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This is a buyer’s market for vintage Marantz integrateds, and the £115 asking price for the PM493 is ambitious, sitting clearly above the 75th percentile of £101 from your recent comparable GBP listings. While the median is £87 and the 25th percentile is £82, this unit exceeds the upper bound of typical used pricing in GBP, making it a tough sell unless the condition is exceptional or accessories are pristine.
The PM493 remains a well-regarded 50-watt-per-channel amp praised for its solid bass and detailed midrange, often overlooked for its value. It’s a worthwhile buy for enthusiasts seeking a clean, original-owner unit with good reliability, especially if it includes the manual or remote. However, at this price, buyers should verify the condition rigorously—common age concerns like capacitor drift or input wear could justify the higher cost only if the listing is truly pristine.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Marantz originated in the United States, founded in 1953 by Saul Bernard Marantz, a music enthusiast and amateur musician born in Brooklyn in 1911. Dissatisfied with the audio equipment of the era, he crafted the groundbreaking Audio Consolette preamplifier in 1952 from his New York home, selling the first 100 units rapidly and prompting the formal establishment of the company in Woodside, Queens. Though production later shifted to Japan in partnership with manufacturers like Standard Radio in 1966, and the brand evolved through ownership changes including Superscope and eventual integration into larger groups, its heritage remains rooted in American ingenuity and a relentless pursuit of musical fidelity.
The brand excels in high-end audio components, particularly amplifiers, preamplifiers, and integrated systems that defined its golden era. Iconic models like the Model 7 preamplifier (1958), Model 9 power amplifier (1960), and Model 10B tuner (1964) set benchmarks for performance, while later offerings expanded to tuners, receivers, and CD players. Marantz briefly ventured into speakers under designer Ed May in the 1970s but focused primarily on electronics rather than turntables, headphones, DACs, or cables, emphasizing separates renowned for their "Most Musical Sound."
Marantz commands a premium position in the hi-fi market, revered as a high-end pioneer that shaped the audiophile landscape through the 1970s zenith. Today, it blends vintage allure with modern elegance, appealing to discerning buyers who value durability, innovation, and warm, detailed sound signatures over mass-market accessibility.
See all Marantz listings on RADAR.
