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Project One Mark 100

ARC Tech-109

ARC Tech-109

Product Of Woodstock
Subscriber
I have a Project One Mark 100 integrated amplifier that works but I was wondering if these have any real value to collectors today? Info on these is scant at best and I've only seen a few receivers go on the 'bay, basically trying to decide if this this something I want to keep or possibly rehome. Gotta say it's not my favorite amplifier and the analog meters are stuck but it is well built even for the day with what amounts to a small substation for a power supply and a real attenuator. It does have some punch but it's not what I expected from something of this caliber. Best way to describe it is boring.

I originally got this in a large group of items at a hamfest the summer of 1986 for $20.00. Also in that group was a SX-1080, CT-F850, Dual 1229 and some other odds & ends that came from a home that was hit by lightning and being the pack-rat that I am I still have all of these.

Anyone know where I could find a schematic or other details on the Mark 100?
 
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All Project one gear is good quality, but service manuals are essentially non-existent because P/o was the house brand for Playback Electronics stores. The receivers are the exact same as Ferguson in the UK, Challenge in Australia, and SEM in Canada, built in Japan by Foster for chain stores for what was essentially a group-buy, so the service manuals only existed in a smaller closed group of service centers. As opposed to P/o turntables which are Hitachi just different colors, so their service manuals are widely available. I have yet to track down specifics on the P/o Mark 100 amp and Mark 200 tuner integrated components, but if the Mark 150 EQ is any indication, they'll also be loaded with Hitachi electronics. Whether they're reskined units like the TTs, or were their own design line like receivers, I've yet to discern.
 
Kind of unfortunate really, it is definitely of higher quality even for its day but it doesn't hold a candle to a Pioneer or Marantz so I'm thinking this might be best in the hands of a collector familiar with them.
 
I've seen Foster parts in Pioneer receivers specifically power transformers but that doesn't substantiate anything, I mean it's possible Foster was contacted to build on the assy line using Pioneer parts or were contracted to make for Pioneer but I've also seen Foster transformers in Sony broadcast gear as well.
 
Foster also built for Pioneer, so the quality is definitely there. Which is also why it's very likely that a lot of people believe Pioneer built P/o receivers. Foster sourced their components for their contract builds, so there's a lot of commonality between the units they produced. Like how Pioneer tuning and VU meters are direct drop-in replacements for P/o meters, all the way down to meter face design and font.
 
SEM in Canada was in on the group-buy. AEG Telefunken was in financial trouble in Europe at the time, so AEG licensed the name to SEM to generate income and SEM used it to add some clout to their offerings These Telefunken units were only sold in Canada, never offered in Europe and do not appear in any of Telefunken's yearly catalogs. Which is why these specific SEM Telefunkens are identical to specific P/o and Challenge Hifi receivers, and why their service manuals are unicorn teeth.

Fun fact, the P/o Mark IIB, IIIB, and IVB designs were licensed to De Vivanco in Germany, built in Germany, and marketed as Deviton 4040, 4060, and 4080, all black face. So these are closer to being Telefunken than the SEM Telefunkens built in Japan.
 
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Good Luck with your project one. , I'm currently working on a mark ivb. slowly but as i go thru it i am posting caps/transistor list for each board that i redo. This is an old working unit with a few leaky caps. i have just real basic gear but passing on info for what i find. But without a manual i can't set bias and i will not be touching the tuner which seems to be picking up the stations that i would expect. The signal center tuning meter seems inoperable, same with power meters however there is a fix with the sx 780/880 power meters.
 
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