Marantz Model 104 AM/FM Tuner – Made in Japan, Walnut Case
$395.00
Gyro touch flywheel tuning and a blackout dial that lights blue on power-up — 2.5 microvolt FM sensitivity, 58dB signal-to-noise, built in Japan between 1976 and 1978. The dial illumination has been restored with new LEDs and a fresh vellum diffuser, and it sits in a solid walnut case a previous owner built by hand. Good condition; a polished-back engraving above the dial shows only under raking light.
1 in stock
Marantz Model 104 AM/FM Stereophonic Tuner – Made in Japan, Gyro Touch Tuning, Blackout Dial, Restored Illumination, Walnut Case
A Japanese-built analogue AM/FM tuner from Marantz’s blackout-dial era, serviced and retested, and presented in a solid walnut case.
The Blackout Dial
Switched off, the faceplate of a Model 104 is a dark window with nothing to look at. Press the power button and the dial scale lights from behind, the pointer illuminates, and the tuning meter comes up with it. That blackout dial is what made Marantz components recognisable across a room in the 1970s, and it is still the reason people go looking for these rather than for something newer and more sensitive.
Gyro Touch Tuning
The tuning wheel is Marantz’s gyro touch design. It is a weighted flywheel rather than a geared knob, so a light push sends it coasting smoothly across the band and it settles rather than clicks. Dialling in a station by hand on one of these is a genuinely different experience from pressing a preset, and it is most of what an analogue tuner is bought for today.
Restored Dial Illumination
The dial illumination on this example has been restored rather than left to fade. A previous owner replaced the vellum diffuser behind the scale and converted the lamps to LEDs chosen to match the correct Marantz blue. The result is even lighting right across the width of the dial, without the dark patches and mismatched bulb colours these usually show after fifty years. It is a restoration rather than original lamps, which is worth knowing if originality matters to you.
The Walnut Case
The walnut case deserves the same precision. Marantz did sell a walnut cabinet for this tuner as a separately priced factory accessory, but this is not that cabinet. Nor is it one of the cabinets we build here. It is hand-built in solid walnut by a previous owner, and it reads as hand-built — the fit is looser than a factory cabinet or one of ours, and the joinery came out of a home workshop rather than a cabinet shop. Plenty of people would still take a solid walnut case over a bare chassis, and the photographs will tell you quickly whether you are one of them.
The Receiver Section
Underneath the presentation, the receiver section is a capable one for its class. FM sensitivity is rated at 2.5 microvolts with 48dB selectivity and a 58dB signal-to-noise ratio, which is enough to hold a clean stereo lock on the stations most listeners actually want in an urban or suburban setting. The single tuning meter serves both bands, reading signal strength on AM and centre-tune on FM, and a muting circuit keeps the space between stations quiet as the wheel goes past. A ferrite AM antenna is built onto the rear panel.
Condition and Service
In service the stereo indicator lamp was replaced and the tuner was retested afterwards across both bands. This one is in good condition.
Cosmetic note. A previous owner engraved an identification number into the faceplate above the dial. It has been polished back until the surface is nearly smooth and it does not show under normal room lighting, but it is still visible under a bright light held at an angle. It is disclosed here because it is the sort of thing you would want to know before it arrives — and it is why this one is priced level with our standalone Model 104 rather than above it, despite the walnut case.
Why This One
A Model 104 in working order is a straightforward thing to find. One with the dial lit evenly end to end, in a solid walnut case, and tested on both bands is a good deal less common, and it is the presentation that sets this one apart rather than the specification sheet.
Features
- Gyro touch weighted flywheel tuning
- Blackout dial scale with rear illumination and illuminated pointer
- Restored dial illumination — new vellum diffuser, LEDs in correct Marantz blue
- Tuning meter reading FM centre-tune and AM signal strength
- Illuminated AM/FM band and stereo reception indicators
- FM muting circuit
- Ferrite AM antenna built onto the rear panel
- Solid walnut case (third-party, not original Marantz)
Marantz Model 104 AM/FM Stereophonic Tuner Specifications
- Model: 104 AM/FM Stereophonic Tuner
- Production: 1976 to 1978
- FM Tuning Range: 87.5 to 108 MHz
- AM Tuning Range: 525 to 1650 kHz
- FM Sensitivity: 2.5 microvolts
- AM Sensitivity: 25 microvolts
- Selectivity: 48dB (FM)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 58dB (FM)
- Distortion: 0.7% (FM)
- Power Consumption: 15 watts
- Condition: Good — engraved identification number on the faceplate, polished back and visible only under bright light
- Dimensions: (Width x Height x Depth) approximately 16.25 x 6.75 x 12 inches (413 x 171 x 305 mm), including the walnut case
- Weight: approximately 16.5 lbs (7.5 kg), including the walnut case
🎚️ Gold Series RCA Interconnects
Our own Gold Series RCA Stereo Interconnect is a shielded, gold-plated stereo pair, in stock and ready to go. It is the cable that connects this to the rest of your system, and it is a straightforward upgrade on the free leads that come in the box with most equipment. 👉
⚠️ Important Information for International Buyers
This unit is configured for North American 110/120V power. Buyers outside North America will require a step-down transformer and appropriate plug adapter.
✅ Buy With Confidence — The Radique Promise
Backed by Radique Audio’s Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and our Perpetual Trade-Back Program. When you’re ready to move on, we’ll take it back. That’s the Radique difference.
📦 Watch how we protect your gear — our unboxing video.
📺 Curious about our business? Check out our YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes videos and more!
📞 Questions? Use the Ask a Question button above, or call us at 613-416-9995.
| Weight | 18.5 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 16 × 20.25 × 10.75 in |
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