Marantz SD9000

[Makymak]

Hello!

Recently, I saw an ad for the said Marantz in need of belts, according to the owner. It's offered at 130€.

I know nothing about this deck other than it's a very rare, late '70s deck.

Is it worth it to buy it and try to bring it back to life? Sonically, how does it feel?

I'm interested in this one because it's an open well deck. OK, it's not my favorite Pioneer CT-F1250 but I can't afford one btm!

 

[pioneercollector]

Hello,

Well, for that price i would definitely buy it, I have never owned one but have always liked the look of them - It is rare.

Sonics wise it is probably not a Nakamichi - I would still have it though in my set up...... in a flash

PC

 

[Elite-ist]

So, it is a 2-speed deck @ 1 7/8 ips and 3 1/2 ips.. Unfortunately, what it lacks is full-on tape calibration for bias, level and equalization. It only has a fine bias control. Sure... it has an impressive layout of buttons and lights for mostly programming functions. But, at that quoted price, I would have bought it.

Internet photos:




Nando.

 

[J!m]

No on-tape cal is a deal breaker. Even if it has more lights than the Vegas strip.

 

[MarkWComer]

A beauty, but overkill on the gadgetry.

 

[Gepetto]

A beauty, but overkill on the gadgetry.

All those things to break...

 

[Elite-ist]

Now, if you are looking for a substantial cassette deck with an exposed cassette bay and a big front porch and does everything well, including full-on manual tape calibration, look no futher than the Phase Linear Model 7000 Series Two.



Nando.

 

[J!m]

Who made that? Pioneer?

 

[mr_rye89]

Damn that's impressive!

 

[Gepetto]

Now, if you are looking for a substantial cassette deck with an exposed cassette bay and a big front porch and does everything well, including full-on manual tape calibration, look no futher than the Phase Linear Model 7000 Series Two.

View attachment 69601

Nando.

Nando what is your 'go to' cassette deck?

 

[laatsch55]

CT-F1250

 

[Makymak]

Now, if you are looking for a substantial cassette deck with an exposed cassette bay and a big front porch and does everything well, including full-on manual tape calibration, look no futher than the Phase Linear Model 7000 Series Two.

View attachment 69601

Nando.

Well, indeed that's impressive!

For the history, I came late buying the deck. It flew some hours after I firstly saw it. Never mind...
Ah!, the sd9000 had two versions: one with dbx and one without. The said long gone deck was without...

 

[Makymak]

CT-F1250

No further explanation needed........

 

[MarkWComer]

Who made that? Pioneer?

Yup- lots of family resemblance there, eh?

 

[Elite-ist]

Yes, Pioneer Electronics bought out Bob Carver's Phase Linear in 1979, then Pioneer manufactured the CT-A1 (black finish) cassette deck under the Pioneer name badge and available in the Japanese domestic market, which was also the Phase Linear Model 7000 Series Two (gold/bronze/clear finish) available outside of Japan.

Nando.

 

[Elite-ist]

Nando what is your 'go to' cassette deck?

Early on, about a decade, or more ago, my main recording deck, indeed, was the Pioneer CT-F1250. Then, I acquired my Esoteric V-9000 and used it for many subsequent years, until I got my Pioneer CT-A9X.

Pioneer CT-F1250 on left, Esoteric V-9000 on right. This photo was taken shortly after I brought them home after they had been serviced:



Pioneer CT-A9X:



Nando.