Many of the photos below are courtesy of Mr. Sean Pierce and his Canon DSLR. Thank you Sean!
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Previous "Audiophiliac" + SkyFi Feature Videos Include:
Vintage audio treasure trove of reel-to-reels, McIntosh, and lots of turntables
https://youtu.be/wXs4Z12DAQs
Blissed out with a Magnepan, Marantz, Bryston, and Garrard system
https://youtu.be/0Aj8WmEAyko
"Here’s what Fernando put together for me when we first met at Stereo Exchange in NYC"
https://youtu.be/lQ75mvncnPo
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"The Audiophiliac" on YouTube:
http://bit.ly/2xIWgKy
"The Audiophiliac" Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/Audiophiliac
We just sold the unique, rare, and super heavy (sounding and weighing) flagship McIntosh XCS2K center channel speaker.
We were super curious what kind of system would need that much SOUND. Then we received these photos that we've been drooling over since!!!
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Link to this receiver on our store (available as of this writing)
Marantz Model 2500 Flagship Vintage Stereo Receiver
One of the most powerful receivers ever built by Marantz, and by far the best looking.
Highlights include:
• Built-in oscilloscope
• The best looking tuning meter in the industry
• Produced from 1977 to 1980
• 330W into 4 ohms
• Two phono inputs
After the restoration was completed we set this up and had it playing in our large hard-to-fill shop, after our lab and bench testing. The musicality of the sound, especially the stereo separation, was incredible.
]]>Match Made in Heaven
As you might imagine, any of the SL-1200 models introduced over the years are coveted by audiophiles and DJs and command top dollar, especially if it’s an MK2 that’s been upgraded and customized like the stunning example shown here. No one knows this better than the audio specialists at NJ-based SkyFi Audio, the shop behind that MK2 makeover. They are constantly on the lookout for vintage Technics tables.
They hit the jackpot a few months ago when they scored a matched set of SL-1200MK2 with sequential serial numbers. The tables were purchased in 1985 by a semi-famous DJ living in Europe who beat the living hell out of them (in a good way). Despite the obvious wear and tear — most notably in the area directly below the pitch control — SkyFi’s Elliott White says, except for a set of replacement RCA cables and ground leads, the tables are all original and in surprisingly good condition. Both came with their original feet, official Technics dust covers, and 45 adapters, which are often lost or misplaced during transit.
Click here to read the full post on S&V:
]]>If you'd like to visit the showroom, please call to make an appointment.
Face coverings required of course.
And checkout our latest YouTube video "Current Projects at Our SkyFi Shop!"
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The SkyFi shop is closed to visitors but open for business.
As long as UPS is picking up and delivering packages, we're able to get orders out.
We're also available to respond to your calls and messages safely from our remote offices.
"Music can have a profound effect on both the emotions and the body. Faster music can make you feel more alert and concentrate better. Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic and positive about life. A slower tempo can quiet your mind and relax your muscles, making you feel soothed while releasing the stress of the day. Music is effective for relaxation and stress management."
- University of Nevada, Reno
Here are two examples we've selected:
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The McIntosh MR78, the Sequerra Model No 1, and the Marantz Model 10B.
It's rumored this tuner 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.
We think this 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 Marantz Model 10B featured in this video is not currently available for purchase, but we do have a single 10B in stock as of this writing that is in wonderful shape - including a chassis that doesn't show any signs of rust, which is rare. Plus it comes with a documented professional service history.
Please click here to view our Model 10B as well as other Marantz items currently available for purchase from our collection.
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BeoMaster 1900/1900-2 Tuner/Amplifier Product Specifications
(courtesy of www.beoworld.org)
Types:
2903 (1976 - Dec 1979)
US 2904 (1976 - Dec 1979)
US 2904 (1976 - June 1980)
Power output at specified distortion 1000 Hz RMS:
2 x 30 watts / 4 ohms
2 x 20 watts / 8 ohms
Music power:
2 x 50 watts / 4 ohms
2 x 30 watts / 8 ohms
Speaker impedance:
4 ohms
Harmonic distortion:
1000 Hz 50 mV DIN 45,500: < 0.07 %
Intermodulation:
DIN 45,500 < 0.13 %
Bass control at 40 Hz:
+/- 18 dB
Treble control at 12,500 Hz:
+/- 15 dB
Power supply:
110 - 130 - 220 - 240 V
Power consumption:
25 - 185 W
Dimensions W x H x D:
62 x 6 x 25cm
Weight:
7.6 kg
Tell us about your Preamplifier:
Shown on the top right side, this is a DIY preamp that I made out of aluminum and walnut stock, using a Nelson Pass-based DCB1 passive preamp and Hypnotoad phono stages (MM and MC), along with a remote-controlled Goldpoint passive attenuator.
