Marantz10BusedMarantz 10B Vintage Analog Tube Tuner, Top 3 Tuners Ever Made, Highly Collectable, See Video**Please click here to check out our newly launched SkyFi Audio website with additional items for sale** From one of our recent System of the Week features "...The Holy Grail of Vintage American Hi...4499.00

Marantz 10B Vintage Analog Tube Tuner, Top 3 Tuners Ever Made, Highly Collectable, See Video

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Condition
8/10
Payment methods
Ships fromGlen Rock, NJ, 07452
Ships toUnited States
Package dimensions?" × ?" × ?" (50.0 lbs.)
Shipping carrierUPS
Shipping cost$79.00
AverageResearch Pricing

**Please click here to check out our newly launched SkyFi Audio website with additional items for sale**

From one of our recent System of the Week features "...The Holy Grail of Vintage American HiFi", we are very pleased to offer one of these rare beauties for sale, along with a full video review from our newly launched YouTube channel.

Please see our detailed video review at the bottom of this listing for the full breakdown on this unique piece of vintage audio history.

Back in the 60's and 70's there were three tuners released that are now considered the "Holy Grail of Tuners". The McIntosh MR78, the Sequerra FM1, and the Marantz 10B featured here. 

It's rumored this is the tuner that actually put Marantz out of business, or at least started the decline for Marantz back when it was a US company based out of Long Island City, New York.  I think it was due to the complexity, build quality, and design of this tuner, as this was quite the undertaking for a company of that size at that time.  The complexity, design, and manufacturing are incredible, and it shows both in performance and build quality.

It has some pretty neat features including a built-in oscilloscope, and the topology of the chassis is also really cool with all the tubes, transformers, etc. being exposed which was common for the time.  The 10B was also available for purchase in a wood cabinet which we do not have.  Should you want one it's very easy to make, just four pieces of wood and any craftsman can make you a gorgeous cabinet to match.  Personally we like the exposed look displaying the beautiful design of all the transformers and tubes.

This particular example is in wonderful shape. You can see the beautiful condition of the brushed gold anodized aluminum faceplate, the glass is in super clean condition, the stencils on the glass are all there and very legible, the knobs are all clean, and the chassis doesn't show any signs of rust which is rare.  In this era they didn't really have great grades of paint and anodizing/all sorts of finishes that would keep from rusting, so it's vey common to find these pitted and rusted.  But not this one, this one is really in beautiful shape.  And a close-up view shows the Marantz serial # 10-2106.

Here are some of the cool features and why this tuner is so unique.  The Oscilloscope for starters, which set in output mode shows you both channels, how they work, and how they center on the frequency spectrum.  Switching over to tuning mode the display is slightly different, with a different display algorithm applied to help you center the station.  Please watch our video to get the real feel on how this all works.

For physical controls starting on the left, there is a scope output type knob (Tuning/Output/External), FM tuning mode knob (Hi-blend, Normal, MONO), large tuning knob center, panel light control knob (Off/On/Dim), and finally the FM muting control (Off/On). The tiny knobs to the left and right of the glass are controls for the oscilloscope (vertical and horizontal).  On the side there's a screw adjustment to center the tuning needle on the proper station on the dial.  

Regarding where the connections are located, they are not on the back of the chassis where you would typically find them.  The connections are up top (center for antenna) and to one side for the output, which seem to be upgraded on this piece to much higher quality RCA jacks.  The external scope inputs are nearby, a test connection, detector output, and then various potentiometers throughout the tuner for adjusting all sorts of things, whether it's the performance of the scope or performance of the tuner (vertical gain, horizontal gain, stereo threshold). 

We're pleased to report everything on this piece is in its place and complete.  As an example of what typically goes missing, a lot of times the black tube isolators will disappear along with the metal RF isolation sleeves. Note there are three tubes near the oscilloscope that do not have the isolators, but you can tell this is by design from the lack of the receiving socket for the sleeve on these specific tubes.

This piece is not from the Marantz that is around nowadays.  This is the original highly collectable Marantz.  This would be a great match to any of their other pieces, as they made a wonderful Model 7 tube preamp for this era and also two amplifiers (The Model 8B Stereo Tube Amp and The Model 9 Monoblock Amp).  So if you're a collector, this is the one to have.

The only thing we haven't sorted out is the stereo indicator lamp.  Currently it's not lighting up even through the tuner sounds wonderful. Aligning and fine tuning this tuner is extremely complicated requiring very specific tools, so we decided not to mess with it since we are currently receiving a wonderful strong signal.  So we will leave the stereo lamp issue to the next owner, and since this will likely end up sitting on a shelf looking beautiful anyway it's not a real issue.

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 for the full listing available for download.

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This item will be professionally packaged and insured for safe transit to your home. 

Please click here for detailed specifics regarding our specialized packing process that separates us from the rest.

If we don’t have the original manufacture's packaging, we use heavy duty double ply corrugated boxes with 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. 

This item is available for pickup in Ridgewood, NJ or Union Square, NYC (with convenient parking in the building).

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

Use the Buy It Now button and we will cover the PayPal fees.

Thanks for looking and be sure to call or text 201.879.0000 with any questions. 

Please also click here to visit our Audiogon store to see the rest of the items we have for sale.

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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 are 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. 

If you do not see a “Make an Offer” button, it means we are not considering any offers on that item.   

PAYMENTS

We prefer working through PayPal which allows you to use a credit card or bank transfer. We do not charge extra for any payment 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 wire transfer. International clients without access to PayPal should use a bank wire transfer. 

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

TRADE IN POLICY 

We accept trade-ins of equal or lesser value under certain conditions.  Simply ask and let us know the exact model, condition, and the accessories that are included (such as the original box, remote, cables, manual, etc.).  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 are 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 are looking for top dollar we suggest attempting to sell it directly to an end user on your own.

SELL US YOUR GEAR (Working or Broken)

We will also purchase your used or broken gear and arrange pickup if you are in our local market. Just drop us a note for a quote but be sure to include the condition and what is included. 

HOW TO VISIT US                                                                                                        

We are currently operating from a residence in Ridgewood, NJ.  You are welcome to make an appointment if there is a piece of equipment you would like to see in operation before or after purchase.  We have a well-equipped, dedicated listening room with tons of equipment of all makes and models.  We are not a store, so please don’t make an appointment if you are just curious as to how a speaker or piece of equipment sounds.  In essence, no tire kickers please.

If you are in NYC and cannot make it out to Ridgewood, we can arrange pickup in Union Square (14th Street) after the purchase.   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 the gear in your listening room if you are local to the area.  This is super useful when purchasing large speakers or heavy amplifiers.  It is also great for ensuring your new turntable is setup correctly in its final resting place.  

Thanks for looking and please click here if you would like to receive a list of the equipment we receive from time to time.  We promise not to bombard you with junk email.   

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