Marantz PM-99SE

Part of the Philips/Marantz high-time (sound-wise and sales-wise), the PM-90 is the top echelon of a constantly upgraded and plethoric lineup which included the PM-80, PM-80a, PM-80aF, PM-88SE, PM-88aSE, PM-95 and PM-90 - plus a few more export-only variants !

The PM-99SE, introduced after the PM-88SE, is the Special Edition of the PM-90 and rests on a copper-plated zinc diecast base and is powered by one bigga toroidal trafo producing clean but hot Class A music (the unused portion of which heats up a 3mm aluminium top plate) or more efficient but very ample Class AB power.
The sideburns are diecast aluminium, as in the CD-95 or PM-95, for a 26,5kg total of educated high-fidelity.

The volume is "active" by balancing the actual input and output levels to lower residual noise at all levels - see the schematic below ; the difference with the PM-90 is the presence of ten HDAM modules, two of which deal with the "active" volume.

The cascode power stage ends on two parallel p-p of MOS-FETs ; three CCNE "noise killer" are inserted in each secondaries (bur for the drivers' stage) and, very Luxman, a Line Phase sensor on the back.
The addition of 70µ copper PCBs, very select parts, solid-aluminium knobs, the use of HDAMs and the Panasonic (not ALPS and apparently ageing rapidly) four-gang attenuator make the difference with the PM-90.

Available in black outside Japan under the PM-90SE name (and without the stamped Marantz logo ; see one here) ; in Japan also with super-shiny woody sideburns.

Outside of pricey high-end (whether from Sony, Victor or Luxman, or the PM-15), this is my dream amplifier.



A real PM-99SE here and in shiny-woody sideburns style here.