The Ultimate Marantz, Superscope, UNIX Boombox Thread

Great find! I've never opened mine up so I don't know how hard it is. Taiwan Equipment is usually less complicated than Japanese but this might be stuffed full of circuit boards. I don't know if I've seen the service manual but Marantz always had some of the best with very detailed trouble-shooting and tuning information.

Value is very hard with the little Marantz's, they show up for sale much more now than 17 years ago when it was years between ebay sightings. That AC adaptor might be the rarest part, something a hard-core collector might lust after but it won't make you wealthy.

All of these units sound great, they'd make a nice addition to a room that needs some radio once in a while and this is one of the smallest with line-in meaning you can get a bluetooth receiver and play your phone through it.

 

I think this is a new ad?

 

Another Marantz Tape Find, an 8-track calibration tape. I've shown a test tape for R2R, never seen 8-track before, wonder if they ever had a compact cassette test set.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/137629626464?

 

Just picked up this awesome Superscope Brochure, it looks like it's from 1978. Classic models, all built like tanks, but where are the cool ones like the 4800 with two decks or the 5000 with three heads? I guess they were JDM only.

 

I actually got two brochures! Boom, boom, boom, here come the Superscope CRS-4000

 

Lot's of neat equipment from 1980, this would be when the split happened and the one photo above has a SR-2000 Receiver. I've seen these at thrifts years ago and kept walking, the build quality took a nose-dive for home components but the Superscope Tape Products, at least in the USA and Japan, seemed to be top-quality. The CRS-2020 is a basic model but it still has a robust case.

 

Marantz took full control of Standard Radio (Japan) around 1974. I've found a few product brochures posted around the internet but they are rare and I've never seen this one before.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/147529316760?

What I find fascinating is that Superscope had Sony Tape Products Distribution, at least for the USA, and some of these products competed head to head. I have to believe Sony was pissed with Superscope bringing on cassette players and taking market share.

This looks like mid-70's and might have morphed into the Marantz CAR Line. While it doesn't say autoreverse, it does look like you can hit the "SELECT" button and change directions, the yellowish arrows hint that may be true. I wonder if this had any other parts, like a tuner?






These were very popular when I was a kid, I don't remember the brand, maybe Superscope was the only one. Back then cars in the 60's and 70's mostly had AM radio, that's why car tape decks got so popular. For us kids with zero money, this was a great way to get into FM radio.

On Ebay now if you want it...

 

A better version!
1980