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Pairings with the Marantz 8B?


Stephen Riley

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19 hours ago, Stephen Riley said:

Hello all! I'm working on acquiring a Marantz 8B tube amp, and heard Klipsch speakers pair well with it. Any recommendations on which models to consider? I have a setup in a fairly large room with a high ceiling, and play mostly jazz on vinyl. Thanks in advance!

Welcome! 

Yes, you have a wide range of Klipsch then to choose from.

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On 2/19/2023 at 5:52 AM, TheEvan said:

I could kick myself for parting with my beloved 8b back in the early 90s!

 

On jazz, classical, other naturally-recorded music the 8B driving properly-placed Klipschorns is sweet realism I've not experienced since.

 

What preamp?

Preamp I'd like to eventually add the Marantz 7, but for now I was planning on using my existing Marantz 1180DC solid state integrated amp as a preamp.  It has a preout to the 8b. 

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On 2/20/2023 at 1:52 PM, thebes said:

Welcome. My main system uses my Marantz 8b and I've used it with a variety of different Klipsch speakers. 

What's your budget and new or used speakers?

 

 

I'd say about 5k - used is just fine, like the Heritage line. There's a pair of Cornwall 1's near me I'm taking a close look at. 

 

What preamp are you using with the 8b?

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With that budget Heritage is an excellent choice.  If you get the Cornwall freshen up the caps, its a simple xover. Same thing with the 8b, the caps are over 70 years old.

Hopefully it will have the original GE EL 34's, which are actually Mullards, and the signal tubes can be replaced, if needed, with NOS American tubes.

 

I've used a number of pre's both solid state and tube including a Marantz 7T, but I prefer tube-based.

My favorite is NOSVALVE's NBS pre, but sadly they aren't made anymore.

 

Take your time with any changes and let you ears be your guide. 

 

 

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22 hours ago, Stephen Riley said:

I'd say about 5k - used is just fine, like the Heritage line. There's a pair of Cornwall 1's near me I'm taking a close look at. 

 

What preamp are you using with the 8b?

Not sure where you are located, but if you can pull it off, buy these.  A vintage Marantz Tube Setup and these are a lifelong pairing if your room can do it. 

 

https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/ele/d/albuquerque-klipschorns-speakers-pair/7590751329.html

 

 

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SUPER DUPER OHMYGOD MAJOR SCORE!!!!!!

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By thebes
January 14, 2005 in 2-Channel Home Audio

One original in perfect shape Marantz 8B tube amplifier for:

$50, that's 50 bucks, that's fifty schmloas, that's 50 ducats that's ten fins, that's one half a c-note.

YEAH FOR ME!!!!!!!!

This is the slow time in the painting biz right now so I hit a couple of estate sales this morning. Looking at a console, notice it's got Marantz stuff inside open a lower cabinent door and there it sits. A big bruiser with nice size tubes. They want $125 for the console. I ask the lady if I can can have just this piece because it's not part of the console so she says those magical words $50 bucks. Have no idea what I'm buying but, it's got tubes so I scoop it up and am out the door before somebody in the joint notices. This thing weighs a ton (57 lbs), got it the rear seat and I can feel my car sagging to the rear on the drive home.

Get online and google it and ohmygod it's worth $1500. Not a scratch on it and has 3 amperex ELl34 from Great Britian, one GE EL34 from Great Britian, two 6BH6 from Electronic and two GE 6BH6's. Pick up the phone and call Craig and after he gets through cursing me for be a lucky so and so, he walks me through how to power it up using a cd player and some disposable speakers in case anything goes wrong. Power it up and no smells, burning, tube blooms anything. Man am I pumped! (PS-special thanks to you Craig)

]

http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/files/marantz8b.jpg

I'm going to let it burn it in for a couple of hours and then run it through my mains.

Now apparantly I need a tube pre to go with thing but again it's the slow time of the year, my quarterly taxes are due, all my busines insurance is up for renewal,plus this is going to have to go to Craig for a checkup, yadda yadda yadda. So I've looked at the Gon and see a Conrad Johson PV3 I might be able to stretch to, a couple of Dynaco Pas3's for about $300 and a EicoHF-85 for about 2 bills. I know absolutely nothing about this pre/amp stuff having only owned integrateds and receivers so will any of these fit the bill until I can save up for something better? I know I need a phono stage and I like volume controls, balance tone controls etc. but that's about it.

I know, I know, I know. Just why should we help that lucky bum, we should be speetting on him. But pleaaaaaaaaaaaase!

The Twins love it when I get this excited. I have to go breath through a paper bag right now so give a poor feller a hand, will ya?

 

post-14801-13819261129308_thumb.jpg

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On 2/25/2023 at 5:26 PM, billybob said:

SUPER DUPER OHMYGOD MAJOR SCORE!!!!!!

Rate this topic


By thebes
January 14, 2005 in 2-Channel Home Audio

One original in perfect shape Marantz 8B tube amplifier for:

$50, that's 50 bucks, that's fifty schmloas, that's 50 ducats that's ten fins, that's one half a c-note.

YEAH FOR ME!!!!!!!!

This is the slow time in the painting biz right now so I hit a couple of estate sales this morning. Looking at a console, notice it's got Marantz stuff inside open a lower cabinent door and there it sits. A big bruiser with nice size tubes. They want $125 for the console. I ask the lady if I can can have just this piece because it's not part of the console so she says those magical words $50 bucks. Have no idea what I'm buying but, it's got tubes so I scoop it up and am out the door before somebody in the joint notices. This thing weighs a ton (57 lbs), got it the rear seat and I can feel my car sagging to the rear on the drive home.

Get online and google it and ohmygod it's worth $1500. Not a scratch on it and has 3 amperex ELl34 from Great Britian, one GE EL34 from Great Britian, two 6BH6 from Electronic and two GE 6BH6's. Pick up the phone and call Craig and after he gets through cursing me for be a lucky so and so, he walks me through how to power it up using a cd player and some disposable speakers in case anything goes wrong. Power it up and no smells, burning, tube blooms anything. Man am I pumped! (PS-special thanks to you Craig)

]

http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/files/marantz8b.jpg

I'm going to let it burn it in for a couple of hours and then run it through my mains.

Now apparantly I need a tube pre to go with thing but again it's the slow time of the year, my quarterly taxes are due, all my busines insurance is up for renewal,plus this is going to have to go to Craig for a checkup, yadda yadda yadda. So I've looked at the Gon and see a Conrad Johson PV3 I might be able to stretch to, a couple of Dynaco Pas3's for about $300 and a EicoHF-85 for about 2 bills. I know absolutely nothing about this pre/amp stuff having only owned integrateds and receivers so will any of these fit the bill until I can save up for something better? I know I need a phono stage and I like volume controls, balance tone controls etc. but that's about it.

I know, I know, I know. Just why should we help that lucky bum, we should be speetting on him. But pleaaaaaaaaaaaase!

The Twins love it when I get this excited. I have to go breath through a paper bag right now so give a poor feller a hand, will ya?

 

post-14801-13819261129308_thumb.jpg

That's amazing, congrats. I'd feel fortunate to find one for less than 3k, let alone $50!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm using Russian SED Winged C, but note they are out of production and usually fail in a very spectacular fashion.Q

 

I  also have original GE EL 34's, which are getting long in the tooth. They are actually Mullards.

 

Go original NOS on the signal tubes if you can, if not, any of the old American tubes will do fine.

 

 

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