Tell us about your Amplifier:
Right below the DIY preamp is an Adcom GFA-5800 250-watt-per-channel solid state amplifier.
Tell us about your Speakers:
These are JBL 4435 studio monitors that came out of an Orange County recording studio, where countless albums were recorded using them. I got them in parts and completely rebuilt them with new veneer, refoamed woofers, Radian aluminum horn diaphragms and charge-coupled crossovers. They sound astounding; very neutral with tight but powerful bass. At 96 dB sensitivity they can handle anything from whisper quiet to terrifyingly loud.
Tell us about your Sources:
I rebuilt the Technics SL-1200 M3D turntable with a custom walnut plinth, cocoa-brown powder-coating and a lot of KAB upgrades, a MK5 tonearm and a fluid tonearm damping system. I also use a Squeezebox Touch with my NAS music server, and a PS Audio Digital Link III DAC.
SkyFi gear featured in Steve's latest video:
Watch his latest video creation below to find out more:
SkyFi gear available for purchase from Steve's latest video:
Follow "The Audiophiliac" on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AudiophiliacMan
Watch "The Audiophiliac" on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2xIWgKy
SkyFi Gear available for purchase from this latest video:
• Marantz Model 7 Stereo Tube Preamplifier (from our Holy Grail collection)
• Available only through SkyFi - Garrard 301 w/Custom Plinth and SME 309 Tonearm with a Sumiko Songbird MC (Moving-Coil) Phono Cartridge
• Bryston 4B Solid State Stereo Amplifier (250W)
*The Magnepan Magneplanar Tympani I-D's are part of our Holy Grail & Not For Sale collections at the moment. If you have a set of these speakers to sell or trade-in we'd love to hear from you.
"The Audiophiliac" on CNET: https://www.cnet.com/audiophiliac
"The Audiophiliac" on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Audiophiliac
]]>If you're not familiar with Steve here's some info we gathered from his Patreon page to bring you up to speed:
"Hi, my name is Steve Guttenberg, I am a full time professional audio reviewer. I've been writing the Audiophiliac blog on CNET.com for over 11 years, and reviews for CNET for 18 years. I write for Sound & Vision and Stereophile magazines as a freelancer, and I have also contributed to The Absolute Sound, Audio, Listener, Rob Report, and Home Theater magazines."
You can check out more of his videos and subscribe to his channel by clicking on the video below. Some of our picks are: "How selling an $11,000 turntable turned into a nightmare", "How different is buying high end audio In 2018 than It was in 1978?", and "The worst speaker I ever bought".
Click here to view another video of the system Fernando put together when he first met Steve at our partner company Stereo Exchange in NYC.
Follow Steve on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AudiophiliacMan
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If you're not yet familiar with Gear Patrol on the web, feel free to join their roughly three million+ monthly visitors by checking out their "Who We Are" page (along with a fantastic video!). They also offer a real print magazine that has to be felt in-hand to fully understand the dedication to their cause and details.
Yesterday the story went live and we are !! thrilled !! with the results.
Please click below to read the full article on their site:
"THE REEL DEAL - How the Ultimate Analog Music Player Is Making a Comeback"
And if Reel to Reel isn't your thing, definitely check out Gear Patrol's Vintage Marantz Receiver Buying Guide. In addition to covering the basics before buying one of these silver and black beauties, the "Navigating the Models" section is invaluable to easily compare specific differences from that time period.
A little more about Gear Patrol:
"Founded in 2007, Gear Patrol is an award-winning print and digital publication, store and content studio based in New York City. We believe that the things we create and own, as well as the habits that surround them, play a crucial role in our global culture. Products, in short, are culture. From the Model T to the iPhone, and anything before or since, products hold the power to revolutionize the way we work, relax, communicate, travel, look, learn and more."
A special thank you to Jack Seemer (Senior Associate Editor, Gear Patrol) for initially reaching out, Tucker Bowe (Staff Writer, Gear Patrol) for his dedication to our work, and Henry Phillips (Photo Editor, Gear Patrol) for making this GX-747 shine like no other.
Photo credit for the photo displayed in this posting - Henry Phillips
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