Marantz Model 8B Tube Amplifier - A True Classic - FULL RESTORATION

**Please click here to check out our newly launched SkyFi Audio website with additional items for sale**  
This is the venerable Marantz 8B, from the 1960's (about mid-60's), and a fierce competitor to the vintage McIntosh MC240 and Harman Kardon Citation amplifiers.

This Marantz 8B hailing from the late 1960's has received one of the most detailed and thorough restorations you'll ever find. No expense was spared in both time and materials, and is therefore priced accordingly. 

A quick look inside reveals German Mundorf and British Clarity Cap capacitors used throughout, along with metal film precision resistors. 

Besides the internals, cosmetically it doesn't get much better than this. The paintwork is near mint with only the slightest signs of use. Even the potentiometer covers are in place (!) which are almost always lost over the years. 

This amplifier originally retailed for about $275 back in the 1960's ($2,400 in today's dollars), and since their collectability is super high they're quite expensive nowadays and there are not many left. A lot of these suffered chassis rust, and because they are heavy and hard to handle many were also dropped, dented, and dinged.

Many of our clients end up purchasing two of these and running them as monoblocks. If you're looking to replicate this sweet setup, please just let us know and we'll convert two amplifiers for this use. We will install mono switches, plus matched tubes across both amps for perfect symmetry and gain.

It's very well built weighing in at about 56 pounds which is pretty amazing for a compact amplifier.

Output tubes are new Russian Electro Harmonix EL34's which we've found to sound warm and detailed. Driver tubes are mostly vintage.

All of this results in a wonderful sounding amplifier that's perfect for powering your vintage or modern efficient speakers. 

Check out the video in this listing from our YouTube channel (from a previous 8B that we had for sale) for more information on this piece of history.

https://youtu.be/WQdWBgFKt0s
and https://youtu.be/-CmaXMeEzpw

This 8B came to us from its original owner along with its original box. It's very clean overall with only a couple of small cosmetic blemishes (scratch on one side, broken terminal block fin on the left channel). Please see our photos for more details.

This example tested well in all original condition as received into our shop, but the power supply caps were overdue for replacement. So we went ahead with our standard 8B preservative restoration on this example.

Tubes include NOS GE 6BH6 and 6CG7s, along with two matched pairs of National EL34. All tubes were tested on our modern and professional Amplitrex AT1000 vacuum tube tester. 

If you're interested in having the signal path capacitors upgraded to a brand of your choosing for an additional fee, please contact us for more details. 

Restoration Notes: 
- High voltage power supply capacitors replaced with discrete components cleanly mounted underneath the chassis. 
- Main power supply diodes replaced with modern fast recovery equivalents. 
- NTC Thermistor added for soft start. 
- Negative bias supply selenium rectifier and capacitors replaced. 
- Axial electrolytics replaced in the signal circuitry. 
- Original Sprague Black Beauty Difilm and Bumble mylar caps left in place to preserve the original sonic character of the amplifier. 
- Bias and AC balance adjusted to service manual spec.
- Bench tested to approximately 40 WPC into 8 ohms before clipping. 

Lastly, we found this fantastic website that has over a dozen documents available for download related to this tuner. Manuals, Service Manuals, Vintage Reviews, you name it and it's there. Click here to check it out.

Click here to view all Vintage Marantz pieces currently available for purchase on SkyFi.

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PURCHASING FROM SKYFI:

This item will be professionally packaged and insured for safe transit to your home unless you opt for local pickup from our shop. Please note that all local pickup items are only wrapped with industrial strength clear cling stretch wrap if the original manufacturer packaging is unavailable.

Local pickup is available in Glen Rock, NJ, just a half hour drive from Midtown Manhattan, with convenient parking near our building.

And if you’re looking to ship to Canada, simply follow this link to view and purchase this item. We ship to Canada via UPS Worldwide Expedited service and you’re responsible for any applicable import duties and taxes.

If we don’t have the original manufacture’s packaging, we use heavy duty double-ply corrugated boxes with custom made to your item Instapak expanding foam custom inserts. In many cases this has proven to be better than the original packaging! We also use high quality fiber reinforced tape to seal our packages. Lightweight items will be bubble wrapped and shipped in a high-quality box. 

Click here for specifics on our specialized packing process that separates us from the rest.

NJ Residents or anyone picking up without a resale certificate will need to pay NJ Sales Tax.

Thanks for looking and be sure to call us at 201-879-0000 with any questions. 

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WHO WE ARE:

SkyFi Audio is a small startup business specializing in the purchase, reconditioning, and reselling of select high-end audio equipment. We only buy equipment the we admire and are passionate about. No mid-fi, no gimmicks, no junk.

Each piece of equipment is cosmetically restored and fully tested in our well-equipped lab by an engineer with 30+ years of experience in the HiFi world. If it does not meet or exceed the original manufactures specifications, it will not be sold. We are very selective about the equipment we purchase, focusing on mostly analog, high-build quality, American, and European built units.

Through our sister company which is an authorized dealer for McIntosh, Audio Research, Sonus Faber, ClearAudio, Pro-Ject Audio Systems, and Sony ES, we have access to OEM parts, service, and support. If you’re local and looking for new equipment from the above-mentioned manufacturers, please drop us a line as we can arrange both sales and professional installation in the tri-state area.

PURCHASING GUIDELINES:

We do not accept or review any offers that do not go through the official Audiogon system. We have too many items for sale and it’s nearly impossible to keep track of offers outside of the official system. Please don’t message, email, or text any offers. 

PAYMENTS:

We prefer working through PayPal which allows you to use a credit card, bank transfer, and their special financing to spread out payments over six months. We do not charge extra for any PayPal fees if you purchase the item at the asking price. You can also send us a personal check (which will need to clear before shipping), certified check, money order, or bank wire transfer. International clients without access to PayPal should use a bank wire transfer. 

If you’re picking up an item, we do not accept PayPal. You must pay in person with a certified check, bank check, or wire transfer. If you make a PayPal payment and are picking up the item, your PayPal payment will be returned. 

TRADE IN POLICY:

We accept trade-ins of equal or lesser value under certain conditions. Simply click here to submit your gear for full consideration. We will only consider high-end equipment from mainstream manufacturers such as McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Audio Research, Krell, etc. and will typically pass on displays, projectors, receivers, dated surround processors, and mid-fi equipment of any type. We will offer a fair value for your equipment, but keep in mind we’re running a business and will need to be able to resell the equipment at a profit after investing a great deal of time and resources in testing, certifying, repairing, cleaning, and packaging the incoming equipment. If you’re looking for top dollar, we suggest selling direct on your own.

SELL US YOUR GEAR (Working or Broken):

We’ll also purchase your used or broken gear and arrange pickup if you’re in our local market. Simply click here to submit your gear for full consideration.

SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT:                                                                                                     

We are currently operating from our shop inside our dedicated building in Glen Rock, NJ. You’re welcome to make an appointment if there’s a piece of equipment you’d like to see in operation before or after purchase. We have several well-equipped and dedicated listening areas, plus a dedicated listening studio with tons of equipment of all makes and models. We’re not a store, so please don’t make an appointment if you’re just curious as to how a speaker or piece of equipment sounds. In essence - no tire kickers please.

You can call or text 201-879-0000 with any questions or to schedule an appointment. We can also arrange to install, calibrate, and tune your newly purchased gear in your listening room if you’re local to our area. This is super useful when purchasing large speakers or heavy amplifiers. It’s also great for ensuring your new turntable is setup correctly in its final resting place.

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