's going to be worth your effort and time.


EDIT: If you could get the tech that works on your 7C, to disassemble the bad, tall multi-cap can, open it up and remove the bad caps, and put new caps in it, in order to retain the original look, it could be worth the cost, and possibly investment.

 

[Lavane]

In looking at the 7C Service Manual, it would suggest that your C101 capacitor, or the largest of the multi-capacitor cans - that is closest to the front panel - may have gone entirely bad.

From Marantz 7C Service Manual:

This could help explain why there is no Pilot Lamp, and also why no tube filaments are lighting up.

It would be best to have this 7C powered up on a current limiter the next time it's tested or plugged in, a Dim Bulb Tester, or DBT would allow you to verify some voltages, and do this yourself, if you're inclined.

I'm in Walnut Creek, CA, I do this for a hobby, but am hoping you can find someone who addresses this for you correctly and professionally. I thought @ChrisMarantz was a pro in the area, not certain about that though.

Congrats on your 7C pre! It's going to be worth your effort and time.


EDIT: If you could get the tech that works on your 7C, to disassemble the bad, tall multi-cap can, open it up and remove the bad caps, and put new caps in it, in order to retain the original look, it could be worth the cost, and possibly investment.

^^This^^. Those old electrolytic caps at the very leased are very old and tired. It's not worth the risk of one or more shorting out.

 

[tommysully]

^^This^^. Those old electrolytic caps at the very leased are very old and tired. It's not worth the risk of one or more shorting out.

Makes sense - appreciate the direction!

 

[tommysully]

In looking at the 7C Service Manual, it would suggest that your C101 capacitor, or the largest of the multi-capacitor cans - that is closest to the front panel - may have gone entirely bad.

From Marantz 7C Service Manual:

This could help explain why there is no Pilot Lamp, and also why no tube filaments are lighting up.

It would be best to have this 7C powered up on a current limiter the next time it's tested or plugged in, a Dim Bulb Tester, or DBT would allow you to verify some voltages, and do this yourself, if you're inclined.

I'm in Walnut Creek, CA, I do this for a hobby, but am hoping you can find someone who addresses this for you correctly and professionally. I thought @ChrisMarantz was a pro in the area, not certain about that though.

Congrats on your 7C pre! It's going to be worth your effort and time.


EDIT: If you could get the tech that works on your 7C, to disassemble the bad, tall multi-cap can, open it up and remove the bad caps, and put new caps in it, in order to retain the original look, it could be worth the cost, and possibly investment.

All great points - really appreciate you looking into this for me! Yeah I’m calling around but definitely want to make sure I get the right person looking at it, and if so, spend the time/money to get it looking original, as you said.

Going by 3 rough pics, that looks completely original. Oh. Man.
I'm not saying just fire it up again, but I have a working Marantz 7 with a dead pilot light. The light is just that, an on-off indicator. Replacement bulbs can be found. I think GE #49, not uncommon. I have one, but never installed it.
If you find a tech, just determine if it is safe and works. Then take it home and listen to it. Don't automatically sign up for any work on it.
You're going to hear that the bumble bees need to be replaced. Not arguing that, but listen to it first. (Some of them in my 7 were replaced with similar NOS. And I had to replace the volume pot.)
Marantz 7 has a weird light around it. Wonderful preamp. gorgeousness and gorgeosity.
Stand by for a bunch of incoming from guys with different views. (Who I respect. Just saying my own experience.

Going by 3 rough pics, that looks completely original. Oh. Man.
I'm not saying just fire it up again, but I have a working Marantz 7 with a dead pilot light. The light is just that, an on-off indicator. Replacement bulbs can be found. I think GE #49, not uncommon. I have one, but never installed it.
If you find a tech, just determine if it is safe and works. Then take it home and listen to it. Don't automatically sign up for any work on it.
You're going to hear that the bumble bees need to be replaced. Not arguing that, but listen to it first. (Some of them in my 7 were replaced with similar NOS. And I had to replace the volume pot.)
Marantz 7 has a weird light around it. Wonderful preamp. gorgeousness and gorgeosity.
Stand by for a bunch of incoming from guys with different views. (Who I respect. Just saying my own experience.)

This is really helpful, thanks! Yeah after calling around and doing some testing sounds like at a minimum the bulb is burnt out so will order one on eBay tomorrow.

 

[MarantzRefrb]

Were you able to tell if the tube filaments were lighting up? That will tell you if the problem is only a #49 replacement bulb.