Marantz 7 Sid Smith Edition - Is this for real?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by crooner, Apr 3, 2013.

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  1. crooner

    crooner Tube Marantzed Thread Starter

    Came across a Chinese language webpage featuring this model. I know the late Sid Smith modified Marantz 7 preamps in his later years but this unit appears to be manufactured new from the ground up.

    Interestingly it has a "made in the UK" badge in the back.

    Could this be a Chinese made replica? Perhaps they used the Sid Smith name instead of Marantz out of fear of being sued by the current brandname owners D&M Holdings.

    Here is the site:

    http://www.gzhifi.com/sa/goods.php?id=944

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  2. sushimaster

    sushimaster Forum Resident

    The link is not working for me. I almost bought a (VAC) Marantz 7c reissue recently, but the guy backed out. I was so bummed.
     
  3. Burt

    Burt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kirkwood, MO
    Site appears to be not working, but it makes sense they would do this.

    If imitation is flattery, Marantz has had good reason to feel flattered, since the 7 is a very copied product. Many, many clones exist, the most famous being the McIntosh C22. It is cosmetically quite different of course.
     
  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

  5. crooner

    crooner Tube Marantzed Thread Starter

    Yep, Steve. It took them a while to come up with this, but I guess it finally happened. Sid must be turning in his grave... :agree:
     
  6. Burt

    Burt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kirkwood, MO
    Sid would have called his lawyer promptly. He was a very proprietary kind of guy as you probably know.
     
  7. crooner

    crooner Tube Marantzed Thread Starter

    Here is another picture of the fake Sid Smith preamp. Can't find any of the innards though...

    [​IMG]
     
  8. noahjld

    noahjld Der Wixxer

    Looks very nice though!
     
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  9. spartanmanor

    spartanmanor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    It does look nice from the outside. It appears to be tubed from the back shot.
     
  10. crooner

    crooner Tube Marantzed Thread Starter

    Agreed on the looks. I wonder why eBay isn't flooded with these yet....
     
  11. Burt

    Burt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kirkwood, MO
    They'll probably go over on this by hiring someone named Sid Smith to work for them. There have to be a fair number of Sid Smiths out there!
     
  12. Burt

    Burt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kirkwood, MO
    I've got one. Works great.

    Sonically I can't tell the difference between it and my homebrew clone which doesn't have the tone controls or switching, and all that stuff is very convenient. It's my all-the-time preamp now.
     
  13. fortherecord

    fortherecord Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    Kinda cool! I wonder how it compares to the 90s reissue?
     
  14. fortherecord

    fortherecord Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    Dual volume controls though?
     
  15. fortherecord

    fortherecord Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    The link does seem to work.
     
  16. crooner

    crooner Tube Marantzed Thread Starter

    Yeah, I don't like the feature. Perhaps they wanted to emulate Audible Illusions with this design....
     
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  17. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Google Chrome translation from the link:
    "Marantz 7 sound the most famous in the history of the former level, for decades, from its classic design before countless, even if the individual Danji Yangmingliwan for later, far as ARC SP3A, recently, such as Matisse Reference are can not escape from the shadow of the Marantz 7, purely to convey the appeal of music, has not yet been before a level beyond Marantz 7

    Marantz 7 sid smith Special Edition, Condition is very new and perfect state, with the original packaging, collection level,"
     
  18. Burt

    Burt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kirkwood, MO
    The link works now whereas it did not earlier, at least for me.

    The Translation calls this "Marantz 7 " which would appear to be an infringement unless they have a submarine license, but this could be a translation software artifact because the original may in some way differentiate their product from the original brand.

    The quality of the switches and pots would be my first question. The lever switches might be off the shelf but the rotarys would have to be made up. They are modular in a sense but the companies that make them want fair sized orders usually.
     
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