Marantz Sm 700
(1982 - 1987)

As far as I know, the Sm 700 is an updated Sm-800 with a different frontplate. Real changes, if any, perhaps lie in the power devices and slight construction upgrades ; specs and weight are equivalent. 300,000¥ cheaper then the Sm 1000, the Sm 700 cost 700,000¥ and was thus meant to be just as exclusive, even by Japanese standards.

Advertised at first along the Sm 1000 and Sc 1000 preamp, the Sm 700 replaced the Sm 800 and the monster Sm 1000 for a short while before this set of superlative units got somewhat dislodged by the Sc-11 / Sm-11 combo. The air intake of the Sm 700 is placed exactly where it was on the Sm 800 and Sm 1000, with holes cut in the sideburns, of course :-) The SM-1000 was the very last USA-designed Marantz ; the SM-800 and SM-700 were pure japanese upgrades of the former.

A test I have at hand that compares all the super-superlative pre/main combos of the time shows for the Sm 700 an insignificant output voltage drop vs. speaker impedance of less than 10%...

Excellent, good or not really worthwhile, the Sm 700 was and still is is exccedingly rare at any rate.