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---FOR LOCAL PICKUP IN MADISON, WISCONSIN ONLY---If you're interested in demoing this amp in person or have any questions, please call/email/message the shop beforehand with any inquiries:For sale is a Music Reference RM-9 MKI 100W Dual Power Amplifier in very good fully working condition. This amplifier has been equipped with brand new genuine RAM Tube Works tubes for the V1 and V2 driver tube pairs specifically designed and matched for this amp. It is imperative to have the correct 6DJ8 low noise front tubes (V1) for this unit as per recommendations from Music Reference. This amplifier has previously been upgraded in March of 2003 by RAM Labs/Music Reference in Santa Barbara, CA with complete service receipts of work done which included upgraded gold binding posts and input terminals and compensating capacitor modification - review image. All RAM Tube Works EL34 output tubes have been recently tested in-shop with a tube tester to ensure proper emission scores and no leakage - all tested strong.Our shop has cleaned all tube sockets and addressed a few cold solder joints on the main board. This amp is rated at 100W Class A amplification and has speaker outputs for 2, 4, an 8 ohm loads. We have extensively tested this amp to ensure proper balance/gain in a complete system with different speaker types. Bias and balance has been adjusted to spec. Please review all images and descriptions prior to purchase.Condition: Very GoodMinor wear on protective cageMinor scratching on rear of wood baseUnit has been fully detailed/polished. Wood case sanded & oiled.Manufacture date 3/9/97Service:Previously serviced/upgraded by RAM Labs/Music Reference in 2003.New set of matched 6DJ8 RAM tubes (x4)Cleaned all tube socketsAddressed cold solder joints on main boardAll EL34 output tubes passed emissions testingAll hardware and features have been inspected, tested, and verified by HiFi Haus in Madison, WI as described.Accepting offers.Note from HiFi Haus:Have any questions? Please reach out to us directly. Brick and mortar shop located in Madison, WI . All items are tested, cleaned, and serviced before listing. This item is not available for shipping.
This is a fair-to-strong ask: US$2,299 sits right around the going used market for an RM-9, with recent examples at US$2,150 for a used unit and about US$2,200 cited as a typical level for a clean RM-9 MkII. That makes this not a bargain-bin score, but it’s also not ambitious if the amp is genuinely healthy and complete.
The RM-9 is well regarded for its flexible tube-amp voicing, with support for KT88/6550 output tubes and even bridgeable operation to higher power, so it has real appeal for both classic tube sound and practical system matching. It’s also a model that’s become more collectible over time, so a tidy, original, working example can justify paying near the median. At this price, I’d mainly want confirmation of service history, tube condition, and whether the included tube set is substantial.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Music Reference is a high-end tube-audio brand with roots in RAM Labs, which was founded in 1981 by Roger Modjeski; the Music Reference name followed later as the company evolved from his earlier work. The brand’s history is closely tied to Modjeski’s low-profile, engineering-driven approach rather than to mass-market visibility, which is consistent with its long-standing cult reputation among serious listeners.
Its product focus has centered on amplification, especially vacuum-tube preamps and power amplifiers. Music Reference is best known for components such as the RM-4 head amp and later tube amplifiers like the RM-200, rather than for a broad catalog of speakers, turntables, DACs, or headphones. In other words, this is a specialist electronics house, not a full-line hi-fi brand.
In the market, Music Reference sits in the niche boutique/high-end tier. It has earned respect for musical, carefully voiced designs and for appealing to buyers who value craftsmanship and sonic refinement over brand scale or visual flash. It is better understood as an audiophile connoisseur brand than a mainstream luxury label.
See all Music Reference listings on RADAR.
