Marantz 7--Why so expensive??

[r***@gmail.com]

Hi,
I don't want to start a price-flame war, but I'm simply curious as to why
Marantz 7 preamps command such high prices compared to other tube preamps
of their era.
I've looked at a schematic for the Marantz preamp, and it appears to me to
be a well-implemented, but fairly conventional, design. I have seen one
opened up for service, before, though I've never heard one in operation,
and the only unusual thing I noticed was the placement of the tubes. In
fact, it doesn't seem to differ too much in terms of circuit design from
the McIntosh C22 preamp, which I've seen offered at somewhat lower prices.
In fact, for $2-3K, it seems to me that you could build a really good
preamp--one that had far fewer switches in the signal path than the
Marantz 7 and one that had things like a stepped attenuator volume
control. For that matter, it wouldn't be hard to duplicate the Marantz
design. Power amps are harder to copy due to the output transformers, but
preamps are generally built from commonly available parts.
So, are the high prices just due to collectors value--the thrill one gets
from owning something with a certain name and number on it--or is there
something else that I'm missing?
Regards,
David Anderson
--
I refuse to accept any unauthorized or unsolicited E-mail
communications.
The sending of an unsolicited E-mail communication shall
be proof that the sender has agreed, by action, to send $500.00
US/ certified funds to me, prior to any unsolicited or unauthorized
transmission.
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine.
By Sec.227(b)(1)(C), it is unlawful to send any unsolicited
advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is
punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or $500,
whichever is greater, for each violation."

hello, marantz curious
I use to wonder the same thing myself, a while back. Constantly watched the prices rise, back when they were going for about 1k+ having various tube gear.
I just thought name brand valuation, even looked at a few that sounded awful. but being a newbie at tube gear there was alot i didn't know.
So a year or 2 later becoming more familiar with them, seeing the price of the marantz 7 tube more than double I bought one, everyone of them I auditioned sounded bad. But now I knew all old tube gear sounds bad until you do minor tweaks, bought cheaper tube stuff to experiment with. Almost every piece after tweaking sounds better than whats currently on the solid state market.
Anyway bought one figured i would sell it.
After repair/tweaks, I was blown away by the sound + many other nuances.
It was like a clear window, mind you I was using a Luxman cl-35 preamp already,
plus prodigy otl amps, bass is sharp not muddy, highs are crystal clear, mids just right.
So ended up keeping it and selling luxman
If you hear it you would understand.

just my 2 bits ;)

[Patrick Turner]

Niel mentioned on aspect of many opinions.....

"""""So you want to keep these things in American hands? Well,
turnabout is fair play. We can start by emptying out the
museums and returning all the mummies to Egypt and all the
above-mentioned Ming vases to China. While we're at it we
should return Texas to Mexico, Everything west of the
Mississippi to the French, and then all of the Americas to
the Lakota, Navajo, Cherokee, Aztec, Incas, Olmec, and all
of the other nations that fall under the blanket term of
"Native American." """"""

An interesting thread, because there are always so many opinions. But the world is a big noisy market with new AND old gear trading to and from nations at prices everyone must be happy with or else there would be no trade.
But opinions of people have not all been converted to laws to restrict trade.
And trade can be cruel to many ppl of many nations who see what they as national treasures vamoosing, even old tubed preamps.
We live in a fickle world. There is really no loyalty to the local made wonderful product once the novelty has worn off or someone comes along with a cheaper version made overseas with more and better features.

Here in Oz, and I suspect right across the USA and Europe, we buy so much junk made in asia and its all necessary junk, like cheap underpants. Well, the asians make the undies by paying their workers a pittance in sweat shops then sell them to us at prices which just puts OUR factories out of business. Then the makers and importers make a huge profit because the difference between our wages and asian wages is enormous, while there is only a slight difference in undie prices at the shop. This is a reason why China is America's banker.

The same goes for amps made in Asia, some a good, some are rubbish, but asians stop us making our own amps. They'd be unaffordable if we did. OK, so ARC makes amps in USA. Sheesh, very expensive!
The electronics industry in Oz made TV sets and radios and some hi-fi which was mainly low-fi. It was protected by tariffs because we needed to maintain the industry because of national strategy, ie, we'd need to make our own army radios if there was another war. Well, during 1960s,70s, both Labor and Liberal Governments got rid of the tariffs and let all the Jap crap flood in and the whole electronics industry was closed down. The car industry in Oz is now nearly closed. But I have zero desire to own an ancient Holden made here in Oz. People buy what they think is better for them and the imported cars easily outsell local mades.

I worked 18 years handcrafting amps in Oz. Included in my custom jobs were far better preamps than Marantz ever were prepared to sell to the public, so I don't much understand the nostalgia for past goods which always bear the hallmarks of having been designed by an accountant. The majority of inquiries for quotes on prices for gear I made were from ppl who expected me to compete
with Chinese junk on Ebay.

I only worked for ppl who well understood social wage justice. Most ppl don't, and they expect all "other people" to slave away in terrible conditions, but they would never ever work for the same wage or conditions.
Unless you value everyone else like you value yourself, you have no value.
Most of the world does not seriously consider these ideas so the absurdity of poverty and inequality between ppl world wide continues.

