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All new setup!

S

snipercharli

New Member
So I finally have an entire mid-range hifi setup on the cheap!

Garrard 770 TT - Awaiting new stylus in mail.

Marantz 7C Pre - Indefinite loan from my mom's husband. They don't have anything to use it with, but are letting me borrow it until they decide to/if they will sell it (step-dad got lucky, and bought it in the 70's but never had good equipment to utilize it/researched). Right now I have an input running from an M-Box into the Aux inputs using RCA cables harvested from a nice component cable.

Mitsubishi DA-A7DC - The local vintage audio equipment/vinyl store had a huge sale. Picked this up and the speakers for a pretty good deal ($300). These Mitsubishi amps sound so great! I know there are much higher power rated ones, but this sounds so great with my speakers. And since the Marantz will someday most likely have to be returned there are some relatively cheap pre's and meters that mate with this amplifier - a psuedo receiver if you will.

EPI Model 150's - After more reading online I found that these are actually Model 150 2/3. Amazing highs, great presence, a little weak on the real low end (punk kick drums etc.) but Jazz and funk sound amazing, with walking bass lines really articulate. May eventually add a sub. The one I have sounds better off since it was for a party system and not for anything but big annoying thuds.

After hooking it up and listening to some lossless 1400 kbps Cream, I've been in audio nirvana. Been listening to ALL my favorite music and its like I'm hearing parts for the very first time that I never knew were there. Etta James to James Brown sounds great. I'll have my record player up and running soon with a new stylus and then I'll be set!

Here's a few pictures - I know the speaker spacing isn't ideal but I'm a college student with roommates - and don't really want to commandeer the living room when I want to listen to records (read: all the time).

Let me know what you think!

Snipercharli
 

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bolly said:
wow!! that 7C is worth about $4000!
Click to expand...

Yeah, and I hope they let him keep it!

snipercharli: what serial number is the 7C? I may be able to date it by the serial number.

Also, has the unit been refurbished? The 7C is way too valuable to recap. Mine works perfectly with all its original parts. Switches and pots are totally smooth and noise free. Residual hiss and noise totally inaudible!

The 7C should do any high-end power amp justice, when you are ready to upgrade. It's that good. The natural mate is the Model 8B. A pair of Model 5's sing with it as well. The Model 9s are the ultimate but a lot of $$$$$!
 
Marantz Serial Number

The serial number is 7-15249. It was checked out by the only Marantz dealer in the Wichita, KS area, which happened to be the store it was purchased from. All original, no work ever done, and no hiss (although I have heard some slight background hiss in some of my non-audiophile bitrate music and older recordings), no pops, all controls clean. I let it warm up quite a while before slowly testing it. Found nothing at all to mention, but will go over it with some good control cleaner etc. The Kansas City area is having a meetup and I will bring it then and hopefully learn the maintenance care necessary.

As far as further upgrade, I didn't want to nor could I afford the equipment to utilize the 7C's potential, especially since I most likely will not have it permanently unless I negotiate a purchase in the future when I'm no longer a poor college student. For $300 and a sizeable donation :D I feel like I've got a pretty awesome setup to hear (some of) the quality of the 7C.

Snipercharli
 
Hi snipercharli:

Your unit is from 1962, judging by the serial number.

Does yours have etched lettering on the faceplate? Most 7Cs do. Only a handful had silkscreen lettering.

As for the hiss, as long as non-intrusive you are fine. Mine is usually way below the residual noise of LP records and my favorite Jazz 1950's recordings on CD.

I'm guessing you still have the six Telefunken ECC83s in there right? Those last forever.

Looks like you are on your way to audio nirvana. I'm sure the 7C inserted in the system will give you much of that famous Marantz tube sound.

If you need to clean the switches and pots, use DeOxit instead of regular contact cleaner.

Again congrats on your new system. So cool that you are able to enjoy a 7C in your college years, even if it's a loaner.
Took me nearly 20 years to finally experience one!
 
I ran my Mitsu for decades with my EPI's. One of the better matches for synergy. You WILL have fun :)
 
Yeah I'm finishing up grad-work, so big parties don't occur too often at my apartment anymore as much as they did earlier in school :banana:. If they do - its other people into music and we're just socializing and listening to music. Either way, its in my room, and on my renters insurance.

The 7C has etched lettering. With no signal running to it, not a sound from it. From high quality remastered .flac's thru the M-Box no recording hiss/audible sounds until recordings start. When I play 128kbps to ~250 kbps .mp3's that were recorded in the 60's or 70's (classic rock that hasn't been remastered) I can hear a hiss, either from a bad rip a long time ago, lots of compression, or the actual recording wasn't that great. But with a good source, the 7C is crystal clear. I do have to let it warm up for about 30 seconds before turning on my power amp to prevent a small speaker pop or two. I assume this is the telefunken tubes warming up?
 
Yeah gear will be getting off the floor as soon as possible - looking on CL as we speak, esp since my TT will be operational soon it will need a home too.

Can anybody recommend a decent woofer? When listening to more modern bands the low end is a little lacking. The speakers seem like they reproduce only a natural range of instrumental bass, and not the electronic low freq's in some modern work.

I have an okay subwoofer, but I find I have to adjust the cross over for every song to be able to not muddy the low freq's the speaker can play much cleaner (just not with much oomph) and still get the very low kick drum or kettle drums or electronic pads that the EPI's are missing.

And yes Urizen my step-dad is pretty rockin' for letting me borrow the 7C :music:
 
Great set up sniper. Had a buddy who had the 7C with a pair of Kenwood L-07MII's and a pair of EPI 400's,(the same pair I now own) no need for a sub with those :D. The 150 2/3's are nice for what they are but, when you get a little more dough flow you really should try and track down a pair of 400's to go with that 7C and A7. Wish my first system would have been 1/2 as nice as yours. Welcome to AK!!

Mike
 
Awsome!. You should get a small bench to get them off the ground though. Great stuff though, lucky to get such nice stuff so cheap!
 
a couple of lack tables @ 15$ from Ikea would work as gear stands.
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/401042700

57543_PE163125_S4.jpg


cheap too.

or the lack coffee table at 30$

49406_PE145331_S4.jpg
 
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