Marantz PM-KI Ruby Integrated Amplifier - Ken Ishiwata Signature Reference Limited Edition

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This special KI Ruby series is the top of the top from Marantz, and has received only stellar reviews since inception.

These were made in very limited quantities, and once they were gone they were gone. Note the silkscreen AND molded signature from Ken Ishiwata.

"Engineered and extensively tuned by legendary Marantz sound master Ken Ishiwata and his team, drawing on more than 35 years of Marantz expertise in CD players"

This PM-KI is looking and working like the day it left the factory. It will come to you complete with every original included bit, hardly used and looking like new.

These are out of stock at just about every authorized retailer and they won't be making any more.

(Note the last four photographs are sourced from Marantz)

Click here for the full and outstanding review from The Absolute Sound by Paul Seydor

"Six years ago I began my review of Ishiwata’s Reference Series by observing that it was impossible not to be impressed by them. The same is true of these new Rubies, yet I would also add that it is equally impossible not to be impressed by the value they offer. Think about it: You have a 100Wpc amplifier (typically 150W or more); a preamplifier with a phonostage and a number of useful features; and an SACD/CD player with a built-in DAC that together will handle virtually every digital medium for the playback of music in the home—all of superlative performance, plus quality of build, parts, manufacturing, and workmanship that cannot be faulted."

More from Marantz:

Marantz PM-KI Ruby Ken Ishiwata Signature Reference Integrated Amplifier

Marantz has been designing and making amplifiers for more than 65 years, and for 40 of those the products have reflected expertise of Ken Ishiwata. Now, to mark his four decades with the company, the PM-KI Ruby amplifier has been developed and tuned by a highly experienced engineering team led by KI himself. It features a fully discrete two-stage design with separate power supplies for the pre-amplifier and power amp — plus, a moving coil/moving magnet phono stage complete with Marantz Musical Premium Phono EQ circuit and Marantz HDAM technology for signal purity and exceptional audio quality. PM-KI Ruby is built on a vibration-resistant double layer chassis with thick aluminum panes for rigidity and features a laser-engraved Ken Ishiwata signature to commemorate his legacy.

Key Features
• Engineered and extensively tuned legendary Marantz sound master Ken Ishiwata and his team, drawing on more than 65 years of Marantz amplifier design knowledge
• Marantz high-resolution preamplifier stage with proprietary HDAM technology
• Switching power amplifier design derived from flagship PM-10 amplifier
• Generous output: 100W + 100W (into 8 ohm), 200W + 200W (4 ohm)
• Fully-discrete, two-stage design for signal purity, with separate power supplies for preamp and power amplifier sections to reduce interference
• Toroidal transformer dedicated to preamp for clarity and powerful sound
• Current feedback design with newly-developed wide-range circuitry
• HDAM® SA3 circuitry for clean signal and optimal dynamics
• MM/MC Phono input with new discrete Marantz Musical Premium Phono EQ circuit
• Thick nickel-plated copper independent input terminals for CD and Phono, plus Marantz-original high-quality/high-purity copper-plated speaker terminals
• Linear volume control with new electric volume system
• High-quality construction with double-layer chassis, 5mm thick aluminum top lid, solid aluminum front and copper-plated chassis
• High-grade, carefully selected audio parts: ultra-low leak current Schottky diodes, low noise complementary transistors, high-grade resistors, newly developed custom electrolytic capacitors, audio grade film capacitors and mica capacitors.
• Laser-engraved Ken Ishiwata signature and Ruby motif, marking Ishiwata’s 40-year Marantz legacy

Dimensions: 17.32″ x 5″ x 17.83″
Weight: 34.61 lbs. 

Click below to add our recommended matching cables from Kimber Kable, all brand new as SkyFi is an official Kimber dealer.

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects

Kimber Kable - XLR Interconnects

Kimber Kable - Coaxial Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Optical Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Digital AES/EBU (XLR Connector) Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Speaker Cables

Kimber Kable - Bi-Wire Speaker Cables

Kimber Kable - Power Cords

The SkyFi Testing Process for Solid State Integrated Amplifiers:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure there are no signs of stress or aging. Capacitors are checked for telltale sings of bulging or leaking, resistors are checked for signs of overheating or cracking, and transistors are checked for signs of stress or damage.

We then power up the unit carefully and run a simple 1k sine wave while monitoring the output on an oscilloscope for signs of distortion or noise. Finally, we run the amplifier to its full rated power into the appropriate resistive load provided by our Sencore amplifier tester. If there is an issue, it will usually be noticeable at this point. If everything reads clean, we will often test for THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) measured by our Keithley distortion meter, and compare it against the original manufacturers specifications. The amplifier then remains powered on to "burn in" on our test bench for a few hours to make sure there are no heat related issues. If there are balanced inputs available they will be also be tested.

Final testing involves pushing actual music thorough the amplifier. We've learned over time that some issues are only noticeable to a trained ear while listening to familiar source material. Our test bench has reference vintage KEF speakers that we're very familiar with which quickly reveal any discrepancies. Some amplifiers will then move into our listening room where they are tested with our in-house reference speakers of choice.