And what will happen in 5,000 years? Who will want a Marantz then? I think greenhouse warming will raise sea levels 100 feet and DROWN New York, and Sydney, and so on, and it will be an entirely unimaginable world - well beyond whatever Hollywood could dream up.

Just enjoy what you can while you can, because life is sweet but brief.
Patrick Turner.

[Lord Valve]

Post by r***@gmail.com

Hi,
I don't want to start a price-flame war, but I'm simply curious as to why
Marantz 7 preamps command such high prices compared to other tube preamps
of their era.
I've looked at a schematic for the Marantz preamp, and it appears to me to
be a well-implemented, but fairly conventional, design. I have seen one
opened up for service, before, though I've never heard one in operation,
and the only unusual thing I noticed was the placement of the tubes. In
fact, it doesn't seem to differ too much in terms of circuit design from
the McIntosh C22 preamp, which I've seen offered at somewhat lower prices.
In fact, for $2-3K, it seems to me that you could build a really good
preamp--one that had far fewer switches in the signal path than the
Marantz 7 and one that had things like a stepped attenuator volume
control. For that matter, it wouldn't be hard to duplicate the Marantz
design. Power amps are harder to copy due to the output transformers, but
preamps are generally built from commonly available parts.
So, are the high prices just due to collectors value--the thrill one gets
from owning something with a certain name and number on it--or is there
something else that I'm missing?
Regards,
David Anderson
--
I refuse to accept any unauthorized or unsolicited E-mail
communications.
The sending of an unsolicited E-mail communication shall
be proof that the sender has agreed, by action, to send $500.00
US/ certified funds to me, prior to any unsolicited or unauthorized
transmission.
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine.
By Sec.227(b)(1)(C), it is unlawful to send any unsolicited
advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is
punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or $500,
whichever is greater, for each violation."

hello, marantz curious
I use to wonder the same thing myself, a while back. Constantly watched the prices rise, back when they were going for about 1k+ having various tube gear.
I just thought name brand valuation, even looked at a few that sounded awful. but being a newbie at tube gear there was alot i didn't know.
So a year or 2 later becoming more familiar with them, seeing the price of the marantz 7 tube more than double I bought one, everyone of them I auditioned sounded bad. But now I knew all old tube gear sounds bad until you do minor tweaks, bought cheaper tube stuff to experiment with. Almost every piece after tweaking sounds better than whats currently on the solid state market.
Anyway bought one figured i would sell it.
After repair/tweaks, I was blown away by the sound + many other nuances.
It was like a clear window, mind you I was using a Luxman cl-35 preamp already,
plus prodigy otl amps, bass is sharp not muddy, highs are crystal clear, mids just right.
So ended up keeping it and selling luxman
If you hear it you would understand.
just my 2 bits ;)

Hey, Rocket scientist -

You just replied to a post that's SIXTEEN YEARS OLD.

Learn to read headers, schmuck.

[Frank Lucas]

What's wrong in replying to a 16 yo post?

Frank

[s***@gmail.com]

Hi,
I don't want to start a price-flame war, but I'm simply curious as to why
Marantz 7 preamps command such high prices compared to other tube preamps
of their era.
I've looked at a schematic for the Marantz preamp, and it appears to me to
be a well-implemented, but fairly conventional, design. I have seen one
opened up for service, before, though I've never heard one in operation,
and the only unusual thing I noticed was the placement of the tubes. In
fact, it doesn't seem to differ too much in terms of circuit design from
the McIntosh C22 preamp, which I've seen offered at somewhat lower prices.
In fact, for $2-3K, it seems to me that you could build a really good
preamp--one that had far fewer switches in the signal path than the
Marantz 7 and one that had things like a stepped attenuator volume
control. For that matter, it wouldn't be hard to duplicate the Marantz
design. Power amps are harder to copy due to the output transformers, but
preamps are generally built from commonly available parts.
So, are the high prices just due to collectors value--the thrill one gets
from owning something with a certain name and number on it--or is there
something else that I'm missing?
Regards,
David Anderson
--
I refuse to accept any unauthorized or unsolicited E-mail
communications.
The sending of an unsolicited E-mail communication shall
be proof that the sender has agreed, by action, to send $500.00
US/ certified funds to me, prior to any unsolicited or unauthorized
transmission.
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine.
By Sec.227(b)(1)(C), it is unlawful to send any unsolicited
advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is
punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or $500,
whichever is greater, for each violation."

When the buyers go crazy, the sellers go crazy to counter... Thats why the 7's are selling like crazy with unreasonably high prices

[Peter Wieck]

I think the proper term is Yichis. Why the same suit from Brooks Brothers is worth more than from Krass Brothers.

Marantz has the legend and the pedigree, largely derived from the 10B, that makes the other components in that series valuable. A "Matched Set" as it were.

Is the 7/7B anything special? It was at the time. Now, there are better. Along with the 8/8B & 9/9B. There are better.

Would I spend that kind of money? No. Even if I were stupidly rich. There are better places to spend for better results.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[i***@yahoo.co.uk]

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